It is almost exactly a year since Evergrey and Klogr were last in Manchester. However, this time around they are here as support to Swedish gloom veterans Katatonia, who have recently released their new album 'Nightmares As Extensions Of The Waking State'. The venue and crowd is much larger than it was a year ago, such is the draw of Katatonia. Encouragingly, a decent proportion have turned up early meaning both support acts benefit from a pretty healthy crowd.
Klogr have a nice weighty sound but the vocals are a little bit lost in the mix. They have satisfyingly heavy riffs which are married to a Queensrÿche-esque progressiveness. Like all the bands tonight, they're veterans and it shows, as they are tight and professional. Gabriele Rustichelli has a good voice, slightly reminiscent of Geoff Tate, which is where some of the Queensrÿche comparisons come from. The band seem a bit confined by the headliner's equipment on stage and as a result they are rather static. However, the custom stage lighting is extremely effective in drawing all eyes on them. 'White Eyes' marries a doomy yet memorable chorus with a more progressive verse. Klogr have a knack of writing insistent choruses yet backing them up with chunky riffs which sit somewhere between traditional and progressive metal. A nice way to warm up the audience.
If Klogr were a tasty appetiser, we have swiftly moved on to the main course for me with Evergrey, such is my love for the band. 'A Silent Arc' opens with some frantic blasting which settles into some dense riffing before culminating in an arm waving chorus. There are some terrific melodic leads too, making it a fantastic start. 'King Of Errors' is stomping, fist pumping fun and has another solid gold chorus. It helps when you have Tom S Englund singing though as he could sing tax legislation and make it sound moving and and emotional. The stop-start riffs of 'Distance' are thunderously heavy and Tom's delivery of the chorus is *chef's kiss*. The slower, doomier 'Cold Dreams' still has a fair amount of power, although disappointingly, Jonas Renkse doesn't appear to provide the guest vocals, with them relying upon a recorded track and video screens instead. 'Falling From The Sun' boasts another killer chorus, and the double time drumming during the climax is awesome. Closing with new track 'Oxygen', they certainly make a lot of new friends tonight.
'Thrice' is a bold choice of opener for Katatonia. It is dense and weighty but it is also pretty complex with multiple twists and turns. 'Soil's Song' is much more accessible with its heavy, undeniable rhythms and anthemic, memorable chorus. New track 'The Liquid Eye' is probably more dynamic than the studio version and the chorus manages to finally imbed itself in my brain. 'Austerity' has a driving chorus, and the riffs that bookend the chorus are rock solid. 'Rein' is probably too progressive with a few quieter, introspective moments where my attention wanes a little although the climax is nice and hefty. The buoyant 'Leaders' gets a decent response from the crowd and more than a few heads are nodding. 'Dead Letters' has a satisfying heavy rhythm. In fact, I'd forgotten how heavy Katatonia actually are and the heft of the riffs comes as a shock. The doomy 'Nephilim' is crushing, and that slithering bassline is delicious. The choral elements help to make 'Wind Of No Change' sound epic, and the earth levelling groove is monstrous. The electronic elements of 'The Longest Year' help to provide a different sonic texture. It is still powerful though. As a listener, you have to work as hard as the band. These aren't the easiest songs to get a hold of, with their myriad twists and turns, and it requires a great deal of concentration to submit to them. It is richly rewarding when you do though as they are sublime and commanding. Jonas often remains hidden behind his mass of hair and although he isn't especially chatty, he is cordial when he does engage the crowd. None of this matters though as he is in good voice throughout, and his melancholic tones always provide a counterpoint to the elephantine grooves. 'July' is really dynamic and the headbanging circle of the band during the middle section is great. 'Lethean' is the perfect marriage of heaviness and gloomy melody, and the guitar solo is excellent. The band are an extremely tight unit, headbanging like troopers whilst still managing to remain in control of these complex beasts. 'No Beacon To Illuminate Our Fall' unfortunately meanders a little in places. However, 'In The Event Of', which closes the regular set, is elegant and epic whilst the punishing yet progressive 'Forsaker' is a fitting encore.
Katatonia ****
Evergrey *****
Klogr ****
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