16-09-2017 S-TOOL

[schema type=”event” evtype=”Event” name=”16-09-2017 S-tool” description=”Support: Crimson Sun

By: Sabine van Gameren & Juho Karila” sdate=”2017-09-16″ street=”Virgin Oil” city=”Helsinki” country=”FI” ]

Sabine’s vision:
Where one chapter closes, a new one opens. So it is for Ville Laihiala, who, after putting Poisonblack to rest, started a new band named S-tool. This night was the release party of their debut album.

Crimson Sun was the support of the evening. The Melodic formation has released an EP called “The Spirit of Unchainable“ earlier this year and was on tour with Amberian Dawn. The band has an energetic start with “The Storm”, a song that brings one right up to their sound. Vocalist Sini is the one who draws attention at first. Her vocals effortlessly reach out to the audience, but in the end it is guitarist Joni who fetches the spotlights most. His input gives the band the identity they have.
An interesting support of a band that seem eager to play and with a deserved applause they make space for S-tool.

S-TOOL drew quite some people for the release of their very first album. Ville we knew from Poisonblack as well as Sentenced but also the other bandmembers are no strangers to the Finnish metal scene. Drummer Aksu we have seen in Tuoni and Entwine and he also produced many albums. Bassist Kimmo we remember from The Black League and Lullacry. The latter one also had guitarist Sami on board.

“Tolerance 0” it is called, this very first release of the band. It started with a crowdfunding and with help from fans and Finnish radio station Radio Rock. The first three songs the band plays are also the first three on the album. Right away you know the band is not bringing you a new version of what they have done before, but rather a sound heavy and powerful, rage and frustrations coming together and the output is there. It seems to take the audience a bit on a stray, they were familiar with the songs released as singles and perhaps these were a tad bit more made for live. Of course “Hammering” was one of these they knew. But slowly it grows on people. Some more response seem to be ahead and when they come to “Shovel Man”, one of the earliest released tracks, you notice that everyone is onto it.

The band also plays some extra songs so the set is more than the actual album. Something familiar, for example, is a cover of Entombed. After the band returned for a couple more songs for encore, they take it up a little more, going towards the most extreme version of themselves, but then we are getting “Your Despiser No.1” ,a song that is a bit more catchy. We are closing the evening with “Until The Lid Closes”.

A night in which the band got the chance to introduce themselves and the new album to the people who believed in them, who supported their crowdfunding and the curious minds who got triggered by the festival shows the band did this summer. The album is out now and available in Finland. Other regions have to wait a little longer, or simply order the cd or vinyl via the band’s website.

Juho’s vision:
Crimson Sun

The support for S-Tool was a fairly new female-fronted melodic metal act from the city of Kotka. Founded in 2001, the guys and gal have been enjoying quite a bit of positive drift lately and the opening slot would work fine as a test for their upcoming European tour.
I had seen the group a couple of times before and their positive energy has been quite contagious last time so I was positively curious of seeing them perform.

Of course, the small stage, divided in half due the main act having already set up their gear, the set started in a bit reserved athmosphere from the band. Maybe they were nervous and anxious but this wasn’t their first show on a bigger event so perhaps they just weren’t having the best day? Anyway, the stationary show relied on the singer, Sini Seppälä’s shoulders the first few songs, who really looked like she was having the best of times up there. And I can’t blame them, the audience had gathered around quite good to the venue and towards the end the show really progressed steadily and the final songs seemed and sounded like the band was completely relaxed and at home.
With a little more action and carpe-diem, I can easily see CS tackling on bigger stages and maybe a night of their own. Technically I didn’t spot anything to be concerned of and it’s always delight to watch a band playing with a smile. Overall they delivered a solid set and I believe experience will do the trick for these youngsters.

S-Tool

After the unfortunate show at Nummirock, I had been awaiting to see a full show from Ville Laihiala’s newborn like moon to arise. A couple of spins for their debut album, which was released only a day before, revealed that we were up for some really groovy, hardcore influencced stoner rock/metal, which only made looking more forward for the night.
I wasn’t disappointed when the show commenced. They came up to the stage and let us behold how a rock gig is supposed to be played. A couple of hours before, the frontman himself told that he was having a bad flu and a broken rib but up on the stage I couldn’t tell that he wasn’t in full strenght. Every part of the quartet embraced the crowd and created more and more excitement to eachother with a snowball effect as the show flowed from song to another. It was so smooth and relaxed that I had completely forgotten about the support as they were left in a shade.
And why wouldn’t it go easily? The venue was packed of people and moving around with a camera was a bit tricky but I didn’t let it bother because the sheer force, the symbiosis between the band and the audience immersed me fully and I was more focused on enjoying the ride.

You could tell all the guys were professionals and just how happy they were on that stage, they handled the show throughoutly without compromising the integrity or presence or contact with their fans; it was a remarkable night to remember.