Mitsubishi Electric Hall, Düsseldorf, Germany 12th October 2024
Arch Enemy & In Flames - “Rising From The North 2024” - Special guest: Soilwork
“Winter is coming”, as a main character of a famous TV series, destined for a far too early death, once said. In celebration of this occasion, two of Sweden’s most iconic Metal bands, ARCH ENEMY and IN FLAMES, have teamed up for a European co-headlining tour titled the ‘Rising From The North’, with fellow Swedes SOILWORK, to give their fans a solid neck-breaking treatment.
Soilwork
The task of opening up the evening fell to SOILWORK, the Swedish Melodic Death Metal band. SOILWORK originated back in 1995, and so far, the prolific band has released twelve albums. http://www.soilwork.org
Music & Performance
SOILWORK kicked off the evening with their signature blend of Melodic Death Metal and Modern Metalcore. Frontman Björn “Speed” Strid instantly commanded the stage, his powerful growls and clean vocals showcasing a wide range of emotion and intensity. His delivery on tracks like ‘Stålfågel’ and ‘Death Diviner’ balanced raw aggression with melody, setting the mood for the night. The band’s razor-sharp performance was bolstered by Sylvain Coudret and David Andersson on guitars, delivering tight riffs and blistering solos. Their interplay during songs like ‘The Ride Majestic’ created a dynamic atmosphere, filled with both brutality and beauty. Drummer Bastian Thusgaard impressed with his ferocious yet precise blast beats, maintaining the momentum as SOILWORK’s set built to a fever pitch.
Rating
Music: 7
Performance: 8
Sound: 8
Light: 7
Total: 7.5 / 10
In Flames
Next up on the roster was a band, which has been on my “wanna-see” list for ages: Fellow Swedish Metal titans IN FLAMES. The band, formed by guitarist Jesper Strömblad in Gothenburg in 1990 out of the prolific Swedish Death Metal scene, has churned out 14 albums over their history of three decades, with the latest one named ‘Foregone’ from 2023. The band has evolved significantly from their early Melodic Death Metal roots, but this night’s performance proved they can still tap into that fiery aggression while blending in modern elements. http://www.inflames.com
Music & Performance
At 8:15pm, the band members entered the stage in a clockwork-inspired intro, while a medley of short teasers of the band’s hits resounded over the speakers. Once the band was completed, the band opened their set with their uber hit ‘Cloud Connected’, which sent the energy was electric as Anders Fridén showcased his iconic vocal versatility, moving seamlessly between guttural growls and clean, melodic singing. Guitarists Björn Gelotte and Chris Broderick shredded their way through both old-school anthems like ‘Only for the Weak’ and more recent material like ‘Meet your Maker.’ Gelotte’s signature riffs, full of melodic hooks and harmonized leads, had the crowd headbanging and chanting along. The rhythm section, with Tanner Wayne on drums, was tight and thunderous, adding weight to the band’s atmospheric soundscapes. Their set was a perfect balance of nostalgia and progression, with tracks like ‘Alias’ evoking the band's classic Gothenburg sound, while newer songs embraced a more modern, Alt-Metal vibe.
Rating
Music: 9
Performance: 8
Sound: 8
Light: 9
Total: 8.5 / 10
Arch Enemy
If there is a torchbearer for Melodic Death Metal, it is certainly the Swedish band ARCH ENEMY. Their beginnings reach back into 1996, when former CARCASS guitarist Michael Amott teamed up with three other musicians and released the debut ‘Black Earth’. In the summer of 2017, they released their 10th studio album called ‘Will to Power’, which was the first album to fully feature new singer Alissa White-Gluz. On 4th October 2024, the band announced their twelfth album, ‘Blood Dynasty’, would be released on 28 March 2025. Check out www.archenemy.net or https://www.facebook.com/archenemyofficial
Music & Performance
Shortly before 10 pm, the lights went dark, and ‘the Ace of Spades’ from MOTÖRHEAD began playing. Then, accompanied by the intro song ‘Set Flame to the Night’, ARCH ENEMY entered the stage. With ‘The World Is Yours’ - the first single of their latest album - they unleashed their spectacular show. Especially singer Alissa exuded an unrelenting energy while running back and forth on the stage, banging her head with her trademark blond-blue mane, interacting with fans, all while singing and growling with real passion. Especially songs with changes in speed like ‘The eagle flies alone’ showed the full musical potential of the band, and the groove sent a seemingly endless stream of crowd surfers in the direction of the stage. It was a perfectly choreographed show, solidly augmented with blistering light effects, which kept the fully packed venue thoroughly entertained for 1.5 hours.
So, by the time the outro notes of ‘Fields of Desolation’ faded, 3600 metal fans could head home with their ears ringing, knowing they once again witnessed that Metal is still very much alive in 2024.
Setlist
01. Deceiver, Deceiver
02. The World Is Yours
03. House of Mirrors
04. My Apocalypse
05. Dream Stealer
06. War Eternal
07. Liars & Thieves
08. The Eagle Flies Alone
09. First Day in Hell
10. Saturnine
11. As the Pages Burn
12. Sunset Over the Empire
13. No Gods, No Masters
14. Nemesis
15. Fields of Desolation
16. Enter the Machine (outro)
Rating
Music: 9
Performance: 9
Sound: 8
Light: 8
Total: 8.5 / 10
All Pictures by Andreas Klüppelberg
