Some days ago, on the 17th of February 2024, I took my way to Temple with a lot of anticipation, since I would see two bands for the first time, the Greek symphonic death/black metallers Drama Noir and the mighty Sirenia, as well as a band I had already seen some years ago and liked very much, Enemy of Reality. This combination was very promising and made a lot of people go to Temple that night.
The first band to play was Drama Noir, which I know since its “A Necromancy Lore” days. The band’s latest album, “Nightfall Upon The Asylum” was a blast, so I was curious for their set. Without any delay, they hit the stage at full speed and throttle! They played some new and older tracks, and were very convincing – they had an impressive stage presence and their sound was even more shocking. They delivered great live versions of their material, and warmed up the fans, who had packed Temple. The looks, the energy and the musicianship of Drama Noir were superb and we all had a great time. The time passed quickly and the one who would follow was …
… Enemy Of Reality, a seasoned Greek symphonic metal act, which has also some folk and extreme metal references in its music. They are led by the one and only Iliana Tsakiraki, the best female singer in Greece now, in my personal opinion, and have a long experience of playing live. Their live show was fantastic and played at a very high level. You could tell by their tight and solid sound, their compelling technique and feeling that they belong to top of the worldwide female fronted metal scene. Iliana sung beautifully, Steelianos Amoiridis was exceptional in the guitar and the rhythm section was loud – we all felt like a lightning stroke us, and craved more. It was time for the headliners …
… Sirenia, this historic band, one of the pioneers of female fronted (gothic/symphonic) metal! Yes, the band of Morten Veland entered the stage like a storm, which took everything away! Sirenia played some of their best songs, giving a focus on their latest album, “1977”, plus a cover (“Voyage Voyage” of Desireless). They had an awesome sound, they played passionately and with a great technique and made these 75 minutes really enjoying and pleasant. Morten Veland was serious and precise, Emmanuelle Zoldan enchanted us with her velvet voice and Nils Courbaron (guitar) was phenomenal, a real prodigy! Sirenia performed great and made us smile, headbang and yell! The only thing that made me think “why?” was the absence of bass.
This live show was an amazing experience, a really captivating concert, which will not be forgotten! Drama Noir and Enemy of Reality were awesome and Sirenia shook us really well. It was a unique metal voyage!
Dimitris Zacharopoulos
photos by Iro Kalligeri (@irokalligeriphotography)
