German/Finnish Symphonic metal band Leaves’ Eyes, Finnish heavy metal band Battle Beast and Swedish power metal band Sabaton played to a sold-out crowd at the City National Grove of Anaheim on May 11th.
It’s been five months since I first met frontman and founder Alexander Krull and front lady Elina Siirala of Leaves’ Eyes. This time I was arriving early to the City National Grove of Anaheim and had the privilege of watching sound check and spending time with both Alex and Elina to do a preshow interview. Talking with Alex before soundcheck I learned that Leaves’ Eyes and Battle Beast were trading off opening the show. Leaves’ Eyes would get the night started.
The lights lower its show time, drummer Joris Nijenhuis, guitarist Pete Streit, Thorsten Bauer, bassist Gijs Cooling enter the stage, opening with Halvdan the Black off King of Kings, the cheers rose as front lady Elina Siirala and frontman Alexander Krull entered the stage cheering on the fans in a Viking growl. It felt different, something was different then I realized how much Elina had blossomed and grown over the last five months since I’ve seen her last. Her confidence and interaction with the fans warmed my heart, I was very proud of her. The atmosphere was more relaxed you could tell they were having a good time.
Taking a moment Krull shot a little video on his phone for his son, asking the fans to say hello from California. Closing out the set with Sacred Vow as guitarist Thorsten Bauer shredded a solo, ending with a fan favorite moment as Krull appears in his Norse Viking Armor and Sword for Blazing Waters off King of Kings.
Their seven-song set was focused on their 2016 release King of Kings via AFM Records also included was Hell to the Heavens off Symphonies of the Night and Fires in the North off the titled EP. Watch for the new Leaves’ Eyes release in January 2018.
Connect with Leaves’ Eyes online: Website Facebook Twitter Instagram
Setlist:
Halvdan the Black
Swords in Rock
Edge of Steel
Hell to the Heavens
Fires in the North
Sacred Vow
Blazing Waters
Up next Finnish heavy metal band Battle Beast. Established in 2008 by high school friends Anton Kabanen, Juuso Soinio and Pyry Vikki the band has seen a couple member changes over time. The current lineup vocalist Noora Louhimo, guitarist/vocals Joona Björkroth, bassist/vocals Eero Sipilä, founder/guitarist Juuso Soinio, keyboardist/vocals Janne Björkroth and founder/drummer Pyry Vikki.
Battle Beast wasted no time keeping the hearts and fist pumping, touring behind their recent release and opening the set with Bringer of Pain off the titled album. Louhimo’s boldness and stage attire catch your attention wearing a long leather studded trench coat, purple streaks in her hair, which I love, crazy dark makeup taking on the role of the Battle Beast. Bringer of Pain, released in February of this year via Nuclear Blast Records, is their fourth studio album. The eight-song set consisted of seven songs from the recent release, adding Black Ninja off their self-titled album Battle Beast. They didn’t disappoint.
Touring with bands such as Nightwish, Sonata Arctica, Power Wolf and UDO in Europe, this was their first North American tour. It’s just the beginning as they will be a supporting act on Kamelot’s North American tour in 2018.
Connect with Battle Beast online: Website Facebook Twitter Instagram
Setlist:
Straight to the Heart
Bringer of Pain
Familiar Hell
Black Ninja
Bastard Son of Odin
King For A Day
Beyond the Burning Skies
As the stage is being turned over waiting for the headliners, the fans are chanting “Sa-ba-ton….Sa-ba-ton” while pumping their fists. The fans also had their flags hanging on the barrier that separated the photo pit and the stage. There was no age limit as a youth were at the front. The stage was covered with camouflage netting and crates, mic stands were machine guns with helmets on top. In other shows on the tour, Hannes Van Dahl’s drums were on an army tank. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see that here at the Grove.
Sabaton is touring behind their latest release The Last Stand via Nuclear Blast Records. Bassist Pἅr Sundström, guitarist Tommy Johansson and Chris Rörland, drummer Hannes Van Dahl took the stage the cheers erupted when vocalist Joakim Brodėn appeared opening the set with In the Army Now off the album Carolus Rex followed by The March to War off Primo Victoria and rounding out the first three songs with Ghost Division off The Art of War. Being in the photo pit the first three songs. I wasn’t sure who was louder the boys on stage or the fans singing every word.
Sabaton has a huge fan base here in North America and they were in for a treat. Their 90-minute set focused on their latest release The Last Stand, which included seven songs throughout the night, this being the first time I’ve seen them. It was nice to get a variety of songs throughout their discography. Other albums, included were Carolus Rex, Primo Victoria, The Art of War, Attero Dominatus, Coat of Arms and Heroes which took us through war and historical battles throughout time in seventeen songs.
The four-song encore included Night Witches off the Heroes album, Primo Victoria off the song titled album and Shiroyama off The Last Stand. Before the final song, they brought up on stage a young boy that was in the front row after asking his father, of course, as they gave him the Sabaton royal treatment. He was 12 years old and this was his second metal concert. He’ll have a memory of a lifetime sitting on stage during the last song To Hell and Back off Heroes and leaving with drumsticks, guitar picks, and frontman Joakim Brodėn’s sunglasses as the show comes to an end.
Setlist:
In the Army Now
The March to War
Ghost Division
The Art of War
Blood of Bannockburn
Attero Dominatus
The Last Stand
Swedish Pagans
40:1
Sparta
Screaming Eagles
Carolus Rex
Gott Mit Uns
Resist and Bite
Diary of an Unknown Soldier
The Last Battalion
Winged Hussars
Encore:
Night Witches
Primo Victoria
Shiroyama
To Hell and Back
Connect with Sabaton online: Website Facebook Twitter Instagram
In closing, my focus this night was Leaves’ Eyes, doing a two-part coverage a pre-show interview and show review, I had the pleasure of being introduced to two other European bands. This was a phenomenal North American tour for Leaves’ Eyes, Battle Beast and Sabaton. With sold-out shows throughout the tour it was amazing to watch.
All photos by Tammy Greene
©2017. Please DO NOT copy or use without permission.
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