Dark Tranquillity deliver an energetic evening in London – report of the “Endtime Signals” European tour

On this Tuesday night, we take advantage of the milder weather by strolling through London’s streets to Islington’s O2 Academy. On top of some of the already-sold-out dates in other European locations, we found out this morning that the London event was also sold out. Dark Tranquillity will be performing as the headliner to celebrate the release of their new album, “Endtime Signals.” We are also thrilled to have Moonspell, Wolfheart, and Hiraes as supporting acts for the London event. The report is by Sabrina Schiavinato – a huge thank you to Andy Turner for hosting us!

Hiraes

We enjoyed watching Hiraes. The German melodic death metal band that emerged from the ashes of Dawn of Disease has a unique name derived from the Welsh word “hiraeth,” symbolising the nostalgia and longing for lost places of the past or a home that may have never existed. The band’s 30-minute performance warms up the crowd with their energetic and fresh stage presence, establishing, from the very first song, why they needed to share the stage with those three big acts. The crowd warmly welcomed their second visit to London.

We thought lead singer Britta’s unique growls and screams were fresh and added a unique layer of depth to the band sound, despite some audio problems that made the voice seem a little lower than the instrumentation. I’m excited to watch this band’s future developments!

Photo: Peterson Marti.

Wolfheart

Next up we have Wolfheart. By adding more dark tones and adorning the stage with Nordic decorations, the Finnish band erased the vibrations that Hiraes had left behind. The band captivated the audience from beginning to end with their tremendous sound and intense melody on stage. Wolfheart left a profound impact on the audience, solidifying their reputation as a must-see live act in the metal scene. For everyone, it was an unforgettable evening as Wolfheart demonstrated why they are a formidable force in the metal music industry. The energy they release is simply raw and powerful.

We appreciated both the new songs from the recently released album “Draconian Darkness” and some of the band’s older songs, which showcased their range and development as performers. Newer songs like “Evenfall” and “Grave” demonstrated the band’s growth and maturity in their songwriting, while older songs like “Zero Gravity” and “The Hunt” had the audience headbanging and singing along. Both guitarist Vagelist Karzis and bassist Lauri Silvonen captured the audience’s interest for the entire set, while frontman Tuomas Saukkonen’s dominating stage presence and unfiltered passion gave an additional dimension of intensity to the performance.

Setlist:

1. Strength and Valor
2. Zero Gravity
3. Burning Sky
4. The Hunt
5. Evenfall
6. The King
7. Grave

Photo: Peterson Marti.

Moonspell

The Portuguese band Moonspell has moved on from gothic and symphonic metal. Their captivating live performances consistently captivate audiences, demonstrating why this metal legend continues to make waves. Fernando’s powerful voice rose above the instruments, delivering both clean and harsh vocals throughout the entire set, which spans from the oldest “Opium” and “Alma Mater” to the most recent “Extinct” or “The Future is Dark“.

The smoke effects and low, dramatic lighting provide the mood for an immersive experience that complements the band’s dramatic music.

In between songs, the band engaged with fans in conversation in Portuguese and English, recalling how long it took them to return to London after their last tour.

We must say that this setlist brought the entire evening to a different level of energy and excitement, confirming how better it is to have different musical styles and languages incorporated into a performance.

Setlist:

1. Opium
2. Awake!
3. Extinct
4. Night Eternal
5. Finisterra
6. Everything Invaded
7. Nocturna
8. Breathe (Until We Are No More)
9. Mephisto
10. Alma Mater
11. Full Moon Madness

Photo: Peterson Marti.

Dark Tranquillity

With “The Last Imagination,” Dark Tranquillity took the stage, and the crowd enthusiastically applauded as Mikael made his presence known.

We witness outstanding energy and synergies from every member. Since we last saw the band in 2022, we found the intimate setting of the O2 Academy to be a plus for their performance, making the experience super engaging and targeted just for a selected public.

The band’s repertoire of excellent songs undoubtedly contributed significantly to the evening’s success, but the band members’ energy was consistently high. Mikael’s stage presence is always warm and buzzing, moving around the stage and interacting with different areas of the venue to create a sense of connection with all the people present, even the balcony ones.

From the recent album, we hear “Unforgivable” and “Shivers and Voids,” but we also hear the most classic hits, such as “Atoma” and “Phantom Days,” and, as an encore, the band surprises the crows with three excellent performances of “Misery’s Crown,” “ThereIn,” and “Lost of Apathy,” form some of our favourite albums.

After such an energetic evening, it is difficult to go back to a normal routine, but hey, more shows to come!

Setlist:

1. The Last Imagination
2. Nothing to No One
3. Wayward Eyes
4. Unforgivable
5. Hours Passed in Exile
6. The Dark Unbroken
7. Final Resistance
8. Cathode Ray Sunshine
9. Atoma
10. Shivers and Voids
11. Not Nothing
12. Empty Me
13. Our Disconnect
14. Phantom Days
15. ThereIn

Encore:

1. The Wonders at Your Feet
2. Lost to Apathy
3. Misery’s Crown

Photo: Peterson Marti.