Turisas / Battlelore
6 April 2006
Camden Underworld
Battlelorecommenced the Finnish invasion, looking like they`d just walked of the set of Lord Of The Rings, via Turisas` make up box. Second song Ghan Of The Woods really raised the levels down the front with people bouncing along. The soft vocals of the Elfin like Kaisa Jouhki mixed well with the growling of Tomi Mykkänen and in fact the band came over live as a much more aggressive proposition than their recorded cds.
Mark Of The Bear was up next mixing trippy verses with an infectious heavy chorus. Meanwhile, Buccaneers Inn was peppered with Maria`s speedy keyboard runs.
How Tomi Mykkänen got the axe he was brandishing at the crowd through customs I`ll never know. Still you have to admire a band who closes their set with a song called Raging Goblin. The only let down, no Trollshaws.
Battlelore set list:
Fangorn / Ghan Of The Woods / The Mark Of The Bear / Pallando-Forgotten Wizards I / Storm Of The Blades / Buccaneers Inn / Cloaked In Her Unlight / Gwaith-I-Mirdain / Valier-Queens Of The Valar / The War Of Wrath / Of Orcs And Elves / Journey To Undying Lands / Starlight Kingdom / Sons Of Riddermark / Raging Goblin
Turisas had a large turn out last time they were in London, but it was absolutely heaving tonight suggesting the band are destined for bigger things. Whilst I had liked debut album Battle Metal, it wasn`t until after I had seen the band live that the penny really dropped and said album has become a bit of an addiction. Heading down near the front, touching pen with paper to take any notes was a non starter so it was time to join in the revelry.
As ever the band looked like they`d just returned from a spell of butchery. None more so than frontman Warlord Nygård who was absolutely caked in fake blood. With obligatory animal furs Warlord had the crowd in the palm of his hand leading the chant of Battle Metal.
Turisas is not so much about the individual as the sum of its parts which together creates a huge orchestrated sound with rousing back up vocals. Of course they all look like nutters, though accordionist Janne 'Lisko' Mäkinen, who seemed to get bloodier as the set progressed, looked like he could benefit from a mental health sectioning. Still they can`t be that mad as how many other bands have successfully incorporated an accordion into there sound.
It`s difficult to pick a highlight from the set as the whole show was top notch, though The Messenger, the rousing Among Ancestors and the pints raised for One More were particularly special. Next stop in the UK for Turisas is an appearance at Bloodstock Open Air, where, on tonight`s evidence, they have a great chance of walking off with the whole festival.
LINKS:
Turisas
Battlelore
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