Swedish Death Metallers The Halo Effect take the Electric Ballroom by Storm on January 25th, 2025

Words and Pictures: Dave Martin / (C) Faversham Photography

Joined by a supporting cast of fellow Scandinavians Bloodred Hourglass and Pain, the Gothenburg based quintet brought their brand of melodic death metal to the UK shores. The last time I saw the group play, they were the supporting act, appearing before metal heavy weights Amon Amarth and Machine Head. Now they were performing as the main band at Camden’s Electric Ballroom, a 1500 capacity venue that has a great atmosphere.

First to the stage were Bloodred Hourglass. The Finnish 6 piece were a great selection as an opener having some similarities in their style of music as the headliners. This year marks their twentieth year since their inception and the band delivered tracks from their back catalogue starting the set with two tracks from 2023 album “Where’s the Heart” before delving further back, finishing with “Where the Sinners Crawl” from their 2015 album “Where the Oceans Crawl”. Their heavy guitar riffs, use of double pedal and contrast of guttural and clean vocals entertained the crowd and they were well received by those in attendance.

The Sun Still in Me
In Lieu of Flowers
Leaves
The End We Start From
Waves of Black
Drag Me the Rain
 Nightmares are Dreams too
Veritas
Where the Sinners Crawl

Following on from Bloodred Hourglass were Peter Tägtgren fronted band Pain. The former Lindemann musician leads this group of industrial metallers who synthesise electronic influences with their more traditional metal base. The group clearly know how to put on a show, and this was apparent from the off where we were greeted in the pit by a plethora of additional lights and a clear LED lit drum kit that glowed on the stage. The set was top and tailed by songs from their Swedish top ten charting album “Nothing Remains the Same”. The group delivered tracks dating back to 1999 and never delivered more than two tracks from each album. Adorning zombiesque makeup, the band made regular costume changes to fit the songs they were playing. At one point the bassist swapped out his bass for a keytar and an orange boiler suit whilst Tägtgren dressed in a forensic suit and a bucket hat. The group had a second change of dress for fan favourite “Party in My Head” and were met by the crowd singing the chorus back to them. Addressing the crowd, Tägtgren asked “Do you like blues” and when the audience cheered back he responded with “Fuck You”. The set finished with my favourite track “Shut Your Mouth” where the vocals stopped to allow those gathered to sing. They left the stage to massive applause.

Don’t Wake the Dead
Call Me
Zombie Slam
I’m Going In
Go With the Flow
Same Old Song
The Great Pretender
Party in My Head
Have a Drink on Me
Shut Your Mouth
 

Last to the stage were the former members of In Flames that make up The Halo Effect. I was particularly excited to see Niclas Engelin, the guitarist that is also in the band Engel, a band that I have enjoyed for years. The Halo Effect has recently released their second album “March of the Undead” and the tracks featured heavily throughout the set. It didn’t take long for the crowd to get animated with crowd surfers flying over the barrier while we were all still photographing the band. This energy from the audience didn’t abate, with mosh pits following the surfers. The group were clearly enjoying themselves with vocalist Mikael Stanne smiling heavily at the audience regularly throughout the set. The band’s blend of death metal has a great balance of gutturals and vocal melody supported by great guitar work and this combined with the group’s animated stage presence led to a fantastic show. Following “Days of the Lost” the band departed the stage and were followed by cheering and chanting. The lights on stage were set to blackout temporarily before The Halo Effect returned to cheering for their last track “Shadow Minds” before being played out to “Coda”.

The tour has since moved on to Europe with upcoming gigs in Germany and Switzerland.

This Curse of Silence
March of the Unheard
Fell What I Believe
In Broken Trust
The Needless End
Detonate
Conditional
Cruel Perception
A Truth Worth Lying For
Become Surrender
What We Become
Gateways
Last of Our Kind
Days of the Lost
Shadow minds
Coda

HALOS OVER EUROPE 2025
SPECIAL GUEST: PAIN
SUPPORT: BLOODRED HOURGLASS

15.01. NO Oslo – Vulkan Arena  (without PAIN)

16.01. DK Copenhagen – Amager Bio
17.01. DE Hamburg – Markthalle SOLD OUT
18.01. DE Cologne – Essigfabrik SOLD OUT
19.01. NL Haarlem – Patronaat 
21.01. UK Bristol – The Fleece LOW TICKETS
22.01. UK Glasgow – Slay 
23.01. UK Wolverhampton – KK´s Steel Mill 
24.01. UK Manchester – Manchester Club Academy 
25.01. UK London – Electric Ballroom 
26.01. BE Antwerp – Trix 
28.01. FR Paris – Bataclan 
29.01. DE Frankfurt – Batschkapp 
31.01. DE Stuttgart – LKA Longhorn LOW TICKETS
01.02. DE Munich – Backstage LOW TICKETS
02.02. CH Solothurn – Kulturfabrik Kofmehl 
04.02. DE Berlin – Kulturbrauerei Kesselhaus 
05.02. DE Leipzig – Hellraiser LOW TICKETS
06.02. AT Vienna – Arena Wien LOW TICKETS
07.02. HU Budapest – Barba Negra Blue Stage 
08.02. CZ Brno – Sono Centrum 
09.02. PL Warsaw – Progresja 

without PAIN 
11.02. FI Helsinki – Tavastia SOLD OUT
12.02. FI Tampere – Tavara Asema LOW TICKETS
14.02. SE Stockholm – Fallan 
15.02. SE Gothenburg – Gothenburg Studios

About Author

Myglobalmind_Webzine

Let There Be Rock!!!

See author's posts