Valhalla Awaits!
What a year it's been for Finnish outfit Turisas with performances at Download and rave reviews for their second album 'The Varangian Way'. Call them what you will, folk metal, Viking metal, battle metal, whatever, the fact is that they are the perfect band to open up day two of Hard Rock Hell in what today at least is the Porshamar Arena.
They waste no time in getting the crowd going with their infectious and rousing metal anthems. They have the whole look nailed and whilst it's all a bit tongue in cheek with the red and black body paint and the Viking clothing they pull it off with aplomb. The songs are heavy yet melodic and have that distinctive Euro metal feel to them. They are choc full of dynamics and easily hold the interest, in fact the longer they play the more you wish you had a flagon of ale to crash against your neighbours. The accordion and fiddle are excellent and really help to create the tribal feel of the set.
Needless to say the crowd love it and with some amusing between song banter from Mathias "Warlord" Nygård everyone is smiling. Just when you think things can't get any more bizarre one of them comes on stage dressed as Dee Schneider of Twisted Sister (complete with make up) and leads the crowd in an impromptu rendition of 'We're Not Gonna Take It'! It's hilarious and all good fun. Recent single 'Rasputin' (yes, that one) gets probably the biggest cheer of the day and comes towards the end of what has been one of the sets of the weekend. Turisas are a band that really knows how to entertain and how to have fun but behind it all there is some excellent musicianship and it's easy to see why they are currently reaping the fruits of their labour, even if it has been ten years in coming!