Standing in the shadows
Esoterica are flying high at the moment, about to embark on a European tour with Marilyn Manson and with new album ‘The Riddle’ receiving rave reviews it’s been a good year so far.
Esoterica bring something a little different to Hellfire Fest, they are not your average metal band and reside in the darker corner of the genre alongside the aforementioned Manson and the likes of Nine Inch Nails. They look the part all clad in black and they give an entertaining performance with plenty of movement and interaction. Unfortunately the vocal mix is poor (a problem on this stage all day) and whilst Tobias is a decent front man he doesn’t really have a strong enough voice to combat this problem.
The songs are decent enough but they never really take it to the next level and despite some decent choruses it’s all a bit mid paced and lacking energy. After three or four songs I begin to lose interest as there is nothing different thrown into the mix to inspire or impress. There is an honesty about them that is appealing and you do get the sense that it’s heartfelt and soulful but ultimately it’s all rather dull and uninspiring.