Okays guys as a few people know a few days ago i travelled down to toronto ontario to watch one of the best progressive metal bands play a show in a small club. Standing room only, general admission for about 500 people with a small balcony that seats about 20. i was one of these lucky 20.. it was a show i really wanted to watch and not mosh to .
I arrived about 2 hours early to wait in line.. it was a good call because i was 1 of the first 50 in the door with about 300 behind us in line. Atmosphere for this place was pritty dreary, dark , dimly lit but accepetable for the show about to take place. Doors opened at 7:30 first band started plying at 8:45.
The opening band was Echos of Eternity ( progressive metal) They were descent, female vocalist doing some very interesting loud but clean vocals. This band was very unbalanced and you couldn't make out a word she said due to the echo on her micraphone and how loud the guitars were. Unless you were really paying attention it was definatly just noise, only 1 song got the crowd going.. i forget the name .. after their 20 minute set there was a 20 minute break while they set up for the next band which was Sanctity.
This band i really enjoyed. It was a much heavier sounding band. More long hair flying around, more guitar solos, more double kick, you get the picture. I would compare the vocals in this band to Metallica and Pantera. its really raspy and loud but not quiet screaming or growling. This is when you really started to feel the accustics in this place. My one problem with this concert was the fact that there was nothing taking the vibrations away from where you were(on the balcony, im not sure about on the floor). My Organs were shaking so much that i started to feel sick and got a pritty bad headache by the end of their 30 minute set.
40 minutes of setup later. The lights turn off.. and two strobes on either side of the stage light up briefly to show the keyboardist and michael romeo walk on stage which begun a loud cheer of SYMPHONY SYMPHONY SYMPHONY... right away the band breaks into the Intro to Of Sins and Shadows. This song was followed by Domination which was followed by Serpants kiss then the Title Track Paridise lost.. The Encore was The Odyssy an epic 24 minute long song. Most of this concert was bone chillingly amazing, The singing and guitar solos absolutly flawless.. everything tuned perfectly and the lighting perfectly timed. Again the only problem i had was the loudness and being on a balcony. the bass really sent your organs to the dumps. This was the best concert i have ever been to. The only other complaint i had was the fact that the band took about a 20 minute break before they came out to play the encore. That and they ran out of a medium t-shirts so i have an xl which doesn't fit me..
ratings out of 10
Sound- 10
Volume-7 -a little much
Lighting- 9
Stage presence- 8(michael romeo and the bassist didn't do much)
Overall-9
would definatly see again at any moment. was definatly worth the 30 bucks for the ticket
I really don't know else to say about the show.. drinks were overpriced and the music was amazing any questions id be happy to answer