Reviewed by Tommy
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Special guest: Malevolent Creation + Nightrage + Necrophagist
City: Groningen, The Netherlands
Venue: Vera
Date: 22 January 2006
Necrophagist setlength: -- minutes
Nightrage setlength: -- minutes
Malevolent Creation setlength: -- minutes
Bolt Thrower setlength: 80 minutes
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Necrophagist + Nightrage + Malevolent Creation
This night I decided to go easy, and left home later than usual and wondered around a bit in the bar and among the merchandise instead of checking out the support acts. They really did not interest me much and for once I wanted to spare myself for the main act, instead of being tired in the head when the main event is due. I only checked out Malevolent Creation fragmentally, but not enough to justify a review to be written. I am afraid I would not do them justice. It is ordinary, standard death metal of the more anonymous kind and that is something I have grown very indifferent to over the years even though I was big fan back in the days. Death metal has to offer something very personal to interest me nowadays, and Malevolent Cration and the rest of the bands did not. It was a tight and solid performance, though, and they knew what they were doing, and the response from the audience was good, but I will refrain from giving it any grades.
(Assorted pictures)
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(Sorry, no setlist)
-- chalices of 10
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Bolt Thrower
The mighty war machine from England rolls into town and as a result of that, the venue for tonight is sold out and packed. I estimate it to 4-500 people. Even though Bolt thrower is one of my absolute favourite bands of all time, I believe that I am able to write a pretty fair and objective review of the gig, because they really delivered tonight. Noone can deny that the sound was impeccable, taking in account the size and architecture of the venue. It was clear, sharp and most important of all: heavy as hell. The stage area was kind of small so no extravagant stage show was going on, but the guys have never made a name of themselves of having a flamboyant show with lots of accessories. It's just pure metal. The band was clearly not the least tired after three weeks of constant touring, just getting warm in their clothes.... They put on a vital and energetic show and it was as tight as you would expect. Karl Willets, now back on vocals after Dave Ingram's departure, did a great job.
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Pretty good setlist, but not optimal. During the medley, where they weave together 4 songs that all have the by now famous and reoccuring intro/outro, they might as well replace Powder Burns with something else, since that song is really nothing out of the ordinary. Apart from this there was a perfect blend of the better songs from the new album (At First Light, Entranched, Killchain, As Cannons Fade) and olden goldies from the IVth Crusade album plus the killer No Guts, No Glory. Not much from the first albums, though, but I personally prefer it that way. With exception from World Eater, that is, which is and this night also was a true killer. There was an encore with a few songs but I have never been so into a concert as this time so I do not really remember which the ending songs were, or if the last song in the setlist below was the actual last songs or just the last ones of the first part. I was in seventh heaven and just went with the awesome flow.
My expectations on a Bolt Thrower concert were in every aspect fulfilled. I have previously not heard or read much about how Bolt Thrower are live, and there are to my knowledge hardly no live videos or bootlegs circulating, so I can not really compare this to previous efforts from the band. But this was almost as good as it gets, and I have a hard time seeing that it could get much better.
In a world of compromise.... some don't. And I fucking love it. I have already reserved a ticket and booked a hotel for the gig in Hengelo on April the 12th....
SETLIST (Might be slightly inaccurate and incomplete)
At First Light
Entrenched
Mercenary
World Eater
Centotaph
The Killchain
Powder Burns
Where Next To Conquer
Those Once Loyal
No Guts, No Glory
IVth Crusade
When Cannons Fade
9 chalices of 10
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Related links:
www.boltthrower.com