THE ARCANE DIMENSIONS TOUR – Epica, Amaranthe, Charlotte Wessels – O2 Apollo, Manchester – Friday 23rd January 2026

A GATHERING OF GRAND METAL

It’s another one of those obscenely early starts for a triple bill of what we’ll term Grand Metal, that incorporates the common ground where Symphonic, Power, Melodic and Heavy Metal cross paths. Kind of. It’s an area where the gender balance is more even with three female vocalists right at the top of the tree in their field. And, after witnessing the amazing Beyond The Black gig in town just a week ago, not that there’s any X Factor nonsense competition, the genre is in a very healthy place indeed.

The turn out is great too with all manner of band shirts on display and even an increasing trend toward the patch covered battle jackets. Fashion notes from the front of house aside, the numbers confirm how Metal continues to be in good shape and draw crowds for a bill where the pull of a strong bill – no weak supports evident here – putting on a great show is becoming a common trend.

And if ‘Grand Metal’ doesn’t quite fit the bill, how about tonight’s trio inspiring a new genre – IWOEM – the Insurmountable Wave Of European Metal. One that opens its doors as the lights dim just after half six with…

CHARLOTTE WESSELS

“I’m Charlotte Wessels and we are The Obsession,” she reminds us. Three albums into a solo career with two Tales From Six Feet Under albums and The Obsession, there’s no concession to looking back into the Delain legacy of which she was such a powerful force. While some might hanker for the sight of her belting out Suckerpunch, she’s moved on, albeit with another ex-Delianer in Timo Summers on guitar.

The band appear right at the lip of the stage in front of low hanging drapes as Charlotte appears in what the fashionistas might call an attention grabbing, puff sleeved bridal gown. Hefty boots as standard. As she tells us from the sunflower covered mic stand they have “some things old, some thnings new and some things very new.” By the latter she’s referring to the spanking new song, After Us, The Flood that’s appeared recently. That comes after the operatic styled challenge of testing high notes which are hit easily on Chasing Sunsets and Dopamine with equally striking backing vox from her keyboard partner.

SHOWCASE SOLOS

Summers is a fine foil, rekindling a tried and tested partnership and nails the first of a couple of showcase solos on The Crying Room where he shares the centre platform with Charlotte with his guitar of many strings. One that bleeds into a sitting at the lip of the stage intimacy. A finale of The Exorcism sees the band channeling an ethnic and spiritual groove, mixing a brooding sense of Bond theme with a Death Metal-ish intensity. Saturated red light completes the intensity of the impact. A perfect piece of music that sets up what’s to follow.

And what’s to follow is a pairing of bands who provide the headline billing for the tour, each taking turns in opening and headlining. Tonight, it’s the turn of Epica to ‘go first’ and they set some standard with scale of their production.

EPICA

It’s also the first chance to hear music from their Aspiral album from last year which they achieve immediately with some style and a sense of drama. For those who feel that the opening of a concert is a crucial point which needs some thought and preparation, Epica deliver a masterclass.

With smoke already billowing around the building block set which becomes the focal point for projections and moving images, we get a video ‘reminder’ that welcomes us to “the moment you have all been waiting for.” We’re encouraged to pocket the phones and take in the now which is going to prove testing for the incoming visual extravaganza. As the lights dim and screens come into play, the silhouetted band stand motionless, belting out the dominant march to Apparition as Simone Simons, cloaked in what looks like a black lace veil, emerges from the tallest central block in a plume of smoke and haze. The striking featureless presences – think the Gothic novel The Woman In Black – and the pumping soundtrack stir those goosebumps.

FRENETIC THRASH

Cross The Divide that follows feels almost like a release. Simone having to cling onto her shades as she indulges in the chance to shake and swing her head with the urgent tempos. Not for the first time, and not for the last, the crowd are prompted to raise their horns and chant a “hey-hey-hey” or several. The urgency continues as Coen Janssen steps down from his constantly swiveling keyboard rig to signal for a pit in the front stalls for a frenetic Martyr Of The Free World, where Symphonic Metal crosses swords with a shredding guitar thrash. His arched keyboard balanced atop his thighs as he takes centre stage, astride the custom Epica stage carpet.

THE POWER AND THE GLORY

The opening salvo – more plumes of smoke and “hey-hey-hey” chants that are part and parcel of the evening’s audience participation, calms briefly for the big orchestral drama of Unleashed. Power balladeering to the max and enhanced by a concession to a relatively stripped back intro, it provides a pleasant contrast to the chugging power of Never Enough. For all their aptitude at constructing huge scale symphonic masterworks, when the two guitars of Mark Jansen and Isaac Delahaye lock into chest rattling, palm muted riffing

Sirens – Of Blood And Water sees Charlotte Wessels reappear to duet with Simone. They create the finertip toucjing moment (copyright Tarja and Sharon den Adel) as the setlist takes on a softer sheen. It’s a sensual shimmy of an interlude that’s complemented by the appearance of grand piano where Coen strides forward, takes a bow and Tides Of Time extends the mood. All very Phantom Of The Opera and an indication that for all the force that’s been unleashed so far, there’s a sensitivity and vastness to Epica.

ANOTHER NEW AGE DAWNS

The return to the New Age Dawns series on Aspiral was a masterstroke and The Grand Saga Of Existence is possibly the set highlight. The combination of shifting moods, the folky Metal swing and the “we all stick together, for now and forever” line all combine to huge effect. As we near to end of the set, the costume changes are coming thick and fast and the presence of video camera onstage sees the band having great fun goofing about as the images are projected on the backdrop.

Coen by now is no longer restricted behind a keyboard rig. He’s leaping from higher ground to play the keyboards stabs and ventures into the photography pit along with Isaac to break the fourth wall. Quite some contrast to the serene presence of Ms Simons, as are the ‘grunt’ vocals from an ever grinning Mark Jansen that complement her operatic tones. For anyone averse to the Death Metal growl, this is how to win over the sceptics.

DAZZLING

The production is dazzling. It look like the space afforded on the Apollo stage has allowed Epica to fit in a set that matches the epic scale of their music. Needing no second ask to stay for some more, they end the set with the bounce of Beyond The Matrix. As the song says, aiming at the sky, feeling what it’s like to reach divinity, it’s been an uplifting and inspirational performance for the Mancunian Epicans.

So how do you follow that? The fans who err on the side of Epica are surely sated and can take the time to come down, as The Amarantheans step forward for their team in the headline position.

AMARANTHE

As the Epica set is cleared for tonight’s headline set from Amaranthe, there’s a distinctly lower tech feel as video screens and huge riser and rigs give way to a hanging backdrop and portable stage props. However, when the lights go down, the smoke and mirrors kick in with, erm, smoke and lasers and naturally, plenty of “hey-hey-hey“ing for those who still have some heys saved up.

The Swedish outfit, for whom Elize Ryd, (long black trench coat for the fashion conscious) shares the vocal spotlight with Nils Molin and Mikael Sehlin the latter adding the harsh vocals delivered a set that drew on the breadth of their Metal roots. Symphonic bits, poppy bits, balladeering bits and Metal of the Europop and alternative variety all surface throughout their 18 song set. One where Fearless kicks in from nowhere with the guitar/bass/drums instrumental force heavily supplemented by programmed sounds. It’s a rush as the three singers exchange vocal chops and the interaction as all three duel and joust is impressive.

BOUNCING CHORUS

As Viral picks up the thread, the “going up, going viral” bounce in the chorus along with the “start a revolution now” cry of Digital World is infectious. The onslaught with the constant switching between main voices is quite staggering as guitarist Olof Mörck and clean cut bassist Johan Andreassen criss-crossing on a regular basis. What’s apparent though is the heavy reliance on the programmed sounds, so when Elize takes the spotlight for Strong, there’s almost a feel of something quite synthetic with the predominance of electronic textures appearing from somewhere. Crystalline provides a mid set departure with a more majestic simplicity and piano accompaniment which along with Amaranthine, adding a rare but significant emotional edge to the bluster of Metal.

However, there’s no absence of energy or commitment or even holding back on the shapes the frontline throw into the mix. What you gain on the swings might get lost on the roundabouts – BOOM!1 might divide opinion with its beats and Nu Metal rapping but the latte part of the set cuts to the crowd pleasers as the set reaches its close. Some may have baulked at the similarity of the set to their last touring cycle in ’24. Such is the nature of the set, that the songs never stand long in one place and by the time of Archangel, despite the fact that the night began over four hours ago, the energy from the three vocalists goading and posing atop their front of stage risers as Amaranthe delivered a kaleidoscopic range of Metal to those hardy souls at the barrier.

All photography by Andy Pountney (Event Photography Awards Winner 2024 and 2025). You can check out more of his work on shot_in_the_dark_photography2 on Instagram.

Epica: Website

Amaranthe: Website

Charlotte Wessels: Website

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