Kuolemanlaakso, Crimfall, 18.6.2016, Virgin Oil, Helsinki
This evening offered a special occasion, in many ways. First of all, of course – Crimfall are back, and with one of the best female Metal voices, Helena Haaparanta. The perfect combination following the model ”the beauty and the beast” – well, I am pretty sure that growler Mikko Häkkinen is a nice person, but on stage he seems HUGE, particularly when paired with the small Helena – that might feel a bit scary 🙂 Apropos Helena, she proved once again to be an essential element in the band.
Considering the enthusiastic reactions of the audience throughout the show, I guess my impression is correct: Epic / Pagan / Power / Goth Metallers Crimfall made a fantastic comeback, and they announced that there is a new -their third – album coming soon (produced by the band itself and mixed by Swedish sound whiz Johan Örnborg at Fascination Street studios). Bandwebsite Actually I don’t need to chatter about it a lot, just check out this video recorded at the show:
Kuolemanlaakso started ”fasthionably late” – thanks to Facebook a lot of people in the audience knew the good reason of a 15min delay – band mastermind Markus Laakso had attended the birth of his daughter only a few hours before the show… (Congratulations! ) Another reason why this gig will definitely be noted as ”legendary” in the annals of Metal. Yet in case you expected to find any expression of the joys of fatherhood – or any pleasures to be found in life as such at all – expressed somehow in this show here – NOPE.
Kuolemanlaakso did once again what they do best, putting doom, death and destruction into music, and in such hypnotic way that you cannot help headbanging and shouting along to e.g. Aarnivalkea, Minä Elän, Ikuini, Me Vaelamme Yössä and Tuoni Tähtivyö (where Helena also joined in on stage). In my opinion a flawless show, and no wonder that an encore was demanded, which was the sinister ear-candy ”Uljas Uusi Maailma”. Brilliant, thank you and more of that hopefully soon. Bandwebsite
There’s also a clip of this gig on the net: https://youtu.be/SswjYhllMI0 or watch this one
photos: K.Weber visit the gallery HERE
