Review from Bang Your Head Festival by Mark Gromen:
Thom Youngblood (founder/guitarist) and KAMELOT have long been personal friends of mine and today, showed just how far they’ve come. Helps to have an impressive stage, and the multiple plumes of fire won’t be replicated Stateside anytime soon, but 2012 sees them part Cirque du Soleil, extra voices and percussionist abound.
First off, new singer Tommy Karevik (SEVENTH WONDER) not only cuts the mustard, but excels (as North Americans will see/hear in Aug/Sept when they support NIGHTWISH). Subconsciously trying to help ease Karevik’s arrival, or not, the band (Youngblood in particular) has never been so animated. Perhaps he didn’t want/couldn’t step on Roy Khan’s toes, by being so visual, but today he not only ventured from side-to-side, playing off each of the others (including a playful interlude inside Oliver Palotai’s keyboard pit, during ‘Center Of The Universe’) or standing atop the band’s specially devised light boxes/platforms.
A smoke filled opener ‘Rule The World’ was punctuated by repeated triggering of eight flame throwers. Onstage, masked female back-up singer Elize Ryd (AMARANTHE) stood behind the guitarist, another male voice in back of Palotai, drummer Casey Grillo the metronome keeping everything in time. They aired ‘Human Stain’, a new tune, ‘Sacrimony’ (!), ‘The Great Pandemonium’ and ‘Forever’, the last reprised around Palotai’s solo. ‘Karma’ saw a return of the hellfire (literally), two additional smoke jets either side of Grillo, while a pair of leather dress wearing females each pounded out the opening rhythm on the floor tom in front of her. Upon Karevik’s return, both girls and drums left. A spectacle, in every positive sense of the word.
