LIVE REVIEW – POWERWOLF, DRAGONFORCE

THE POWER OF THE WOLF MEETS THE FORCE OF THE DRAGON

Having blazed through festival performances, sold-out arenas, and barrier-breaking stadium shows, Powerwolf was prepared to commit new members to their metal mass, but was Toronto ready to show up? Rebel is a complex venue, with limited options for parking, tight transit restrictions, and even tighter rideshare options. It was an absolute shock to roll up and see a line of fans nearly stretched all the way to the end of the street. With doors opening in just over a half hour, some eager fans had been there since the early afternoon, their excitement keeping them absolutely energized through the sun, wind, and standing. Arriving inside, fans were torn between making their way to the barricade and merch; their leaps and bounds anxious yet ecstatic.

DRAGONFORCE

Lights out as two Dragons rose over the stage, glowing eyes staring down at a crowd that had quickly increased its number; howls and chanting echoing into the darkness as fog machines billowed plumes over the stage. ‘Cry Thunder’ kicked off the evening, fists and horns rising into the air as the excitement boiled over from the crowd and onto the stage. Fans, familiar and not, caught onto lyrics quickly and sang along as if this was just another night by the fire. Dragonforce had quickly captivated the audience, with wild guitar riffs and signature vocals leaving fans star-struck and in awe.

No strangers to videogame legacies, ‘Power of the Triforce’ followed up, giving gamers across the venue a chance to reminisce and sing along with their very own Cucco (a chicken for those unfamiliar with The Legend of Zelda) before falling into the speedy and wild ‘Fury of the Storm.’ Hearing these tracks live was a treat and having not seen Dragonforce in what feels like a century, it was a great bit of nostalgia to know the band has continued with their ferocity and ambition. Oh and don’t worry, we returned the chicken safe and sound.

Of course, we were to be treated to classic Power Metal flavor with the bludgeoning of ‘Burning Heart’ that had fans absolutely feral in the pit. Crowd surfers and circle pits seemed to melt together as this passionate track played out and it was a wonder to witness. The gamer tags had to continue with ‘Space Marine Corp’ with the audience once along coming together to sing along in the catchiest bit of recruitment I’ve seen since Starship Troopers; accompanied by a mosh pit of push-ups. But not to be outdone, ‘Doomsday Party’ brought the glitz and glam of Disco metal to our eyes and ears as we got to watch the band whip out some of their wildest (albeit not so smooth) dance moves.

However, my favourite moment came with Dragonforce’s cover of Taylor Swift’s ‘Wildest Dreams’ that saw members like Herman Li and Alicia Vigil jump onto the floor to create a sensational circle pit – the first I’d ever witnessed for a Taylor Swift song. With the energy to the ceiling, it was no surprise that Guitar Hero 3’s player killer ‘Through the Fire and the Flames’ rounded out the night. Eyes were locked on Herman Li for what many had yet to see in person – the maddening intro that some of us never quite conquered. With special guest Stevie T having joined in the fun for the night, Toronto came alive for these Metal veterans, and you’d have never guessed they were the night’s opener with the audience comradery that came with.

SETLIST

‘Cry Thunder’, ‘Power of the Triforce’, ‘Fury of the Storm’, ‘Burning Heart’, ‘Space Marine Corp’, ‘Doomsday Party’, ‘Wildest Dreams’ (Taylor Swift cover with Stevie T), ‘Through the Fire and the Flames’

POWERWOLF

But as the stage came apart, and the spread for Powerwolf was exposed, fans almost fell to a hush while the lights dimmed once more, and the final act began. Leaving little theatrics to their introduction, the wolves made their way to the stage with eagerness across smirked lips. ‘Bless ‘em With the Blade’ off their 2024 release Wake Up the Wicked kicked off the night, fans responding with howls and leaping, nearly bounding over each other unable to contain their vibrating.

Falling back to some popular tracks, ‘Incense and Iron’ had fans chanting along, all eyes locked on the stage as the band could only respond with unexpected joy. Banter and command quickly followed, as if the band had been there before, and this crowd was all accustomed to their expectations. They danced and bowed as if we were all friends before they put out the demand to sing and chant with nearly every song moving forward – a demand every fan took to heart.

‘Army of the Night’ off 2015’s chart-topping Blessed & Possessed saw crowd surfers span the floor, with a once dormant security now on alert with every passing moment. Seeing the popularity of their work, ‘Sinners of the Seven Seas’ made sinners of even the most innocent crowd members while ‘Armata Strigoi’, my personal favourite, followed up as the audience became a choir to this fan favourite. Newer and popular tracks like ‘1589’ and ‘Demons are a Girl’s Best Friend’ saw fans do a bit of roleplaying, responded to some dances with their own signature moves. Stadium anthem ‘Stossgebet’ had jaws on the floor, while ‘Fire and Forgive’ provided no mercy to the speed and strength Powerwolf had introduced for the evening’s festivities.

With another round of sing-alongs to ‘We Don’t Wanna Be No Saints’ and ‘Alive or Undead’ seeming to let us breathe for a moment, it was but that – a moment – as ‘Heretic Hunters’ tore through the rest to prepare us for ‘Sainted by the Storm’ – a track that had most of the floor rowing alongside one another, anchored to the floor with silent dedication. ‘Blood for Blood’ seemed to be the closer, but rumours had already floated around a 2-hour performance, so despite the craziness of a closer, fans called out for more. Feeling not just the pressure, but the strength of the audience’s aura, Powerwolf once more emerged on stage to play out top tracks ‘Sanctified With Dynamite’, their signature ‘We Drink Your Blood’, and the religious experience that is ‘Werewolves of Armenia’.

The worry felt arriving to the venue, hoping fans were there to stay for the whole performance, was quickly satiated as I made my way to exit, sifting through a sea of fans smiling and jumping throughout the entire night from barricade to back of the bar. It was a night I’d been waiting on for more than a decade, a feeling I knew was shared, and it was mesmerizing to be a part of. Toronto absolutely showed up for this gathering of Power Metal majesty, the opening night for this North American tour, committing themselves to the experience and the hopes that one day Powerwolf would make its way back to us, perhaps next time bringing the literal fire, or we just might not be willing to forgive.

SETLIST

‘Bless ‘em With the Blade’, ‘Incense and Iron’, ‘Army of the Night’, ‘Sinners of the Seven Seas’, ‘Amen and Attack’, ‘Dancing With the Dead’, ‘Armata Strigoi’, ‘1589’, ‘Demons Are a Girl’s Best Friend’, ‘Stossgebet’, ‘Fire and Forgive’, ‘We Don’t Wanna Be No Saints’, ‘Alive or Undead’, ‘Heretic Hunters’, ‘Sainted by the Storm’, ‘Blood for Blood (Faoladh)’ Encore: ‘Sanctified With Dynamite’, ‘We Drink Your Blood’, ‘Werewolves of Armenia’