London was graced with the presence of America’s metal band Ill Niño on the 28th March, 2017, for the ‘15 Years of Revolution World Tour’ which included a lineup of support bands that can best be described as a mini-metal festival. Those who were there to celebrate were definitely in for a musical treat.
Groove/thrash metal band Incite from Arizona made a flying start with their high-energy performance with Ritchie Cavalera’s vocals, which produced a raging vibe from the onset coupled with guitarist Dru Rome’s serious shredding. His style and technique reminded me of John Petrucci with the sense of synchronisation between both hands across the fretboard of his seven-string guitar. An early set time meant a fairly empty venue to start – however, those present were on two ends of the spectrum, with headbangers in the front row and the reserved half waiting on the sidelines. Nevertheless, by the end of their 25-minute set, the crowd had warmed to the band and cheered them off stage. Incite put on a powerful live show and set the bar high for the rest to follow.
Industrial hard rockers Madlife were ready to face the crowd with their aggressive guitar riffs. Front man Angry Phil was full of energy and impacted the crowd with his stage demeanor, mad musical assault of powerful vocals and a jacket that produced dust clouds for added visual effect. Phil’s calls for crowd participation were virtually ignored with only a couple of fists in the air in response, and the courteous crowd applauded them as they left the stage.
Rap metal band Xtortya blasted onto stage to be received by a timid crowd, but when they shouted “it’s time to get down and dirty” during “Void”, it prompted the first circle pit of the night. While frontman Ian Ronan provided rap-style vocals, guitarist Darren Wright completed things with excellently-shouted harmonies throughout, which reminded me of Linkin Park. These guys filled our ears with fat beats, forceful riff and booming finger-tapping bass.
With their extreme harsh vocals by Zoli Farkas and memorable riffs, Ektomorf played on the classic heavy metal sound. Most songs used similar chords, but the riffs were catchy, especially in the crowd’s favourite track “Black Flag.” Their set consisted of top tracks “Outcast” and “Holocaust” which had the crowd pumping their fists in the air all throughout. I can now say I prefer Ektomorf live where I can experience their energy and talent.
Latin metallers Ill Niño walked on stage to a rowdy crowd who were prepared to party! The six-piece band including a percussionist (Oscar Santiago) put on a blistering and energetic performance, blasting our ears with tracks from ‘Revolution Revolucion’ and several fan favourites. The show was a sing-a-long spectacle from the outset. Singer Cristian Machado demonstrated his versatility from clean vocals to snarling in “How Can I Live”, and the Latin influences were apparent in “With You” which turned headbangers into coupled slow dancers.
A small venue allowed for an electrifying crowd rapport when Cristian got up close with fans and sang to them against the crowd guard. This also produced a surge of forceful fans to push forward when for “I Am Loco.” There was no doubt that this band from America had the power to work the crowd into a frenzy, with clothes on the floor and drinks in the air.
Furthermore, Ill Niño did not compromise on music quality for an unforgettable live show, as you could see lead guitarist Ahrue Luster switch between electric and acoustic guitars during songs. Unfortunately, fans were left disappointed when the band was forced to cut their set short of one song due to the 11pm curfew.
Overall, London helped Ill Niño celebrated the 15th anniversary of ‘Revolution Revolucion’ with four great support bands. Due to the extensive line up, the bands made the night memorable with a punchy and powerful performance of short sets, leaving the crowd with no time to get bored. Ill Niño will continue with their world tour, so be sure to catch them in a city near you!
Also check out our Photo Gallery of the night here!