Evergrey + KLOGR & INNER VITRIOL – REBELLION, MANCHESTER, 16th DEC 2024 – Gig Review

Getting the tram over to Rebellion I decided to put Evergrey on and take a listen to see what they were like. My love of prog metal is known to anyone who knows me and from a first listen they impressed me. It would be a tough gig to impress me, especially coming off VOLA’s amazing show at Club Academy (You Can Read My Review Here). I’m pleased to say that Evergrey impressed me.

Evergrey is a Swedish progressive metal band that has been around since 1993 with 14 albums behind their belt and has made their mark in the industry. Their current lineup consists of Tom S. Englund, Rikard Zander, Johan Neimann, Henrik Danhage, and Simen Sandnes. They are joined by Italian support bands Klogr and Inner Vitriol.

The first support band of the night was Inner Vitriol. Anyone who’s not familiar with the genre may be surprised to hear they only played a 5-song set for this show. However, the near 30-minute setlist was powerful from start to finish. Lead singer Gabrielle Gozzi commanded the admittedly small turn out which was a genuine shame to see for a really good set. The main pre-requisite for a good prog band is you have to play tight, very tight and they were no exception. The

tracks were technical and were able to sound separate enough to easily distinguish from one another which many bands in the scene are guilty of not being able to do.

Next up in the lineup was Klogr. I was interested in the TV screens that were brought onto the stage for their support set along with some extra lights so it became clear we were going to see a stage show along with another top-quality band. When Rusty Wounds came out on stage my first thoughts were “Wow it’s a real-life Dr Eggman”.  My next thoughts were “These guys are so fucking cool”. The final song of their set ‘Guinea Pigs’ was a standout in the show and has quickly been added to my playlist along with the entirety of their 2024 release ‘FRACTURED REALITIES’.  I am hoping that we see them come back to the UK in the next year or so on a headline tour of their own as if this is the stage show we were able to get on a support set I can only imagine the scale we could see on their own show.

Closing out the night of course was the mighty Evergrey. Opening the show with all of the LED screens displaying a three-minute countdown got the crowd excited with cheers every time it popped back up to let us know a minute had

passed. The timers hit zero and it morphed into the logo of their 2024 release ‘Theories of Emptiness’. It was fitting then to open the show with one of the singles from the album ‘Falling from The Sun’. This might be one of my favourite songs of the year immediately kicking the show to 11 with an incredibly catchy riff and equally heavy drums to go along with it.

The crowd didn’t stop with the involvement not being afraid to get involved in singing during ‘Midwinter Calls’ echoing through the venue and truly a sight to get to stand back to witness. This is the great thing about smaller venues for gigs. Yes, they might not have the 1000 capacity of Academy or the 27,500 that the Co-Op Live can offer, but the sense of community and connection with the band cannot be replicated like it is when you play a smaller venue. The other highlight of the evening has to go to ‘One Heart’. Another new album song for Evergrey but it is a track I can easily see having on repeat time after time with an instant headbanger riff throughout the verse which the crowd were very easily guilty of.

With a back catalog as large as there is, it was always going to be unreasonable to perform songs off every album but 7/13 is nothing to complain about. The setlist featured tracks from their most recent album, which the tour is promoting, to 2004s The Inner Circle so definitely enough there to please the newcomers of the band and those who have been a fan of them as long as I’ve been alive.

It was an amazing show to get to go and watch and photograph (thank you for the amazing lighting for these shots). Getting to see three bands that I hadn’t heard of before being asked to go and photograph and review them is always like a lucky dip and with this show, I was fortunate enough to get very lucky. Klogr I especially would love to see on their own tour and see what crazy antics they could carry out with a full set. Inner Vitriol was also great to watch and is a band I will carry on listening to as time goes on. I completely see why Evergrey has had the longevity

they have had and I do not see them going away any time soon.