Arch Enemy // In Flames - Manchester Academy 04.10.2024
Arch Enemy
In Flames
Soilwork
Tonight is all about Swedish melodic death metal and it doesn't come any better than this trifecta of bands.
Tonight's show is a sold out event and the room is already looking healthy for tonight's support Soilwork.
I have had the pleasure of photographing these guys previously at the much smaller Corporation in Sheffield where they were incidently also supporting Arch Enemy. They were great then but even better this evening. I have long been a fan and got into them around their 'Stabbing The Drama' release. I have always been in awe of Björn Strid's vocals and immediatly tonight my first thought is how good he sounds live (a theme that will stick with me throughout the evenings acts). The band had a comfortable 45 minute set hitting the mark with popular releases like 'Stabbing The Drama', 'Excile', and 'Distorton Sleep', as well as a personal favourite of mine 'Death Diviner'. They even managed to drop in new single 'Spirit of No Return' which sounded brilliant and got a great response from the crowd.
45 minutes and done, with a promise they will be back soon. Chatter amongst the crowd was positive as we awaited In Flames.
Being a co-headline tour meant an extended set time of just over an hour for In Flames, and man did that time fly by. From beginning to end the band were fantastic. And much like my previous comment about Björn's live vocals, I was blown away by how strong Anders Fridén's voice was live. And man can this band go, together for a little over 30 years they still bring an energy to the stage that could put bands many years their junior to shame.
Anders references that the band see what is written on the "interweb", about how the band need to go back to producing and playing the "old shit" so do just that with renditions of 'Trigger', 'Coerced Coexistence' and 'Only For The Weak'. Alongside more recent fan favourites likes 'Alias', 'Mirror's Truth' and 'Take This Life'. I personally would have loved to have heard some songs off my favourite album 'Sounds of a Playground Fading' but they more than made up for it closing with 'My Sweet Shadow'. With crowd surfers galore and a couple of circles opening up in the centre of the room, In Flames gave Manchester exactly what it needed. They were a bucket list band for me and I couldn't have asked for a better performance to tick them off the list.
As we awaited tonight's headline Arch Enemy, I started to notice a thinning of the room and whilst intitally I thought it may be toilet breaks or visits to the bar it quickly became apparent that a lot of those in attendance had been here for In Flames. As Arch Enemy took the stage to a slightly depleted room, it didn't take me long to fear that tonights headline may not be for me. Now don't get me wrong, Alissa White-Gluz's gutteral growls are phenomal and her presence on the stage can not be discredited but something about the performance just didn't land with me and the energy in the room just wasn't quite the same as with the previous bands. Maybe because I have trained myself to scan the room with a critical eye, I found my energy dissipating with those around me, had I been a more staunch Arch Enemy fan, maybe my views may be different.
But regardless I can't deny their craft.
And there is no denying the overall quailty of tonight's show. Where else can you get 3 top of their game metal bands for under £50?
Photos & Review - Friswell Photography
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