The Garage was buzzing with energy as three bands brought their own brand of chaos to Glasgow. From massive singalongs to unexpected imaginary sword wielding pits, the crowd was all in, feeding off every riff and over the top moment. Despite some early sound issues, the night was a wild mix of theatrical madness, soaring melodies, and pure power metal fun, everything you want from a gig like this.
Stepping into The Garage, I was instantly transported into the kind of setting where you’d expect to be rolling dice and slaying dragons with your best mates. Fellowship kicked things off with a warm, inviting energy that made the whole room feel like one big fantasy quest.
Their stage presence was infectious, with frontman Matthew Corry leading the charge and engaging the crowd at every turn. At one point, he rallied the audience with a battle cry of “Hold your hearts out and lift them high!” which saw a sea of little heart-hands raised in response. Moments like this solidified their bond with the crowd, proving that while they might still be a “tiny baby band” (as they jokingly put it while encouraging merch sales), they already command a loyal following.
Musically, though, things weren’t quite as epic as they could have been. The mix was overwhelmingly dominated by bass and drums, leaving the vocals and guitars buried at times. As the venue filled up, the sound improved slightly, but it never fully balanced out. This wasn’t a reflection on the band themselves, but rather an issue with the local venue’s sound engineering, which was unfortunate, given how much effort Fellowship put into their performance.
A standout moment came when they cheekily announced, “You might know this one,” before launching into a surprising yet oddly fitting power metal infused rendition of “Can You Feel the Love Tonight?” because why wouldn’t you throw some Disney into a night of swords and sorcery metal?
Closing their set, the energy peaked as the bassist and guitarist sprinted across the stage, leaping in perfect synchronisation with the drums, embodying everything great about power metal dramatic, over the top, and absolutely joyous. Even with the sound issues, Fellowship proved they’re a band to watch. If future gigs give them the right mix, they’ll be unstoppable in the power metal scene.
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Next up was Dominum, this was a band I’d been waiting to see for since their first single “Patient Zero”, which was released on 31st August 2023, and they did not disappoint. The
German power metal outfit, led by singer, producer, and songwriter Felix Heldt, better known as Dr. Dead, has quickly built a reputation for their theatrical, zombie infused take on the genre. Having worked with bands like Feuerschwanz (one of my absolute favourites!) and Visions of Atlantis, Heldt knows exactly how to put on a show, and tonight was no exception.
The set kicked off with “Immortalis Dominum”, instantly setting the scene for their undead spectacle. Dr. Dead emerged alone, his voice echoing over a hauntingly low backing track before the rest of the band, his zombie minions, took the stage. Zombie power metal! It’s as amazing as it sounds.
Although the lingering sound issues from earlier in the night meant the mix was still bass and drum heavy, burying some of the vocals and guitars, Dominum didn’t let that slow them down. They introduced themselves, though it was clear the crowd already knew exactly who they were. From the start, they had the audience singing along including to “The Dead Don’t Die”, which began with a heavy metal nursery rhyme melody.
At one point, Dr. Dead joked, “Do you like that I brought metal zombies? Would you have preferred Spice Girl zombies or Take That zombies?” before launching into a song about Frankenstein. It was ridiculous, theatrical, and utterly brilliant. Despite only being around for a year and a half, Dominum performed with the confidence of a veteran act.
The set featured a powerhouse cover of “Rock You Like a Hurricane”, which had the whole venue chanting. Meanwhile, the zombie dance moves, yes, including a moonwalk, added a wonderfully absurd and entertaining layer to the performance. At one point, Dr. Dead playfully challenged the Glasgow crowd: “We were in Dundee a few days ago, can you be louder than them?” The response? A thunderous, chant-filled roar that left no doubt.
Then came “Killed by Life”, kicking off with a bagpipe-like intro, sending fists into the air. The crowd chanted the title while swaying side to side, completely locked into the band’s world of the undead. As the set neared its end, the audience made it clear they weren’t ready to let Dominum leave. Before the band could even consider stepping off stage, the entire venue erupted into “One more song!” chants. They answered with a heavy metal Mexican jump, conducted by Dr Dead, commanding the entire room to leap in unison.
By the final song, the energy had reached its peak. The crowd chanted “Here we go!” so loudly during the verses that Dr. Dead was nearly drowned out. Then, in perfect synchronisation, everyone crouched down before launching into one last massive jump, sealing the night with pure power metal euphoria.
With the sound improving as the set progressed and an audience that hung onto every note, Dominum delivered an unforgettable, undead fuelled spectacle. If this is what zombie power metal is all about, then sign me up for the apocalypse.
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You know it’s going to be a special kind of gig when the first thing you see on stage is a cardboard cut-out of Tom Jones. Yes, that Tom Jones. And as “Delilah” blasted through the speakers, The Garage erupted into a massive singalong before Gloryhammer even stepped on stage. It was the perfect way to kick things off, equal parts ridiculous and brilliant.
Then, the lights dimmed, the epic intro swelled, and the band stormed the stage. The crowd lost their minds as “Holy Flaming Hammer of Unholy Cosmic Frost” kicked in, and from that moment on, there wasn’t a single person standing still. The energy in the room was unreal, with everyone screaming every word back at the band.
Straight into “Land of Unicorns” and then “Fly Away”, frontman Sozos Michael took a moment to acknowledge Glasgow’s brutal inclines, much to the agreement of the crowd. “I have walked these streets, and they have a terrible incline!” You could hear the collective groan from everyone who’s ever tried to make it up Garnet Street beside The Garage.
If you didn’t think a Gloryhammer show could get rowdy, think again, because yes, there was a circle pit. To Gloryhammer. And it was glorious. From up in the balcony, the view was ridiculous, one half of the pit, battling imaginary foes, the other half just absolutely losing it.
This was my first time seeing the band with Sozos on vocals, and honestly? The guy’s smashing it. He’s got the power, the charisma, and the perfect mix of theatrical nonsense to fit right in. When the time came for Angus McFife, he set the scene: “We are about to play a song about the greatest warrior who ever lived… ME!” Cue absolute chaos.
The band left the stage, and instead of silence, Also Sprach Zarathustra (better known as the theme from 2001: A Space Odyssey) rumbled through the venue. Naturally, the entire room started chanting “Here we f**king go!” at the top of their lungs.
Enter Hootsman, pint in hand. “Glasgow! How the f**k are we doing? It’s been nearly three years since we were last here!”
The crowd was all in, chanting “HOOTS!” back at him as the band got ready to play a track from the new album. But wait—what’s this? A massive green goblin appears, wielding a saxophone. Of course. Because why not? The goblin made several appearances, including during the self-titled “Gloryhammer”, where he turned up with an actual Glory Hammer, which Angus McFife then used to bludgeon him. You couldn’t make it up.
Then came the final stretch. Angus split the crowd down the middle, one side yelling “Hoots”, the other “Force”, before launching into “Hootsforce”. And then, the big one, “The Unicorn Invasion of Dundee”. The entire venue exploded. Crowd surfers everywhere. Beer flying. Absolute mayhem. As the final note rang out, Angus raised the hammer high, and the crowd roared in victory.
And even after the house lights came up, the chants of “HOOTS! HOOTS! HOOTS!” didn’t stop.
This was everything you want from a Gloryhammer gig: silly, theatrical, and utterly brilliant.
Hail Hoots.
Pics by Skull Lens Photography
