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THE ARCHIVES
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Morrigan's Pit has closed down as of November 2006. The site and its articles will stay online as an archive until September at least, but probably longer.
The Archives
2002-2006
» CD REVIEWS
» INTERVIEWS
» LIVE REVIEWS
» SPECIALS
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AMON AMARTH - CATARACT - IMPIOUS
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Live Music Hall - Cologne (D)
August 16th 2005
http://www.amonamarth.com
http://www.cataract-collective.com
http://www.impious.net
Amon Amarth were on a small European tour and on this very date in Cologne the band wanted to shoot the show for a DVD. Weeks before they were looking for viking-looking people among their fans to participate in this special event. I had no idea what to expect and as much as I'm kinda tired of that viking image/theme I couldn't help but grin thinking about how probably hordes of vikings would be in the audience. But apart from very few fans with those infamous viking helms for example or some more with some mighty beards there wasn't too much viking action among the (rather young) crowd. And since there were two bands, Cataract and Impious to play first, the suspense had to last a little longer until it was going to be revealed what there was to come.
IMPIOUS were first to warm up the crowd and I must say they did it well. The Swedes already have a couple of albums out but I must admit that I only knew their name, so I have no idea about the opening song either. Next up were "Toxic Paranoia", "Wicked Saints" and "Inject" though - kudos to Martin Åkesson who announced the titles ;) Their death/thrash mix wasn't 100% my thing but the guys proved to be a very active on stage which was also honored by the crowd who quite easily followed requests to bang their heads or raise the devil horns. At this point I came to think of the "World Youth Day" happening in Cologne with thousands of young Christians meeting and seeing the Pope this week. And as if the band had read my mind "Burn The Cross" was next. I couldn't help but find this amusing, hehe. The following response of the crowd was amazing and after the song the band took a pic of a sea of devil horns. The next song "Show Me Your God" was announced as "probably the heaviest we've ever made" and two songs later Impious closed their set with "Infernique". Good show! I wouldn't be surprised if they have made a couple of new friends here.
Something I'm not sure can be said about CATARACT. Well, obviously there were a few people interested in seeing them and it was also here that the first stagedivers showed up. But looking back, Impious had gotten a better response. I'm not into their music either, and all this hardcore stuff in their music remains just alien to me. For sure, the songs made me nod my head and tap the foot here and there but generally speaking, it's just not for me. As was the case with many other people there. The band was super-tight though. After the second song someone in the audience shouted "Ricola" (referring to the band's homecountry Switzerland) - the band gave it a tired smile. Perhaps they haven't heard it for the first time ;) Speaking of songs: since I'm not familiar with their songs I had to rely on frontman Fedi's announcements which turned out to be a difficult task. If he's screaming songtitles you have no idea of it's almost impossible to understand anything. And since he announced all of the songs in that manner all I can say is that "Reborn In Fire" was on the setlist as well as "Nothing's Left" which was the final song.
Before AMON AMARTH started their show we got entertained by some weird music such as a song most likely entitled "Christmas Time In Hell" and swing versions of "Paradise City" or "It's A Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock'n'Roll)" :D
Then when the band started playing their first song "An Ancient Sign Of Coming Storm" the fans went totally mad - or should I say berserk? ;) Soon some serious moshing was going on, time for me to leave the first rows to seek a more secure place somewhere in the back. I'm too old for this shit ;) While I was trying to make my way back I more or less missed out on the first appearance of the announced vikings during "The Pursuit Of Vikings". All I could see were like 10 vikings with shields when they were already leaving the stage again. The fans sang along to the chorus and were almost louder than the band, hehe. Then it was time for frontviking Johan Hegg to announce "a very special show" and on they went with "Ride For Vengeance" which was accompanied by columns of fire on the left and right side of the stage. Then Johan announced "Masters Of Waaaaar" and one song later he wanted the crowd to roar "metaaaal" as loud as a possible. As always, the whole band let hair (or beards, ;)) fly in circles but the interaction with the fans was entirely Johan's duty who also came to mention the World Youth Day I was talking about earlier.  He stated that the pope was in town (which isn't entirely true as he came two days later, today) and on the guestlist but didn't come, so "fuck the pope" and then it was time for Amon Amarth "Vs The World". "Annihilation Of Hammerfest" was spiced up with some pyros and some more fire. Between the songs there of course had to be the occasional "Skål" or "Prost" too. During the last song of the regular set, "Amon Amarth" the vikings returned to the stage and turned it into a battle field with swords, shields and fights. Funny. Even sparks flew from the swords during the fights.
It didn't take long before the guys returned on stage with the rethorical question "Do you want more?". No one seemed to have enough yet and so the band continued with "For The Stepwounds In Our Backs". Then two of the viking warriors returned for a last time, with shield and torch in hand, they lit some more fire and then took position on the left and right side of the stage where they stayed for the rest of the song. The following "Victorious March" was eagerly awaited by many but it was "Death In Fire" that should be the last song for that night. Over two hours of Amon Amarth lay behind us - fans may now look forward to the DVD.
setlist:
An Ancient Sign Of Coming Storm
The Pursuit Of Vikings
Ride For Vengeance
Masters Of War
The Last With Pagan Blood
Once Sealed In Blood
Bastards Of The Lying Breed
Fate Of Norns
Thousand Years Of Opression
Vs The World
North Sea Storm
Releasing Surtur's Fire
Friends Of The Suncross
Bloodshed
Amon Amarth
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For The Stepwounds In Our Backs
Where Silent Gods Stand Guard
Bleed For Ancient Gods
Victorious March
Death In Fire
submitted by Cora 18.08.2005
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