It has been five years since the Dutch symphonic metal band perform across North America for their Hydra album. On March 19, 2019 at the packed venue, this year’s show added visual elements and smoke to their performance such as space age looking interiors of space ships, American Flag and the figure from the new album cover. From the opening songs “The Reckoning” and “Endless War” from the new album it was non-stop energy and Sharon Den Adel angelic vocals and the band: Ruud Jolie (lead guitar),  Jeroen van Veen(bass), Martijn Spierenburg (keyboards), Robert Westerholt (rhythm guitar), Stefan Helleblad (rhythm and lead guitar) and Mike Coolen (drums) sounded great during their sixteen song set.

During the song “Faster” the screen was showing two American muscle cars racing and for “Covered By Roses” with the photos of a red rose. The only slow moment of the show was the performance of “Ice Queen” performed acoustically. Then the energy picked right up with and “Paradise (What About US?)” with Tarja’s and “What Have You Done” with Keith Caputo’s vocals and images synchronized perfectly. Other songs from the new album performed were “Supernova”, “In Vain”, with “Covered By Roses”,”In The Middle Of The Night”, “Stand My Ground”, “All I Need”, “The Heart Of Everything, “The Cross” and for the encore “Raise Your Banner” with vocalist Anders Fridén  of In  Flames.

The band could consider performing longer with so many quality songs with one or no support bands at larger venues to bring the same stage effects on as they do at Europe.

When the band performs at North America, which is not often for their fan base the question is why dose U.S. radio “Resist” playing their music? Also to get aired on PBS this will give them more exposure for the U.S.

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