ELEINE - The Brook, Southampton (Live Review)
Special Guest: Rexoria + Liv Sin
Date: 14 October 2026 | The Brook, Southampton
Photography & Review: José Crespo
THE AFTERSHOCK
With a production that seemed almost too ambitious for Southampton's intimate The Brook, Eleine delivered a captivating performance led by Madeleine Liljestam's hypnotic presence. Add two energetic support acts, three formidable female vocalists and a surprisingly impressive sound, and Wednesday night turned into something considerably bigger than the room itself.
THE FULL REVIEW
The Swedish dark metal outfit arrived on Wednesday evening with fellow countrymen Liv Sin and Rexoria, bringing three distinctly different interpretations of heavy metal. And, rather fittingly, all three bands were fronted by powerful female vocalists, each with enough personality to command the stage in her own way.
Liv Sin – Thirty Minutes, Full Throttle
First up were Liv Sin, led by former Sister Sin frontwoman Liv Jagrell. With just thirty minutes to make an impression, the band wasted little time getting down to business.
Jagrell was undoubtedly the standout, delivering powerful, gritty vocals with seemingly endless energy. Her commanding presence and constant interaction with the audience quickly brought the room to life, backed by a band delivering a solid dose of aggressive, modern heavy metal.
The highlight came during the final song, when Jagrell abandoned the stage altogether, stepping into the audience to playfully interact with fans and hand them the microphone. A brilliant way to close a short but thoroughly entertaining set.
Half an hour isn't much time to win over a room, but Liv Sin made every minute count.
Rexoria – A Little Power, a Lot of Melody
Next came Rexoria, another Swedish outfit, bringing their melodic power metal to Southampton.
Musically, the band leaned heavily into soaring choruses, polished arrangements and the occasional venture into what some might affectionately describe as happy metal. Not necessarily my preferred corner of the genre, but there was plenty to appreciate.
Particularly frontwoman Frida Ohlin.
Her vocals were excellent throughout, occasionally bringing a more traditional hard rock or classic heavy metal flavour to songs otherwise rooted firmly in power metal territory. Powerful, expressive and full of character, she was easily the band's strongest asset.
She also seemed to have brought a small wardrobe along for the evening. The various jacket changes throughout the performance added a touch of theatricality that immediately brought Rob Halford to mind. The Metal God would probably approve.
ELEINE – Arena Ambitions, Intimate Surroundings
By the time ELEINE took to the stage, The Brook had undergone something of a transformation.
The Swedish outfit clearly hadn't considered scaling down their production to suit the venue. Carefully coordinated lighting, dramatic smoke columns and an impressive visual presentation made the stage feel considerably larger than it actually was.
And frankly, good for them.
Too often, smaller venues receive a stripped-down version of a touring production. ELEINE clearly had other ideas, bringing the full experience to Southampton and making the audience feel as though they were watching something designed for a much bigger room.
Then Madeleine Liljestam appeared.
There's something almost hypnotic about her stage presence. From the moment she steps into the spotlight, she commands attention without appearing to demand it. Every movement feels deliberate, every expression part of the performance. She's clearly a frontwoman who knows exactly what she's doing.
Vocally, she's equally impressive. Her voice can be soft, delicate and almost ethereal before shifting effortlessly into something considerably more powerful. What stands out isn't simply her range, but the control behind it. She knows precisely when to hold back and when to let the emotion take over.
Beside her, guitarist and harsh vocalist Rikard Ekberg provides the perfect counterweight. An imposing figure with plenty of personality, his growls and commanding presence inject a darker, more aggressive edge into the band's theatrical sound. He's quite a character to watch, too, constantly engaging with the audience and ensuring that ELEINE's heavier side never gets lost beneath the atmosphere.
Fellow guitarist Victor Jonasson handled the more technical guitar passages and solos with impressive precision, while drummer Kevin Werder delivered a powerful performance behind the kit. With no permanent bassist currently in the line-up, the band relies on its live arrangements to fill out the lower frequencies, but the sound never felt lacking.
In fact, the overall sound quality was one of the evening's pleasant surprises. The guitars remained clear and punchy, the orchestral elements had room to breathe, and Madeleine's vocals sat beautifully above the instrumentation.
New Darkness, Familiar Anthems
The current tour sees ELEINE introducing material from The Water Taste of Blood alongside established favourites from their earlier catalogue.
Recent tracks such as "Empire of Lies", "Liars Linger" and "We March" showcase the band's increasingly confident approach to songwriting, combining muscular guitar work with the dark, cinematic atmosphere that has become their trademark.
The contrast between Madeleine's melodic delivery and Rikard's harsh vocals remains one of ELEINE's greatest strengths, particularly when the heavier passages give way to those soaring, almost symphonic choruses.
Older material such as "Ava of Death", "Dancing in Hell" and "We Shall Remain" demonstrates just how naturally the band's established sound fits alongside their newer compositions.
What makes ELEINE particularly effective live is the balance. The symphonic arrangements add atmosphere without overwhelming the guitars, the heavier sections retain their aggression, and Madeleine remains the emotional centre of the performance.
The lighting and smoke effects certainly helped, especially in a venue where the audience could experience everything at close range. But beneath all that production was a genuinely tight band delivering the goods.
The Brook might not be the biggest venue on ELEINE's European tour, but for one night, it certainly felt considerably larger.
Madeleine Liljestam was captivating, Rikard Ekberg supplied the fire, and the rest of the band ensured the music sounded every bit as impressive as it looked.
For a Wednesday night in Southampton, this was a remarkably complete production, and one that deserves credit for refusing to compromise simply because the venue was small.
Jose Crespo for the The Riff Collective
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