Kamelot – Live at Carling Academy Islington Review 28th April 2011

Fabio Lione Singing for Kamelot

Kamelot are, in my opinion, one of the best power metal bands going, up there with the legendary ones such as Blind Guardian. I would never, under normal circumstances, miss a live show of theirs without a very good reason. However, it was announced several months ago that singer Roy Khan would be taking this touring cycle off to deal with some health issues and personal issues, the thought of seeing and hearing them without his distinctive voice made me pretty much decide not to go to the show.

Enter Fabio Lione from Rhapsody of Fire, who was asked to stand in for Khan on the tours this year. The video evidence of the guy proved substantial evidence in his favour that he was up to the job, so I started to have a rethink. When it was announced by Roy and later by the band themselves about a week before the gig that Roy had in fact left Kamelot permanently, I decided to go to the show due to the uncertainly surrounding the band. Turns out I wouldn’t regret that decision.

Regardless of the good videos on YouTube, I went to this gig hoping to have a good time but not expecting Fabio to come anywhere near close to matching Roy’s vocal powers. About two thirds of the way through set opener Rule The World when it became apparent that Fabio was not only not using a backing track and doing it all 100% himself, but he was also managing to imitate Roy Khan’s vocal nuances and at the same time put his own stamp on the song, it became very apparent that this show was going to be fantastic. Rule The World is the most iconic song of the last couple of Kamelot albums and not only had Fabio matched Roy, he’d pretty much blown him out of the water.

The Fabio love in grew rapidly as he powered his way through Ghost Opera (backed by Elize Ryd and Tommy Karevik from Seventh Wonder) and The Great Pandemonium (one of the high points from the disappointing Poetry For The Poisoned) before absolutely nailing another one of the best recent Kamelot songs The Human Stain. It became apparently at this point that several people around us didn’t realise Roy had left Kamelot. Fortunately thanks to how well Fabio was doing, for this night at least, it didn’t matter.

You can read the rest of the full review here:

Kamelot (with Fabio Lione) live in London

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