Photo Provided By Miguel Rozo
Powerwolf has scheduled five exclusive gigs for November as part of their approaching sabbatical—perhaps for a new record or a well-deserved relaxation. We were fortunate enough to assist in the first of these exhibits, held at the Mitsubishi Electric Hall in Düsseldorf. The event was memorable not just because of the approximately 7,000 people who packed the venue but also because it took place on Halloween night. The arena was filled with ghouls and witches, nuns, and werewolves, just as predicted. Powerwolf welcomed fellow compatriots and Eurovision 2023 contenders, Lord of the Lost and Austrian power-metal band Serenity, as openers for these special ‘masses.’
The doors opened at 18:00, and the hordes swarmed the merch booth, literally ransacking almost everything. By the time I managed to go and get some merch, all the patches were gone—they even took the ones for display. If this doesn’t reflect how popular this band is, I have no idea what will.
Photo Provided By Miguel Rozo
Serenity:
The Austrian quintet, headed by Historian Georg Neuhauser of the University of Innsbruck, brought bright energy and charisma to the stage as soon as they stepped on. Serenity opened with their new song, “The Fall of Men,” set to be featured on their upcoming album, Nemesis AD. The song proved far more powerful live than on record. Despite one of the studio version’s hooks being the participation of Roy Khan (Conception ex-Kamelot), Serenity delivered an amazing live rendition even without him on stage. This marked my first time seeing Serenity since their debut and only American gig at ProgPower USA in 2012. Much has changed since then, including their lineup, which is considerably different, and their stage presence and manner, which has improved 100% since that show. Serenity also performed “Legacy of Tudors” from their War of Ages (2013) album and “Lionheart” from their 2017 album of the same name. Despite their brief appearance on stage, they did an excellent job soothing the tense audience.
Photo Provided By Miguel Rozo
Lord of the Lost:
The band that represented Germany in the Eurovision Song Contest this year and spent almost half a year opening venues worldwide for Iron Maiden put on a spectacular display at the Mitsubishi Electric Hall. Their live synth/new wave/80s approach was more than remarkable. This band has the best stage presence I’ve seen in a band in a long time, and they’ve been working hard to put on a bright and inventive live show. Their repertoire was full of old and new songs from Full Metal Whore (2015) to Empirean (2016), all the way to their latest Blood and Glitter (2022). I think the key to the success of a band like Lord of the Lost is their persistence, discipline, lengthy discography, and live shows.
We can talk about how their music represents different nostalgic eras of music’s past, but their live shows are something else. I was blown away by how multi-talented, for example, Gared Dirge (Gerrit Heinemann) was; this guy was playing keyboards, then jumped on percussion, and a song later, he was rocking the guitar. He was unbelievable. So, no wonder this band has been showing up almost everywhere in the last four years. Lord of the Lost are definitely a band to follow. Their music and live stage presence will guarantee a great live experience.
Photo Provided By Miguel Rozo
Powerwolf:
I have been following Powerwolf since their Blessed & Possessed (2015) days, and the band has grown exponentially since then, to the point that they managed to visit the USA early this year for the first time ever. But here in Germany, they are massive. It was interesting to see that around 65% to 70% of people at the show wore a Powerwolf t-shirt or makeup inspired by the band’s members. Girls dressed as nuns alluded to the “Demons Are a Girl’s Best Friend” video clip. It was just a vast Powerwolf party from the parking lot to the inside of the hall.
The mass began with a solemn walk in which every member was escorted to the stage by two monks, something that gave the theatrics of the show so much sense and allure. Powerwolf kicked off with “Faster Than the Flame,” “Incense & Iron,” and “Wolves of War” – a solid start for a night that was going to be long and epic. Their stage was fully decorated for the occasion, and a background screen projected amazing wolf-like animations depending on the song. It also projected the band and the fans, which is the first time I’ve seen a band doing that. I believe that Powerwolf is a band that really cares about their fan base, and in response, they do everything they can to take them on this heavy metal journey.
The night continued with “Army of the Night,” “Dancing With the Dead,” “Armata Strigoi,” and “Amen & Attack” – four very well-known Powerwolf hymns that got the crowd singing, jumping, and even opening a couple of mosh pits in the back of the floor area, aside from the stage props, screen tech, fire parts, sparks, and confetti explosions made for this show. It was an unforgettable Halloween experience for those of us present there. Without a doubt, this has been the most energetic experience I’ve had since seeing Iron Maiden live. You couldn’t believe how animated this crowd was.
As the show progressed, songs like “Beast of Gévaudan,” “Demons Are a Girl’s Best Friend,” and “My Will Be Done” sent the crowd into a frenzy that lasted until the encore, which was composed of “Fire and Forgive,” “We Drink Your Blood,” and “Werewolves of Armenia.” To close up my thoughts about this show, I will say that even though this was a fantastic show, even after you leave the venue, you are hungry for more and more. In a way, it’s a shame that they will be on break for a while, but I am sure that when the wolves return, their next mass will be monumental.
Gallery:
Powerwolf Tour Dates w/ Lord of The Lost *, Beyond the Black**, Serenity:
31.10.23 DE Dusseldorf @ Mitsubishi Electric Halle*
02.11.23 DE Ravensburg @ Oberschwabenhalle*
03.11.23 DE Bamberg @ Brose Arena*
04.11.23 NL Den Bosch @ The Rock Circus Festival
05.11.23 DE Leipzig @ Quarterback Immobilien Arena**
