TESSERACT
Radar KSCOPE
Flawed visual document of Brit prog metal heavyweights’ biggest headlining gig.
Complaining about how dimly lit and murky movies and TV shows are these days is a tedious modern pastime. Sadly, that same problem affected TesseracT’s gigs in support of 2023’s stellar War Of Being album. Their light show looked a million dollars, but such was the relentless back lighting that it reduced the band themselves to a set of hard-to-see shapes. But maybe that was the idea? This live film, recorded at 2024’s Radar festival Manchester and available on Blu-ray plus various audio formats, suffers from the same problem. Sonically, it’s unimpeachable, showcasing what a tightly locked musical machine TesseracT are. Visually it’s a different matter. Director Richard Oakes tries his best with the hand he’s been dealt, but it’s a losing battle. The lighting choices that blighted their gigs are on full display here, which is more than can be said for the band, who are either lost in dingy blue or indistinct red light, or turned into indistinguishable silhouettes as the rear stage lights hit full beam. It’s a shame, because the short film that accompanies it reveals how much thought went into staging the show. TesseracT are a great band, no question, but they could do with a visual rethink next time.