It had been six years since last seeing Delain live, 8 years for Xandria, and never having witnessed Edge of Paradise, last year’s announcement that the three Napalm Records groups would be on tour in the United States this spring turned this NYC show into a must-see event. Upon arriving near the time for doors to open up, it seems the demand for the groups involved in this particular gig was pretty high, as the line for entry wrapped around the block and down through the next one.
First up to play was Edge of Paradise. Operating mostly from their just released new album, Prophecy, the group would play a 7 song setlist that got the crowd started. Wearing a very bright outfit that frequently changed ever-so-slightly over the set was vocalist Margarita Monet, who at one point was wearing bright white-light emanating shoulder pads. But the futuristic apparel was a nice addition to the band’s set, as she frequently moved about the stage interacting with the audience. The rest of the band (sans drums of course) also did the same through the quick set. Unfortunately, due to the position in the crowd, Monet’s vocals didn’t travel well (not being close enough to hear the front monitors or far enough back to hear the speakers), but this was more of a location based issue than the band itself.
Following-up next would be Xandria, and they provided quite a spectacle. While they almost entirely focused on new songs since current vocalist Ambre Vourvahis joined, with three songs from the recent Universal Tales and three from The Wonders Still Awaiting, with the classic “Nightfall” rounding out the mix. To be fair, it seemed this was the right call to make. Their set boomed with energy – to the point that a moshpit emerged and maintained through their set, even if it was more of a playful one than an aggressive circle – alongside a solitary crowdsurfer at one point. Vourvahis did a great job of commanding the stage both with her vocals as well as bantering with the crowd. A fun, playful energy fell over the crowd throughout the set, and it really seemed to set the tone for the headliners in Delain to go out with the audience fully set to engage.
Last up was Delain, who seemed to run with the crowd energy provided by Xandria and make it their own. The setlist was a nice mix of songs from throughout Delain’s history, with some recent and old songs seeing equal time and treatment. Vocalist Dianna Leah stood at the center, all smiles as the band began “The Cold.” Guitarist Ronald Landa and bassist Ludovico Cioffi also joined in, and the entire band, just like the last time this scribe saw them seemed to embody that same spirit: joy. You can tell that the band, despite the influx of new members in the last few years, still has the same attitude and ethos. They are going to work hard up on the stage and they are going to have the best time. That spirit was easily conveyed and embraced by the crowd, as the ‘whoas’ of “Suckerpunch” rang through the audience as the band’s second number.
New tracks “The Reaping” and “Dance with the Devil” were both set highlights, showcasing the band moving forward, with the latter being augmented by Cioffi’s growls and some rather headbangable riffing in the live venue. It was also great to hear some older songs like personal fave “Get the Devil Out of Me” getting a fantastic groove and sing-a-long going, as well as the spirited “The Gathering.” Sadly, due to some train times, I wasn’t able to stay for the classic “We Are the Others” (sacrilege, I know), but with the way the crowd was worked up through their set (again, citing a more ‘playful’ pit like Xandria’s), it inevitably went swimmingly.
Honestly, an absolute no-brainer of a show for anyone interested in the current symphonic or modern metal landscapes. It’s great to see a show that has a top-to-bottom billing of solid acts. While this tour is at its end, let’s hope more shows come about that continue to deliver on that ‘all killer no filler’ aspect.
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