The Halo Effect came to Paris to tear shit up and tear shit up they did. The band might have started as an offshoot of In Flames, but it’s clear that it’s its own entity now. Sure, they’re tapping that same melodic Death Metal vein but The Halo Effect has its own sound, its own personality. For one, the darkness is largely absent from their music, replaced by an affirming sense of might. This is Power Metal for the 21st century, like Iron Maiden with death growls.
The band hit hard from the first second and never let up. They played their first album Days of the Lost almost in full and excerpts from their brand new second album March of the Unheard. Jesper Strömblad and Niclas Engelin shredded through dueling riffs and lead harmonies with deadly precision. Peter Iwers and Daniel Svensson laid down the rhythm, solid and unforgiving. Roaring like a maniac, Mikael Stanne made it clear between songs he was feeding off the energy in the room. This wasn’t empty frontman banter. For 70 minutes, heads banged, fists flew, and sweat drenched the Bataclan.
Now if the Northern gods of Mighty Metal Music are reading this review (and of course they are), let us kindly suggest this monstrosity of a line-up: The Halo Effect, Dark Tranquillity and In Flames, co-headlining a pillaging and plundering tour of the Old Continent. Just thinking about it makes me rock hard. Until then, The Halo Effect proved they don’t need anyone to stand next to them. They’re already the real deal.
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