Sonata Arctica, Pagan’s Mind
London Islington Academy
21st April, 2008

View: stage-left

On stage by 8pm, the Norwegian power/prog-metal quintet Pagan’s Mind had sound difficulties to overcome, but from United Alliance onwards their galloping rhythms, speedy guitar and clap along choruses won over the crowd. A cover of David Bowie’s Hallo Spaceboy diversified the tone into Queensryche territory, before Nils Rue (think a hirsute Robbie Williams in Mad Max) had the masses air-punching along to the likes of Through Osiris’ Eyes and the Helloween-like Alien Kamikaze. Off at 8:45, Sonata bounded on half an hour later, the Finnish power-metal quintet knocking out a 15-song set with established faves like the chugging-riff opener In Black And White and the rollocking Champ. The pace slowed for the Saga-esque Replica, before Eighth Commandment ushered in a speed-metal chorale and Black Sheep merged into Deep Purple’s Child In Time. One or two slower numbers smacked of Scorpions, and singer Tony Kakko’s audience participation drumming is less novel than it once was, but extended encoring including Don’t Say A Word said it all.

Reviewed by Tim Jones
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