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Progpower Europe - Baarlo, Metal Discovery |
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Tuesday, 27 November 2007 |
Opening ProgPower 2007 are fast rising Dutch band Non-Divine. I'd already seen them live once before in support of After Forever at Haarlem's Patronaat venue in Spring last year and, although they impressed me with their performance, I found their material to lack compositional diversity. However, since then, they've released debut album 'Asylum 45' to critical acclaim and awarded the prestigious honour of CD of the month in Holland's biggest metal magazine Aardshok earlier in the year, so I was curious, and pleased, to be able to see them again. Extending the conceptual themes of 'Asylum 45' to their live performance, Non-Divine are attired as patients from a mental institution which, with each band member clad in white uniform, conveys a striking image on stage. Commencing with the up tempo and catchy opening track from their debut release, 'One Man, One Soul', ProgPower 2007 springs into life as the smallish crowd gathered in the Sjiwa, although largely inanimate, seem quite taken by the band, and those still nursing hangovers from last night's pre-party are awakened by the barrage of Non-Divine's quasi-prog thrash discharge. Although today's performance affirms my original assertion of the Dutch metallers' homogeneous style of songwriting, I somehow find myself enjoying their set far more than the previous occasion of seeing them live. Concluding with a storming cover of Sepultura's 'Roots Bloody Roots', Non-Divine receive huge cheers and applause as they exit the stage, and provide a good, solid start to the festival.
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