Sweden's violin-wielding casanovas, Imminence, the long-standing coolest band in metalcore, returned triumphantly to the House of Blues in Orlando on March 28. Their sold-out lineup featured French metal core standouts Landmvrks and Jiluka's flavor of metal from Japan. This was an electric evening, a sold-out event for weeks, and the crowd matched the performers' energy and made it a night to remember.
I was as excited to see Landmvrks as I was to see the headliner. Albeit new to the metalcore scene, the handsome Frenchmen have made a name for themselves with a diverse and stellar discography. They consistently put on incredible performances featuring unmatched energy. There is a reason they are added to nearly every stacked tour. I cannot wait for them to embark on a headliner of their own so I can listen to their incredible catalog for over an hour.
Landmvrks setlist was a party from the first note to the final beat. They began their set with their highly-regarded single from 2014, "Creature." The energy from the band and the crowd were so explosive that they evacuated the photographers at the beginning of the third song. They continued to ramp up the energy with other crowd-favorites like "Death," "Suffocate," and, my favorite, "Lost In A Wave." They then concluded their exceptional performance with "Self-Made Black Hole."
As a fan of Imminence for many years, finally witnessing and photographing their spectacular live performance was a fantastic experience that I will never forget. Everything about the production was meticulously thought out. From the lighting director's color grading, the band outfits, and the violin transitions between songs to the beautiful church window set design. Their production immersed the attendees, making the outside world a distant memory.
"Paralyzed" was the first of many hits performed on that sold-out Friday night. This song introduced me to Imminence's music; I was fanboying, to say the least. Another song I was thrilled to see in a live setting was "Erased," the live violin complemented the music very well. "Desolation" and "Temptation" were among the more recent singles they performed, and unlike many artists, the newer material got by far the strongest reaction. This was no surprise to me, as these Swedes' songs are like fine wine; the releases get better with time.
With performances from three artists at the absolute top of their game, 'The Return Of The Black' Tour's stop in Orlando was unforgettable. Landmvrks showed why they have so many die-hard listeners worldwide, and Imminence's astonishing production made their performance feel like a three-act Shakespeare play at the theatre. In a day and age where so many of our favorite bands simply go through the motions of performing, this tour features our favorite acts perfecting the art of storytelling.
Purchase tickets and find all things Imminence here.
