Eluveitie
12th May 2019
Valhalla, Wellington, New Zealand.
Review by The Mistress, Photography by Bruce Mackay.
Across vast oceans, ancestral winds upon their backs, Zurich based folk metal band Eluveitie made their way to New Zealand, traversing thousands of miles to perform for the first time ever.
Eager to share their music filled to the brim with tales of Celtic mythology and history the astounding nine members performed a feat of physical impossibility to fit not only themselves but a majority of their instruments onto the Valhalla stage, the show the night before at Auckland’s Galatos just as constricted, the close confines however only leading to an elated exuberance that burned like ancient fire within their bellies.
Chrigel, founder and leader of the Swiss legends had promised their New Zealand fans in an earlier interview with Ambient Light that to make up for lost time they would be playing an “extended set”, those in the front row who were able to spy the set list left salivating at the sheer number of tracks listed.
Following a blistering performance from local support band Intergracia, led by Tim Mekalick on guitars and vocals who many would recognise from New Zealand’s own metal legends Bulletbelt, it was time for Eluveitie to take the reins and lead their fans through a breath-taking night of intricately layered music involving multiple instruments and vocal harmonies.
Starting with the title track from their latest album, ‘Ategnatos’ speaks of rebirth and seemed rather appropriate, the band themselves having gone through numerous changes over the last few years. More so however, the song speaks about the earth upon which we live, the song – as Chrigel pointed out earlier – lyrically “opening the gates” to a universe of mythological and allegorical thoughts around rebirth. Combining Irish Folk music and Melodic Death Metal would not be an easy feat for any musician, let alone a group of nine. Yet together, live on stage, everything has its place, each instrument fitting in with the next perfectly.
A white leather bagpipe played by Matteo Sisti blended seamlessly with the Celtic harp and soaring vocals of Fabienne Erni, Erni often leaving the audience throughout the night transfixed by the sheer enormity of her voice, especially when performing solo. But it was Chrigel that held the room together in a carved out hollow in time, his ability to lay down harsh vocals while simultaneously playing the guitar or hammering out rhythmical patterns on a bodhrán drawing the crowd nearer, the music enveloping them within its familial arms.
Back catalogues were traversed, ‘Quoth the Raven’ taking fans back to the release of Everything Remains as it Never Was, while a familiar favourite ‘Lvgvs’ (which features a cover of the infamous and rather traditional ‘Son Ar Chistr’ -The song of the cider) soon had the venue stomping along to the upbeat tune while raising a glass or two.
There would be few shows where an audience could claim to witness nine members on stage, let alone one where instruments such as a hurdy-gurdy, tin whistle and violin would be swathed in a cloak of death metal; Eluveitie like a multi-limbed sonic deity.
Solos were performed by more than one member of the band including a stylish drum solo by Alain Ackermann, rituals of metal that will always be expected and forever embraced; Eluveitie pausing only briefly here and there to allow Chrigel to offer his words of gratitude to the crowd or to introduce the next song.
Never once relenting on driving the feverish passion within the room, Eluveitie delivered on their promise; two consecutive nights, two back-to-back sets of pure magic, the band looking almost as pleased as the audience.
Evenings that will be cherished it would seem by both parties for years to come
Were you there at Valhalla for this brilliant Celtic Metal gig? Or have you seen Eluveitie perform live somewhere else before? Tell us about it in the comments below!
Eluveitie Setlist:
- Ategnatos
- King
- Nil
- Deathwalker
- Black Water Dawn
- Quoth The Raven
- Ambiramus
- Lvgvs
- Catvrix
- Artio
- Epona
- Worship
- A Cry In The Wilderness
- Kingdom Come Undone
- Alesia
- Gray Sublime Archon
- Breathe
- Tegernakô
- Helvetios
- Rebirth
- Inis Mona
Intergracia Setlist:
- Unwelcome
- Dragon Rider
- Karma
- Rise Of The Incubus
- 5111A
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