Live Reviews : Moonsorrow, Perseverance and Catacombs @ The Hifi, Melbourne 23/11/2013

For what is perhaps one of the biggest understatements of the year, it’s been a great time to be a metalhead living in Australia. With a number of international bands touring down here in past months, needless to say, it’s been one hell of a year. And I’ll say this too, it’s certainly been one hell of a time to be a folk/pagan metal fan as well. With bands such as Eluveitie, Ensiferum, Korpiklaani, and Amorphis all having toured down here throughout the year, one of the last bands I ever expected to get booked for an Australian tour was none other than one of Finland’s finest: the epic heathen metaller’s, Moonsorrow, and only because they’re not known to tour much outside Europe and North America. Already being a huge fan of folk and pagan metal, it’s probably without saying that I was only a smidgen excited when I first heard this news. Okay, it was a lot of smidgens.

That aside, the group that formed in 1995 and has since become known in their relatively short career as one of the foremost premiere bands in the folk and pagan metal community, Moonsorrow in no way let Melbourne down. They put on one of the best and most engaging shows I’ve ever seen and that’s from someone who’s had to privilege to see both Amorphis and Eluveitie live this year (I’m going to make sure I see Ensiferum next time, too. Still gutted I wasn’t able to see them as well, but I digress). Not to mention, their humble, pleasant interaction with the crowd prior to the show. Just great guys.

Moonsorrow Australia Tour

Before the sorrowful melodies of Finland resonated throughout the Hi-Fi, Melbourne was treated to a couple of Australia’s latest up-and-comers. Opening the night, Catacombs erupted onto stage, and that’s not me just being cute, either. I’d never heard about them before this night, but they didn’t disappoint me in any way whatsoever, and for the most part, many of the patrons at the Hi-Fi would seem to have agreed with me as most were swept up in their atmosphere much the same. Playing in a style that can only be described as melodic death metal with healthy tinges of black, all credit must be given to them. Catacombs gave it their all throughout their entire set, shaking the entire venue with enormous amounts of fuzz, growls, and kick drums.

Creating a rousing atmosphere, the whole front row of the mosh pit was filled with the shagginess, spinning, and windmilling of headbangers. As hair was thrust about in every direction, Matt Askeland’s strong vocals soared throughout the venue, forging an aural assault quite impressive for a band so new. Alternating between death growls and unholy shrieks, his style was remarkably akin to the likes of the late Per Yngve “Dead” Ohlin (Mayhem, Morbid) and ss (Skeletonwitch). It immediately grabbed my attention, as it did many others who happily cheered them on, with the band lapping it up.

Following them, Perseverance took to the stage, with a vocalist who, funnily enough, looked surprisingly similar to Tobias Sammet (Edguy, Avantasia), especially when he put on his wrap-around sunnies. The similarities end there, however. With a voice entirely unexpected, it was warmly received. With influences from both heavy metal and progressive doom clear in their sound, an extended instrumental introduced the band to the many gathered before them. The blackened screech that followed set them on a good path.

Building great ambience around them, Perseverance powered on with calculated, atmospheric grace, recalling the likes of Celtic Frost and Primordial. Dark, evil, and droning riffs flowed throughout their set, igniting the Hi-Fi with an ambient aura akin to the likes of Emperor. It was intoxicating, and each member played with harsh clarity, ending their set on a high note.

As the lights dimmed once more, the Hi-Fi suddenly came alive with the euphoric shouts and screams of those gathered there as instrumental, and fan favourite, “Tyven” began its gorgeous and distinctively Finnish melody. As Moonsorrow took to the stage, a sea of horns filled the venue as the shouts grew louder and more emphatic. As “Tyven” hit its final note ushering in “Sankarihauta”, Ville Sorvali’s intoxicating cry enveloped the room, and the mosh pit evolved into an ocean of people dancing about and headbanging like treacherous waves during a storm.

From the very first shriek, Moonsorrow had the crowd under its spell. Everywhere I looked, people were enthralled and completely into it. An incredibly engaging show, chants were thrown back and forth between the band and the audience as fists were thrust up in the air, horns were raised, and guitarists Mitja Harvilahti and Henri “Trollhorn” Sorvali indulged the front rows every chance they got. Born performers, you could tell Moonsorrow revel in what they do; striking poses and raising guitars to the ceiling, while the same spirit that oozed from them ensorcelled those watching. From your typical metalhead, to girls there with friends and boyfriends, to older blokes sporting white beards and little hair up top, there was a great mix of different people and ages, and it was awesome to see various generations of fans. Undoubtedly, Moonsorrow fed off this fact as well, playing tracks spanning their whole career, appealing to fans both old and new.

Following “Sankarihauta” with the opening track from their 2001 debut Suden Uni, Moonsorrow wasted no time leading in to the pure slice of pagan metal heaven that is “Ukkosenjumalan Poika”. It seems appropriate to say that the Hi-Fi exploded with all the wrath of the Finnish thunder god, Ukko, as the drums of Marko Tarvonen blasted throughout the venue. Every band member was at their peak, and hearing Moonsorrow live was just as epic, and frankly, just as fucking awesome as plugging in your headphones and losing yourself in their amazing music on your iPod.

Credit must be given to the light engineers on the night, as well. Saturated in deep blues, the use of colour and light was cleverly manipulated. At times, they would show the band in all their blood-coated glory, at other times the members were veiled beneath silhouetted shadow as their faces were then slowly revealed, bearing the stern expressions of warriors marching into war. One of the coolest moments witnessed was when lights surrounding Ville’s feat suddenly rose up his shadowed body, swimming up him like the igniting of a flame. Awesome bit of exposition right there, folks.

Inviting the crowd into every moment throughout the night, Moonsorrow were constantly met with rapturous response, and quite deservedly too. Playing off the crowd, they continually encouraged chanting from the audience with the added bonus of fist pumping. Credit must be given here to Mitja and Henri for playing up close and personal throughout the entire night with the people in the front row and either side the stage. With Mitja adding in little renditions of Elvis’ famous spinning arm while playing the guitar bit, there was even the occasional air guitar from Henri in between his own parts. It was refreshing to see a band so professional and caring for their crowd, while at the same time being able to not take themself too overly seriously and still enjoy the live experience.

Indulging the crowd with an anecdote about this being their first trip to Australia, Ville went on to say, ‘It’s wet, it took two days to get here from Finland,’ smiled, then added, ‘but every second is worth it.’

Following with what’s essentially become expected at Australian metal gigs, Moonsorrow egged on the crowd as ‘Oi!’ was enthusiastically yelled out back and forth, before Ville then lead into what is easily one of the coolest verbal introductions to a song I’ve ever heard: ‘Do you guys have any idea what true cold is? Of course not. You’ll be able to return to your homes after this. On the other hand, we cannot. We come from a land frostbitten and god forsaken… Jotunheim!”

The nigh-twenty minute epic that is “Jotunheim” fell into both the end of their set and the beginning of their encore, with Moonsorrow taking great pleasure in getting the crowd to chant along with to them to the track’s unmistakeable, mournful cry.

Looking around the Hi-Fi, I was as entranced watching Moonsorrow as I was watching the crowd. As the band thrashed about, virtually the entire audience followed suit, headbanging and windmilling in beautiful sync and union. It was quite a sight.

Ending the night on a great note, Moonsorrow finished with the track, “Kuolleiden Maa” from their most recent album; 2011’s Varjoina Kuljemme Kuolleiden Maassa before the Finnish warriors left the stage and no doubt, much like me, left an imprint on the minds of those who’d attended that won’t soon fade

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