Back in 2008 there was an anime called Mnemosyne. It was a weird kind of anime full of blood, violence, and a little bit of ero, and was based off of a light novel of the same name. It wasn't the best anime but it did do one thing right and that's introducing me to a Japanese band called Galneryus who played both the OP and ED songs. In two weeks Galneryus is set to have their first American performance at a festival called ProgPower USA.
This will actually be my first time attending ProgPower. It's all the way over in Atlanta and while I've seen many bands that have played on its stage like Nightwish, Kamelot, and Sonata Arctica I've never made the journey myself. After learning that Galneryus would be making their US debut at ProgPower I decided, more on a whim than anything, to make the trip. If they aren't coming to me then I'll just have to come to them.
As mentioned I first learned of Galneryus back in 2008 but they've been active since 2001. Anyone who knows me knows I love a good power metal band (as if Nightwish and Kamelot weren't big enough indicators) and Galneryus fits that to a T. The double bass drum and speedy guitar shredding are stock-in-trade for power metal bands and Galneryus does not disappoint in that regard. You fighting game fans out there may have already listened to a lot of their work as they actually worked with Daisuke Ishiwatari (of Arc System Works/BlazBlue/Guilty Gear fame) to create the soundtrack of BlazBlue Chrono Phantasma and BlazBlue Central Fiction. Galneryus has released a total of eleven albums and as of June began work on the twelfth.
Galneryus will play on day two of ProgPower USA alongside the bands Tomorrow's Eve, MaYaN, and Evergrey and are listed for a 90 minute set. I've seen Evergrey a few times in concert so at the least there will be two bands I'll know when I hear them. Day one of ProgPower features Theocracy, While Heaven Wept, Sanctuary, and Insomnium.
The main days of ProgPower, days three and four, feature Paladin, Subsignal, Barren Earth, Psychotic Waltz, Orden Ogan, and Seventh Wonder on day three and Sorcerer, Jag Panzer, Caligula's Horse, Poets of the Fall, Threshold, and Demons and Wizards on day four. Unfortunately for anyone making late decision like myself day three and four have been long sold out. Perhaps that's for the better as Man With a Mission, another band I've seen more than a few times, will be playing back in San Francisco. I'm actually flying to Atlanta, seeing Galneryus, and plan to fly back the day after. I didn't execute planning for this trip until it was announced that Galneryus' visas were approved. We've seen events run afoul of visa troubles like Yuki Kajiura's solo LA concert a few years back. As of two days ago the bands Ancient Bards and Secret Sphere had to bow out of ProgPower and be replaced because of visa troubles.
For more information about ProgPower USA check out their website at www.progpowerusa.com. Tickets for day one and two are still available and are $95 each plus fees or $180 for both days. The festival takes place Wednesday, September 4, through Saturday, September 7 at Center Stage Theater in Atlanta, Georgia.
I'll see you in Atlanta. Stay tuned for photos and a writeup.
