We're only nineteen days into the New Year and already there's a tour with a killer line up rolling through the country, many of the dates sold out before Christmas! This truly is a 'Hairy Metal' tour, SoT ventured into the cold night air to experience some Viking hospitality.

Savage Messiah have been working hard this last twelve months, their latest album 'The Fateful Dark' was well received and continues to impress on every spin. Live, they are a behemoth, with their thunderous high- octane metal bringing a shit eating grin every time I see them. Their short but sweet metallic set pounds along at a riveting pace only briefly pausing for frontman David Silver to introduce the next wall of colossal sound. Latest single 'Cross Of Babylon', 'Hellblazer' and 'Minority Of One' are just perfect, with limited stage space the band crack on and deliver a full on Metal assault with Joff Bailey ripping solo's from fresh air, fantastic. Savage Messiah are on the cusp of Metalic greatness their next move could prove vital in establishing themselves as serious contenders for the coverted British Metal crown.

Jill Janus lives and breathes Huntress and it shows, the passion and work she puts in is evident for all to see on stage and tonight is no exception. Combining her four octave shrills with the odd splash of demonic vocal snarls she certainly separates a contingent of tonight's sold out crowd. 'Spell Eater' 'Zenith' and the family favourite 'I Want To Fuck You To Death' are all fine slabs of Metal. Having stood in a couple of nights previous for Johan Hegg of Amon Amarth due to him blowing his voice Janus did a great job deputising and becoming an honorary Viking, proving she's not there just as eye candy for the hormone overloaded teenage boys. Tonight however Huntress are killing it, Blake Meahl's rock solid solos are an utter delight bringing the old school sound up to date and winning over new fans in the meantime. Huntress are an exceptional live band, long may it continue.