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Psychorizon

~ The Private Side Of Rock'n'Roll

Psychorizon

Tag Archives: Celtic Frost

Obscure Sisterhood – Ashtar

11 Friday Jan 2019

Posted by psychorizon in Obscure Sisterhood

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Antiq, Ashtar, Basel, Black Sludge Doom, Celestial, Celtic Frost, Chaos Ritval, Collide, Courtney Love, Czar of Bullets, Deaf Forever, Death Metal, Des siècles qui éternellement séparent le corps mortel de mon âme, Far beyond driven, Feminism, Frederyk Rotter, Gothic Metal, Grunge, Hannes Reitze, Hole, Ilmasaari, Jennifer Finch, L7, Maltrér, Marko Lehtinen, Matthias Edel, Moons, Nadine Lehtinen, Oasis, Obscure Sisterhood, Pantera, Phased, She Was A Witch, shEver, Switzerland, These Nights Will Shine On, Throne Records, Tom Gabriel Fischer, Verheerer, What’s the story morning glory, Witch N

Anyone who loves music as much as I do, knows that feeling when a new song or record or even band gets to you right away. And then there are those tracks and artists you totally fall for at an instant. And this has been the case for me about three years ago with Ashtar and their debut album. A first public declaration of my affection was released on January 3rd 2016. Fast forward to the future and present as it is, I had the honour of interviewing founding member and front woman Witch N. Our virtual dialogue is also the first part to be published for my new series “Obscure Sisterhood”. Reading her answers, I finally found out why the art of Asthar is music to my ears – literally speaking, having had the same female rolemodel/idol as a teen: Courtney Love. 

Ashtar

Nadine, it’s been quite a while since ‘Ilmasaari‘ was released and the new album is finally on the horizon. What can you tell us about the second coming of Ashtar?
We’re working on new songs and plan to enter the studio again in 2019. But at this moment we can’t say anything about a release date. We’re playing some of the new songs live already – so if you want to get a hint how the new album is going to be you need to see us live on stage soon!

Following pretty much all the news regarding Ashtar I know that a lot has changed for Marko and yourself – how much impact does your personal life have on the band?
I suppose you mean our two little kids. Yes, as we are the core of Ashtar, our personal life has of course a big impact. We’ve learned how it is to have a band while having no time at all. We’ve learned a lot about organizing and being creative on command as well. For me personally, having kids make me feel more comfortable with myself. I know better who I am and what is really important in my life. And music is definitely one very important thing in my and Markos life, so we give our best to keep Ashtar going.

You have been a member of Swiss Death/Doom band shEver before the birth of Ashtar – was there any difference in working with just female musicians compared to your current environment?
This is a very delicate question. Yes, I think there is a difference between working with women or men. Though in Ashtar, where I work with my husband, the comparison is not that significant. I played in some other bands with male members too, but I was hardly involved in the songwriting process – I just can say that women seem much more focused and efficient to me, they don’t just sit around and drink beer instead of rehearsing or writing new songs. And I think shEver would never have sounded like we did if there would have been some male members around. By the way, they still exist and have two male members nowadays. Beside that I generally think that women just write different songs with different attitudes and atmospheres.

At what age did you get into heavy music and why (if there is any particular reason at all)?
It depends on the definition of heavy, but I would say when I was about 16 or 17. When I first heard “Far beyond driven” from Pantera I was blown away and curious about more stuff like that. A bit later I got more into Gothic Metal and then into Black and Death Metal. The reason? I was fascinated by the heaviness, the brutality and the beauty at the same time in this kind of music.

MMXIV

You play the bass, guitars, the violin and sing – but what was your first love when it comes to a creative/musical outlet and how old where you?
My first instrument was, like pretty much every child’s, the recorder. Beside playing the children songs I sometimes created my own “songs”. I was 5 or 6 years old. But really creative I got when I learned to play the violin with 8 years. For some years I mainly played classical music until me and my girlfriend decided to start a band when we were 16 – I began to take bass lessons and wrote my own Grunge songs on my guitar.

Have you ever felt like there is anything you couldn’t (or shouldn’t) do because you are a woman?
When I was a little girl I was not allowed to play soccer in a club, because my parents told me that this is not a girl’s sport. And later, with Ashtar, I played a concert while being pregnant in the 7th month. There were men who came to me and told me that this is no good for my child. (BTW: This child is now 3 years old and very healthy. And he loves music!)

Would you consider yourself a feminist and what are your thoughts on feminism?                                                                                                      I would not consider myself a feminist but still many of my opinions are feministic. As long as women don’t have the same rights (or salary) as men I think feminism is very much-needed here. The really extreme forms of feminism I do not appreciate though. Biologically, women and men are not the same and I am really happy that there are differences. 😊 So women and men do not need to be equal in every part of their lives.

What was the first and the most recent record you bought?
The first record I bought from my own money was probably “What’s the story morning glory” by Oasis – when I was 12. The last record? Hmm, I think that was the album “Maltrér” from the German Black Metal band Verheerer.

Studio

What is more fun: Playing or watching a concert?
I love to see bands live, but nothing compares to the feeling when I am on stage myself.

Do you have a musical rolemodel/idol, maybe even a female one?
I had many idols when I was a teenager, especially Courtney Love of Hole or Jennifer Finch of L7. Nowadays my idols are not musicians anymore.

What advice would you give young girls when it comes to picking up an instrument/starting to sing and joining a band?
First you need to master your instrument or voice, like everybody who wants to join a serious band. Then just do what you feel you want to do! Never pretend to be something you aren’t. People will notice sooner or later. And you can only be good when you are true to yourself.

Nowadays it seems like no band/musician will have a chance without Fcebook, Instagram etc. – what is your personal take on social media?
I grew up without social media and I am really grateful for that because I know the “other side” too. I learned to use social media for promoting my bands, so I think they can be really useful. But I think it’s important that we don’t take the number of “likes” as indicator for our success.

And finally: Will you be touring to promote the upcoming new album? Yes, this is our plan: We will give everything to get on the road for at least one or two weeks in Europe. But this will take a while, the album has to be recorded first.

Stage

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ASHTAR – Ilmasaari

03 Sunday Jan 2016

Posted by psychorizon in Discussion

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Antï Graphic, Antiq, Ashtar, Celestial, Celtic Frost, Czar of Bullets, Deaf Forever, Des siècles qui éternellement séparent le corps mortel de mon âme, Esoteric, Greg Chandler, Ilmasaari, Lychgate, Marko Lehtinen, Moons, OSA Crypt, Phased, Priory Recording Studios, She Was A Witch, shEver, Throne Records, Tom Gabriel Fischer, Triptykon, Witch N

Do you believe in “love at first listen”? Though it has been quite a while since, this believe has been restored with Psychorizon’s discovery of the year from 2015: Ashtar. The Swiss-based duo with members of the doom bands Phased and shEver (Witch N. left shEver in 2013) presents on epic, atmospheric mix of Black Sludge and Doom. Formed in 2012, Ashtar’s debut album “Ilmasaari” was recorded between December 2013 and April 2014 at OSA Crypt in Greifensee, Switzerland. It has been mixed and mastered by Greg Chandler (Esoteric, Lychgate) at Priory Recording Studios in Birmingham, UK.

The opening track “Des siècles qui éternellement séparent le corps mortel de mon âme” is built upon whispering lead vocals, grasp riffage and an unexpected bridge, leading into a rather uptempo final. “She Was A Witch” could be the autobiographical think piece that vocalist, bassist & guitarist Witch N. composed to introduce herself as the fronter of her own band. “Celestial” is sticking out with almost 13 minutes of thick melodies and down-tuned archaic rhythms. The second half of this six-track gem is brilliantly garnished with the choral-like backing vocals of drummer, guitarist & vocalist Marko Lehtinen on the hypnotic “Moons”. The two final tracks emphasize that Ashtar’s music is one of a kind and a well-rounded kick in the arse of anyone doubting the skills of these experienced musicians.

“Ilmasaari” is available on CD via Czar of Bullets (Switzerland), Strictly limited tape version through Antiq (France) as well as vinyl on Spanish label Throne Records. And if you’re still not fully convinced: Tom Gabriel Fischer (Celtic Frost, Triptykon) has just featured Ashtar in his top twenty album list of 2015, in the december issue of German Deaf Forever magazine.

Tracklist:

1. Des siècles qui éternellement séparent le corps mortel de mon âme (7:12)

2. She Was A Witch (5:52)

3. Celestial (12:51)

4. Moons (5:04)

5. These Nights Will Shine On (8:22)

6. Collide (6:23)

Ashtar - IlmasaariCover Artwork created by Antï Graphic

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ROCK HARD FESTIVAL 2014 – Praiseful Pentecost Gathering

20 Sunday Jul 2014

Posted by psychorizon in Live

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Aðalbjörn Tryggvason, Amon Amarth, André “Poncho” Kwarnström, Ben Ash, Bill Steer, Black Sabbath, Blues Pills, Carcass, Celtic Frost, Dan Wilding, Dave Wyndorf, Decapitated, Devil Man, Donald Tardy, Dorian Sorriaux, Elin Larsson, Fjara, Freal Valley Festival, Götz Kühnemund, Goddess Of The Ages, Guðmundur Óli Pálmason, Heartwork, Hellhammer, High Class Woman, Jeff Walker, John Tardy, Lautundinfarbe, Midnight, Monster Magnet, Necroticism, Nocturnal, Obituary, Power Trip, Rock Hard Festival, Rock Hard Megazine, Sacred Reich, Sæþór Maríus Sæþórsson, Slowly We Rott, Solstafir, Space Lord, Surf Nicaragua, Surgical Steel, Svavar Austmann, Swansong, The Atomic Bitchwax, Tom G. Warrior, Triptykon, Truckfighters, Tyrranizer, Ufomammut, Zack Anderson, Zodiac

– Friday –

With school pretty much taking most of yet another Friday, only one half of the Psychorizon Festival crew is able to make it on time for the first day of the annual Metal Whitsun celebration. On its 2014 edition, German Rock Hard Festival takes off with a bouquet of gloomy, doomy and thrashy encounters that turn the mighty amphitheater – despite the unmerciful sun – into a dark gathering, summoned by the sirens and preachers of their sonic coven. (kp)

NocturnalGirl Power Metal Style – NOCTURNAL & Tyrannizer

Very first blood is shed by unholy Thrash-Sensation NOCTURNAL. Led by the aggressive shouting of charismatic front-screameress Tyrannizer, the band lived up to the honour of opening this year’s Rock Hard Festival. Old School Thrash attacks rolls off the stage and manages to attract already much more than the occasional drunken Metalhead. After 40 minutes of relentless riffing, it is left to another German band, ZODIAC, to calm down the audience. The blues driven mixture of Classic Rock and Stoner attitude is well received, but to be honest, the guys don’t excite me that much, so I decide to explore the camp site a little before coming back to see polish Death Metal Veterans DECAPITATED. A rock-solid show, but nothing very special in my opinion. Hooded Metal Avengers MIDNIGHT are up next and seem to be one of the most anticipated bands so far. Featuring perhaps THE coolest (or ugliest, it just depends…) backdrop of the festival, they deliver an excellent show and don’t shy away from one of the most cliché moves ever celebrated in the history of Heavy Metal, making it somehow cool again to smash guitars.

TryptikonSecond Coming of the Antichrist – Tom G. Warrior and TRIPTYKON return to Rock Hard Festival

Today’s headliner, TRIPTYKON, fully unleash the glacial period over Gelsenkirchen. Formed after the demise of CELTIC FROST, the music perfectly embodies the sick mind of band leader and elder statesman of extreme Metal, Tom G. Warrior. A dark and enigmatic atmosphere blends with progressive Doom Metal grooves modern bands like UFOMAMMUT would be proud of. As an important side note, the gig was dedicated by Tom to Götz Kühnemund. (ys)

Setlist TRIPTYKON

Crucifixus
Black Snow
Goetia
Circle of the Tyrants (CELTIC FROST cover)
Tree Of Suffocating Souls
Abyss Within My Soul
Visions of Mortality (CELTIC FROST cover)
The Usurper (CELTIC FROST cover)
Altar of Deceit
Messiah (HELLHAMMER cover)
The Prolonging
Winter (CELTIC FROST cover)

– Saturday –

SolstafirForgot to bring some chilly temperatures – Iceland’s hottest new band SÓLSTAFIR

Finally united and missing out most of the day’s early live encounters, the icy icing on the cake comes with Icelandic foursome SÓLSTAFIR, who face the first severe technical difficulties of RHF ’14. Checking and changing the settings of the guitar amps, the bands’ into becomes a ten-minute long test of patience, endurance and hope and finally all instruments work and Aðalbjörn Tryggvason, Guðmundur Óli Pálmason, Sæþór Maríus Sæþórsson and Svavar Austmann present their Epic Rock’n’Roll. Touring in support of their most current output “Ótta” and the 2011 charting success “Svartir Sandar“, SÓLSTAFIR make up to their name with the rays of light spreading all over the event sight, bewitching the audience with songs such as ‘Fjara’ – like most songs sung in their native language – or the mesmerizing ‘Goddess Of The Ages’.

MoshpitCrowdsufer

Shiny Happy People – Circle Pit & Crowdsurfing during the OBITUARY show – pictures by Yorck Segatz

The main day of RHF ’14, a fully packed Saturday, ends with a most fierce Death/Thrash attack, starting with one of the elder statesmen of old school Death Metal at 6:15 pm: OBITUARY. Welcomed with frantic “Obi! Obi! Obi!” chants, Florida’s finest deliveres a set-list mostly consisting of songs from the first three albums as well as three brand-new tracks. Incited by an uncompromising attack of classic riffs, a massive pit starts right from the beginning. Although I’m more on the headbanging side, I couldn’t resist to let my self go and got carried away with the good friendly violent fun, as Exodus would have put it. The Tardy brothers (John on vox and Donald on drums) clearly enjoy the mosh-feast in front of the stage, while Trevor Peres windmills himself through the 15 songs. With the searing sun still shining relentlessly into the theatre, I was glad that most of the material was held in grooving mid-tempo, otherwise my muscles wouldn’t have survived long enough to celebrate tonight’s second Death Metal massacre: the mighty CARCASS! (ys) Going back even further in time, Arizona Thrashers SACRED REICH turn out to be the secret headliner of this day and the metal choir does not only sing as one with the 80s classic ‘Surf Nicaragua’ or the BLACK SABBATH cover ‘War Pigs’ and so it seems that with a first wave of departure, the real headliner of the festival will be hailed by fewer people but no less intense.

ObituaryThe only band with its own German Home & Hardwarestore: OBI(TUARY)

After re-setting stage props once more, it is finally time to “Wake up and smell the Carcass”! Having recovered from the disgrace of playing a half-hour support slot during last years’ AMON AMARTH tour, British Death & Grind masters CARCASS finally step onto their rightful place as headliners and play as if there was no tomorrow. Vocalist/bassist Jeff Walker and fellow legendary guitarist Bill Steer are as vivid as the bands’ new members, drummer Dan Wilding and second stringman Ben Ash. Their full 1 1/2 hrs set includes not only tracks from their reviving record “Surgical Steel” (2013) and the mandatory genre defining “Necroticism” (1991) and “Heartwork” (1993) hits, but also a showcase of the notorious “Swanson” (1996) – the album you love to hate. CARCASS are back and with the new line-up back on top. The clip show of mutilated body parts, the impressive backdrop and Jeff’s witty remarks are a sizzling combination. Eventhough his plan to sing the chorus of ‘The Granulating Dark Satanic Mills’ in German did not work out, the pure joy on stage is fully shared among us all. With the title track of their most acclaimed record to date, ‘Heartwork’, the furious foursome releases us into the night – tired but overwhelmingly happy!

CarcassThe Gory Green Giants – CARCASS

Setlist CARCASS

1985
Buried Dreams
Incarnated Solvent Abuse
A Congealed Clot of Blood / Cadaver Pouch Conveyor System
Carnal Forge
Noncompliance to ASTM F 899-12 Standard
No Love Lost
Unfit for Human Consumption
Edge of Darkness / This Mortal Coil / Reek of Putrefaction
The Granulating Dark Satanic Mills
Genital Grinder / Pyosisified (Rotten to the Gore)
Exhume to Consume
Captive Bolt Pistol
Corporal Jigsore Quandary / The Sanguine Article
Encore:
Black Star / Keep On Rotting in the Free World
Ruptured in Purulence / Heartwork

– Sunday –

Blues_PillsShining brighter than the sun – BLUES PILLS vocalist Elin Larsson

Although aspiring Blues Rock sensation BLUES PILLS miss the Sunday opening position by one, forcing them to play at 1pm still seems most blasphemous considering just how high up the band is on this early stage of their career and after they’ve been headlining at Freak Valley Festival just about a week ago. Nonetheless worries are unneccessary as the ranks of Gelsenkirchen amphitheatre are brimful at this time of day, to witness a first hint of what to expect from the impatiently awaited full-length debut of BLUES PILLS. Catchy tunes like the opener ‘High Class Woman’ and the in-official summer anthem ‘Devil Man’ got large party of the audience singing along and praisefully raising their fists. The current incarnation sees the band with a new sticksman, André “Poncho” Kwarnström from Swedish TRUCKFIGHTERS, who steps in for the currently missing founding-member Cory Jack Berry. Together with bassplayer Zack Anderson, the rhythm-section delivers the perfect foundation for the bands’ miraculous stringmaster, French prodigy Dorian Sorriaux and the enchanting yet forceful vocals of singer Elin Larsson. After roundabout 40 minutes the stirring performance finds an abrupt end, as the band banner is taken down while the final song ‘Little Sun’ is still setting…(kp)

Setlist BLUES PILLS

High Class Woman
Ain’t No Change
Dig In
No Hope Left For Me
Black Smoke
Devil Man
Astralplane
Little Sun

One of my favourite bands of all time would enter the stage at 4:30 pm: MONSTER MAGNET. Once heralded to re-establish psychedelic Stoner Rock during the early 90’s, they even managed to pierce mainstream boundaries with hit singles such as ‘Power Trip’ and ‘Space Lord’. A well-chosen setlist containing the aforementioned songs as well as the title track from their latest effort, “Last Patrol”, is brought to Rock Hard Festival. The new line-up featuring THE ATOMIC BITCHWAX bassman Chris Kosnik leaves a vital impression, despite the searing sun that clearly exhausts the audience. Bandleader „Monster Dave“ Wyndorf seems to grow better and better the older he gets! (ys)

Monster_MagnetWould even wear his leather jacket in the desert – MONSTER MAGNET’s Dave Wyndorf

With the dusty riffs of MONSTER MAGNET still echoing across the equally dusty event scenery, Psychorizon call it a day and conclude another wonderful gathering of old and new friends, fellow writers, photographers, musicians and all those great folks that make Rock Hard one of the true highlights of the festival summer. See you all in 2015! (kp)

Pictures courtesy of Jörg Litges / lautundinfarbe – unless stated otherwise

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ROCK HARD FESTIVAL 2011 – Heavyness, Heat, Highlights

10 Wednesday Aug 2011

Posted by psychorizon in Live

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Amorphis, Andy Brings, Bobby und Gerre, Bullet, Celtic Frost, Down, Enforcer, Epica, Iced Earth, Kumpels in Kutten, Olof Wikstrand, Phil Anselmo, Rock Hard, Rock Hard Festival 2011, Rokken, Simone Simones, Tom Warrior, Triptykon

IN GERMAN (I published this report on another online-magazine before Psychorizon was created and I did not translate it yet, sorry!)

Panoramablick über das Campinggelände

Pfingsten fällt in diesem Jahr auf den frühen Juni und das obligatorische Sommerwetter ist zunächst ebenso anzutreffen, wie feier – grill – und trinkfreudige Zeitgenossen aller Rock – und Metalgenres.

Wer nicht campt und somit schätzungsweise auch nicht mit dem PKW anreist, kann ganz bequem mit dem Bus vom Gelsenkirchener Hauptbahnhof aus pendeln. Die Linie 383 fährt innerhalb von gut 20 Minuten – je nach Wetter und Fahrsituation – eher eine gefühlte halbe Stunde von der Stadt ins wundervoll grün gelegene Amphitheater. Diejenigen, die es bisher nicht geschafft haben, dem Treiben auf der anderen Seite des Rhein-Herne-Kanals beizuwohnen, sei an dieser Stelle gesagt, dass sich die Organisatoren 2011 erstmals dazu entschlossen haben (oder vielmehr gezwungen sehen), dies zu unterbinden. Sprich, die andere Kanalseite, die in den vergangenen Jahren mindestens genauso gut besucht war, wie das Festivalgelände selber, ist abgesperrt! Grund hierfür ist das erhöhte Müllaufkommen und damit verbundene Kosten – um etwaiges Unverständnis zu verhindern sollten alle Festivalbesucher daran denken, dass sich diese Kosten letztendlich auch auf die Ticketpreise auswirken und diese Entscheidung daher nur eine sinnvolle Konsequenz für ALLE Beteiligten ist.

Einer der auffäligsten Patches des Festivals!

Aber genug von eher unschönen Neuerungen beim diesjährigen Festival und zurück zum Wesentlichen: Eine Busfahrt, die ist lustig. Eine Busfahrt die ist schön…also schön ist in diesem Fall ein recht dehnbarer Begriff, aber lustig geht es definitiv zu, denn am Pfingstwochenende treffen Welten aufeinander. Da bieten Kuttenträger den alten Damen auch mal was zum Naschen an, und ein Mädel mit Metalshirt tanzt an der Stange. „Möchten Sie sich setzten?“ fragt da so manch Langhaariger und verdeutlicht einmal mehr, dass große Teile der durchaus mit Argwohn beäugten Szene sehr sozial eingestellt sind.

Die soeben beschriebene Truppe fällt mit ihrem Ostdeutschen Dialekt mitten im Ruhrgebiet ebenso auf, wie es umgekehrt der Fall wäre. Nach einem Ausflug in die Stadt und einem Besuch im angestammten Lokal geht es mit dem Bus zurück Richtung Nordsternpark. Die Damen und Herren sind teilweise bereits zum 9. Mal mehrere 100km durch das halbe Land gefahren, um beim Rock Hard Festival dabei zu sein. So viel Treue verdient ein großes Lob!

Noch auffälliger ist dann nur der pinke (!) Saint Vitus Patch, der den geneigten Doomjünger von einer Kutte aus anlacht (siehe Beweisfoto).

Am Festivalgelände angekommen erwarten Seifenblasen, Grillgeruch und staubige Luft den geneigten Pressevertreter, der sich nach Abholung des entsprechenden Passes+Bändchens erstmal auf dem Parkplatz verköstigen lässt. Die ersten Bands müssen dann auch erstmal auf sich warten lassen, denn nun gillt es eine Mission zu erfüllen: Andy Brings hat Geburtstag und das muss gefeiert werden!!! Diverse Stunden, Getränke, Grillgut und Posingeinlagen später, ist das Geschenk überreicht, die Anwesenden grinsen breit und das Geburtstagskind hat heute alle ganz besonders doll lieb, wie es hier gut zu erkennen ist:

Andy Brings freut sich über seinen feierlichen Anlass

Zum Abschluss des ersten Festivaltages gibt es dann auch endlich noch ein wenig Livemusik von Triptykon. Die Schweizer Truppe um Celtic Frost Legende Tom Warrior ist der neue –nicht mehr wirklich geheime – Geheimtipp in Sachen Black Metal. Leider wirkt das Quartett in der untergehenden Sonne nicht allzu überzeugend, wie es bei einer verrauchten Clubshow der Fall wäre. Also auf zur Bushaltestelle um kurz vor elf und zurück nach Hause.

Tag zwei lässt zunächst große Dinge erhoffen, doch diese sollten schon frühzeitig ihre Schatten werfen. Doch beginnen wir am Anfang: Die heutige Anreise mit dem Auto hat diverse Vor – und Nachteile. Erster Vorteil ist ganz klar die Unabhängigkeit von Fahrplänen, Anschlüssen und vor allem Pünktlichkeit des öffentlichen Personen Nahverkehr. Auch ist es im Auto deutlich weniger voll UND die musikalische Dauerbeschallung fängt nicht erst auf dem Parkplatz des Amphitheaters an. Großer Nachteil für Tagespendler ist die grauenhafte Parkplatzsituation und so bedarf es nach der Anfahrt locker noch mal über eine halbe Stunde, bis der Wagen steht. Und zwar irgendwo im Nirgendwo…so scheint es zunächst, bis uns der Zufall zum hinteren Ende des Campingsplatzes weist, durch den dieser ganz leicht zu betreten ist. Also doch alles richtig gemacht.

Auch spät entschlossene sind immer wieder anzutreffen, die mit Sack und Pack und Sixpack (oder besser einem Kasten) ins Grüne tiegern. In geselliger Runde wird nun erstmal der Nachmittag am Grill verbracht und dann ist es auch schon ganz schnell halb vier. Höchste Zeit den Hintern hochzuhieven und Epica zu gucken. Wer sich mit der Musik der Niederländer nicht anfreunden kann, hat immerhin was für’s Auge, denn Simone Simones kann nicht nur Singen (Geschmäcker sind verschieden, aber am Talent ist einfach nicht zu zweifeln), sondern macht auch optisch ordentlich was her. Und auch der Rest vom Epica muss sich hinter der rothaarigen Frontfrau keineswegs verstecken. Dargeboten werden Stücke aus mittlerweile 10 Jahren Bandgeschichte. Die Menge nimmt besonders die deutsch gesprochenen Ansagen von Simone jubelnd an.

Und nicht minder intensiv werden auch Bullet im Anschluss gefeiert. Jede Menge Nieten, lässig offene Hemden/Jacken und ein geradezu tänzelnder Frontmann machen die heutige Show aus. Kein Wunder, nachdem die Schweden im eigenen Land Platz drei der Charts stürmen konnten, sind sie auch bei uns bis auf einen sexy Platz 69 in den Media Control Charts geklettert und wurden mit für ihre aktuelle Platte „Highway Pirats“ im Februar mit dem Album des Monats in der Rock Hard ausgezeichnet.

Bevor es am ausklingenden Abend mit den Auftritten von Amorphis und Iced Earth noch mal so richtig abgehen soll, geht es erstmal zu einer ausgiebigen Pause zurück zum Zeltplatz. Aus der gemütlichen Grillrunde wird allerdings viel zu bald eine Fluchtaktion, da sich jeder vor dem anrauschenden Unwetter in Sicherheit bringt. Platzregen und Gewitter überlfuten Zelte, Plavillondächer und Gehwege und legen den selbige für nahezu eine Stunde nahezu lahm.

Nach Abzug des Gewitters regnet es noch immer und die Temperatur ist um gefühlte 10 Grad gesunken. Nun heißt es Gesundheit oder Gerocke…Letzteres hat leider verloren, denn in komplett durchnässten Klamotten rockt es sich nicht mal halbsogut. Also wieder ab in den Bus, der an diesem Wochenende scheinbar zu jeder Tages – und Nachtzeit voll besetzt ist. Nicht nur die Journalistenfraktion muss dem Wetter Tribut zollen, auch andere, so auch mein blonder Sitznachbar, fahren frühzeitig zurück zu ihrer Unterkunft.

Die schnuckeligen Jungs von Enforcer bei ihrer Autogrammstunde

Wie es sich am finalen Festivaltag herausstellt, handelt es sich hierbei um keinen Geringeren als Enforcer Frontmann Olof Wikstrand! Die Jungs legen bereits am Mittag eine richtig gute Show hin, bei der kaum jemand sitzen bleibt. Grund genug die Schweden bei der nachmittäglichen Autogrammstunde aufzusuchen. Dass Bier in Gelsenkirchen deutlich billiger ist, als in Stockholm ist allen anzumerken und Dose um Dose wird geleert, während die Fans geduldig in der brütenden Hitze auf ihre 5 Minuten Smalltalk warten. Leider fällt diese Stunde zeitgleich mit der lang erwarteten Anwesenheit von Bobby und Gerre bei einer der Lesungen von „Kumpels in Kutten“. Aus zuverlässigen Quellen ist zu berichten, dass es eine absolut amüsante und legendäre Runde gewesen ist. Nach Metal Inqisitor ist es Zeit, sich im VIP Bereich ein wenig in den Schatten zu setzen und dort ungewollt Zeuge zu werden, wie die völlig zugedröhnten Enforcer-Jungs Opfer zweier Backstage-Luder werden.

Also wieder fort vom ohnehin viel zu überfüllten VIP Bereich und ab zur Karaoke. Dort geben sich wie in jedem Jahr Betrunkene und Begabte die Klinke (haha) in die Hand. Zwischen Fremdschämen und Freude über das Dargebotene, kommt dieses Mal auch pures Staunen hinzu, als ein 11jähriger mit Flagge und Maidenshirt „Fear Of The Dark“ zum Besten gibt. Sicherlich keine allzu große gesangliche Leistung (und ohne tatkräftige Unterstützung von Rokken-Frontfrau Steffi recht dünn auf der Brust), aber dennoch eine große Leistung. So viel Mumm, sich einfach mal vor einige 100 Leute auf die Bühne zu stellen, haben die wenigsten Erwachsenen. Und kurz vor dem großen Finale mit Headliner Down wird dieser Mut noch belohnt und der Knirps vervielfacht sein Publikum mal eben auf geschätzte 6000.

Das Rock Hard lockt Musikfans aller Generationen an den Kanal

Und dann kommt endlich das, worauf schon viele seit Jahren warten: Down! Ganze vier Jahre hat ein Großteil der Rock Hard Redaktion darum gekämpft, Phil Anselmo und seine Truppe endlich in Gelsenkirchen begrüßen zu dürfen. Der Kampf hat sich ganz sicher gelohnt und zum Abschlussgig sind die Ränge und die Ebene vor der Bühne des Amphitheaters fast bis auf den letzten Zentimeter gefüllt und in Bewegung. Mister Anselmo könnte sich derweil mit Alexi Laiho batteln, dessen Ansagen ebenso sehr aus dem Wort „Fuck“ bestehen, wie bei der NOLA-Legende.

Fazit: Das Rock Hard ist eines der wenigen Festivals bei dem die Stimmung durchweg positiv ist und das fast unabhängig davon, welche Bands spielen. Ein ganz großer Vorteil ist zudem die geographische Beschaffenheit, die es unmöglich macht, unendlich weit zu expandieren. Eine Tatsache, die vielen Veranstaltungen gut täte.

Panoramablick über Bühne und Kanal

Und zum Abschluss noch die Top 3 der besten Sprüche:

Platz 3: „Have we met before somewhere?“ (Enforcer-Frontmann Olof bei der Autogrammstunde)

Platz 2: „Wenn ihr mich alle drei jetzt küsst, dann werde ich unsterblich!“ (Geburtstagskind Andy Brings merklich angeheitert)

Platz 1: „Die Dose ist zu, die kann nicht umfallen.“ (Sagenhafte Feststellung beim Grillen auf dem Zeltplatz nachdem eine geschlossene Bierdose auf dem Tisch umgefallen ist)

Rock Hard Festival Homepage

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