An Early X-Mas for Paris Metalheads
Paris is notorious for its strict noise laws and with many venues in amongst residential areas most concerts finish by 11pm. Due to the fact that La Locomotive doubles as a nightclub, concerts start early. On this specific night “The X-Mas Festival” took to the stage at 4pm due to the number of bands and the later change over to dance mecca.
FEAR MY THOUGHTS from Germany were first up and warmed up the the crowd with doses of their metal infused hardcore, focusing on their new album HELL SWEET HELL. From demonic death metal sneers on SWEETEST HELL to strangulated gasps on IN THE HOURGLASS the crowd lapped it up and whipped their hair in delight.
Next up from Finland was Jari Mäenpäa's new project WINTERSUN. Their melodic death metal flowed with great melodies influenced by folk and Scandinavian traditional music. Fast songs like BEYOND THE DARK SUN and 'WINTER MADNESS showed the bands high technical abilities and had the crowd chanting “Wintersun! Wintersun!” after each song. It was obvious that with the mix of melodic clean vocals, brutal screams and Viking-like chants WINTERSUN made a few new fans in Paris.
If eyes could kill with just a look than don't dare catch the glimpse of new NAGLFAR vocalist Kristoffer Olivius. Sweden's black metal outfit brings an onslaught so intense that you can feel your flesh begin to bubble. NAGLFAR creates the most intense pit yet with bodies flying from the stage and the front 10 rows flailing everywhere. Paris rarely finds an active crowd and most shows find crowds sitting on their hands watching. With that said, the metal crowds
make up the difference. Covering material from all five of their albums, new material from the disc PARIAH hits hard and highlights of the set being THE BRIMSTONE GATE, and REVELATIONS CARVED IN FLESH.
The disappointment of this Christmas Cracker of a concert is veteran thrashers EXODUS. Playing a mix of new material from SHOVEL HEADED KILL MACHINE and old including BONDED BY BLOOD, A LESSON IN VIOLENCE and WAR IS MY SHEPARD they just couldn't seem to pull together and we were treated to a wall of muffled guitar chugging and graveled vocals. With Gary Holt introducing new members Paul Bostaph – ex-SLAYER, ex-FORBIDDEN; new singer Rob Dukes and Lee Altus the new live version of EXODUS just can't pull off the technical wizardry of a studio. Aside from a few die hard fans many in the crowd began moving to the bar and merchandise stands.
The energy picked up in anticipation of headliners HYPOCRISY and after the lull created by EXODUS they did not disappoint. Peter Tägtgren and crew proved why they are a leading force on the metal scene today. With Tägtgren's vocal range, pumalling bass, faster than ever drumming and the tightest guitar playing of the night, HYPOCRISY took the crowd into their hands from the first song and whipped them into a frenzy. Covering material from all of their albums over the past eleven years, FIRE IN THE SKY, ROSEWELL 47, and APOCALYPSE were stand out highlights in a 90 minute energy filled set that brought the night to a close and the crowd to their knees.
The X-Mass Fest sees all the bands playing a masochistic 15 nights in a row across most of Europe On this first date of the tour and after seven hours of ear splitting music the crowds happily made their way to the neon lights of the Pigalle. Santa certainly delivered the goods to Paris and for the rest of Europe's metal children...HE'S ON THE WAY!!!
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