Anecdotally, TesseracT are a band that are being talked about a lot more around me each and every day.
The progressive metal band no doubt gained even more fans over the past six months after their fifth studio album, War of Being, reached new heights for them in the album charts.
And, as a result, the Milton Keynes locals headlined the O2 Forum at Kentish Town, London – one of their biggest shows to date.
Despite the size of the venue and the audience, however, TesseracT gave their thousands of fans more than they had ever before.
TesseracT’s staging was like nothing I have ever seen before. Adorned with lasers, bright lights, strobes, and a touch of gravitas, the band were illuminated like prophets in the night, guiding their followers to sonic euphoria.
At the forefront of their journey was frontman Dan Tompkins; TesseracT’s hooded dark master who, with a breathy and guileful voice, was completely captivating.
Taking control of the entirety of the stage like a heavy metal David Bowie, Tompkins was electric, and impossible to take your eyes off. In many ways, he made up for the rest of the band’s stoic, statuesque personas – a trait they no doubt are forced into due to their rhythmic and technical guitar playing.
If that wasn’t enticing enough for onlookers, his voice was beyond compare. Between his mournful lows and sensational highs, his harder vocals cut right through you, deep to your core.
In the simplest of terms: Tompkins was absolutely thrilling to watch. Oozing talent and charisma, he’s a talent with no equal for that job. He was powerful, exciting, and a perfect example of how metal music will continue to adapt and change in the years to come.
It’s no wonder that TesseracT were recently announced as the new headliners for Radar Festival 2024, considering the love I could see being poured towards them across their massive setlist.