What we experienced in Plateia Nerou (probably for the last time since Release Athens is relocating next year) was so intense and devastating that it is difficult to put all my thoughts in order. So, I’ll start with the most important one that came to me as I was leaving the venue at midnight on Saturday. How often do we have the opportunity in Greece to enjoy a massive band while they are at the peak of their glory? GOJIRA has reached the top, at least commercially, after their appearance at last year’s Olympic Games in Paris. The answer is: very, very rarely.
With that in mind, let’s go back a few hours, shortly after 6:30 p.m., to LACUNA COIL’s first appearance in our country after several years (2017 at the old Piraeus Academy in a not-so-successful concert as far as I remember). The Milanese Gothic (and not only) Metallers proved for about 45 minutes how much they have grown as a band. Slowly but steadily, with their first classic albums as a foundation and excellent releases in the following years, they have built a name that is gradually attracting more and more people. This was clearly evident on Saturday, as it was one of the few times I have seen so many people so early in the day at Plateia Nerou. And not just hanging around trying to find a shadow, but right in front of the stage. In the limited time they had available, LACUNA COIL took us on a short trip to their greatest hits, such as “Trip To Darkness” and “Kill The Light” from “Dark Adrenaline” (2012), “Reckless” and “Layers of Time” from “Black Anima” (2019), and “Blood, Tears, Dust” from “Delirium” (2016). As expected, their latest amazing album, “Sleepless Empire,” which is one of my personal favorites of 2025, was at the center of the attention. I imagine the only flaw for many would be the performance of their classic song “Heaven’s Lie” in its fresh version from the re-release of “Comalies” in 2022. Apart from that, LACUNA COIL came, conquered the stage, especially with the duo Cristina Scabbia and Andrea Ferro, and I imagine they were convinced that they must return soon.
Setlist:
- 01. Layers of Time
- 02. Reckless
- 03. Hosting the Shadows
- 04. Kill the Light
- 05. Blood, Tears, Dust
- 06. Heaven’s a Lie XX
- 07. I Wish you were Dead
- 08. Trip to Darkness
- 09. Enjoy the Silence (Depeche Mode cover)
- 10. Oxygen
- 11. Never Dawn
When I read that WHILE SHE SLEEPS would be the second act of the day, ahead of LACUNA COIL, I was somewhat skeptical. Fortunately, the British quintet quickly proved me wrong. Not so much for their music itself, since this branch of metal is not my cup of tea, but for the tremendous energy they brought to the stage and, more importantly, the way they transmitted that energy to the audience. We saw everything… the bassist Aaran McKenzie coming down into the audience for “Sleep Society” with a huge wall of death forming around him, the frontman Loz Taylor singing while traveling on the hands of the audience in an impressive crowd surfing, large pits forming in the middle of the arena, and an absolute pandemonium that was certainly fueled by the young average age of WHILE SHE SLEEPS fans. Undoubtedly, these bands are the future of metal, and WHILE SHE SLEEPS constantly prove that they deserve it. Musically, they honored their entire discography (except for their first album), so anyone who has been following them since the beginning would certainly have been satisfied.
Setlist:
- 01. Systematic
- 02. Civil Isolation
- 03. The Guilty Party
- 04. Anti-Social
- 05. You are all you Need
- 06. You are We
- 07. Self Hell
- 08. Rainbows
- 09. Four Walls
- 10. Silence Speaks
- 11. To the Flowers
- 12. Sleeps Society
After a 45-minute recess, the time came for the grand finale with GOJIRA, who took over the stage shortly after 10:30 p.m. I don’t think I can describe the musical and visual spectacle we witnessed from a band at its best. The band members were in great shape and full of energy, as it was the first live of their tour, and they offered us a unique show. It was one of those times when I didn’t regret choosing to sit in the center but far enough back to have a panoramic view of the stage and the screens. Each song had a different visual show, either on stage with lights, pyrotechnics, etc., or on the screens with visual effects that changed at the speed of light. In “Flying Whales” we may not have had flying whales, but a couple of inflatable sharks made an appearance and began to swim to the right and left of the arena. In “From The Sky,” drummer Mario Duplantier asked us with the help of a placard if we wanted him to play another song and for how long… The agreement was settled at five exciting minutes, during which one of the cameras kept zooming in on his foot, which we watched breathlessly while it was moving at high speed. Of course, “Mea Culpa (Ah! Ca Ira!)”, the song that brought them into the homes of billions of people watching the opening of the last Olympic Games, was included in the playlist.
Among the surprises of the evening was the performance of BLACK SABBATH’s “Under The Sun,” a song they played at the now legendary concert “Back to the Beginning,” as well as the appearance of Robb Flynn from MACHINE HEAD on the occasion of his birthday, which was that day. After singing the traditional “Happy Birthday,” they played a cover that shattered any stone that had remained intact until then… “Territory” by SEPULTURA, and everyone went wild. This concluded the first encore, followed by a shorter one that included “Vacuity,” the ideal epilogue to a night that will be written in the pages of festival history in our country. Lastly, during the final greetings, the musicians’ families joined them on stage in a very touching moment.
Setlist
- 01. Only Pain
- 02. The Axe
- 03. Backbone
- 04. Born for One Thing
- 05. Stranded
- 06. Flying Whales
- 07. The Cell
- 08. From the Sky
- 09. Another World
- 10. Silvera
- 11. Mea Culpa (Ah! Ça Ira!)
- 12. The Chant
- 13. Amazonia
- Encore
- 14. L’Enfant Sauvage
- 15. Under the Sun/Every Day Comes and Goes (Black Sabbath cover)
- 16. Territory (Sepultura cover ft. Robb Flynn)
- Encore 2
- 17. Vacuity
The approximately 10,000 metalheads who gathered at Plateia Nerou left satisfied, sweaty, and filled with images. As it should be. The three bands proved that the future of metal music can be bright and rich. As usual, the organization was excellent since the crew has the know-how and the organizers know what is needed. I will only say that it is a shame for those who decided to sell their tickets because they will see GOJIRA in May with METALLICA. I don’t think this year’s performance will compare to anything we see next year.
Live Correspondent: Kostas Boudoukos
Photos: Release Athens Official
Videos: Metalwar Team
