Plague of Angels appeared at York Minster beneath a cross raised for Lent, on a stage installed just for them.
They filled the Grade I listed building with heavy metal – enhanced by the sound of a pipe organ played by David Pipe, the Minster’s former assistant director of music.
Vocalist Emillie Nox even had the crowd singing back to her by the end of last night’s (Friday, April 25) Organic Metal: Two Worlds Collide show.
It was bizarre to think that this was a band I’d first heard of because parishioners had branded the show an “outright insult” to their faith, when speaking to the Guardian after the gig was announced.
The controversy, as we have reported, was centred around two of the band members performing as session musicians with extreme-metal group Cradle of Filth.
Cradle of Filth sold what Rolling Stone described as “the most controversial shirt in rock history” which featured a topless nun performing a sex act, as well as a profanity about Jesus.
Plague of Angels’ guitarist, Mark Mynett, condemned the t-shirt – and said the two band members haven’t received any money from its sales.
Mark felt the controversy “missed the point” of the event when I interviewed him ahead of the gig.
He said the gig aimed to bring people together, rather than cause divisions.
And, as all 1,400 tickets for the concert sold out, it would appear the gig did bring people together.
Plague of Angels live at York Minster on Friday (April 25) (Image: Alice Kavanagh) The night started with an organ recital by Pipe.
At first it was classical organ music, including by Bach, initially prompting laughter from the crowd.
“I thought this was a metal concert?” my girlfriend asked me.
She was reassured, slightly, when Pipe finished his opening numbers and revealed he planned to “sneak in some real organ music” before taking a heavier turn.
This involved firing up the organ for Heaven and Hell by Black Sabbath.
More traditional organ music was then snuck in, as he warned it would be, before a rendition of Child in Time and Burn by Deep Purple.
Organist David Pipe and Plague of Angels guitarist Mark Mynett ahead of the gig at at York Minster on Friday (April 25) (Image: Dylan Connell) Pipe’s playing – it goes without saying – was impressive. But at times it did seem to drag.
He played solo for just short of an hour and a half which, I felt, could have been shortened.
And, given the stream of people heading for the loo during the set, I’d be surprised if I was alone in that view.
After an interval, it was time for Plague of Angels.
Cue electric guitars appearing out of the darkness and firing riffs through the Minster.
My girlfriend now had little doubt that we were, indeed, at a metal concert.
The audience were on side once the band roared into Beyond Salvation – bringing pounding drums and heavy guitars.
This pace continued, coming to another peak for What Lies Beneath – the band’s debut single.
It was a seated gig so there were no mosh pits (it is the Minster!) but some metalheads could be seen gently headbanging.
Plague of Angels were tight throughout the hour-long set, looking at home on the Minster’s stage above the pipe organ – which matched the band’s pace and heavy bite.
Vocalist Nox put on a particularly memorable performance. Her vocal range sounded limitless – operatic at times, then switching to a metal scream. She could sing the phone book with the band behind her and be entertaining.
The visual display of the band set against the Minster was striking. Lights illuminated behind the musicians throughout the performance. Moody, dark colours also lit up the nave, matching the metal sound.
Audience members, like me, sat in the cheap seats (£12) at the side of the nave couldn’t resist wandering over to the middle and peeking at the epic display on stage.
The sold-out performance shows how, in the face of rising costs and declining attendance numbers, music could help bring in extra cash to keep the Minster’s doors open.
It will be exciting to see what comes next.
