Venue: The Coliseum @ Hard Rock Hotel, Singapore
Date: 18th March 2023
Promoter: LAMC Productions
Review by: Maisha G.
Special Thanks: The LAMC Productions team
Photos by Alvin Ho
As I went up the steps to the venue, I could hear someone screaming “For Odin, To Valhalla!”. A very fitting exclamation given the band that we were watching that night was the very essence of what we deem as the genre – Viking metal. I was first introduced to this band back in 2009 when I was very much inclined toward the Norse mythology. I was discovering new music as I was getting familiarised with the whole widespread of metal and the first band that came on was Amon Amarth. At the same time, being very much into Tolkien, that name sparked joy after learning that the band got their name from the Lord of the Rings’ Mount Doom of Middle-earth. At that juncture, it was the only thing I could talk about and listen to, being overtly obsessed with their charging song titled “Twilight of the Thunder God”, named after their album. It was all the craze back then and after 15 years, when my friend shared the news of them performing here, I was on cloud nine having just watched their videos on random on YouTube, trying to reminisce of the times when the crowd went wild, whilst rowing to their song “Put Your Back Into The Oar”.
Still reeling from the show last night, I wanted tonight to be different. Instead of standing at the back, I think it would be worth the night to join in the moshpit so I made sure I did not forget to bring my knee brace because even though I planned on being reckless, I was still worry about my old knees.
Greeted yet again with a sea of people clad in black, I chose a plain black tee for that night. The crowd felt different and more mature that the night before, and I see men with longer hair than mine. Well, of course, we are talking about a crowd of viking metalheads and some were seen carrying the horn which I thought that they would use it at some point in the show to pour their beers in and chug away.
The night started with “Guardians of Asgaard” and instantaneously, the crowd went berserk. I was in awe by the stage setup, emulating the Viking ship with the backdrop of Viking soldiers charging through battle. The night started off on a high as everyone was seen moving about and thumping their fists in the air, in unison. I caught myself smiling silly and thought, two nights of mayhem in a row yet I feel very much alive.
“Raven’s Flight” came on, a track off their Berserker album which I feel did not get that much recognition it so deserved like Jomsviking and Deceiver of the Gods did, which was the next song they played and I literally yelled at the top of my lungs “All this rage, and all this hate. It burns me deep insideeeeee” as I joined the circle pit that was forming, losing all inhibitions and the fact that I have my glasses on still, I did not have a care in the world as Johan growled into the mic. Caught in the crowd and drenched in my own sweat and others’, I pulled off my hair tie after a long while and joined the crowd in full sensorial headbanging.
“The Pursuit of Vikings” reverberated across the speakers, leaving me no room to catch my breath as I charged right again into the walls of the mosh pit and crashing bodies with random strangers but it was all in pure good fun though my subconscious mind was telling me that I would regret this by the end of the night. But it was the weekend and I have one more day to rest in before work starts.
I wish I had spent more time and attention to their latest released album as they played their titled track “The Great Heathen Army” and it was the first time I heard if as I wanted to surprise myself that night, to better listen to the song live, compared to a recording on Spotify. I was bobbing my head and told myself I could get into this and I loved every second of it.
They played “Sorrow Throughout the Nine Worlds” which got the crowd roaring, the title track from their debut EP. The song was also on the limited edition album of 2002’s Versus The World, which set the tone of many Viking metal bands alike out there to find their sound; this album was what that made me their fan to this very day. I could never miss out on any tracks from the album if I were to curate a metal playlist for anyone, there will always be a song off this album.
Having watched videos of the crowds sitting down and starting rowing when they played “Put Your Back Into the Oar”, I wanted so much for that to happen for the Singapore show and partake in that. As soon as Johan spoke to the crowd – “It is now the time for you to put your back into the oar and start rowing” – I pulled my friend close to me and joined the crowd as all of us sat on the bare concrete floor and started rowing. It looked like nothing to some but to those who were there that night, it was everything we could dream of when attending an Amon Amarth concert, it felt like we were charging into battle on top of the song that was playing in the background.
The night was well worth an immense journey as we were taken through the courses of a battle and fighting for Odin, for Valhalla as the night closed with the encore from the band – “Twilight of the Thunder God”. Everything around me felt almost sentient as I was caught in the middle of the moshpit with big burly men and body surfers alike, I could feel my body aching as I move every inch but the music brought me into a trance-like state and it felt more of a purpose to be moshing than just mere pure fun. It was one of the most memorable mosh pits I have been in for a prolonged period of time and I wish to relive that night over and over again.
Thank you LAMC Productions for the double dose two nights in a row that got the metalheads gleaming and for bringing back the normalcy of being able to enjoy gigs after the pandemic.