Solid Swedes
The House of Blues, Orlando, is a great place to see live shows. The different standing levels and the balcony, allow audience members to view the band from anywhere in the venue. The only great oddity with this concert hall is that it's in the middle of Downtown Disney. The huge line of metal fans snaking it's way around the area, seemed a little out of place amongst the holiday makers, families and Mickey Mouse. Weird or not it was good to see the people out in force for a thrash metal show, in which Darkane filled the opening slot.
Swedish bands seem to be well received by American audiences, and although a little stiff for their first few numbers, Darkane soon started winning appreciation of their Scandinavian thrash. Vocalist Andreas Sydow was a little low in the mix but was quite animated, striding around the stage as if he owned it. The twin soloing of Christofer Malmstrom and Klas Ideberg sounded classy, but it was the drumming of Peter Wildoer that won the day, churning out blast-beats and complicated fills with an unsettling amount of ease. From the handful of devil horns held up at the start of their set to the mass of fists at the end, it gives a little indication of the impact and delivery of their songs and performance. At the start of the gig I knew very little of Darkane, but I am motivated to discover more, which, I guess is what touring is all about. A job well done.