Hi everyone sharing this amazing live review in the Young Guitar Magazine from Elegy shows in Tokyo. (click on link below and choose google translator)
Elegy Live at Evoken festival Tokyo Japan 19 & 20 October 2025
For the first time in five years since the third edition in 2019, the melodic metal festival “Evoken Fest” was held for four days at the Stream Hall in Shibuya, Tokyo 2024!
As a promising newcomer who suddenly emerged from the Netherlands, Elegy was introduced to Japan in 1993. Their debut album, LABYRINTH OF DREAMS (92), packed with progressive dramatic melodic metal sounds, instantly captured the hearts of HR/HM fans in Japan. Since then, they have gone through a number of drastic member changes, and after seven albums, they went on hiatus in the early 2000s, but last year they restarted! … Coming back to Japan from! (This is the third time in 27 years since ’97) Many people must have doubted their ears when they heard the news.
This time, in addition to Ian Parry (vo), the band’s signature vocalist, Henk Van der Lars (g), a founding member but left in ’99, is back. Now reunited Gilbert Pott (g), from the 2nd “SUPREMACY” (1994) & 3rd “LOST” ’95 albums, & now the early twin guitar system is revived, especially due to Martin Hermanntel (b) & Dirk Bruinenberg (dr). being irresistible for the old fans.
In fact, from such a lineup, with a set list narrowed down to the early to mid-periods, the nostalgia of the gathered fans was stimulated even more. Ian performed “Trust” & “Visual Vortex” from his 4th masterpiece “STATE OF MIND” (1997) plus “The Grand Change” & “Take My Love” from “LABYRINTH OF DREAMS”, which require transcendent high tones proving this reunion is not a “band reunion event that’s over.” Even though Ian at 64 yrs old is still the same as when he was young … On the contrary, the evolved voice has become thicker in the high range & expressions come to mind such as “superhuman” and “iron man”.
For the guitars the power of the twin leads are the biggest highlight of any song, pushing with force while being virtuoso. In songs, such as “Spirits” & “LOST”, features bold odd time signatures & a powerful prog intelligence. “All Systems Go” (“LABYRINTH OF DREAMS”), which exploded with a racer X-like playing, was the biggest highlight from the perspective of a technical guitar fan.
Of all the guitar performances, Henk was the star of the show in every song. He had a wonderful balance between the melody and the explosive shredding that he played, combined with his wild hooks… For example, mellow instrumental songs such as “1998 (The Prophecy)” (from “LOST”) and “Anouk” (from “SUPREMACY”) did not change that, and it is worth mentioning that they functioned well as appetizers that increased appetite without slowing down the momentum of the show.
This won’t be your last visit to Japan, will it? It’s okay to look forward to new works, right? … For the time being, I will wait for the next time I hear from Elegy again.
Thanks from Ian & Elegy to Kenta Bando/Young Guitar Editorial Department👏
