Delain, Serenity
London Islington Academy
30th April, 2011

A double dose of symphonic metal kicked off with Austrian quintet, Serenity, led by Georg Neuhauser – on glass-shattering vocal form, such as on the full-on assault of New Horizons and Serenade Of Flames (with Xandria’s Lisa Middelhauve dueting). The pace slowed for the keys-led Fairy Tales, before When The Canvas Starts To Burn renewed the band’s headlong charge, ending their 45 minutes with Velatum. Dutch quintet Delain followed for a 15-song flurry, with strobes highlighting Charlotte Wessels’ captivating vocals and looks on opener, Manson. The orchestral keys of Stay Forever had everyone clapping, the new Get The Devil Out Of Me augured well for the future, with its unrelenting power, and April Rain is what Evanescence should be doing. An acoustic interlude taking in the likes of The Cranberries’ Cordell was followed by the battery of Pristine, and an encore taking in a momentous The Gathering and Enya’s It’s In The Rain.