Avtor: Rok Klemše
Kraj: MK Kotlovnica, Kamnik
Datum koncerta: 17.03.2011
Število obiskovalcev: 90
After a while, the stage at Kamnik’s Kotlovnica came back to life, this time luring people into its den with a three-band bill: brand-new Reflecto, the live-circuit workhorses Divine Illusion, and old hands Metalsteel, who are busily and eagerly pushing their recently released fourth studio album Entertainment.
This time it was the newly formed progressive metal outfit Reflecto who popped the Kotlovnica stage’s live cherry, though for them it was only the second gig ever. After their debut show at Zakon in Vrhnika, Reflecto returned to their hometown of Kamnik and, in a good half hour, delivered a set that was enviable for such a fresh band, both in quantity and in quality. On top of that, the guys put Ela Gaborovič front and center, and her striking, powerful, deeper, almost soulful voice gives Reflecto a special flavor that sets them completely apart from your typical prog metal bands. For the opener they proved they’re deadly serious, firing off a pretty hefty Symphony X treat, Evolution. That American band is a big influence on them in general, and you can hear it clearly in the guitar lines, which cleverly flirt with Michael Romeo’s playing. Luckily, Reflecto can also boast some very promising original material, especially the lush prog metal burner Madness and the lighter Under Cover, which nicely shows off a skillfully crafted keyboard backbone. And they pulled off a truly lovely, pleasant surprise with the Kansas classic Carry on My Wayward Son. Despite technical problems and a few birth pangs in the form of minor slip-ups and flubs, Reflecto are definitely a new name on the Slovenian metal scene that’s well worth following in the future, because they promise a lot.
The somewhat older stage veterans were Divine Illusion from Postojna, who have been diligently and persistently racking up live mileage ever since the release of their EP Genetic. That’s exactly why the guys are already their usual selves: excellent, perfectly tight, energetic, and above all skilled at flattering the crowd and getting it going. The likable frontman plays the main role here, with a set of pipes that’s the stuff of envy, and the instrumental foursome is firmly anchored too. It’s clear Divine Illusion are well versed in playing Scandinavian-style power metal, while successfully smashing its clichés with progressive touches à la Threshold, meaning varied tempos and rhythms, complex and dynamic instrumental lines, and elaborate arrangements. Their original songs, which deserve praise, come across as very colorful live, and Divine Illusion season the set with a selection of covers. With tracks like Eagle Fly Free, Wasted Years and Hunting High and Low they successfully hit the souls of those gathered below the stage, the brilliantly executed Slipstream suits them like a glove, while at least in my opinion they rather missed the mark with Madonna’s La Isla Bonita. I could easily have lived without it. Divine Illusion’s busy live presence on home stages shows, but precisely because of how often they play, I’d like to see the guys shake up their song selection a bit, since we’ve been listening to the (otherwise excellent!) EP tracks for quite a while now, along with somewhat chewed-over covers.
Metalsteel, the flag-bearers of Slovenian heavy metal, don’t have that problem, since the girl and the guys can already boast four studio releases, and the latest, Entertainment, is still brand-new. They carved out a big chunk of their set for a detailed presentation of the new record, and it was a real pleasure to hear tracks like Life Story, One More Shot, The Trip and the interestingly done Let Me Be Your Guide, for which Matej Sušnik took over the vocals and handled the job confidently and with flying colors (on the album that track is sung by the siren James Rivera)! Metalsteel keep up a constant, dynamic stage show in general, carried above all by the lively, playful Rok and Matej, who move quickly and constantly from microphone to microphone. The infectious melodies of the superbly written guitar lines get into your ears even faster live, and you quickly catch yourself first muttering along and then howling the vocal lines at the top of your lungs. Another big treasure in Metalsteel is hidden in the magical bass lines steaming out from under the fingers of the charismatic Matej, and it’s a great joy to hear the punchier drums live, which Daša pounds without mercy. Metalsteel’s rich sound is further enriched by the vocals, mostly coming from the throat of Beny, who is developing into an ever better singer, while the strong and frequent backing vocals provide might and pomp. One of the most beautiful and (bitter)sweetest moments in Slovenian metal is surely the exceptional ballad Topla je smrt, which Daša sings excellently together with Matej, adding an emotional, feminine voice that makes an already chilling and melancholic song even better. This time Metalsteel also particularly surprised with a crushing rendition of a classic from the album Taste the Sin, the more rarely played The Lonely Mans Revenge. The Kotlovnica show was one more confirmation that Metalsteel are one of the strongest live bands in the country right now and that Entertainment is already catching on nicely with fans of Slovenian metal bands.
Fotografije: Nina Grad
Galerija slik
