An Evening in Stockholm With The Halo Effect

The Halo Effect Stockholm Debaser Strand 2023-02-16

Everyone has probably heard it by now regarding the newly formed supergroup called “The
Halo Effect” consisting of members from In Flames and Dark Tranquility. These people have
a new band but are certainly no strangers to the Swedish metal scene. Knowing each other
since the 80-90s, longtime friends and metal pioneers Niclas Engelin (Guitar), Jesper
Strömblad (Guitar), Mikael Stanne (Vocal), Peter Iwers (Bass) and Daniel Svensson (Drums)
came together during the pandemic year 2020 and decided to start a new band. The result
became “The Halo Effect”. Now for the first time they are headlining their own tour which
starts today in Stockholm and continues to Gothenburg with a finish in Malmö.

The night begins with a pre-party at the “Bishop Arms Gamla Stan” at 4.00pm, coming
directly from work I arrive just before 6.00pm. The place is quite crowded with fans and
shortly after I order my “Gateways” beer, the beer branded by the band themselves, the
band rolls in and starts greeting friends and fans around the bar. I bought myself the book
and biography “An Odd Story, a book on beer and metal” written by Svante Liljedahl about
childhood friends Daniel Svensson and Peter Iwers which was newly published and sold at
the bar. The mood is great, and people are having a great time, some fans are taking the
chance to get a photo with the members which the bandmembers are happy to oblige with.
The evening starts great in the bar but as the hour grows later, it is time to head over to the
venue.

Arriving at 7.30pm, 1 hour before start, the place is already packed. You can truly tell that
the place is sold out and might have sold a few more tickets than the place can take. 20
minutes before scheduled playtime it gets even more packed, and you start having a hard
time getting into the show area and at the time the band starts playing you have no way of
getting any closer to the stage than the entrance if you are a latecomer. Although the mood
in the crowd is still good and people start clapping hands way before the band goes on stage.
The lights go down and the people start whistling and clapping together while the intro of
violins starts playing. The cheering grows louder and louder and when the band comes on
stage opening with “The Days of the Lost”, you forget that the place is packed and are
overwhelmed with the great music.

Sadly, we can see that Jesper Strömblad is nowhere to be seen. During the performance
Stanne mentions on stage that Jesper couldn’t make it, but the replacement is none other
than Patrik Jensen (Guitar) from The Haunted and Witchery. None of this impacted the
performance, which was magical and the smiles from the band members infected the whole
audience and contributed to a great warm, happy atmosphere across the room. Just before
the 4 th track, Stanne announces that the work on next album is under the way and they
would like to play a completely new song if the crowd would like to hear it, the crowd yells
back “Ja!!!”. The new track is called “Become Surrender” and it is their heaviest track yet.
Even without ever hearing it before, you can tell that the crowd loves it and almost everbody
jumps along to it.

When the encore comes on, and the band leaves the crowd starts shouting “Halo!”
repeatedly and doesn’t stop until they come back.

Truly humbled by the crowd’s recognition, we can see that the bandmembers are moved by
the moment and expresses their gratitude that everyone showed up and that they will stay
there a long time after the show to make sure everyone gets a chance to get something
signed from the merch booth. The show goes on and it takes only one more track after this
before we hear another completely new track, this time called “The Defiant One” and is a lot
slower than the other new track but still very melodic and have a great chorus which I can
see crowds singing along to when it’s released. We are approaching the end and the very
last track for the night is the very first track they released; “Shadowminds”. Now the crowd
gives the last of their energy and the whole audience starts jumping and now you can hear
people singing along to the chorus and even the guitar solo! The show ends and people truly
had a great time. You can hear laughter and people talking with a positive attitude regarding
the performance. As promised, the band stays afterward to join the merch booth for signing
and taking pictures with their fans. The afterparty continues at the bar “Oliver Twist” but the
hour grows late, and I sadly can’t join and head home instead.

Looking back at this band and the night we can truly see the members are doing something
they love. All from starting this new band, and doing new music which they all love, to
making time to be with their fans and arranging pre/afterparty where all fans are allowed. I
would say that this band sets a great example for everyone out there of what is the most
important in our small but very big metal community; the people in it and coming together
with the thing we all have in common, the passion for music.
I’m looking forward already to the next chance to see them live here in Stockholm, which
will be the 8 th of April where they will be opening for “Meshuggah” in Annexet, Stockholm.

Setlist:
(Intro)
1. Days of the lost
2. The Needless End
3. Feel What I Believe
4. Become Surrender (World Premiere)
5. In Broken Trust
6. Conditional
7. The Most Alone
8. A Truth Worth Lying For
(Encore)
9. Last of Our Kind
10. The Defiant One (World Premiere)
11. Gateways
12. Shadowminds

Who: The Halo Effect
Where: Debaser Strand, Stockholm
When: 2023-02-16
Rate: 8/10