Amon Amarth
Himsa
Sonic Syndicate
Irving Plaza
New York City, New York
December 2, 2008
Frank Esposito
I’ve been a metal fan ever since I can remember, but cannot recall ever attending a hardcore metal show that was this intense. Metal fans in NYC are the real, uncompromising deal. The allegiance they demonstrated toward these bands was that which I’d never seen before – the clothing, the attitude, the demeanor, etc was overwhelming. Speaking of overwhelming, the cacophony of white noise that emanated from the stage floored me. The continual swell of metal embraced the crowd like a vice grip and refused to let go until the last notes rang out from the wall of amps that adorned the entire stage.
Sweden’s Sonic Syndicate opened the proceedings with a rather impressive display of metal that incorporated both hardcore and progressive elements. Apparently, this band is the result of the fact that dreams can come true; they won a battle of the bands contest sponsored by Nuclear Blast! Himsa, by comparison, was pale. Their music is very one-dimensional and their singer (I use that word very loosely here!) is a man that is devoid of any talent whatsoever!
Amon Amarth, translated as Mount of Doom, was immense both physically and musically. They exude power in every facet of the word. Vocalist Johan is a mountain of a man with a crushing voice, forearm length leather arm bands, a Billy Gibbons-like full beard, and a unique animal horn affixed to his waist. Guitarists Johan Soderberg and Olavi Mikkonen’s comparisons are very inimitable. Their break-neck, staccato rhythms are phenomenal. They opened with “Valhalla Awaits me”, which set the proper tone for the rest of their show. The title track from their most recent release, “With Odin on our Side”, was an epic metal extravaganza. However, the two songs that hit home with the 1,000 plus in attendance were “Death in Fire” and “Victorious March.” The band, with its Viking mythology and imagery, are destined for greatness.