It’s no secret that In Flames come to Finland often, so often in fact that you don’t even manage to start missing them. At the same time, you always know that when these Swedes come over, they always bring an earth-shattering show. This time they also brought guests, namely: Insense, Rise To Remain, Ghost and Trivium. This tour shindig was called “Defenders Of The Faith” and it was not known what prompted this choice of line up, but there we were.
After being forced to miss Insense and Rise To Remain, I hurried in to Jäähalli to catch the magnificent Ghost. Last time I saw them was at Tuska 2011 and they were one of the best performers there. It can be sometimes good to see a band you’ve never heard before, because you might get surprised. As rarely as it happens, this was the case with Ghost. Imagine a red-lit stage, people in black hoods enter to the sounds of the “Masked Ball” track which is most known for being the soundtrack to “Eyes Wide Shut” movie. Those people pick up their guitars, the frontman appears, dressed as a Satanic priest, and you already suspect that what’s to follow must be some Swedish death or black metal. And that’s when you’re in for a treat, because they defy all expectations. I won’t try to label or describe their music, but instead I’d advise you to check it out yourself and make up your own opinion.
The improvement of this performance compared to Tuska was that the band was able to play on a bigger stage and had much better light. Unfortunately their slot was short, merely half an hour and they didn’t even get to play the hauntingly beautiful cover of “Here Comes The Sun”. Nevertheless, I was once again impressed and I do believe this band is destined for greatness.
There weren’t many people to see Ghost, but much more showed up when it was time for Trivium to take the stage. I don’t know if this was due to the fact that In Flames were getting closer or if Trivium really are so popular in Finland. In any case, this was exactly one of those times when I came to see a band I’ve never heard before, with an open mind and ready to be surprised, just to end up disappointed. I can see why Trivium are so popular, for exactly the same reason that 50 other bands are popular as well, but, unless you are a die-hard fan, you won’t be able to tell the difference between all of them. Being original is one thing that matters the most. However, in Trivium’s case I heard the same generic formula: growl/clean vocals + bouncy drums + guitar solos and you’ve got another band to write soundtracks for teenagers and people who never grew out of the teenage angst phase. However, do check them out, judging by the public’s reaction, their formula is clearly working.
Finally, like the cherry on top of the cake, it was time for In Flames. Right from the get-go I was amazed at this show’s production. The band’s light tech clearly did an amazing job with it and all the moving and blinking lights must have had some effect on people’s brains, because it was impossible not to sit with your jaw dropped, smiling like a little kid. Some oldies-goldies and crowd pleasers were in order to get the public properly whipped right from the start with “Sounds of a Playground Fading” and “Deliver Us”. Anders Fridén was in his top form, throwing a dynamic show and getting the crowd more and more worked up to the point when they started a circle pit without anyone even asking them to do so. This was another time when Sweden invaded Finland and took no prisoners. And Finland enjoyed every moment of it.
In Flames setlist:
Sounds of a Playground Fading
Deliver Us
All for Me
Trigger
Alias
Colony
Swim
The Hive
The Quiet Place
Where the Dead Ships Dwell
Fear Is the Weakness
Come Clarity
Ropes
Darker Times
Liberation
Only for the Weak
Delight and Angers
Cloud Connected
The Mirror's Truth
Take This Life
Text: Tanja Caciur
Photography: Nelly Tatti
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