Photos/Review: Powerwolf take Detroit

On September 18th, Detroit got to experience its first ever heavy metal mass from Catholic occult themed power metal band Powerwolf. The band is known for their electrifying stage presence and theatrics, their live show is unlike any other. They chose the equally larger than life power metal band Dragonforce as the supporting act for their North American Crusade and what a revitalizing night this was.

Dragonforce opened the night with their massive stage show. They had their giant arcade cabinets on either side of the stage with screen visuals that change with every song. They also added two giant inflatable dragons to the stage setup, which truly puts their namesake in the forefront. One would think having oversized props like that would be distracting to the performance itself, they instead just add to their show. The band themselves command the stage with their trademark dueling guitar solos and playful personalities that shine brightly amidst the vibrant lights. Their 25 plus year legacy captivates the audience as well. The crowd simply adored every song and many fans were singing along, fists clenched in the air and smiling, and some were even crowd surfing. I’ve seen Dragonforce 7 times now and they never disappoint. Come for the speedy solos, stay for the infectious visual overload.

Dragonforce

Photo Credit: Kyle Finlan

After quite a bit of prop takedown time, another setup took its place. Powerwolf took the stage and their setup revolves around Catholic/gothic church aesthetic. It was right at home at tonight’s venue, The Masonic Temple, which has gothic revival architecture. So the prop decor resembling ornate arches looked almost made for this stage. The 5 man band themselves also take on the theme with robes and clothing with cathedral imagery on them, plus ashy corpse paint. The set began with a blessing of sorts, including an incense ‘cleansing’ (like when mass begins at a church) which led into an almost too obvious song to follow “Incense and Iron”. It was easy to get caught into the show after that. Powerwolf has some of the catchiest melodies in music and it set the crowd ablaze for every song. Not to mention, singer Attila Dorn has so much charisma both while he’s singing and in his way of commanding the audience. The amount of crowd involvement at this show was a pivotal part of why it was so enjoyable. They had us singing some of the big hook melodies of songs like “Armata Strigoi” and crowd favorite “Demons are a Girl’s Best Friend”, they got the crowd jumping in unison for other songs, and even split the audience in multiple spots to see who can sing the loudest. If you like being part of the show, Powerwolf gladly invites you to join their Heavy Metal Army.

Overall, this show was full of cheesy and playful tunes performed by impeccable musicians. Both of these bands show it is possible to be a great musician and choose to use your skills to spread joy to others. Whether your songs talk about nostalgia and video games or telling folktales as blasphemous werewolf priests, owning the campy fun of it all will speak to the right people. This was a great show to take the edge off and just have some much needed unfiltered fun.