Seven Kingdoms made a stop in Montreal on Sunday, August 27th, as part of their journey from “Mad With Power” to “ProgPower,” performing at Foufounes Electriques. I was surprised by the fact that we were on the smaller side of the venue, but it paid off in favour of a more intimate show for the three bands. All three bands are veterans of the “70,000 Tons Of Metal” cruise, and the usual crowd of boat supporters were in attendance.
Before this show, I was not familiar with Osyron, but they delivered a solid setlist. They have been part of the full tour with Seven Kingdoms and joined them in Dallas to kick off the tour. The only show they have not played at was the “Mad With Power Festival.” They started their half-hour set with “The Cross,” in which Reed Alton showcased his vocal diversity, transitioning between clean, whispered, and harsh vocals. Their set featured highlights from their most recent album, “Momentous,” released in 2022, which revolves around overcoming struggles following the collective impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The full setlists will be linked below.
Taking the second spot on the tour was Empress, who illuminated the stage with the enchantment of “Black Arcana.” Empress joined the tour after “Mad With Power,” and their singer, Barbara Blackthorne, had previously filled in on vocals for AfterTime. Blackthorne’s ability to seamlessly blend operatic notes with harsh vocals adds balance to this lineup. While there is some evident use of backing tracks (with no synthesizers), it does not detract from the members’ performance. Instead, it adds another layer to the music, enhancing the engagement with the audience.
While there may be some bias, this marked my fifth time seeing Seven Kingdoms live this year. It was my first time seeing them as headliners, and the familiar energy they bring as a tour opener certainly translated to their headline slot. Sabrina sported her signature cheeseburger/hoagie slippers and addressed the crowd before beginning, noting that since power metal is a cheesy genre, they’ve never felt the pressure to be overly serious and encouraged embracing one’s inner silliness. The crowd enthusiastically embraced all the references to Game of Thrones while remaining silent when asked if the revelation of the existence of aliens was shocking right before playing “A Silent Remedy.” The band’s performances are typically highlighted by their playful stage presence, with Sabrina frequently playing air guitar on her microphone. Cam and Kevin often interact with the crowd, and Keith appears to be one of the happiest drummers behind his kit. With the longer set, they were able to include more songs not found on their 2022 Kickstarter album, “Zenith.” Some of the additional songs were chosen through their Patreon, with “The Great Goat Rodeo” being a favourite from the poll. The only two songs from “Zenith” that weren’t played were “Empty Eyes” and their cover of “I Hate Myself For Loving You.” Instead, they added “Kingslayer,” “After the Fall,” and “The King In The North” to enrich the setlist this time.
Setlist:
- Universal Terrestrial
- Chasing the Mirage
- The Water Dance
- Life Signs
- Valonqar
- Love Dagger
- Magic in the Mist
- A Silent Remedy
- Diamond Handed
- After the Fall
- The King In The North
- The Great Goat Rodeo
- Kingslayer
- In the Walls
Review & photos – Ryan Rumpel
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