We have the pleasure of announcing our new partnership with Norwegian nordic metal pioneers EINHERJER! Einherjer was founded in 1993, on the western shores of Norway, Haugesund. In the early years of Norwegian extreme metal in the 90s, they stood among those who gave voice to a distinctly Norse expression. What later became known as Viking […]
Doodswens is a Dutch Black Metal band formed in 2017 by I. Their self-titled, sophomore album is out on April 17th via Svart Records, and today the second single The Black Flame was released. “The song depicts a dark ritual in which one completely exposes oneself and embraces one’s vulnerability, in order to ignite the inner fire and unleash the hidden […]
Based in a North London shopping mall, the O2 Academy Islington is a no frills venue, that is not so much spit and sawdust as just spit. Tonight, they were hosting the Domination Tour, made up of the Power Metal legends Primal Fear and Heavy Metal’s Ronnie Romero.
Headliners Primal Fear arrived to huge cheers from the expectant crowd, which clearly contained many long-time fans. From the opening, the assembled horde are celebrating, punching fists and waving arms in the air from the start and throughout the gig.
Primal Fear – O2 Academy Islington – 11 March 2026. Photo: Manuela Langtsch/MetalTalk
The stage aesthetic backed up the pounding beat of the drums with a striking backdrop of a red-eyed eagle gliding forward with talons outstretched, flanked by side images of mythological monsters snarling and fanged, framing the musician’s intensity.
Primal Fear radiated good humour and were playfully self-aware, bringing out that other side of German Power Metal that it is uplifting and fun rather than the all-out aggression that the imagery projects.
The set ran through a lineup of their most famous and loved songs, including Chainbreaker, which got a fevered roar from the crowd when introduced, the beautiful Fighting The Darkness, the fast-paced tempo romp of Nuclear Fire and the emotional Final Embrace.
Primal Fear – O2 Academy Islington – 11 March 2026. Photo: Manuela Langtsch/MetalTalk
Primal Fear showcased their 2025 album Domination by playing Destroyer as their opener, along with I Am The Primal Fear and what for me was the standout catchy hook track, The Hunter. All songs were belted out with the piercing high-register vocals, driving drums, exquisite shredding and riffing of the lead guitars and the backbone bass of Mat Sinner.
Primal Fear – O2 Academy Islington – 11 March 2026. Photo: Manuela Langtsch/MetalTalk
Thalia Bellazecca’s presence was what, for me, took the night from something wonderful but predictable (for a long time fan of Power Metal) to a real surprise. Rather than settling with nostalgia, the band has injected a jolt of energy into the lineup with this twenty-something Italo-Cuban lead guitarist.
Clad in a spike-studded black top and skin-tight, glossy black spandex trousers, knowingly echoing earlier Metal iconography, she looks every bit the modern heir to the larger-than-life rock star throne.
Primal Fear – O2 Academy Islington – 11 March 2026. Photo: Manuela Langtsch/MetalTalk
In the ’80s, every boy would have had a poster of her on their wall. Now, it is a high-octane reason to hit follow on Instagram. Tall, charismatic and armed with a sleek, black Flying V, she attacked the fretboard with confidence while her bouncing halo of hair moved with a life of its own.
Throughout it all, she played with a broad, infectious smile, a sense of sheer joy that is palpable and quickly spreads through the crowd.
Primal Fear – O2 Academy Islington – 11 March 2026. Photo: Manuela Langtsch/MetalTalk
Musically, Bellazecca proved an ideal complement to fellow lead guitarist Magnus Karlsson, often mirroring his stage movement and locking into harmonised passages as she sharpens her craft alongside an established master axeman. Her fluid leads and swagger, reminiscent, to me, of a young Jimmy Page, signal a star on the rise.
Primal Fear – O2 Academy Islington – 11 March 2026. Photo: Manuela Langtsch/MetalTalk
The set was wildly fun and a striking contrast to today’s usual diet of mosh pits and walls of death. Instead, there were wailing guitar solos, harmonised lead guitars, lording of stage podiums, sing-along choruses belted out with the crowd by vocalist Ralf Scheepers, banter and sinking beers on stage.
Harking back to a different era, the only thing missing was a lit cigarette hanging out of a musicians mouth as they performed some ridiculously dextrous musical manoeuvre.
Primal Fear – O2 Academy Islington – 11 March 2026. Photo: Manuela Langtsch/MetalTalk
Hands Of Time, the penultimate track, touched deep for a fanbase and band that have matured together. Seeing frenetic, high-tempo drummer, Andre Hilgers, humbly sitting by his kit, keeping the beat with only his drumsticks, only rising to tickle a final cymbal, marked a skill in understanding that gentleness can pack the same musical impact as force.
Of course, Primal Fear were not going out without a final rumpus, which Running In The Dust duly delivered, leaving a happy, buzzing crowd heading out into the night.
Ronnie Romero – O2 Academy Islington – 11 March 2026. Photo: Manuela Langtsch/MetalTalk
Ronnie Romero
Ronnie Romero’s four-piece band delivered a tightly focused set that felt like a deliberate throwback to Heavy Metal’s most balls-to-the-wall era.
Romero himself dominated the performance. His voice carries a striking resemblance to the soaring power of Ronnie James Dio, with the same ability to rise into dramatic, sustained screams while keeping a rich melodic tone.
Ronnie Romero – O2 Academy Islington – 11 March 2026. Photo: Manuela Langtsch/MetalTalk
Romero leaned fully into the Metal drama, throwing his hands skyward before launching into a soaring vocal run.
Musically, the band kept things disciplined and old school. The drummer drove a steady, traditional Metal tempo throughout, while the lead guitarist delivered full-tilt solos complete with the guitar ‘pull off’ mid-solo, and plectrum hand-in-the-air pose, which was stock once upon a time but refreshing to see again.
Ronnie Romero – O2 Academy Islington – 11 March 2026. Photo: Manuela Langtsch/MetalTalk
The crowd were a little slow to warm up to the excellence on stage, but were soon to be seen clapping along and punching the air.
With the O2 Academy Islington letting the queues into the venue late, there were clearly some behind-the-scenes scheduling glitches, which led to a sense of urgency on stage. The band repeatedly checked the clock and referenced their shortened set time. Even so, they maintained momentum.
They closed with a spirited cover of Deep Purple’s 1993 track The Battle Rages On, drawn from one of Romero’s cover projects. It was a fitting finale. Metal veterans delivering a polished performance that celebrated Metal’s enduring power and Romero’s first-rate voice.
France’s high‑voltage hard rockers HighWay fire up the engines once again with the release of their explosive third single, ‘D.K/D.C‘, taken from their upcoming sixth studio album ‘Last Call for Rock N’ Roll‘, arriving April 24th, 2026, via Rock City Music and distributed physically by FTF-Music and digitally by Virgin Music. After the anthemic road‑warrior […]
ROCK JUSTICE is a new hard rock/metal act featuring singer Maggy Luyten (Ayreon, Beautiful Sin, The Prize, ex-Nightmare) and guitarist Bas Maas (Doro, After Forever). The upcoming debut album, You’ve Been Served, is the result of Bas Maas’s long-held dream. He teamed up with Maggy Luyten to shape the powerful, driving sound of ROCK JUSTICE. The album blends varied song styles, tied together by a nostalgic vibe and well-crafted production. […]
From The Forthcoming Album, ‘lauks,’ out March 27th; Pre-Order Now Polish Black Metal band VARMIA release the third single from their upcoming ‘lauks’ album out later this month. The stirring and powerful song is available on all streaming/download platforms. In Polish, the word “północ” means both “the north” and “midnight”, while “dzień” means “day,” explains singer/guitarist […]
Dreamwave: Drifter/Moon Dogs (Velvet Echos/Stolen Body) LP | DL Out 20th March 2026 The ever-growing UK psych scene can now add Dreamwave to its ranks. Their debut album sets them out as definite ones to watch. Exploding out of the traps, Bristol psych-rock band Dreamwave deliver a debut album, a joining of their two EPs, […]
