Words and Pictures: Adrian Hextall / (C) MindHex Media
A night of firsts with two bands completely new to me opening the show and a headliner who I’ve wanted to see for years and always been in the wrong place at the wrong time or, as was the case earlier this year, the right place and time only to discover the band were unable to play and had been replaced on a festival bill. As such, nothing was going to prevent met from finally witnessing APOC resplendent in their LED helmet and robes that make you feel as if you’re watching a Sith Lord on stage. This was going to (hopefully) be a night to remember.
Halflives
First up, Halflives is an alternative rock band from Modena, Italy, fronted by Linda Battilani. Having never heard them before, it was only right that efforts were made to get into the venue early enough to catch their set and see if they might be the next big thing.
With a huge step at the front of the stage allowing Battilani to stand on it and address the crowd, the elevated position offered her the opportunity to ‘bring the show’. For an 8-song set, from the off, Halflives show was headliner worthy. When Linda mentioned that they would be returning next year with a headline show at the Underworld, some 50 yards away from the Electric Ballroom, it was clear that many in the crowd would be attending.
The biggest surprise and recognition that one of the world’s biggest rock bands has made a triumphant return, was a cover of Linkin Park’s ‘The Emptiness Machine’. That bands are out there covering this single, release only a few months ago, is testament to the impact the Americans have had on music over the last 20 years and just how impressive the new music is. It’s fair to say that Halflives absolutely killed it and more importantly, it was very telling just how well the song sat within their own original material including new single ‘Perfectly Broken’.
For more info check out https://www.wehavehalflives.com/
SETLIST:
Everybody Knows It, Valkyrie, The Emptiness Machine (Linkin Park Cover), Perfectly Broken, Snake, Immortals, Crown, Victim
From Fall To Spring
From Fall to Spring is a German metalcore band formed in Neunkirchen, Saarland, in 2008 under the name Basement Project. It’s taken a while but the outfit who, after some lineup changes, settled on Philip and Lukas Wilhelm, who are both vocalists and guitarists, third guitarist Sebastian Monzel, keyboardist Simon Triem, bassist León Arend, and drummer Benedikt Veith. They’ve finally got their ducks lined up and debut album ‘Rise’ was released in 2023. Thanks to a reputation for incendiary live shows, ‘Rise’ charted in Germany and now sees From Fall To Spring expanding around Europe to the delight of many.
They’re described as metalcore but for me, the music was far too melodic for that title. They have choruses you can hang your hat on, the vocal pairing up front of Philip and Lukas feels like a mashup between Linkin Park and Eminem with both of them easily switching between pure rap, harsh vocals and soaring melodies. Seriously impressive and without a doubt a band to look for on festival bills in 2025.
The Linkin Park connections came thick and fast as the evening progressing with FFTS also covering one of the band’s tracks. As you might expect, as the notes to ‘In The End’ rang out, the floor went crazy, and 800 odd people sang the song back to the band word for word.
A triumphant set, the second of two new favourite support acts and having seen hundreds in 2024 alone, that’s quite an impressive feat.
For more info: https://fromfalltospring.de/
SETLIST:
BLACK HEART, BR4INFCK, BARRIERS, SUPERNOVA, CONTROL, RISE, COME ALIVE, DESTINY, In the End [Linkin Park Cover], DRAW THE LINE
Smash Into Pieces
As the lights dimmed and the huge LED surround that enclosed APOC’s drum kit, the mysterious, masked, cloaked figure stepped onto the stage pointing multiple hand attached red lasers to various spots on the stage as their band mates joined them.
With a larger than the Electric Ballroom sound, verging on an arena level experience both in terms of lighting, sound and presentation, the show commenced. An enthralling, captivating, hypnotizing, experience that showcased a band that truly deserve to be bigger than they currently are. They suffer I think from that dreaded of conditions, a ‘crossover’ band. The music, stage show, their masked, anonymous drummer, should all tick the arena box so expertly filled by the likes of Ghost and Sleep Token. The main difference is their pop / EDM crossover appeal, making them far more chart friendly and accessible in R&B-land and Ibiza as much as they might be on stage at Download or Hellfest. Rock and metal fans can be a fickle bunch, willing to push brilliant music to one side because it might be deemed “not metal enough” to make them look cool. The simple fact with Smash Into Pieces is that “good music is good music” and by God do they play it well.
Chris Adam Hedman Sörbye, like the two leads in From Fall To Spring, carries more than a little Eminem in his look and swagger. His voice though is liquid gold. Where Shady raps, Chris sings and if his voice could be bottled, it’d be snapped up by Dior and advertised by Johnny Depp.
His partners on stage bring fill after fill after fill on guitar, the pair effortlessly treading the boards and throwing shapes in front of the crowd all while APOC mercilessly pummels the drum kit as it it’s total annihilation was the only available option.
That approach, with a huge, uplifting keys and dance undertone that accompanies the band is what gives Smash Into Pieces their unique, fascinating appeal. As you’ll see from the setlist, the songs cover the length and breadth of the band’s career to date with new material like ‘Heroes Are Calling’, ‘Venom’ and ‘Afterglow’ slotting perfectly alongside the classics like ‘Let Me Be Your Superhero’ and the timeless ‘All Eyes On You’.
The test I suppose is if you find yourself smiling, singing and dancing in a crowd that feels the same way as you and certainly those ‘in the know’ present at the Electric Ballroom were all of a similar mind. If word continues to spread then the future is very bright indeed for the Swedes. There must be something in the water over there as the country seems to create globally successful bands with ease!
One final highlight to mention. Linda Battilani returned for a rendition of ‘Boomerang’ much the delight of everyone, especially me given I was watching her perform for the very first time. Fantastic and another artist to keep an eye out for in the future.
If you didn’t catch them on this tour, then perhaps a virtual concert is something to consider. Details below for what should be the ultimate virtual experience:
https://www.smashintopieces.com/dreambound-experience
SETLIST:
Hurricane
Wake Up
Glow in the Dark
Venom
Big Bang
Let Me Be Your Superhero
Arcadia
All Eyes on You
Heroes Are Calling
APOC Drum Solo
Running Away From Home
Trigger
Boomerang (With Linda Battilani of Halflives)
Broken Parts
Vanguard
Afterglow
Forever Alone
APOC Drum Solo (2nd Drum Solo)
Encore:
Flow
Play Video
Six Feet Under
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