ABORT Magazine™

Live Review: DragonForce w/ Holy Grail and Huntress- May 4th 2012, The Rickshaw, Vancouver B.C.

(CLICK TO ENLARGE | Photos – Scott Alexander)
(All photos: Dragonforce)

Live Review: DragonForce w/ Holy Grail and Huntress
Friday, May 4th, 2012
The Rickshaw Theatre

May the [Dragon]Force be with you

The Rickshaw was awash in an eerie red haze as the crowd assembled around the stage. One of Napalm Records’ newest signees, Huntress, had a real impression to make as its massive riffs began to fill the room. Multifaceted vocalist Jill Janus emerged from the shadows, blond tendrils hidden beneath a dark riding hood. Had Chuck Shuldiner, Shagrath and Rob Halford created a talented but flippered love child, it would have had a voice like Janus’: operatic, accompanied by diabolical screams, spitting shrieks and witch-like squeals. Huntress played classic grooves that were definitely familiar, but transposed to the key of E…vil.

The road warriors of Holy Grail kicked off their set to a smoky room with a powerful high note. Matching hair and vests paid tribute to the band’s forefathers as they broke into a galloping rhythm and guitar and vocal harmonies. While Holy Grail could be classified as a power metal band because of the epic melodies, hidden influences seemed to claw their way to the surface, as portrayed in “Call of Valhalla”, a song with a southern metal vibe that echoes of Motorhead. “Crisis in Utopia” brought frenzied verses and blazing guitar runs to the crowd. Considering one of the guitarists has Santana as a last name, one could imagine the talent present. The band was the perfect segue between the more raw-sounding Huntress and the seasoned headliners. Holy Grail decided to dedicate their last song to “DragonForce—the shreddiest band in the universe.”

After more than a year of searching, DragonForce has found its new vocalist in the form of 23-year-old Marc Hudson, who looked right at home interacting with his bandmates and getting accustomed to his new position. After opening with “Die By The Sword”, Herman Li and Sam Totman’s trademark effortless guitars kept audience members’ eyes glued on their fingers, likely wondering if they would be able to replicate the precision playing as heard on their albums. Verdict: accurate but natural. Impressive four-part vocal harmonies characterized “Operation Ground and Pound” as the band had the crowd jumping in time and attempting to crowd surf, both rarities at the Rickshaw.

There was a festival-like atmosphere that brought a new energy to the venue, especially when “Cry Thunder”, a single from the new album The Power Within, was triumphantly played. While some audience members lit up when keyboardist Vadim Pruzhanov unveiled a keytar during “Seasons”, the real excitement seemed to explode from the crowd during “Soldiers of the Wasteland”. Hudson grabbed a beer while bassist Frederic Leclercq kissed his biceps and gestured at the supporting bands watching from the sidelines, and drummer Dave Mackintosh’s thundering double kicks carried the song forward. The years behind this band were evident in its pristine execution, and the passion for the music and the fun of the stage show were clearly visible by the smiles on their faces.

DragonForce

Holy Grail

Huntress

By: Sam Landa

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