KING DIAMOND
"Songs For The Dead Live" DVD 2019
(Metal Blade Records)
The actual set contains two DVDs and an audio CD. The first DVD includes the show recorded live at Graspop Metal Meeting in Belgium on the 17th of June, 2016. I have to say that right after the "Out from the Asylum" intro ends and the juicy drum fills start the sinister riffs to "Welcome Home" the effect of goosebumps begins to activate on my hands and it frequently continues to appear throughout the entire set of songs, which of course the sign of how magical the music of King Diamond is. It is followed by such other classics as "Sleepless Nights", "Halloween", "Eye of the Witch" and two Mercyful Fate songs, namely "Melissa" and "Come to the Sabbath". Needless to mention that every single note has been displayed on the highest possible level. The sound production is punchy and the visuals are just awesome the way they must be! The kind of warm up or let's say teaser part of the show was completed with the sounds of "Them". Afterwards we have the "Abigail" album performed in its entirety. The nine pieces of the timeless classic have been so perfectly arranged and given back at the live performance that I felt exactly the same vibe when I listened to it for the very first time in the end of the 80s! Simply fantastic feelings and remembrances! You definitely have to watch and listen to it to believe, because really no words will explain the magic happening there! The theatrical ingredients applied during the "Abigail" set are smoothly connected with the horror-like lyrics and the conceptual story likewise, so you are going to be bewitched in maximal way! The second DVD plus the audio CD have the same repertory, but recorded live at The Fillmore in Philadelphia on 25th of November, 2015. If to compare both sound productions, then I would conclude that the Graspop one sounds heavier, while The Fillmore show has a less aggressive guitar sound in my view. Nevertheless, it is simply awesome and sort of real present to all the King Diamond/Mercyful Fate fans to have both shows materialized and visualized! So I am as grateful as the other diehard diamond-bangers to the exceptional musicians/talents involved in the actual live recordings, they are: King Diamond (lead vocal), Andy LaRocque (guitar), Mike Wead (guitar), Pontus Egberg (bass), Matt Thompson (drums), Livia Zita (backing vocal) and Jodi Cachia (actress). There's no doubt, they've created ultra-professional and flawless live/video recordings!!! All is left to say at the end, I keep my fingers crossed for the new King Diamond album and I very hope it will arrive soon!!!
REACTOR
"Live In Empty Shell" DVD 2018
(Nocturnus Records)
The first official DVD release by this veteran industrial thrash metal combo from Ukraine contains a show filmed in Vinnitsa on 25.03.2017 at "Zarya". It includes 13 songs and was recorded in the following line-up: Alexei Lartsin (bass/vocals), Vyacheslav Zorin (guitar) and Oleg Chesnokov (drums). The trio performs a broad variety of songs from their pretty big sonic arsenal. You can find there songs sang in Russian language as well as in English too. The band uses samples live to give back the weird industrialized atmospheres of their studio tracks, which is definitely the only option in their case. The aspect ratio of the entire video material is 4:3. This show was recorded by multiple cameras. The overall audio and video qualities aren't as bad, but I can't say they meet the actual standards. Anyway, it is a decent DVD release. There's also a guest appearance by Sergei Sainchuk (past vocalist of the band) in the song called "Killed and Cremated". The bonus material features 10 more live videos from 2 different shows, which were presumably recorded around 2004 and 2005. If we compare those to the main show I would say the difference is the audience itself and their reactions, which I found more attractive in the archive videos. Times are changing. Well, if you are a diehard fan of Reactor, then immediately buy this DVD, because it must be in your collection!!!


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