Live | Warlord – Club Hell – Diest [BE]

3 July 2025

WHEN LEGENDS ROAR!

The heat outside is relentless, but it’s nothing compared to the inferno that rages tonight within the walls of Club Hell in the Belgian city of Diest.

As the sun dips below the horizon, the venue becomes a crucible of metallic anticipation, packed with devotees who travelled in from Germany, France and the Netherlands, celebrating classic power metal together with their Belgian counterparts and friends. The crowd, a brotherhood forged by shared passion, presses closer to the stage, sweat already seared by the broiling sun, before a single note is played. It is hot! The excitement is as thick as the air itself.

When the lights dim, a deep roar of anticipation erupts, a primal sound that signals the beginning of a night destined for legend. A night as legendary as the performance and iconic band itself.

WARLORD – 1984

“1984. The beginning of the end, a world at war. The decline of individuality, the fall of originality. As we seek our immortality, the crusade has just began… in 1984. The Foundation will be built, for a kingdom that will come.” Fists fly high, and the crowd belts out the iconic narration.

From the legendary intro to opening salvo of ,,Lucifer’s Hammer”, it is clear that Warlord has come not just to perform, but to conquer. Eric Juris and Diego Pires’ commanding twin guitars slice through the haze, harmonizing with a precision that is surgical and striking melodic. Pitching and piercing relentless in their depleted magnitude. The crowd is swept up in the galloping pace of the tracks. Giles Lavery’s voice soars high above the brooding tumultuous outset, demanding the tone for tonight’s epic odyssey.

,,Invaders” breaks away, with Zonder and Bynoe’s rhythm section laying down a groove that is relentless and sophisticated. Their interplay propelling the band through shifting tempos and moods blend. The guitars of Juris and Pires, already in lockstep, unrolled in gripping harmonies that will become the night’s signature, their melodic exchanges as precise as they are passionate.

INSTRUMENTAL FIREWORKS

This momentum carried straight into the hymnic metal track ,,Battle of the Living Dead” and progressive ,,Kill Zone,” where the band’s chemistry ignites. Here, Waldo’s keyboards dance between the close harmonized dueling guitars, adding a symphonic layer that elevates the cinematic drama. Lavery’s vocals, by turns soaring and intimate, weave these heavily propelled tracks together, his voice a focal point and elevating constant amidst the instrumental fireworks. The transition from the anthemic short chorus of ,,Battle…” into the dynamic shifts and scorching riffs of ,,Kill Zone” was effortless, the crowd swept by the band’s command of tension and soaring release.

The crawling Middle Eastern tined ,,City Walls of Troy” and ,,Winds of Thor” form a mid-set peak, with Juris and Pires’ intricate guitar harmonies and Bynoe’s tremendous. Soulful bass lines giving way to the latter’s lively energy. The trade-off of piercing licks between both guitarists, punctuated by Waldo’s cinematic pompous keys, paint vivid sonic landscapes. One moment its evoking ancient battlefields, the next unleashing the fury of the gods. It is metal storytelling extravaganza. The audience, caught in this melodic sweeping storm, responds with a roar spurring the band to greater heights.

TRILOGY

The emotional core of the evening emerges as the insanely melodic metal anthem ,,Lost and Lonely Days” melts into ,,Aliens” and good old ,,Mrs. Victoria.” Here, the band shifts gears, exploring vulnerability and groove. Bynoe’s bass, alternately growling and swinging, anchors the shifting moods, while Zonder’s subtle rhythmic flourishes keep the pulse alive. The interplay between these tracks showcases Warlord’s ability to blend introspection with power, the crowd drawn into a collective reverie before being jolted back to life by the infectious gnarling energy and tempo changes of ,,Mrs. Victoria”.

As the night pushes forward, the wonderful ,,Penny for a Poor Man”, ,,War in Heaven”, and ,,Black Mass” form a trilogy of escalating intensity.

The guitars weaving intricate patterns, their texture rich and deep, the rhythm section drove with ironclad precision, and Lavery’s vocals soared above the maelstrom. Each song built on the last, the transitions seamless, the energy never flagging. Especially ,,Black Mass” sees the crowd going bonkers. The song is the band’s unclaimed pilgrimage for epic metal, and its colossal riff channels weight on this brooding hot night. Zonder’s hard hitting groove and the strong cadence adhere with the subtle keyboards, pasting a dense and arcane atmosphere. The climatic and gradually built guitar solo is one of the most anxiety evoking discharges in metal, perfectly executed by Eric and Diego.

THE ULTIMATE CLIMAX

By the time ,,70,000 Sorrows” arrived, the band is operating as a single organism pulsing together with the audience. Juris and Pires’ harmonies are dazzling and mind blowing, the crowd fully enthralled by their interplay. The set’s emotional zenith came with ,,Winter Tears” and its extended drum and bass intro, a hypnotic prelude to the song’s cleansing accolades. Zonder and Bynoe, locked in on the groove, set the stage for a performance is technically stunning and deeply resonates. The transition into ,,Achilles Revenge” and Warlord’s hymn ,,Deliver Us From Evil” is organic. The band’s epic sensibilities fully unleashed, melodies and choruses soaring above the sweat-soaked crowd. It is sheer brilliant!

And as ,,Child of the Damned” brings the night to its ultimate climax, every moment that came before feels like a prelude to this final, communal euphoria. Warlord don’t just play songs, they weave them together, each performance a chapter in a larger saga of the concert. The story unfolded tonight is a journey through epic power metal in general.

THE UNMISTAKABLE PULSE OF WARLORD

Throughout the performance, the musicianship on display is world class. Juris and Pires’ twin guitar attack is fluid and razor-sharp, each harmony executed with an impressive craftsman’s touch evoking nostalgia and awe. Bynoe’s bass lines are more than a foundation; they’re a voice of their own, soulful and expressive, especially during intros and quieter passages. On ,,Penny for a Poor Man” Bynoe underpins the song with tremendous soul and swagger. His bass rattling and growling deep.

Zonder’s drumming is the heartbeat of the night, the unmistakable pulse of Warlord. Dynamic, inventive, and always in command. His interaction with the crowd, playful yet precise, elevates the performance to something truly special. Seasoned session keyboarder Jimmy Waldo’s found his way into the core of the band with his keys adding color and depth. From ethereal textures to bombastic flourishes, always serving the song, breathing live into their cinematic discharge.

Lavery’s range and control proven remarkable tonight. Moving effortlessly from soaring highs to emotive lows, breathing new life into every classic. His versatile and wide range make him commandeer the classics and inflate the songs with intensity and dynamics. He hits the right notes, plays the crowd.

WARLORD – THE CONCLUSION

Warlord’s stage presence is a blend of seasoned professionalism and genuine joy. The band’s camaraderie is infectious, their smiles and nods a testament to the late Tsamis’s vision and his band’s legacy. The heat and sweat only fueled their fire, turning Club Hell into a boiling pit where legends are forged anew.

Tonight is a celebration of everything that makes epic and power metal timeless. Warlord’s performance at Club Hell is a masterclass in musical marksmanship, a night where every note, every beat, and every harmony resonates with the spirit of the genre they themselves forged. The setlist a journey, the execution flawless.

Anything to complain, you ask? Well, no song of the brand-new album `The Lost Archangel’ was included. I would have enjoyed hearing ,,Stygian Passage” resonate amid the classic this evening.

WARLORD SETLIST

Lucifer’s Hammer
Invaders
Battle of the Living Dead
Kill Zone
City Walls of Troy
Winds of Thor
Lost and Lonely Days
Aliens
Mrs. Victoria
Penny for a Poor Man
War in Heaven
Black Mass
70,000 Sorrows
Winter Tears (with drum and bass intro)
Achilles Revenge
Deliver Us From Evil
Child of the Damned

All photos by Edwin van Hoof