» Sonic Syndicate 2010 10 08  
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Reviewed by David
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Special guest: Faithful Darkness
City: Helsingborg, Sweden
Venue: The Tivoli
Date: 8 October 2010
Faithful Darkness set length: 35 minutes
Sonic Syndicate set length: 80 minutes

Faithful Darkness

Faithful Darkness was a good example of a decent local warm up act who did their job as expected. They put out a show with high energy and good mood, to make the crowd going for the main act. At their best they sound a bit like an early Dark Tranquillity. Other songs are a bit too anonymous, although indeed hard and fast. Most of the people at The Tivoli seemed to know the band from before and that local perspective is sometimes more efficient for an opener than to drag along a somewhat more established band that few have heard of.

6 chalices of 10

(sorry, no setlist)

Sonic Syndicate

When Sonic Syndicate entered the stage this Friday night it was in front of a pretty young crowd. For some reason, partly because their own age of course, the band from Falkenberg mainly attract the younger audience. Nothing wrong with that, but it seems that many don't know what they are missing. What these youngsters do on a stage should serve as a rule model for bands in general rather than some legal mocking bird as actually is the case in some circles, even in the same genre of modern metal.

I must admit that originally it was the live energy that drew me towards the first five concerts I experienced with Sonic Syndicate. But then Love And Other Disasters came with a few really good songs and We Rule The Night should mean the definite breakthrough for the band, if there is any logic in the business. It is s record filled with hits. The band seems to think good about it themselves, with eight out of fifteen songs from the new album in the set (along with two new single/bonus tracks from the same session).

The stage is almost not big enough for the sextet to move around as they are used to. But one can also see now that they have become more than just a jumping and running band. They have turned into mature, experienced musicians. Along with that seems to come a few standard poses into the bargain, but I buy that. It is still far more than most bands can deliver.

There is no low point in the set, there is an even flow of hits, delivered with the same energy from the first to the last note. This is the first headline gig I have seen the band do (the five earlier occasions have been on different festivals) and therefore also the longest. I am impressed by their steam and stamina. The newcomer Nathan J. Biggs has melted perfectly into the crew. I left with a feeling of wanting more. That is a good sign.

8 chalices of 10


Setlist:

We Rule The Night
Beauty And The Freak
Rebellion In Nightmareland
Flashback
Revolution, Baby
Heart Of Eve
Power Shift
My Own Life
Plans Are For People
Aftermath
Denied
Break Of Day
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Burn This City
Turn It Up
Jack Of Diamonds
We Rule The Night (reprise)

Related links:
www.mngmusic.net/sonicsyndicate
www.myspace.com/sonicsyndicate
www.faithfuldarkness.com