The Ultimate Principle Tour with Epica, Lacuna Coil, Insomnium, and Elantris, PlayStation theater, New York City, USA, September 29th, 2017

Both Epica and Lacuna Coil have been thrilling North American fans in recent years with their regular returns to our shores for extensive touring.  Both bands have been riding high on the successes of their recent album releases, and have been touring the world to showcase their music, new and old.  Lacuna Coil completed a NA headlining tour of their new album, “Delirium”, in spring of 2016, while Epica came to NA with their headlining tour of “The Holographic Principal” album in the last few weeks of 2016.  (see both previous tour reviews on Afternoiz.com/Globalnoiz).   It was, therefore, a bit of a surprise when both bands announced they would be touring North America again in 2017, but this time touring together!  The tour was billed as “The Ultimate Principle Tour” with Epica headlining and Lacuna Coil in direct support.  Additional opening bands on the tour were Insomnium and Elantris.  The tour was to visit 23 cities in the United States and Canada during the month of September 2017.  I was able to catch the very last show of the tour at the PlayStation Theater in New York City on September 29^th.

Elantris

The PlayStation theater is one of my favorite large club type venues in New York City.  It is a relatively new venue with great lighting and great acoustics and I was thrilled to be back there for another show.   Touring their recently released debut album, “The Sacrifice”, Elantris were the first band to take the stage.  Hailing from Ohio in the USA, they were the only non-European band on the roster for this tour.  With the dueling male and female vocal talents of Tom Ullom and Lindsay Ketchum, Elantris gave us a great, albeit short set of their unique style of symphonic metal.  I have personally never seen them perform before, but I thought they definitely held their own against the European powerhouses that were to take the stage after them.  Unfortunately, as I was unable to view their set list, I am unable to tell you what songs were played.

Insomnium

It has been a few years since Insomnium has toured North American and there were many excited fans at the show that had come just to see them.  Hailing from Finland, Insomnium are a four-piece melodic death metal band that is currently touring their most recent album release, “Winter’s Gate”.  The venue was already packed when they took the stage and the New York fans gave them a rousing welcome.  They played a rousing ten song set including four parts of the Winter’s Gate album (which is technically one 40 minute-long song).  Their set also spawned the first mosh pit of the night.  They definitely ratcheted up the energy in the room for the remaining bands to come.

Insomnium

Insomnium Set List:

The Primeval Dark
While We Sleep
Winter’s Gate, Part 1
Winter’s Gate, Part 2
Mortal Share
Winter’s Gate, Part 3
Winter’s Gate, Part 4
Change of Heart
Ephemeral
The Promethean Song

Lacuna Coil

We were well into an evening of great music when Lacuna Coil finally took the stage.  As their most recent album had an insanity/sanitarium theme, they performed in loosely fitting strait jackets and ghoulish makeup which were enhanced by dark and cryptic lighting.  As Lacuna Coil has been on the rock/metal scene for two decades at this point, there were no shortage of fans in the audience, some of whom were also dressed in Delirium style!  The band’s hour-long set consisted of 11 songs with five coming from the new Delirium album.  One of the highlights of the set happened earlier on when Lacuna’s female vocalist Cristina Scabbia invited vocalist Simone Simons from Epica to join her on stage for a duet during the band’s ever classic song, “Heaven’s a Lie”.  I had seen this vocal pairing once before on the 70000 Tons of Metal cruise in 2016, and it was no less stunning the second time around!  I would have already considered this a phenomenal night… but we still had Epica yet to come!

Lacuna Coil

Lacuna Coil Set List:

Ultima Ratio
Spellbound
Die & Rise
Heaven’s a Lie (with Simone Simons)
Blood, Tears, Dust
Ghost in the Mist
My Demons
Trip the Darkness
Our Truth
Nothing Stands in Our Way
The House of Shame

Epica

It was around 10pm in the evening when Dutch symphonic metal powerhouses Epica finally took the stage.  Although, the band is still technically on their touring cycle for their 2016 release, “The Holographic Principle”, they also released an EP this year entitled “The Solace System”.  During their almost 90-minute set, we were treated to many old favorites as well as 5 tracks from their recent releases.  Despite this being the last show of the tour, the band showed no evidence of being tired from their weeks on the road and the on-stage energy was high… and Simone’s vocals were, as always, stunning.  There were many highlights throughout the show, including a second duet when Simone brought Cristina Scabbia back to the stage to sing “Storm the Sorrow”. We got to see Coen Janssen crowd surf while playing the keyboards and guitarist Isaac Delahaye ran to the back of the venue to do some private shredding and exchange high fives with the fans in the “cheap seats”.  During the final encore, guitarist Mark Jansen split the audience to the sides of the floor, only to bring them crashing back together in a classic “Wall of Death”.  But all good things must come to an end and as the last notes “Consign to Oblivion” echoed through the hall… the show… and the tour… were over.  But it was, without a doubt… and Epic night!

Epica

Epica Set List:

Edge of the Blade
Unleashed
Wheel of Destiny
The Essence of Silence
Ascension – Dream State Armageddon
Dancing in a Hurricane
Victims of Contingency
Storm the Sorrow (with Cristina Scabbia)
Reverence (Living in the Heart)
Unchain Utopia
Cry for the Moon

Encores:
Sancta Terra
Beyond the Matrix
Consign to Oblivion

globalnoiz USA