The snow had finally tapered off right when the doors opened for the night’s event at the historic Majestic Theatre. This beloved spot is one of Detroit’s preferred venues to catch a heavy show.
The over one-hundred-year-old building’s marquee was lit up last Friday with the name Eluveitie on it. The leaders of the New Wave Folk Metal movement had come to town. Omnium Gatherum and Seven Spires are the opening guests on this month-long North American run and they make it a show not to miss. Motorcity’s Midtown hood was hopping as many were starting off their weekend festivities. The line for the evening’s show was full of black-attired enthusiasts ready to hear some hurdy gurdy. Soon the large, elegant room became full and as the corners were being filled in with late comers, the lights went dim and the enticingly eerie intro music for Seven Spires began.
The fog machines fired and as the haze began to lift the Boston-based band burst into song. They opened with the title track off of their most recent full-length Gods of Debauchery (Frontiers Records). They strutted about the stage with a furious flare. Their fresh faces were lit with excitement and each member shook with ramped-up energy. Adrienne Cowan engulfed the attendees with her profoundly powerful vocals. Her range and variety wrenched at everyone’s heart and all were delightfully captured under her dazzling spell of showmanship. The ease, yet deliberate hum and thrum of the strings and the drums sparked an interest in the crowded concert house. The synths and elaborate tracks carried some weight much like that of Dimmu Borgir. The quartet played with agility and obvious adoration for their craft and fans. Their six-song set flew by and the audience belted cheers as this spirited, well-to-do group took their final bow.
Next up was Finland’s six-piece, Omnium Gatherum. Each member appeared bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, and ready to jam out their lively tunes. They beamed as they broke into the title track off of their 2016 album, Grey Heavens (Lifeforce Records). The weight of the bass, drums, and dueling guitars rang together tightly and vigorously. Their “happy metal” sound sprang from their upbeat, major key melodies and smiling faces. They played their most recent single, ‘Slasher’ which is coming out on a new EP being released this summer. The dense riffs, catchiness, and speed made it an obvious crowd favorite. The twirling, dramatic hand gestures, and animation from frontman Jukka Pelkonen was ardently accepted by the merry audience. The guitars sang with a passion and ability that conveyed a thoughtfulness plus a kind of musing joy. Their brisk and engaging way of playing had everyone hooked. Many horns were thrown in the air, lots of hair was tossed, and many “heys” were shouted. Original member, Markus Vanhala carried color and care in his guitar work.
The efficiency and exuberance from each player made it evident why these guys are one of the most popular in the Melodic Death Metal genre right now. They ended their set with one of their hits, ‘The Unknowing’ which highlighted their agile, vibrancy, and honest proclamations on life and humanity. The room ruptured with gratitude as they wrapped up their effective set.
If you haven’t seen Eluveitie in the last few years then you might not have recognized them when they took the stage. It was a little strange to hear the group break into song while no original participants were present. The frontman and founding member could not attend this tour and multi-instrumentalist, Fabienne Erni stepped up to the plate. Without the grit and depth of Chrigel Glanzmann’s vocals, the set was filled with some of the band’s lighter numbers like ‘Lvgvs’ and ‘Ambiramus’. Erni owned the stage with her fey-like features sparking with agreeableness. Each member conveyed charm and satisfaction in their playing. Their timeworn-pagan aesthetic assisted in immersing the onlookers into their storytelling. Some who have been fans of this act since their early days found it a bit hard to swallow this all-new lineup. A flouncy and jovial demeanor came across stronger than the darker edge and bite of their sound. The agitation, angst, and true tribulation that can be conveyed in the band’s narration on ancient European history seemed to be slightly missing. Though the charisma of everyone from the vivid violinist to the spirited bagpipes to the unique tones of the hurdy-gurdy was aptly appreciated, something was lacking. The night ended with the band’s classic ‘Inis Mona’. Cowan and Pelkonen were warmly welcomed back on stage for a few numbers and they added vocals to this last piece making it a grand finale indeed. Each band on this run are champions in their own category and each one complemented each other nicely. It was a unique metal show in the sense that it was a jubilant night full of mishmash genres, pizazz, and glee.
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WORDS AND PHOTOS BY RAGIN ROSIE