Freakangel - Finally make it over to the UK!

April 20th 2014

Sheffield, Corporation, UK

*****

Opening it all up on the Sunday of Resistanz!

Resistanz Festival

Freakangel ***** come out of Estonia and have been trying to get over to the UK for quite a while now and it has finally happened and it's at the prestigious Resistanz International Industrial Festival. I personally have been a fan of Dmitry's work since he fronted Suicidal Romance so can't wait to finally see them live. They open up the main stage on the Sunday of the festival and you do wonder why they are so far down the bill and I think that is to make sure everyone is in the venue early for todays bands.

From their beats filled intro to opening number 'Used' everyone is on tender hooks waiting to see a glimpse of the band who come out with determination. Dmitry Darling comes out with his hood up and a very cool mask on and prances round the stage like an Industrial Iggy Pop, with slightly more tattoo's than the living legend. They really have some really great Industrial Metal material and are one of the heavier bands on this weekends bill so as they break into 'The Last white Dance' their is already a mosh pit stirring.

I think some people have been waiting to jump around and go crazy in a Metal way all weekend and Freakangel are a good excuse to do this. The beat ridden explosion of a song which verges in places of the work of bands like Combichrist and the early work of Aesthetic Perfection really grabs you from the minute it starts and the spirit and life Dmitry puts into it is electrifying. An edition the the bands set is 'A Dozen new Scars' taken from the 'Porcelain Doll' single which even has hints of Marilyn Manson to it and is one of the bands most heavy songs and not like their other material. I really love this song so it was a nice surprise for me and would love to see them do it again in the future.

I think it was 'The Faults of Humanity' where people started to notice Freakangel and the next song up off this album is very fitting for the Resistanz Festival. 'Gods blind Game' is very keyboard orientated unlike the song before and really takes in the spirit of the day so goes down really well. The Electronic beats are well driven and it's a real dance floor filler of a track that builds up as it goes on. I would love to hear this live in the future with more live keyboards because I think it will come out clearer, but the guitar flashes by Art near the end of the song really stand out.

'The Book of Violence' for me today in the set is the low point and that is saying something because it's still a great song, I just think they could have picked so many other better songs from their back catalogue to play. This was the first single off their new album 'The Ones to Fall', and actually is near the end of the album. If it had been my choice for a song to release off the new record it would have been either 'Falling towards the End' or 'Suck the poison In' the later being my first choice. 'The Book of Violence' song is slower than other songs in Freakangel's arsenal and is an evil little number that if you listened to it in a bad mood, might actually bring on violence.

'Porcelain Doll' with it's haunting melody provided by female vocals on the backing track was always going to impress. From the moment it kicks in with Dmitry's evil distorted vocals you fall in love with it again. The words he says tickle down your spine as the song grows as it goes on and get's even more evil and twisted, and some of his vocal work even sounds like he is putting all his pain and agony into the song. We can all see why this song was a hit for them when the video first emerged on YouTube and it sounds even better in the flesh.

'Parasite' off the same album 'Let it all End' is equally gripping and kicks in with some killer beats and a dynamic dance beat that goes in well with the evil vocals and rhymic drum beat that is very bold in the mix. This song comes off even better live than it does on the CD and has grown since it was released two years previous giving Freakangel a great platform to show it off on.

They end on what could be mine and everyone else's favourite song 'My darling Bullet', this song is so upbeat and sucks you in with it's siren Esq. female vocals and it's message. "Do you want to Die?" resounds round the room almost like a secret message on a record played backwards, but it doesn't make you feel suicidal it makes you want to dance and go crazy. This is a real club song that could fill a dance floor in any seedy Industrial / EBM or Darkwave club around the World and is probably the strongest song by the band with the biggest impact.

If you have not heard of Freakangel before or sadly missed their performance in Sheffield, I strongly advise you give them a try because this band should be up their with the likes of Combichrist, Aesthetic Perfection. Hocico and Faderhead because they put on an awesome live performance and they have a great body of work which is well worth a purchase. They were well worth waiting to see and I can't wait to see them again I am totally hooked on this band!!!.

Freakangel - Setlist
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Intro / Used
The Ones to Fall
The Last white Dance
A Dozen new Scars
Gods blind Game
The Book of Violence
Porcelain Doll
Parasite
My darling Bullet