Damian Wilson opened proceedings who played alone with his acoustic guitar and showed what a compelling performance he is, showcasing his versatility as both a singer-songwriter and a charismatic frontman. Wilson captivated the KKs Steel Mill crowd with a mix of intimate storytelling, vocal mastery, and a setlist of acoustic tracks. Between songs were many stories and often featuring personal anecdotes and moments of humor interwoven with powerful musical delivery. Having never seen him before this was a surprisingly refreshing performance and started the evening off perfectly.
Next up Walsall’s very own Stone Broken who were the main support on the tour. And as ever they impressed the audience with their tight musicianship and engaging stage presence. Kicking off with Revelation they kicked off in the right vein. Rich Moss is a brilliant frontman with his commanding vocals, complemented by Chris Davis’s searing guitar leads, Robyn Haycock’s dynamic drumming, and Kieron Conroy’s solid bass lines. They went through their set with a mix of old and new including Stay All Night and Black Sunrise before brand new track Remedy, which shows they are still moving In the right direction.
The crowd – obviously a bit biased – were loving it and many new fans were made at KKs. The set ended with Let Me Go, the brilliant The Devil You Know and a rousing Not Your Enemy. Stone Broken never disappoint and I hope 2025 takes them to the heigths their talent richly deserve
Then was time for Dutch Symphonic Metallers Delain, who over the last few years have undergone a big period of transition after former vocalist Charlotte Wessels left the band in 2021 it was decided to finish Delain. However in 2022 founder member keyboard player Martijn Westerholt decided to resurrect the band by reintroducing previous members of the band – drummer Sander Zoer and guitarist Ronald Landa. This couple with bass player Ludovico Cioffi and vocalist Diana Leah they were off and running again.
The set was real mix of old and new kicking off with The Cold, then straight into Suckerpunch and were immediately impressed by Leah’s vocals and stage presence. Then the first of the new songs The Reaping and certainly showing they are masters of symphonic metal. Then was an older song April Rain followed by Army Of Dolls already reenforcing the new lineup has reintroduced a sense of nostalgia while keeping the sound fresh and innovative. We were then treated to a new song Queen Of Shadow before Damian Wilson reappeared to help out with Your Body Is a Battleground then back to their first album for The Gathering.
The songs were showcasing the band’s ability to weave intricate keyboard-driven melodies with powerful riffs and soaring vocals. Diana Leah’s vocal performance was a standout, blending seamlessly with the band’s symphonic elements while adding her unique flair to their signature sound. We were then treated to new single Dance With The Devil before their brilliant set ended with We Are The Others with the crowd being showered by silver streamers. A brilliant show with a rejuvenated band who hopefully will stick around for a while yet.
