On their first headline tour of the UK, Eleine were aiming to give off a long-lasting impression that every artist craves when closing a show. They ticked that box easily and a raucous reception could only mean “come back soon”.
Ignea knew that being the only support act wasn’t going to be an easy task if you were to get a crowd hyped during and after a set but they brushed that pressure aside with ease like an ordinary rehearsal session. In a blistering 45 minutes, the Ukrainian group put on a display worthy of a headline performance with relentless energy and conviction, spreading tidal waves of jubilation everywhere. It was clear that there was to be no messing about as decibels were peaking at levels you’d expect to happen by the time headliners started but these guys have a rulebook of their own so playing nice wasn’t on the cards.
Although Ignea’s sound is primarily symphonic metal, there are plenty of folk and Middle Eastern influences nicely mixed in which can be heard through oriental scales on synths and guitars. It’s not just translated sonically but also through singer Helle Bogdanova’s choreography. You could tell just how much she was embraced in the moment with her movements representing an artist feeling nothing other than what comes from deep within their soul, not to mention a charisma capable of generating its own star that not even Venus could outshine. Other than presence which we already know is second nature to Helle, she wasn’t afraid to show off her elastic vocal range that stretched all the way from screams capable of tearing off skin to creepy whispers in another language.
Evgeny Zhnytnyuk, the mastermind behind all the material that hardcore fans remember like a Shakesperian poem went into supersonic mode on keys. Everytime he let rip on a solo, mass cheers erupted as his electrified fingertips were determined to beat the speed of light. Ivan Kholmohorov didn’t need asking twice on how to retain engagement because his volleyball wingspan enabled him to pull off the mother of all fills and grooves on drums while Dmitry Vinnichenko’s heart pounding riffs eliminated any possibilities of people leaving early in disappointment.
After a flawless set from Ignea, Eleine were fully aware that if they wanted to end the night on a high, perfection was a must. Having been around for ten years and only visited our shores as a support act (with Pain most recently), it was about time for them to show what they were truly made of. If Ignea were loud enough, Eleine saw no reason why not to take it a step further and residents’ wishes of a good night’s sleep fell on deaf ears.
Madeleine Liljestam’s singing abilities combined with being a professional model might just be one of the best combinations ever for a symphonic metal vocalist. Her poses, dancing and eagle-eyed stares with a fan on full blast is guaranteed to feature on any metal magazine’s front page. You could feel the strength of her voice similar to wind gusts when a train approaches at an underground tube station but at the same time, she was able to gently balance dynamics.
While the lead singer carried the most responsibility to conduct a crowd’s response and was at the forefront of all the action, you can’t ignore the sheer importance of Rikard Ekberg on guitars and backing vocals. Adding screams and some chilling riffs to melodic vocals sits very well with their sound and is what defines them as a group. It also adds much needed aggression and a pleasant contrast for listeners. The slick combination of cleans from Madeleine and harsh parts by Rikard was written in the stars. You can tell just how well their onstage partnership has worked its magic over time as they effortlessly took turns in exchanging styles with each section fitting them like a tailored suit.
Jesper Sunnhagen joined in as the driving force behind the fist-pumping atmosphere, unleashing his inner beast on drums. While most drummers tend to get the least attention at the back, he drew people in with an extraordinary display of endurance when sustaining double kick beats for long periods of time as well as cat-like reflexes manoeuvring around his kit. Coordination was spot on and the complexity of it can really strain your muscles but you could tell that he’s been at it for years because the look on his face said it all, composed but full of joy.
For a debut headline tour, Eleine couldn’t have asked for anything better and the audience’s response was a loud and clear statement that this was far from their last trip to Manchester.
