DRAGONFORCE,CONJURING FATE,WHELANS DUBLIN,21st SEPTEMBER.

Marc Hudson of Dragonforce

It's a good job the foundations of this great old Dublin venue are sound, because when Dragonforce and County Antrim metallers, Conjuring Fate, came to town, it's durability was tested to its limits.
When you're just given a half hour support slot, you have to go for the audiences throat straightaway.  And that's exactly what Conjuring Fate did. There's a lot of buzz with this band at the moment, and judging by this sublime performance, rightly so.
This was 30 minutes of relentless metal, performed by a band who sound and look the real deal.  Lead vocalist, Tommy Daly, is an imposing looking character, and he performs like a man who could command any concert situation, whether it be a club, arena or a stadium.

Phil Horner (left)and Tommy Daly of Conjuring Fate

Ripping through proper metal tracks like Mirror Mirror and Trust No One, they had the crowd eating out of their hands right from the off.  I can't recommend their EP, House On Haunted Hill, enough.  I must mention the Spinal Tap moment myself and guitarist Phil Horner shared. When he went on a mid set walkabout, he had the misfortune to have his guitar caught in my jacket, thankfully he saw the funny side.

Herman Li of Dragonforce

The crowd barely had time to draw breath when it was time for Dragonforce. Billed as the This Time It's Personal tour, you couldn't get more personal than this. Massive power metal performed in an intimate setting.
Launching into a ferocious Defenders,off new album Maximum Overload, vocalist Marc Hudson  immediately got the crowd fist pumping with intent.  Guitar wizards Herman Li and Sam Totman once again displaying their genius,as they tore through DF favourites like Fury Of The Storm, Heroes Of Our Time and Cry Thunder.

Not even early technical problems could deter the atmosphere here tonight as the band were regularly having their name chanted between songs. And judging by the look on the bands faces, it was genuinely appreciated. This is a band with a very loyal following, new material  like Three Hammers, The Game, Tomorrow's Kings and an totally unrecognisable but stonking version of Johnny Cash's Ring Of Fire,were applauded like classics. And a classic is what we got at the end as Through The Fire And Flames rounded off the crowds weekend perfectly.  If you were witnessing power metal for the first time tonight,you witnessed the best.