Another Year Another Tour feat. In Flames – REVIEW

Here is our review of the Another Year Another Tour featuring In Flames, Demon Hunter, All Shall Perish and Battlecross. You can read it after the break.

My friend and I were eagerly anticipating this show. Neither one of us had ever been to the venue, Mojoes. We also weren’t sure what to expect from In Flames, as we had just seen them come through this past November at the Congress with Lamb of God. They killed it at that show, but this time around with a new lineup mustered up some heavy curiosity.

The venue turned out to be a surprisingly cool: a decent sized place, which offered a good amount of people in without being overwhelming. A more intimate setting, if you will. The main level bar catered more to those under 21, while the rest of us ventured upstairs to the balcony level for any alcoholic beverages. Luckily, my friend and I found a spot in the mid-balcony area, allowing us a clear view of the stage while we had a couple beers. One quick observation (and possibly a very slight complaint) was the limited space on stage. Still, for the general size of the venue, understandable.

First up was Battlecross. Being unfamiliar with them or their music, I was ready to simply observe and see what they brought to the table. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised. The Detroit natives came out and opened up with this undeniable energy, the kind that not every opening band succeeds at. The entire set, the guys looked like they were having nothing short of a damn good time. And went from having their handful of diehard fans participating, to having the majority of the crowd headbangin’ along. One song that particularly stuck out is called “Misery”. It really had the crowd going, and so far, is my favorite from them.

Battlecross’ vocalist, who goes by ‘Gumby’, hung out by their merch table after their set. After the immediate swarm of fans cleared up a bit, I made my way over to say hello and pay the man a compliment. He seems like a very cool, funny, and humble dude. After my friend and I joked around with him for a bit, he snatched my copy of their album Pursuit of Honor that I had just purchased, proceeded to rip the plastic packaging off it, and signed the disc for me. ‘Gumby’ handed it back to me with a smile and a thank you. That sealed the deal for me… Battlecross, you have a new (and appreciative) fan.

Second up was All Shall Perish. I’ve been familiar with this band mainly since their album Eradication, and I’ve seen them live once before. I knew they wouldn’t disappoint, and they didn’t. My friend and I had relocated to the stage-right area up front as the set had started. So while it was sweeter to be within feet of the stage, the view of the entire crowd was diminished. Regardless, ASP stepped up the intensity that lasted their whole set. From the roaring audience to all the movement I felt around me, you could tell the fans absorbed that intensity and were giving it right back.

Next band I was pretty excited for, Demon Hunter. I’ve been a fan of DH since Summer of Darkness came out in 2004. I’ll admit to slacking and not looking into their two latest albums as much as I’d like to, which had me approaching their set assuming I’d be unfamiliar with a good amount of it. However, they mixed it up quite a bit. Everyone seems pretty stoked once they started up, but their second song ‘Undying’ (off their 2005 album The Triptych) really seemed to set the pace for the rest of the set. Frontman Ryan Clark effortlessly kept the crowd’s spirits up not only during, but in between songs. And the band not only matched the previous bands’ energy and presence, but amped everyone up a bit more in excitement for the headliners. I was happy, overall, getting to see Demon Hunter live for the first time. Can’t wait to catch them next time!

The crowd had settled a bit during the set change, as we had to wait longer than before. But finally, at 10:00pm sharp, In Flames graced the stage. And the place exploded. The folks up on the balcony level were all jamming out. The crowd on the floor was moving more than ever. I’ve seen them play a handful of times now, and I’m convinced they could play an arena or some person’s garage, and it’d always be amazing. The last time I saw them, in November, I said they killed it there. In Flames killed it at Mojoes as well, but in a different way. To me, they played like they owned the damn place. The songs were a decent mixture, a lot of new but a good amount of classics in there as well.

The nice thing about a sort of smaller place like Mojoes is, again, a more intimate environment. Anders and crew took the crowd in as a whole, made eye contact with us that were close enough. And you can’t get a feeling like that all the time, especially at larger shows. You were able to see their expressions, and they could see yours. And it all just added to the awesome experience of the show altogether. They really brought it together at the very end, playing the infamous ‘My Sweet Shadow’ before calling it a night.

Despite the previously mentioned limited stage space, everyone gave it their all; the bands, the crowd, and the supporting crew alike. As far as I could tell, everything ran smoothly. Even though each of the bands has their own distinct style and sound, it all fit pretty well together. I know I certainly didn’t see this lineup coming, but I’m glad I got to catch this show.

Information about the review…
Tour: Another Year Another Tour feat. In Flames
Bands: In Flames, Demon Hunter, All Shall Perish, Battlecross
Reviewer: Mallory Woodcock
Date: February 8, 2013
Venue: Mojoes in Joliet, IL