Elements tour review
On a brisk London night, Danish Metal/EDM fusion band Siamese brings a sizable crowd to celebrate their first headline show at the O2 Academy in Islington. This is a massive success for them after being a band for 15 years and having supported amazing acts in London before for many years, the vibe really feels like it’s their night.
Before the main star of the evening appeared, we got to experience two supporters: Danish newcomers from Cold Culture and Germans from Chaosbay.
The Danes were a perfect opener to the bill. Starting remarkably high with their most known song “Deep End” that featured Mirza from Siamese on stage made crowds bop their head rhythmically to their sound. Vibes and more crowd interactions were continued during third song of Cold Culture performance - “Heartache” - when the vocalist, Mads, asked fans at the o2 Islington Academy to raise their middle fingers and the whole venue filled with them.
While I could feel their sound is heavily inspired by Bad Omens, I didn't find them copying the sound per se but making it more authentic and theirs. I sense that Cold Culture is a very promising new band that can go big like the headliner of the night. For their first ever EU and UK tour, they presented themselves really seasoned and ready for new musical adventures.
Chaosbay’s performance was a pleasant surprise. Very fresh, bass-heavy tone shined through their performance. Something that stuck in my mind while watching the band was when band played “Maniac” which was a rendition of iconic Michael Sembello’s song from 1983. Germans who came to the UK to promote their newest release "Are You Afraid?” were funny in their interactions and fans were paying back in great reception by clapping, moshing and overall having great time. Chaosbay is a great combination of crisp and heavy sounds that left me smiling throughout the whole set of theirs. Phenomenal warm up before Siamese, I will be definitely looking into their music more in the future and root for the further successes in the musical field.
Time has finally come for main act of the evening. From the moment pre-show classics like Britney Spears’ “Hit Me Baby One More Time” filled the air, the vibe was set: fun, irreverent, and electric. Even during soundcheck, vocalist Mirza had the crowd in his hand, hyping everyone up before the show officially began.
A striking intro introduced the band's drummer and bassist, who blended so seamlessly with the band that no one would have guessed they weren’t permanent members, I even couldn’t believe this after I found out about it. A roar of approval greeted the guitarist’s arrival, and when Mirza entered stage left with theatrical flair, it was clear this was a night to remember.
The opening song, “Home,” smashed onto the stage with explosive light and sound, igniting a mosh pit that set the tone for the evening.
Throughout the set, Siamese deftly wove in modern metal with EDM textures. In “Numb,” green strobes and clapping hands lit up the room, while “Chemistry” had everyone singing along from the very first note.
Mirza’s banter was as memorable as the music: he recounted the band’s last gig at this very venue, where they had their set cut short in 2017 and the venue said “you’ll never play here again”. He said “Sorry about that, we kind of snuck in”.
High-energy tracks like “Predator” and “On Fire” unleashed dubstep vibes and colossal breakdowns, even prompting impromptu moments in the crowd. The intimacy peaked when Mirza and guitarist Andreas stepped into the crowd for an amazing intimate in-the-round moment performing their touching song “Rather Be Lonely”. This was a truly amazing moment, reinforcing a communal bond that only grew throughout this performance. I’ve never seen anything like it aside from bands like Linkin Park, and this felt completely natural, with adoring fans welcoming the intimacy.
The band then slayed their stage with their fan-favourite song “The Shape of Water”. It’s hard to believe this song is less than 2 years old, and from their newly released album “Elements”, which is a must-listen for any fans of this genre.
Closing with a rousing encore, culminating in an acapella finale on “Ocean Bed”, Siamese left London glowing. Despite this funny story of their surely forgotten venue drama, their infectious energy and genuine connection ensured the night was nothing short of unforgettable. I, too, would have been angry if they’d had to miss a song, because they were all spectacular, and this live performance cemented Siamese as a must-watch band at any show they play near me.
Additional words by Mike Malyan
