Live Review: Gloryhammer - KK's Steel Mill, Wolverhampton
7th february 2025
Words & Photos: Scott Clarke
It’s Friday night and its a busy one tonight at KK’s Steel Mill as the masses gather outside the building for the early doors as we are in for a treat with 3 great power metal bands set to take to the stage. It was to be a night of eccentricities and fantasy made reality.
As I made my way into the building to set up, there was already a decent queue formed at the merch desk with fans eager to support the bands on tonight.
Fellowship were first up tonight and had the task of warming the crowd up and very much setting the scene for the evening.
It was only a short set, given the 3 bands on tonight yet Fellowship made excellent use of the time they were allotted, ensuring that they weren’t just a support band but laying down their own identities and showing those in attendance the quality of their own material.
With the chosen tracks including a bombastic opener Glory Days, Until the Fires Die, Dawnbreaker, Hold Up Your Hearts, a fantastic cover of Can You Feel The Love Tonight – the heaviest Elton John cover I’ve heard complete with a stuffed lion that was held aloft like the famous scene in The Lion King before promptly being hurled backwards on the stage, culminating in Glint.
It was a good range that enabled the band to really show what they had to offer all the while having a blast on stage. Fun was a key component tonight throughout the three bands, the energy from the stage spread to the crowd and the crowds enthusiasm only served to further elevate Felllowship’s performance.
Callum Tuffen with a half covered face lurks in the back but nevertheless pounds out a powerful Drum beat. Ed Munson on Bass and Brad Wosko on guitar duty have great freedom, rarely fixed to a spot and moving across the stage, rotating positions, Ed especially proves a very dynamic force as he never keeps still and adds to the excitement and energy while Matthew Corry’s vocals were silky yet powerful and would be the envy of the most prolific bard.
No doubt they’re a talented bunch of musicians, Matthew Corry’s vocals especially shine managing to rise above the instrumental onslaught even despite a bit of a mix up on one of the tracks that was laughed off by the lead singer, hey this is live after all. They’ve certainly found a niche that sets them, along with the other 2 bands on tonight, in a class of their own. I have to say I enjoyed them and so did the crowd at KK’s, they went down really well and I’m sure there were new fans quickly rushing to the merch desk after their performance.
Next up tonight are German zombie rockers, Dominum. It’s a change of pace from the other 2 bands on tonight as they lean more towards the horror than fantasy and yet they fit in with the theatrically themed sets just as well.
With appropriately titled tracks from their latest album The Dead Don’t Die such as the title track itself and Don’t Get Bitten By the Wrong Ones, Felix Heldt, the mastermind behind Dr Dead and his band of zombies provide an evening of carefully crafted storytelling through music with a very skilled band that are deceptive on first appearances. Being unfamiliar with the band and their material, I was expecting something significantly darker sounding and heavier with growls and screams and the like, yet even though the themes of the music are dark, the band favour more melodic instrumentation and Dr Dead’s vocals are powerful yet clear with a great range, along with the horror themes I can’t help but draw comparisons to the likes of Ghost and Lordi.
Opening things up with Immortalis Dominum, I think it took some of the crowd by surprise along with myself. These guys were good, very good. With two albums under their belt, the latter of which was out just last year, the band had a good selection of tracks on offer from both releases tonight including the two mentioned previously as well as Killed By Life and a cover of the Scorpions classic, Rock You Like A Hurricane. The rest of their set consisted of Danger Danger, Frankenstein, We All Taste The Same and closing out with The Chosen Ones all from Hey Living People. Every single track they performed was met with great cheer and applause, from the great songs and the theatrical performance to the charisma of Dr Dead himself, the crowd loved every second of their time with Dominum. It’s worth pointing out just how great the musicianship was also. The high energy never let up from the 3 “Zombies” and being able to perform at such a tempo and to such a high level must have been exhausting, yet they never let up and put on one hell of a show.
I have to say, just wow. I didn’t know what to expect going in and they delivered such a stand out performance, probably one of the best I’ve seen recently. The crowd loved them, chanting “Domium! Dominum!” without any encouragement, I think it even took the band by surprise just how well they were received. With their dark themed yet melodic tunes to the on stage energy and crowd participation including a jumping Mexican wave from the front to the back and back to the front, it was a magnificent set that flew by so fast. I’m really hoping they return to our shores again very soon as I’ve had the album that I purchased on repeat since and they will be greatly welcomed.
As the lights dimmed for the final time tonight and the crowd were just catching their breath from Dominum’s set and awaiting tonight’s headline Gloryhammer. A cardboard cutout of a familiar figure was bought on stage front and centre and the dulcet tones of the welsh maestro Sir Tom Jones filled the room as Delilah boomed over the house PA. It was a fantastic beginning as the voices of the crowd joined in unison to sing along.
The crowd erupted into cheers as Tom Jones was taken away and the guys they’d come to see tonight, Gloryhammer made a grand entrance onto the stage one at a time. Clad in elaborate costumes and wielding their instruments like medieval weapons, the band members looked every bit the part of epic heroes embarking on a mythical quest. The anticipation in the air was palpable as the band launched into their first song, Holy Flaming Hammer of Unholy Cosmic Frost setting the tone for an unforgettable night of metal mayhem.
From the bombastic opener to the epic story driven ballads and blistering guitar solos, every song was delivered with power and precision. The crowd sang along to every word, their voices blending with the soaring vocals of the lead singer. The band's energy was infectious, and it wasn't long before the entire venue was caught up in the magic of the music.
The setlist for tonight was epic and it reads like a mythical tome with some of the names of the songs seemingly pulled from obscurity, all adding to the bands fantasy and mythical elements that tie into their on stage personas and characters. Spanning a career from many years ago in the far distant future with a handful of well crafted, story driven albums under their belt, we saw representation tonight from the latest release Return to the Kingdom of Fife with the opening number as well as Wasteland Warrior Hoots Patrol, Fife Eternal and Keeper of the Celestial Flame of Abernethy. Legends from Beyond the Galactic Terrorvortex was represented with a bulk of the set from The Land of Unicorns, Gloryhammer, Masters of the Galaxy, The Siege of Dunkeld and Hootsforce. While Space 1992: Rise of the Chaos Wizards and Tales From The Kingdom of Fife picked up the last few spots on a really packed show with Questlords of Inverness, Ride to the Galactic Fortress, Universe on Fire and Angus McFife and The Unicorn Invasion of Dundee respectively, the latter of which was the closeout for the epic show.
One of the standout aspects of Gloryhammer's performance at KK's Steel Mill was their incredible stage presence. Each band member exuded charisma and confidence, commanding the audience's attention with every move. From epic guitar poses to dramatic drum solos, the band delivered a visual spectacle that matched the grandeur of their music. The interaction between the band members was playful and engaging and even featured fighting off of Goblins and one that came on to play a Sax, adding an extra layer of entertainment to the show. The story and characters that these musicians have crafted leads to a strange dilemma for myself reviewing the show as I wonder if I’m reviewing the music, the musicians or their characters. The whole ensemble comes together so well that you often forget that they’re a band as such as the characters take over and they become warriors spinning tales of adventure. With Zargothrax (Michael Barber) taking up guitar duties as well as being an Evil Wizard, instead of the keyboard it was great to see him move from the back to the front of the stage at times adding to the dramatisation of his evil persona. Proletius (Paul Templing) wielded a magnificently elegant and elaborately decorated guitar to mastery as did James Cartwright providing deep basslines as The Hootsman with Ralathor (Ben Turk) beating out the drums in an unfortunate position that finds his character to be the least visible yet his presence is felt at all times, leaving Angus McFife (Cypriot singer Sozos Michael) to lead the battle from the front with blistering vocals.
No Gloryhammer show would be complete without a healthy dose of special effects, and their performance at KK's Steel Mill was no exception. With their superb attires and elaborate stage props, the band spared no expense in creating a truly immersive experience for their fans. The lighting design was fantastic and KK’s did a wonderful job with it, enhancing the mood of each song and adding to the overall theatricality of the performance.
Throughout the show, Gloryhammer made sure to connect with their fans on a personal level. The band members took the time to address the crowd between songs, sharing stories and humour that endeared them to the audience even more. The fans, in turn, responded with cheers and applause and Hoots!, showing their appreciation for the band's genuine enthusiasm and dedication to their craft. It was clear that Gloryhammer valued their fans and were grateful for their support, making the concert feel like a communal celebration of epic metal music.
With the show coming to an end and singer Angus McFife (Sozos Michael) asking the crowd if they wanted another song or two, the fans in attendance who had clearly loved every moment thus far, tried their luck - “5 more songs!!” the fans chanted as the show drew to it’s conclusion.
Gloryhammer's performance at KK's Steel Mill was nothing short of epic. From their phenomenal musicianship to their captivating stage presence, the band delivered a night to remember for everyone in attendance. Going back to what I said in the opening, the night was indeed a night of eccentricities, but most of all it was a night of fun and good times and in an uncertain and sometimes very dark world that many look to escape from, it’s nights like tonight that shine a brief bit of light and brings people together.
Photo credit: Scott Clarke
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