Live Review: Amorphis, The Eternal, Datura Curse

It's a shame that very few are in attendance for Datura Curse, because their in-your-face dose of melodic metal is an electrifying opener for the evening. While vocalist Sean Bowden encourages the audience to check out the video for First Days, earnestly ensuring that “it's pretty good,” its demonstration live speaks even greater volumes. These Sydney lads are exceptionally well oiled for a band that is yet to release their debut album, and this set goes some way to stirring a little anticipation.

Melbourne's The Eternal enjoy the bounties that a later slot has to offer, and as the punters slowly pack in they begin to build some momentum. They're in fairly fine form throughout, yet somehow their aesthetic proximity to tonight's headliners makes their set feel a little too much like a preparatory mandation rather than a varied display of creative possibilities. 

After 23 long years, Finland's Amorphis take to a Brisbane stage for what is the second leg of their first ever Australian tour. Although the room is only filled to half capacity at best, it's clear that the anticipation has long been mounting for those in attendance and they withhold no excitement as the Circle Intro rolls out. The most fitting of openers, Shades Of Gray is like a blueprint that details their career as frontman Tomi Joutsen successively progresses through the varying vocal styles of Amorphis' three major eras. Aside from Joutsen's windmilling, they're not in overly animated form. However, their tightness and sound carry great weight. The boat is sent sailing deep into new waters with three more songs from the current era, but it's not long before classics such as Against Widows and My Kantele incite the rapturous fans to the next level. Tomi Koivusaari rests his attention solely on his role as rhythm guitarist and hands over the death-vocal reins to Joutsen; such results are surprisingly successful and the classics really still do ring true. 

The band uses the Thousand Lakes intro as a brief interlude before returning with the death rumblings of Drowned Maid before another run through of their recent output. Black Winter Day  brings the main set to a close before an encore of Sky Is Mine, Into Hiding and House Of Sleep wrap it all up. Amorphis finally deliver the goods to Australian shores, yet unfortunately the complete omission of their prog-rock era leaves a small sense of dissatisfaction looming.