Arch Enemy, Chthonic & Warbringer – Shepherds Bush Empire, 6th December 2011

The night opened with some Taiwanese black metal courtesy of Chthonic.  Chthonic supported Arch Enemy last year when they played London, so they’ve got plety of fans in the crowd tonight.  Tonight the band arent wearing their face paint, and I have to say, Bassist Doris looks better without the face paint.  For a couple of songs, singer Freddy also plays a unusual looking instrument – a Chinese violin-like instrument called a Erhu or Hena.  The band put in a great performance tonight with plenty of power and energy and it goes down very well with the crowd.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next up is Warbringer, giving the crowd a dose of American thrash.  They go down very well with the audience tonight and soon have a large circle pit going – a sight you don’t often see in the Shepherds Bush Empire.  Judging by the crowd reaction I think they made some new fans tonight despite only having a relatively short set.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tonight though is all about one band – headliners, Arch Enemy.  They are on top form tonight at the start of their European tour and immediately take things up several notches after the two support bands.  Angela Gossow is full of energy and rarely stays still, pacing around the stage like a wild animal and whenever she isnt singing she’s headbanging like crazy.  There is so much energy and power here tonight that I’m amazed the roof wasnt blown off the place.
Arch Enemy though are so much more than raw power – despite playing fast and heavy they still incorporate a lot of complex melodies into the music and this shows just how talented these musicians are – the guitar work in particular is fantastically good.  I’ve seen Arch Enemy on four separate occasions, but tonight was the best I’ve seen them by far.  The setlist includes fan favourites such as “Ravenous”, “Nemesis” and “We will rise” as well as songs from the new album including “Bloodstained cross”, “Under black flags we march” and “No gods, no masters” – a well balanced setlist.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chthonic:  7/10
Warbringer: 7.5/10
Arch Enemy: 9.5/10

 

Warbringer setlist:

Living Weapon
Severed Reality
Living in a Whirlwind
Shattered Like Glass
Prey For Death
Total War
Combat Shock

 

Arch Enemy setlist:

Khaos Overture
Yesterday is Dead and Gone
Revolution Begins
Ravenous
Enemy Within
My Apocalypse
Bloodstained Cross
Taking Back My Soul
Drum Solo (Daniel)
Under Black Flags We March
Dead Eyes See No Future
Guitar Solo (Chris)
Guitar Solo (Michael)
Diva Satanica
No Gods, No Masters
Dead Bury Their Dead
We Will Rise

Encore:
Snow Bound
Nemesis
Fields of Desolation
Outro

 

Arch Enemy photos

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Chthonic photos

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Warbringer photos

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About Ant May

I spend half my life at gigs or festivals and the other half writing the reviews and editing photos, and somehow find time for a full time job too. Who needs sleep - I've got coffee.