I’ve seen OCTOPLOID play at On the Rocks last summer, precisely on my birthday, and honestly, I could not wait to see them again. The gig scheduled for May 1st, 2025, at the very same venue in Helsinki has been on my calendar for quite a while, but finally, here we are. DEMONIC DEATH JUDGE as an opening band sounds like a perfect treat, moreover, they literally just released a new album: “Absolutely Launched” in fact came out on April 30th, 2025, and I did not miss the chance to listen to it a few times.
DEMONIC DEATH JUDGE took the stage at 20:30 sharp, exactly as scheduled, and after a short intro, they played “90’s violence,” which happens to be the first song in their latest album. I immediately noticed how engaged the audience was, a clear sign that they do have a solid and affectionate fan base. “Filthy as Charged,” from their previous release “The Trail,” followed, to which both bassist and guitarist provided some backing vocals. The tune, especially in this live setting, reminded me of WEEDEATER’s best offerings, which, by the way, should be taken as a compliment. Their chemistry on stage was quite evident throughout the whole performance, as well as a deep connection with their audience. The singer wished us “Hyvää Vappua kaikille” [“Happy first of May to everyone”] and thanked for our support, the drummer raised his glass towards us, then “Shapeshifting Serpent” followed. Its distinctive “desertic” flavor reminded me of SLEEP, as well as a bunch of other American bands from the sludge metal scene.
The next in line were two songs from the brand-new album, in the very same order as the tracklist: “Goner” and “Dead Dogs.” It is always quite interesting to see the reactions to a new tune, especially in such a case when the album was literally just released about one day before. They went back to their early years and played “Churchburner,” from their debut album, “Descent.” Its hypnotic, evocative riff and general vibe did not go unnoticed. The singer announced that there was just one song left: “Nepal,” from that very same release. A full-fledged blast from the past, which was warmly welcomed by the audience. The red lights made the atmosphere even better, both bassist and guitarist had some sort of a “solo” moment at the center of the stage during the closing part of the tune, and it was a perfect closure. I promised myself I will not miss any of their gigs in town in the future, as I really enjoyed both their music and their compelling stage presence. They left the stage on the notes of BEACH BOYS’ classic tune “Surfin’ U.S.A.,” quite fun if we take “Absolutely Launched” cover artwork into account, which DEMONIC DEATH JUDGE used as a backdrop during the whole performance.
After a 30-minute break, OCTOPLOID took the stage. The place was packed at that point. It is worth mentioning that Tomi Joutsen from AMORPHIS was covering the role of vocalist that night, even though there are several singers on “Beyond the Aeons.” He turned 50 the day before the show. A nice way to keep on partying, I would say…
“The Dawns in Nothingness” was the opening tune: powerful and fairly psychedelic, it set the right atmosphere. Olli-Pekka “Oppu” Laine, mastermind and bassist, known for his role in AMORPHIS, has a unique style and vibe on stage, which I would describe as magnetic and mesmerizing. Once again, he surrounded himself with a bunch of talented musicians, most of them from other bands he plays in, such as Antti Myllynen, keyboardist in BARREN EARTH, and drummer Mikko Pietinen from MANNHAI, giving a heartwarming feeling of a high school reunion as a result. Guitarist Peter Salonen, young and incredibly skilled, comes from a thrash metal band called DEATH MEX, but he also plays in a KINGSTON WALL tribute band called THE KINKY THING. I would venture to say that the band members are likely to be considered good friends, particularly able to convey that hard-to-explain feeling you get when making good music together. Antti and Oppu provided some excellent clean vocals on the following tune, “The Hallowed Flame,” originally sung by Mikko Kotamäki (SWALLOW THE SUN) on the album. Of course, I could not help but compare this version to the one they played in August, when Kotamäki sang with them. Fairly different, both top notch. Tomi’s stage presence was a bit affected by some sort of a table he had in front of him, since he also played some percussion here and there, such as tambourine and egg shakers, among others. However, I must admit that the cloth on the table added a vintage and psychedelic visual touch due to its bright colors and pattern, so I am not complaining at all. The psychedelic vibes reached a peak during the intermezzo on “Human Amoral,” also thanks to the kaleidoscope-like pattern in the backdrop.
Tomi thanked us, incited us to raise our hands to DEMONIC DEATH JUDGE’s great riffs, and to keep on celebrating Vappu with them. “Shattered Wings” followed, on which Tomi provided some tambourine and egg shakers parts. Oppu was facing drummer Mikko during the long instrumental part, and I was once again very impressed by the guitar solo. The balance between the accuracy of the performance and the little variations one can get only in a live setting was noticeable and not that easy to reach, if compared to the many bands I have seen play live so far. “Coast of the Drowned Sailors” followed with no interruption, and at some point, Peter got closer to Oppu, making the show even more dynamic.
Then it was “Siren’s Lament” turn, a new single the band has released in early April, which bodes well for their future releases. I am already looking forward to it, in case you were wondering… Oppu introduced the band members one by one, and even thanked the guys at the mixer table and at the lights. He announced “Monotony” as the next song, which is a bonus track on the album. Its distinctive prog vibe made it possible for the band members to improvise a bit in its middle part, which was fun to see, too. The piano outro was unforgettable.
Tomi left the stage, as “Beyond the Aeons” and AMORPHIS’ “Relief,” both instrumental songs, followed, on which both Peter and Antti had their well-deserved “main character” moments. Then he came back, and Olli invited a guest to the stage: none other than Janne Perttilä, guitarist from BARREN EARTH. He joined them, warmly welcomed by the audience, then they played “The Leer,” by BARREN EARTH, of course. He stayed for “A Dusk of Vex” as well, adding some extra power to the outcome. Tomi left during the long instrumental outro, and after that, they all left for a while. They came back, except Tomi, and played the legendary instrumental tune by BLACK SABBATH called “Rat Salad.” Classics hit differently, you know… Janne seemed to enjoy being there, and I felt like he had great chemistry both with the guys on stage and with the audience. Mikko’s drumming was hypnotic and colorful, and when I thought the evening could not get any better, Tomi came back and they played “In Hiding” by AMORPHIS, to which Janne provided some clean backing vocals. Honestly, I did not see that coming. A long instrumental outro followed, which saw Tomi getting creative with the egg shakers and the drumsticks as well, while inciting the audience. They greeted and thanked us before leaving, and I am sure this was a night to remember.
Written by Licia Mapelli
Photos by Mirko L.
Setlist
- The Dawns in Nothingness
- The Hallowed Flame
- Human Amoral
- Shattered Wings
- Coast of the Drowned Sailors
- Siren’s Lament
- Monotony
- Beyond the Aeons
- Relief (Amorphis’ cover)
- The Leer (Barren Earth’s cover)
- A Dusk of Vex
- Rat Salad (Black Sabbath’s cover)
- Into Hiding (Amorphis’ cover)
