Live Review: Vola - SWX, Bristol
25th November 2024
Support: Charlotte Wessels, The Intersphere
Words: Rich Oliver
Photos: Julian Tanner
The winter touring season is in full flow with an insane amount of bands on tour and shows seemingly every other day but with all the shows this season, this one had to be one of my most anticipated. A well attended SWX Bristol was host to the latest show with a diverse three band bill.
Opening up the show were German alternative/progressive rock band The Intersphere. Not a band I had heard prior to this show and definitely one that falls into the category of ‘not my cup of tea’. The performances were tight and very well executed and the more progressive and denser sounding parts of the set were definitely the most enjoyable but the overall product just left me a bit cold with quite a bit of influence coming from poppy sounding alternative rock bands of the early 2000’s. The response from the audience was fairly muted so it appears that I wasn’t the only one not wholly impressed by the band but despite musical personal taste marring my enjoyment of their set, there is no doubting the talent and professionalism from the band. It was a set that got better with the last two songs performed being the definite highlight but The Intersphere are not a band that I will rush to watch again.
In the main support slot was former Delain singer Charlotte Wessels. Since her departure from her former band, Charlotte has forged on with an impressive solo career and with the release of her third album “The Obsession” has dived fully back into the symphonic metal sound that attained her fanbase. She was also joined on stage by former Delain members - Timo Somers (guitars), Otto Schimmelpenninck van der Oije (bass) and Joey Marin de Boer (drums) - as well as Sophia Vernikov on keyboards.
Although some of their sound was the classic European symphonic metal sound, there was a greater heft and heaviness to this music as well as a far more progressive feel and sound. A lot of the songs performed were centered around Charlotte’s own insecurities and anxieties, especially her issues with performance anxiety during the songs ‘The Crying Room’ and ‘Soft Revolution’ where, as she put it, she performed songs about performance anxiety whilst having performance anxiety. Her voice was in tremendous form and the short set really showcased her abilities and range from the delicate to the powerful even to some deathly roars in the breathtaking set closer ‘Exorcism’. It is great to see that not only has Charlotte bounced back from her departure from Delain but is positively thriving.
The last time I saw VOLA perform in Bristol it was at a sold out show at The Fleece so it was really heartening to see the growth in popularity the band have achieved in packing out a far bigger venue like SWX. It is wholly well deserved as VOLA are quite simply of the most essential, compelling and spectacular bands in contemporary metal and it is baffling how they aren’t bigger than they are right now especially with the strength of their stunning new album “Friends Of A Phantom” from which a great deal of the evenings set was lifted from.
The band had a very visual show with an impressive lighting display on the stage as well as liberal use of lasers with spectacular lightning to accompany the spectacular performances on stage. As well as looking stunning, the band also sounded spectacular and seemingly manages to get better every time I see them perform. The band were insanely tight with the guitar riffs from Asger Mygind and bass playing from Nicolai Mogensen working together to crushing and devastating effect whilst drummer Adam Janzi seriously impressed with his intricate and fluid playing. Keyboard player Martin Werner is one of the unsung heroes of the band with his complex use of electronics weaving seamlessly throughout the songs and they are as much a prevalent part of the VOLA sound as any other instrument.
The vocals from Asger were as excellent as ever switching from delicate to powerful as the song demanded. The set itself was excellent with a lot of less obvious songs performed in place of what have become set staples over the past few years. The band hit the stage in stripped back and unassuming style with the atmospheric ‘I Don’t Know How We Got Here’ and then builded in intensity from there. There were plenty of songs in the set which rank in the heaviest of VOLA’s material such as ‘Stone Leader Falling Down’, ‘These Black Claws’ and ‘Head Mounted Sideways’ but the band also broke up the heaviness with softer and more delicate material such as ‘Glass Mannequins’ and an absolutely stunning ‘24 Light Years’.
There were also plenty of anthemic songs such as ‘Alien Shivers’, ‘Break My Lying Tongue’, ‘Paper Wolf’ and ‘Straight Lines’. It was cool as a VOLA fan to see some different material showcased as well as plenty of the new stuff which is as good as anything that VOLA have released. With stunning performances, a visual feast of a light show and a perfect sound, there is absolutely no criticism that can be levelled as this VOLA performance only that the hour and a half absolutely flew by and by the time the closing notes of ‘Stray The Skies’ rang out I still wanted more. VOLA are growing in stature and their performances are just getting better and better. Seriously go and see this band if you get a chance.
Photo Credit: Julian Tanner
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