Amon Amarth & Holy Grail Played Irving Plaza 4/25

Last night we headed over to Irving Plaza to check out Viking metal legends Amon Amarth, Celtic metal Swiss band Eluveitie and LA-based NWOHM revivalists Holy Grail. Believe it or not the show actually seems to have started on time, which means we missed a couple songs from Holy Grail. Given my new party, Smell The Glove, is all about hair metal and NWOHM tongue-in-cheek goodness I was pretty excited to see these guys.

We walked in mid-song, I wish I could tell you what song but I haven't heard much from these guys. What we did hear was pretty fantastic in that campy metal kind of way. I like a band that knows how to have a good time and doesn't take themselves too seriously and that can certainly be said for these guys. It seems like an odd pairing with the other two bands but considering there aren't many contemporaries out there right now I guess you have to start somewhere. The set was awesome but I'd love to see them play a dingy little LES joint.

Up next was Eluveitie who play a weird Celtic metal complete with lutes, fifes, mandolin and all types of other traditional instruments. Considering I've never even heard of these guys it took a little getting used to. After a few songs I started getting into it, at least at points. Some of it was a little too out there for me but when they nailed it I was pretty impressed. Being Scottish/Welsh/Irish I'm way into Celtic music and some of the songs really incorporated it well with the heavy stuff and at other times...not so much. The closing tune was especially awesome, whatever it was.

Finally the kings of Viking metal were up. Around this time I look over to the right side of the balcony and saw Howard Stern writer and former Death/Iced Earth drummer, Richard Christy. As soon as Amon Amarth got started Richard was air drumming and head-banging like a mad man. It was pretty awesome!

Amon themselves are fucking amazing and kinda funny too. I wasn't expecting humor from a Scandinavian death metal band but the singer was saying some pretty funny shit and was way entertaining between songs. The first few tunes were a bit too "metal by the books" for my taste but the precision was impressive. Then they started into some of their more recognizable tunes about Odin, Valhalla and the whole raping and pillaging shit.

They ended with some awesome violin outro and all the heavy stuff dropped out. Then the lights dimmed and the band stepped back into the shadows. The violin continued to play and build momentum. Then all of a sudden the band emerged from the shadows and blasted into some insane heavy stuff all in one smooth motion. It was beyond impressive, something like that takes years of playing together to nail so perfectly.

After that song the band left the stage and the crowd went crazy, demanding an encore. Amon Amarth came out and played another 2 or 3 killer songs and then took their bows and departed, off to rape and pillage the next town.