After two consecutive evenings of progressive metal bliss, the cherry on top was EVERGREY bringing their Swedish prog-metal might to Ääniwalli in Helsinki. This time, they were here in support of their latest album, “Theories of Emptiness,” which dropped a few months ago. To sweeten the deal, they brought modern metal outfit CYHRA along—a band we’re always stoked to see live. So yeah, we were in for a fun night!
We hadn’t been to the recently renovated Ääniwalli yet, but before the makeover, it was an anxiety-inducing pit of misery—especially for a short person like myself. I could never see anything, and it always felt way too cramped. However, the moment we entered, we noticed a huge improvement—the stage was much higher, which was a fantastic first impression. It felt like I could finally enjoy a show without having to summon the powers of Mozes to part the sea of tall people.
CYHRA is one of those bands that never disappoints live. We were actually shocked at how long it had been since we last caught them. Shame on us! It feels like they haven’t headlined here in forever, so maybe it’s time for the booking agents to fix that and give them more than just 40 minutes to blow our minds. Anyway, they kicked things off with “Ashlight,” and it was great to see Alex Landenburg back behind the drums since he’s not currently out on tour with KAMELOT. Missing, of course, was Jesper Strömblad, who usually doesn’t tour with the band, but guitarist Markus Sunesson—who seems to be an official member now—really stepped up with some great stage presence.
A first highlight came when they played “Letter to Myself” from their debut album. During “Ready to Rumble,” Jake E had some hilarious moments trying to get people to sing into the mic during the chorus. Some audience members got super shy, and you could almost see their embarrassment from space. Still, Jake E persisted, and eventually, he found a brave fan willing to belt out a few words. He later thanked the band and crew, though tragically forgot to shout out the lovely folks at the merch table. Shame, Jake!
Things got more heartwarming (and maybe a bit awkward) during “Bye Bye Forever” when Jake E randomly sat down in front of a fan, causing an adorably uncomfortable moment. Honestly, it’s touching how Jake E tries to get people out of their comfort zones without pushing too hard. At a CYHRA show, you can just be whoever you want to be. Later, during “Battle From Within,” Finnish guitarist Euge Valovirta took the mic to say a few words to his fellow Finns. He mentioned that the song is quite important to Jake E, as it’s dedicated to his late brother—an emotional moment that clearly resonated with the crowd. Their set focused heavily on their latest album, “The Vertigo Trigger,” though I was a bit bummed they left out some classics from their debut, like “Heartrage,” “Here to Save You,” and “Rescue Ride.” Still, it was refreshing to hear some new bangers in the mix.
Now, I didn’t expect EVERGREY to bring such a cool production with them. Three minutes before the show, a timer appeared on stage, complete with a ticking clock and ambient noise. At first, I thought something had gone wrong because the timer was only on the left screen. Then, at the two-minute mark, the right screen joined the party. The last minute was especially dramatic, with a voice-over counting down the seconds until EVERGREY kicked off with “Falling from the Sun.”
This track is my absolute favorite from their latest album, and it’s always a bit tragic when I can’t dance to bangers like this because of my 3-song photo mark duties. Still, I’ll happily report that it was a killer start to the show, with all the good vibes. Throughout the gig, Tom Englund generously dispensed life lessons. The first? If you’re depressed, start a band with your friends—30 years later, you might just get to play a show in Helsinki. It’s not too late for me, right?
Another nugget of wisdom: sing all the time. We immediately put this into practice when Tom had us sing along to “Say,” the second song of the night. Then came the most practical advice of the evening: never wear a jacket at a rock concert. It was hot in there from all the great music and dancing! Oh, and lesson number five: don’t hire a Norwegian drummer unless you can afford it. Lucky for EVERGREY, they can afford Simen Sandnes, who only recently became an official member. It was our first time seeing him play with the band, and wow, the chemistry between them was undeniable.
At some point, Tom shared a drummer joke, claiming that if your kid wants to play drums, you’re doomed because the first 10 years are bad, and the next 10 are even worse. He then called out Waltteri Väyrynen (currently with OPETH) in the audience, and poor Waltteri got the full spotlight treatment. Tom joked that clearly Waltteri’s parents didn’t listen, and Waltteri laughed along.
After “When August Mourns,” Tom reached for some water but grabbed the wrong bottle. Somebody from the crowd yelled, “Kalja!” [Finnish for “beer”]. Honestly, is it really a Finnish metal show without a random drunk shout-out? I think not. By then, the band had played through many songs, and it was clear they had carefully curated the setlist to balance new material and fan favorites. The night wrapped up with “Save Us,” followed by some thank-yous from Tom, the band, and CYHRA. Henrik Danhage copied his exact words but Tom shut him down, claiming the FOH usually mutes his mic because he speaks gibberish. Sassy.
The encore gave us three final bangers—“A Touch of Blessing,” “King of Errors,” and “Our Way Through Silence.” This capped off a week packed with progressive metal juggernauts, and what a grand finale it was! EVERGREY‘s set was easily a highlight, with great sound, great songs, and the newly renovated Ääniwalli offering a layout where, for once, I didn’t have my view blocked by a tall person. Definitely a win in my book!
Text and photos by Laureline Tilkin
Setlist
- Falling From the Sun
- Say
- Midwinter Calls
- Distance
- Eternal Nocturnal
- A Silent Arc
- Call Out the Dark
- One Heart
- Weightless
- Where August Mourn
- Misfortune
- Save Us
- A Touch of Blessing (Encore)
- King of Errors (Encore)
- Our Way Through Silence (Encore)
