It is September, and for some reason, it still feels like summer in Southern Finland. I am not complaining at all about that, just to be clear, but craving some autumn-inspired music is part of the game, so here we go: OCTOBER TIDE and SHADE EMPIRE had a concert scheduled on September 7th, 2024, at Kuudes Linja in Helsinki, and I could not miss that.
Swedish melodic doom-death masters OCTOBER TIDE released an album, “The Cancer Pledge,” almost one year ago and I have been eager to see them play the new songs since then. To be completely honest, I have seen them play a couple of times before, but always at festivals, so a club show was all I needed to properly enjoy their overwhelmingly powerful yet somehow soothing live set. Admittedly, it was my first time seeing SHADE EMPIRE in action, and it is always a pleasure to get the very first encounter with a band at a live show, as it reveals otherwise hidden features of the band. The only information I had was that they were founded in Kuopio back in 1999, have released six full-length albums so far, went through quite a few lineup changes, and manage to blend different extreme metal subgenres, with an overall symphonic vibe. That was enough to pique my curiosity.
OCTOBER TIDE took the stage at 19:45 as scheduled, accompanied by the notes of “Gammal fäbodpsalm från Dalarna,” an old hymn from the area where the band originates. This provided the right atmosphere: sorrowful and solemn, as a tune played at many funerals should be. The opener was “Peaceful, Quiet, Safe,” which happens to be the first song on their latest album—good choice, if you ask me. Its lyrics, written by frontman Alexander Högbom, hit differently in a live setting, as intense and introspective as they can be. Bassist Johan Jönsegård played at the center of the stage, inciting us and singing along to the songs the whole time, ending up being an outstanding entertainer as well as a great performer. The Norrman brothers, Mattias and Fredrik (the latter being the founding member of the band), on guitars, stood on opposite sides of the stage. Alexander, Mattias, and Johan headbanging in sync, added a lot of dynamism to the scene without sacrificing performance accuracy. I was genuinely astonished by how the new tunes turned out, though not entirely surprised, because, you know, these guys know their business. Alexander greeted us and introduced the following tune, “Tapestry of Our End,” which happens to be the second track on “The Cancer Pledge.” At some point, he approached Fredrik and put his arm on his shoulder—it is always so heartwarming to see these small gestures of affection, even in the middle of a metal concert, which says a lot about their deep and genuine connection. The frontman introduced the next tune as “a song about starving.” It was, in fact, “Our Famine,” from their previous album “In Splendor Below,” during which Alexander asked, “Helsinki! Are you drinking beer? Good!” bringing big smiles to our faces, despite the tragic nature of the lyrics and the melancholic vibe of the instrumental part the band was playing.
The following tune, “Ögonblick av Nåd,” was taken from the same album and was introduced by a straightforward question about our knowledge of the Swedish language. I am not sure if these details help convey the friendly and relaxed mood that we experienced, but I do hope that some of the atmosphere can be “felt” by the readers. During “Heart of the Dead,” which dates back to 1999, they incited us to clap along to the beat, and I believe “Grey Dawn” is still many people’s favorite album based on their reaction.
On a side note, I feel the need to point out that Alexander’s ability to interpret songs originally sung by other vocalists is mind-blowing. He managed to strike a perfect balance between putting his own personality into the songs while preserving the original vibe in every small detail—a feature that stood out even more on the second-to-last tune in the setlist, but we will get there. Moreover, his background as an extreme singer is deeply rooted in death metal, as he used to sing in acts such as VOLTURYON and CENTINEX, among others. It was fascinating to see how many shades of a different vocal style he could handle, bearing the responsibility of delivering the message as a frontman. Spoiler alert: he nailed it.
“I, the Polluter” from their previous album followed, and then the title track from “The Cancer Pledge,” which I was quite eager to hear. I was pleased and unsurprised by the outcome: as I wrote in the review, the drumming provided by Jonas Sköld has a central role, with a remarkable prog aftertaste that elevates the whole composition, paired with a strong emotional impact that peaks in the chorus.
“12 Days of Rain” holds a special place in the attendees’ hearts and souls, I bet. The song dates back to the band’s debut album, “Rain Without End” (1997), and was re-recorded in 2021 with extra guitar layers. Its sorrowful, gut-wrenching, yet majestic main riff, along with the lyrics, makes it one of the most beautiful songs in the genre, and I take full responsibility for such a strong statement. It was truly impressive to see its original vibe still intact, enriched by the live show’s energy. Alexander thanked us and blew us a kiss. He asked if we wanted one more song, and the answer was obvious. “Are you happy?” he asked, and added, “Why?! We are trying to make you sad…” as our response was clearly affirmative. He assured us the next song would destroy us, and we were ready: “Adoring Ashes” was the perfect tune to end the set and our hopes for a brighter future. It worked for both. I really enjoyed the uplifting mood they created between songs, and I cannot hide that I was happy during the entire set. Let’s hope they will be back soon with more melancholy!
They left the stage at 20:40, and it took about half an hour before SHADE EMPIRE started. The stage featured scenic elements such as a big dreamcatcher, lanterns, and ivy-shaped decorations on the microphones, suggesting how epic and grandiose their music would sound. And I got the right impression because that is exactly how it sounded from the very first notes of “Lecter,” the opening tune from their album “Poetry of the Ill-Minded,” released in 2017—the last one recorded with their previous singer. Needless to say, their current vocalist Henry Hämäläinen nailed it seamlessly, despite having big shoes to fill. His singing skills were impressive, both in clean and growl vocals, and even in the “scream” style.
The flickering lights added an old-fashioned vibe, making it even more special. Guitarist Juha Sirkkiä (who also delivered excellent backing vocals) and bassist Eero Mantere frequently switched sides of the stage, adding a lot of dynamism to the performance. The drumming by Rasane was precise and complex, enjoyable even from the front row. Henry greeted us and announced “The Apostle” as the next tune, which happens to be the second track on their most recent opus, “Sunholy,” released last year via Candlelight Records, from which they also played the title track—particularly appreciated by the front row, as I noticed. The wall of sound they created was massive throughout the set, showing nostalgic vibes, especially on older tunes such as “Human Sculpture” from their debut album, or “Serpent-Angel” from their third release, “Zero-Nexus.”
Their audience was warm and supportive: many people wore their t-shirts, and no matter if they were playing old or new songs, many attendees knew the lyrics by heart. The venue was packed by this point, so it was difficult for me to reach the opposite side of the room, but I managed to catch a quick look at guitarist Aapeli Kivimäki, who played flawlessly, as expected.
Henry had some chit-chat with the audience in Finnish, met with loud and joyful reactions. The visual impact of the headbanging, both on and off stage, made me realize again that live music is a basic need, shaping both our personalities and social behavior.
“Anti-Life Savior” was introduced by John Milton’s Paradise Lost speech, as in the studio version. I could not help but picture the music video, which, in my opinion, clearly reflects the band’s complex yet straightforward identity. Seeing them play this song live was priceless.
“Until No Life Breeds” followed, then the aforementioned older tune “Human Sculpture.” The concert was drawing to a close, with just one tune left: “Ruins.” They took a picture with us before leaving the stage. It was so nice of them to keep us in their memories.
In conclusion, some bands can create an alternative reality during their performances, to the point that, when the gig ends, it feels like awakening from a dream. This was exactly the case, as both OCTOBER TIDE and SHADE EMPIRE, as different as their music, worldviews, and shows can be, truly know how to engage and entertain their audience on a deeper level. I do not take this for granted.
Written by Licia Mapelli
Photos by Mirko L.
Setlist
- Lecter
- The Apostle
- Sunholy
- Serpent-Angel
- Anti-Life Savior
- Until no Life Breeds
- Human Sculpture
- Ruins
