Power Metal made its grand return to Toronto’s Mod Club on Monday night. Brought to us by none other than Inertia Entertainment, the warm night air was easily abuzz with excitement. With Sonata Arctica making its epic return to Canada for their Clear Cold Beyond tour with a clean bill of health (after a rough battle of bus breakdowns and flu) they were joined by the nostalgia-stomping Powerglove, and local favourite Crimson Shadows.

Having never seen nor listened to Crimson Shadows, locals to the scene assured me I’d enjoy their set and even more so their overall presence. As fans poured into the tiny venue, the cold of the a/c could not combat the warmth of an audience ready to hit the floor. Bringing in “Dawn of an Age” to kick off the night, it wasn’t hard to see where the hype was coming from. With the energy of vocalist Jimi Maltais cranking up the crowd, the night quickly became a blur of epic riffs, courtesy of Ryan Hofing and Greg Rounding, and dynamic beats from dummer Cory Hofing. Fans were feral for a local staple with tracks like “Whispers of War” and “Defenders of the Crown” easily keeping the audience from slowing down.

Crimson Shadows came out strong, and unwavering with smiles spanning the crowd to stage, pinning joy on by far the happiest drummer I have ever seen. “Rise of the Fallen Soul” kept fans howling while “Heroes Among Us” anchored the crowd’s passion. Finally rounding out their set with “Guardians” it was no wonder people were begging for more. Having gone in blind to both their performance and their sound, I was over-joyed to be adding a new band to my playlist.

Powerglove also came in as a surprise to me. I’d heard of their popularity across North American venues, but I still hadn’t taken up to seeing nor listening to them either. This was something I stuck to prior to the evening, wanting to really get my first glimpse of them live before seeing what all the fever was about – and I was completely ensnared. An intro that featured The Wizard, a movie I’d only seen recently, I understood their namesake, but what exactly came with it? With a mantra akin to taking your childhood and stomping on it, the killer mix of classic tracks like “Tetris” and “Super Smash bros. Melee” mixed with fiery riff work, inflatable tournaments, and back-breaking drum speed had me in awe.

Bassil Silver had my jaw on the floor; speeding through hits like the original 90’s X-Men theme at a pace I’d rarely seen while Gabriel Guardian danced feverishly across the floor, and Alex Berkson tore through strings. But bringing in Sailor Moon’s theme? Well, that was like activating some sort of sleeper agent as every single lyric came rolling back into my brain and out of my mouth without fault. Oh, and Kirby’s Dreamland? The thunder of those drums was absolutely insane as fans moshed and melee’d to their hearts’ content.

With adrenaline at an all time high, the masterball was thrown into the crowd as “Gotta Catch ’em All!” erupted over the stage. Fans both old and new sang along perfectly, crushing the verses and obliterating the course as the masterball soared through the crowd. Not to forget the classics, “Mario Minor” was wild, truly kicking in the nostalgia before the metal mass kicked it to the door. With all the excitement, it was sad to see it wind down but not in the sense of a somber jaunt off stage – no. “Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers” cried across the venue with fans erupting into a frenzy once more. It was no wonder fans chanted ‘one more song’ for these Power Metal giants, as their eclectic bit of nerdy nostalgia had touched every person inside that venue, and I added them to my playlist the moment they left that stage.

But the evening of Power Metal was far from done. Finnish legends Sonata Arctica had yet to take the stage, and the energy that Powerglove had pulled from fans now had the venue electrified. With round 17 (yes, this was my 17th time seeing them) now set to begin, I eagerly awaited the band’s entrance as their last appearance had been in 2019 (which honestly felt like a decade for me), and I was itching for that live performance.

As darkness conquered the atmosphere, the classic Sonata Arctica sound began to rise, quickly kicking into “First in Line” off their latest album Clear Cold Beyond. Fans erupted in cheers, delight washing over faces as metal fists rose into the air. Vocalist Tony Kakko commanded the night, taking the audience in his palm as he serenaded the crowd. Continuing with the latest, “Dark Empath” soon followed, fans swaying and taking in every bit of sound, but it was The Days of Grays‘ “Flag in the Ground” that truly had fans on their feet, bouncing and singing along without hesitation.

Taking that energy and pushing it into another direction, “I Have A Right” off Stone Grows Her Name had hands waving back and forth; cell-phone lights lighting up the venue like an eerie twilight as the emotional toll of this track took hold. That depth and raw passion was carried over into “Angel Defiled“, the band exploding with that unbridled inner power. Of course, the night truly couldn’t carry on without a classic (with the birds and bees banter beforehand) to sing-along to, albeit maybe only appropriate for the 19+ crowd – “Tallulah”. The bit of chuckle was favourable as fans grew more eager as the night went on. Would we continue with the classics? No one had seen the setlist prior…

“The Last Amazing Grays” took hold, cheers erupting from fans, some who had waited their entire lives for this one night. The emotion had reached its tipping point, which meant it was time for “San Sebastian” – a track fans knew without Tony’s introduction and a single note pulled from the speakers. Singing along was not a request, it was something ingrained upon fans before they’d even entered the doors. The melody began and we sang! That track continued into the classic Sonata sound, one that fans had been waiting for as “Broken” kept voices alive and chanting along. Henrik Klingenberg’s signature sound pulled through the keys so well it had me reliving my own days past, when I’d first gotten into the band during my highschool days.

“Replica” had the crowd in a chokehold; I could see smiles, tears, and absolute immersion fall upon the faces around me – Sonata Arctica had once again given away their kingdom for the hearts. A heavily-packed crowd was torn open by Elias Viljanen introducing us to “My Land“, the signature “WhoOOAA” falling from fans’ mouths without hesitation. Tony’s vocals were high, the same signature style and sound I’d fallen in love with all those years ago as he belted out every verse with as much energy as he did in Ecliptica‘s birth.

So, we’d gotten our classics, and our new flavours, but the night was not over, the clouds were clearing and it seemed a “Full Moon” was on the rise. Pasi Kauppinen’s energy was contagious as he moved around the stage in a frenzy, his bass carrying the melody with depth and pride. Tony didn’t have to make the request, nor a command as fans danced and moshed, their voices rising to “run away, run away, run away!” the moment it counted down. There was an eerieness to the evening, energy rising from both the crowd and the band to maximum levels only to be put to an end? I think not!

The encore was brilliant, pulling in the dark and poetic, “Wolf & Raven” that had older fans like myself absolutely screaming in bliss. But it was not to be out done by Tommy Portimo and his masterful bludgeoning to “Don’t Say A Word!” that had fans embrace their madness. A night that started with curiosities and intrigue had been swept away by memories, stories, and joy. It was a moment I’d been waiting on for ages, one that brought me back to The Days of Grays, when Ecliptica was due any day, and my Winterheart’s Guild was at my back. For an evening of heavy metal concerts across Toronto’s lakeshore, downtown, and more, this was one night of Power Metal not to be missed.