ICED EARTH, Warbringer @Birmingham O2 Academy 12/1/14

As RTM has been otherwise engaged this afternoon, we arrive too late to see the Trad Metal stylings of Australia's Elm Street. Instead it falls to California's Warbringer to be the first band we see live in 2014.

Trad themselves, but in a different way, the five piece first emerged in the UK a few years ago as part of the thrash revival. That movement - such as it was - has long since petered out, with the only truly great thrash bands the same ones they always were. Warbringer are a case in point. 

They appear to be angry but they don't seem to have a clear idea of what they are vexed about. Musically they are a foot-on-the- monitor twin guitar attack, but they are, let's be honest about it, entirely derivative.

Songs like "Demonic Ecstasy" and newbie "Iron City" could have come off any thrash record of the last 30 years, while closer "Hunter Killer" is all froth and no substance. In between they try and get a moshpit going for "In A Whirlwind" and when it fails singer John Keevil rather sarcastically says, "well I see you have perfected the art of moshing while standing still, it ain't like back home." Lack of pit notwithstanding they do get a decent reception, and whilst they aren't bad by any means, anyone looking for the next Exodus or Anthrax can continue their search.

A couple of years ago RTM sat in this very spot and watched Iced Earth storm through a set, during which they sneered about being on early due to a "disco". No such issues tonight, they take the opportunity to play a full hour and three quarters of heavy-cum- power metal that has won an army of fans - RTM included - around the globe. 

Since that brilliant, but aborted, attempt we have seen them storm through a set at Bloodstock in support of the magnificent "Dystopia" record. They have toured the world too, and while they were at it, they have nabbed the bass player from Fury UK, Luke Appleton (apparently after he impressed while opening on the aforementioned 2011 tour) and support Volbeat next door just a couple of months ago.

Now they are back - with new album "Plagues Of Babylon" just out. During the Volbeat set, Earth took the opportunity to play a couple of new songs, and excellent they were too. Which makes tonight something of a surprise, because, for the first time Iced Earth proved they were actually fallible.

What stopped this gig being the absolute earth shattering triumph we expected is hard to fathom. Perhaps it was a setlist that included seven new songs from an album that we have heard just once, perhaps it was the lack of spectacle (the band choose to play most songs in shadow bathed in lighting effects and dry ice) or maybe it was a sound that was muddy at best and downright bad at worst. Most likely it was a combination of all three.

It's not that new songs aren't good- they are - more it is difficult to get an audience enthused for a bunch of songs that have only been out six days, especially when the whole thing is as flat as this became - a fact the band have noticed, despite telling us how amazing we are.

Musically the poor sound - Appleton's bass is way too high in the mix - robs them of their legendary power and main man Jon Schaffer's guitar is somewhat lost, as are Stu Block's usually tremendous vocals.

The encore of "Dystopia's" title track, the superb ballad "Someone To Watch Over Me" and the ubiquitous eponymous song that gives the band their name, at least ends things on a high, but you suspect the band will shrug and move on. As Schaffer himself observed during the course of the show "it's not rocket science."

Not a band, despite outward appearances of being totally earnest, to take themselves too seriously (one of the enormous array of shirts on sale tonight contains the legend "poop, even hot chicks do it") instead they do exactly what they want all around the world. Justifiably they could lay claim to being one of, if not the, biggest cult metal band in the world right now. They are Iced Earth and unquestionably they will have better nights than this. Tonight they were mere metal mortals, not metal gods

VOLBEAT, Iced Earth, The Howling @Academy, Birmingham 16/10/13

A few years ago there was a band of glam chancers called Towers Of London. RTM saw them and thought them to be totally fake. A few years ago there was a band called the Red Star Rebels, RTM saw them and actually quite liked them in a sleazy type way. The reason for mentioning this is that members of both bands are in The Howling. A quick look at their website shows you they have serious trendy backing, sharing a producer with Enter Shakiri for example, and they actually appear to have the chops to pull the hype off. RTM doesn’t see much of their set, but they aren’t bad at all – certainly better than the dreadful ToL, and they are ones to keep an eye on.

When we read the news that Iced Earth were the support for this gig, we admit to doing a cartoon style double take. One of our very favourite bands, one of the greatest power metal bands in the world and moreover one which is big enough to headline the room next door. In short, whoever put this bill together is a stonewall genius, and the value for money should be applauded.

As might be expected, Earth’s 45 minutes is predictably majestic, although is anything but predictable, given that they start with the title track from new album “Plagues Of Babylon” one of a couple of songs they play from the eagerly awaited opus. The second “If I See You” is a more balladic affair, but fabulous nonetheless. By the end of things – with “Iced Earth” as ever closing the set, you simply cannot wait for the 12^th January 2014 when they will be doing a full show.

Volbeat have long been a curious one. Massive all over Europe, genuine arena botherers, they have bolstered their ranks in a quite amazing way. Rob Caggiano was their producer, but now he’s left Anthrax to play guitar for the Danes. Frontman Michael Poulsen still seems aghast at this: “Hello Birmingham, we are Anthrax with four new members…” he says by way of an intro.

Such self-deprecation is to be expected, given that Volbeat are just damn good fun, with very few pretensions to be anything else. AC/DCs “Born To Raise Hell” blasts out before an hour and a half of prime Volbeat flies by.

There are songs from new record “Outlaw Gentlemen and Shady Ladies,” there are songs from “Beyond Hell/Above Heaven” and all their other albums with great titles, but it matters little, because they all sound Metallica playing a Johnny Cash number. Listen to “The Nameless One” for example and it is more or less impossible to do so without a smile on your face, and the same is true for essentially anything else they knock out.

Barney from Napalm Death appears for “Evelyn” – and a run through of “You Suffer” (all one second of it) and they have a go at “South of Heaven” while they are at it.

For an encore “Doc Holliday” is followed by “I Only Wanna Be With You” and the Dusty Springfield song has never sounded quite good. It is a fitting ending to a night that was there to be enjoyed. Volbeat have finally crossed over into the rock mainstream in the UK. Their time is now, and they seem to know it. 

BLOODSTOCK - Day One @Catton Hall 10/8/12

Sometimes you just know you will feel at home.

Walking into Catton Hall for the first time, it is clear that it is exactly the sort of place we should always have been at. Not least of the reasons why is the crowd. There is a refreshing lack of people who attend festivals but who don’t actually like music – the sort of people who you might get a V or Reading, say.

But walk into the Bloodstock arena and it’s hard to tell who is in a band and who is in the crowd, and that’s how it should be when dealing with Britain’s premier metal festival.

And that’s why Malefice immediately look perfect to kick things off. One of the very best British bands, they just continue to impress. “Delirium” and “Omega” were designed to be played at these types of events, thrash on a massive scale; they continue to deserve their success.

From thrash to power and another of RTM’s faves, Freedom Call. By rights they should be awful. They are entirely ludicrous and pompous, but they are also superb and for Germans, they keep their tongues firmly in cheeks. They are here, they say, to start the “Heavy Metal Party” and are tremendous fun.

Another of RTM’s favourites Grand Magus are up next, the Swedes a touch lower down the bill than might have been expected, but they are no less entertaining than you would have hoped. No one can argue with songs of the quality of “The Oar Strikes the Water,” “Valhalla Rising” and set closer “Hammer of the North. Perhaps a place in the upper echelons of metals elite still awaits.

Up until the moment Moonsorrow walked onstage Catton Hall had been bathed in glorious sunshine all day. Perhaps fittingly the sun goes behind a cloud in time for some Portuguese Doomy Black Metal. Despite having two superb new albums out they are the first slight let down. Perhaps they would be better in a little club, where the darker atmosphere they create might come over better, but on a festival stage in mid afternoon their songs don’t quite resonate.

Iced Earth, though were born to make a big sound. Now including former Fury UK man Luke Appleton, they seem on a mission to bring the denim quota up. Far more overtly heavy metal than Freedom Call, Iced Earth’s set is a magnificent and joyous affair. Main man Jon Schaffer grins his way through, while new singer Stu Block looks steeped in the role. They knock out the day’s first ballad “Watching Over Me” as well an astonishingly good “Anthem.” Older tracks like “Damien” and ending number “Iced Earth” also manage to sound fresh. As always Earth are a triumph.

It’s hard for Sepultura, you would guess. Once metal’s big hopes, they are now firmly in stalwart mode. Their best days are behind them perhaps but they remain a fine live draw. Frontman Derrick Green gives it everything he’s got and if you can’t enjoy songs like “Refuse/Resist” and an incendiary “Roots” then Bloodstock ain’t for you. They even fetch Ripper Owens out on “Territory” and are very good indeed.

The aforementioned Owens is here as frontman for Dio Disciples, who fittingly perhaps are on the stage named after the man who’s like they celebrate. Ronnie James Dio remains one of the iconic voices in metal, and hearing “Holy Diver” is always a thrill, but RTM opts to head to the Jagermeister stage to check Absolva. Ex Fury UK men Chris Appleton and Martin McNee’s new venture, while there is Midlands interest too as former Point Blank Fury bass man Dan Bate is in the group.

Happily despite being only five gigs old – and with Iced Earth’s Luke watching on -  Absolva might be the real deal. The addition of a second guitarist as foil to Appleton has beefed up the sound and there is an instant appeal to songs like “Code Red” and “Breathe. “ Ones to watch.

Like Moonsorrow, Alcest are another band to suffer from a festival setting. With Watain due on the main stage, the crowd in the Sophie Lancaster tent is a little more sparse than might have been expected. While “Autre Temps” might be a damn fine song on record, here it lacks spectacle.

Spectacle on the other hand, is what Watain do. Surrounded by corpse paint and flames, theirs is a set that is surprisingly good. Part gig and part Ritual it is a captivating performance of a quality that RTM didn’t expect. “Reaping Death” and “Waters Of Ain” are black metal with a modern bent and even the sceptics are won over.

All that is left is for Behemoth to close things off. And it is a task they perform with aplomb. In many ways the feelgood story of the day, just the fact that front man Nergal has beaten leukaemia to even be here is great news. That they are excellent is merely a bonus, but the from the minute they kick of with “Ov Fire And The Void” to the ending of “Lucifer” they deliever a black metal masterclass.

Beat that, day two!

ICED EARTH, White Wizzard, Fury UK @ Birmingham Academy 5/11/11

The early curfew for this show seems to have got on Iced Earth’s collective tits.

“I’m sure you are all going to the discothèque after us,” says new vocalist Stu Block. “Can you believe they are kicking us out for a disco?” He asks. “Pretty fuckin’ gay!” sneers main man and founder member Jon Schaffer.

What else did you expect from a band who is selling a t-shirt that says “Fuck Posers” and a poster that says,  “Don’t be a pussy” over a picture the aforementioned Schaffer angrily playing his axe?  Y’see tonight isn’t a night for club anthems. Tonight is a night for horns-up-fist-in-the-air-denim-and-leather-heavy metal.

First up are Fury UK. Most of the near sell-out crowd are in place to see them strut their stuff. RTM has a long history with this band, championing them long before RTM came into being. We have seen them many times since we first clapped eyes on them opening for Blaze Bayley at the Roadhouse; They are nice guys too, allowing one of our mates has bored singer/guitarist Chris Appleton with chat about football last year. But more than anything else they are a damn fine metal band – and they deserve to succeed.

Opening act on the entire Iced Earth European tour, this is another big chance for the Mancunian three piece, following on from their shows with Saxon earlier in the year. Essentially playing the same set as with Biff and the boys, their well honed opener “I See Red,” and “Alien Skies” from last years “A Way Of Life” opus sounding as good as ever, but as always it is “Death By Lightning” complete with jaw-dropping solo from Appleton that leaves you wondering just when the breakthrough will come.

White Wizzard have to follow that, and they do a manful job. A much different proposition than when they last hit these shores 12 months ago. Singer Wyatt Anderson is back behind the mic and they have a superb new record Flying Tigers in the bag. Perhaps as a result they seem much more confident with their sound.

“…Tigers” marks something of a progression for the Los Angeles troupe, with a much more progressive style added to the Trad Metal. Sure, it still sounds like early Maiden, but stand out song “Starchild” for example, is a massive leap forward from previous album “Over The Top”. Anderson bellows and screams, and band leader Jon Leon is formidable axeman. They end, as last year, with signature song “High Speed GTO,” but literally and metaphorically they aren’t the same band this time around.

Iced Earth too have undergone a change of frontman. Gone is the popular Matt Barlow, and in his place is former Into Eternity man Stu Block. If he’s nervous it doesn’t show as he attacks title track of new album “Dystopia” by way of a hello.

What follows is nothing short of a triumph. The band is evidently – and rightly – proud of “Dystopia” and showcases much of it, “Anthem” especially impressive. However it’s a career spanning 90 minutes, going right back to the first album for “When The Night Falls” and the second for “Angels Holocaust.”

“Declaration Day” is delivered with intent, but it is perhaps “Dante’s Inferno, “ that steals the show. An epic song in every sense, clocking in nearly 17 minutes, it allows not only Block to show his formidable range, but also Lead Guitarist Troy Steele, Bass Man Freddie Vidales and Drummer Troy Smedley  to join Schaffer in producing technical brilliance to back him up.

Ending as always with “Iced Earth” the band of the same name have delivered the goods in no small measure tonight. One of the shows of the year and yet its relegated effectively to a warm up act for a club night. Sometimes you have to despair at the world we live in, you really do.

The word magnificent would just about sum things up.