Recently, MESHUGGAH and THE HALO EFFECT embarked on a European tour, promoting the progressive metal powerhouse’s latest release, “Immutable.” The Helsinki show, originally scheduled for April, was rescheduled due to illness, and we had the privilege of attending the re-scheduled sold-out performance at Kulttuuritalo on August 18th, 2023.
Kicking off the night was THE HALO EFFECT, the special guest comprised of former IN FLAMES members. With a nostalgic debut album, “Day of the Lost,” they burst onto the scene. Frontman Mikael Stanne brought his signature humor to the stage, delivering funny speeches and introducing songs like “A Truth Worth Living For” from their first album where he mentioned that since they are playing an old school set, they will play a song from their debut effort. The band also unveiled a new song, “The Defiant One,” captivating the audience with its beautiful guitar strumming intro, its altogether dynamic flow. Naturally, the crowd was enthusiastic clapping along to the song. The band rounded out their set with their biggest hit, “Shadowminds,” and hinted that they might return soon.
As the anticipation built, Swedish progressive metal titans MESHUGGAH took the stage to promote “Immutable.” The intro began with a bass-driven drone and applause filled the venue. Playing four tracks from their new album, including “Broken Cog,” “Ligature Marks,” “Light the Shortening Fuse,” and “The Abysmal Eye,” the crowd’s excitement was palpable.
While their setlist spanned their discography, iconic tracks like “Bleed” were notably absent. MESHUGGAH‘s performance never really needs any gimmicks and the band is thus mostly focusing on their instruments, resulting in a cohesive flow throughout the evening. Because of this, their set felt relatively short despite encompassing 13 tracks. In the end, it was an electrifying evening filled with heavy anthems that resonated with the audience. Check out our photo gallery here…
The Halo Effect
Meshuggah
Text and photos by Laureline Tilkin
