15-01-2012 Amorphis

Supports: Leprous, The Man-Eating Tree; Venue: Metropool, Hengelo (Netherlands)
By: Sabine van Gameren

Amorphis was on European tour and with them they brought two interesting bands: Leprous and The Man-Eating Tree this night was the very last day of the tour in Hengelo (Netherlands)

The Man-Eating Tree is opening the evening. Not in their original line-up as a stand-in drummer is along with the band, but yet with plenty of good mood they start. The melancholic tunes this band produces need some time to make an impact in the venue. Most people seem to feel it goes to slow, but remain watching it, which seem to be a good decision as towards the end of the set the band have certainly won some of them over. The band released a new album at the end of 2011 and while loads of songs are played from that release its processor gets attention as well which seem to please the fans of the band quite well. It may take a while before the music hits the people but the band performs it well and puts enough energy in their show to make it worth looking at.

Leprous was up next, the Norwegian Progressive rockers have done quite some touring already, they could have been seen with bands like Opeth and Therion for example, but also they are the live band of Ihsahn. The band got their album “Bilateral” released in 2011, which was very well received by the press including us (review). Maybe the guys did not have a good start at this show tonight as the sound didn’t turn out to well, especially on the vocals but when that was solved the energetic live performance the guys give comes alive. With the guitarists running back and forth they already got something started, but more surprisingly it is the man behind the keyboards, Einar Solberg, that really draws attention. Eventually he jumps away from his keyboards and walks upfront for some vocals right at the middle of the stage, but also the way he moves behind his keyboard make you wonder if he plans to land on it perhaps. Very entertaining to see. The band have made a setlist that works toward the most intense songs which bringing a climax into the show and right at that point they get the people along. Great win for them.

Amorphis a band that may be less entertaining to see as they are usually quite calm in their performance and maybe giving their intensity more through the music self, yet they manage to keep people coming to their shows for many years. This day the band seem to be quite talkative and bringing some humour into it all. While introducing the band some random tunes come up like “Konevitsan Kirkonkellot” and a piece of the “No Limit” by the Dutch 2Unlimited which got received quite well. Although Amorphis has changed their style a bit through the years, older songs like “My Kantele”, “Against Windows”and “On Rich And Poor” are still played. The band makes sure that you will always enjoy seeing them, by playing a strong set and let the music do the talking, a nice way for them to end the tour here in Hengelo, while the audience is having a good time.