ROCK HARD FESTIVAL 2017 – Dinner For One

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Adam Nergal Darski, Alia O'Brien, Amen, Amphitheater Gelsenkirchen, André Kvarnström, Angel Witch, Battle Hymn, Behemoth, Blood Ceremony, Blood Of My Enemies, Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel, Blues Pills, Bochum Total, Carcass, DAD, Deep Purple, Devil Man, Dinner For One, Dorian Sorriaux, Dust Bolt, Electric Wizard, Elin Larsson, Fighting The World, Furor Divinus, Hail And Kill, Hammong organ, Helene Fischer, Helvete Oberhausen, High Class Woman, Horisont, Iron Maiden, Jefferson Airplane, Jethro Tull, Ketzer, Kill With Power, Lady In Gold, Lord Of Misrule, Lucas Gadke, Manowar, Messe Noire, Michael Carrillo, Michael Kelso, Miss Sophie, Ora Pro Nonis Lucifer, Queen Of Spades Photography, Robert Pehrsson’s Humbucker, Rock Hard Festival, Rockspektakel, Ross The Boss, Sean Kennedy, Somebody To Love, Steven Hyde, That Seventies Show, The Dead Daisies, The Eldritch Dark, The Satanist, The Vintage Caravan, Ván Records, Wasted Years, Welcome To The Night, Zack Anderson

Same procedure as last year, Miss Sophie? Same procedure as every year, James – Skål! This is not an untimely attempt to awake year festive spirit, which should be the case at least if you have the same country of origin as I do, but a bit of a nostalgic retrospect on the past 13 years of my annual event highlight. Though I missed the very first time of it, Rock Hard Festival has become the only event I have been visiting since 2004, skipped it three time between 2006 and 2008 (for very different reasons) and have been to every single year since 2009. This makes a total of eleven and nine consecutive years now and nine passes as well. Pretty excited to find out what bands will perform at my personal anniversary in 2018. But let’s take a look back on this years‘ event: The weather was amazing for the most, I watched quite some more bands than last year and met many old and new friends.

Love that Carcass shirt!

My plan for the first day was to hike all the way from my place in Essen to the Amphitheatre on Gelsenkirchen. But to the weather being at its very best, I feared to melt while in the sun and decided to drive as far as I could, using public transportation and just walk about half an hour through the Emscher Park. Thanks to the metal „dress code“ I didn’t even walk alone and arrived right on time to catch up with Susan – my sweet partner in crime, Queen Of Spades Photography. After a first bit of sight-seeing, it was time for the first few bands. Dust Bolt turned out to be a legit opener, while Robert Pehrsson’s Humbucker are more on the laid back side. A bit to „harmless“ if you ask me. Our great expectations regarding Mantar ended up sorely disappointed. This is just not the kind of music/band/stage acting, I enjoy and it’s not even that they are bad at what they do. It’s just not my thing. The Dead Daisies are the living proof that you can rock hard and enjoy yourself on stage even past an average age of 30. The current US „supergroup“ are easy on the ears and know how to entertain a sophisticated audience. After a rather sloppy dinner – well yeah, my pulled pork burger was really sloppy and lukewarm – it was time for Friday nights‘ headliner and my first must-see item: Blues Pills.

Don’t need anything to get high but their own music: Blues Pills

Can’t even say it for sure, but the last time I’ve seen Blues Pills must have been at Freak Valley Festival 2014 – the very same year they first appeared at Rock Hard. Back then they were a sweet afternoon treat and have been touring, promoting and working relentlessly for three years. Many discussions if they are worthy of headlining one of Germany’s most important metal festivals started upon their announcement. As someone who has known this band pretty much from the beginning and has worked with them in the past, I know that they do „deserve“ it. It’s not only that Blues Pills deliver, you can see, hear and feel during every single who how much they enjoy it themselves and not I single time I’ve seen them did Elin’s voice sound wornout. But let’s focus on what really matters: they were great! The setlist featured a very well selection of their two full-length records, EPs and two cover songs. Kicking off with the title track of their current album, „Lady In Gold“ which cracked the official German album charts on #1! Elin truly if a lady of gold with a golden voice and tonight she was also a lady in black, earning her the name „Helene Fischer of Metal“ from someone at the Deaf Forever forum. This is a great comparison, cuz both are blonde beauties from the north (in case you didn’t know, Helene was born in Siberia), great vocalists, talented performers and look amazing. Unfortunately I had to leave early, to catch a bus and missed out „Somebody To Love“ and one of my faves „Devil Man“. But I’ll be catching up with them at Bochum Total and Rockspektakel in Hamburg.

Setlist Blues Pills

Lady In Gold
Little Boy Preacher
Black Smoke
Bliss
Won’t Go Back
Little Sun
Outro
Elements And Things (Tony Joe White-Cover)
You Gotta Try
Astralplane
High Class Woman
Ain’t No Change
Gone So Long
——————
Somebody To Love (Jefferson Airplane-Cover)
Devil Man

Sweden’s sweetest temptation of Rock: Elin Larsson

Saturday started off as a wonderfully warm day with just two bands catching my attention. Not so much a day for a band like Ketzer to enter second one might think, but the Colonge-based five-piece. But hell, did they deliver. It might not have gotten dark across the waterside venue, but the spirit of their blackened trash was received by the masses. Weird to admit, but this was my first time watching and consciously hearing Ketzer and yes, they do have at least one new fan: me! And this will clearly not be the last time. Random note: Guitarist Chris has a cool The Devil’s Blood shirt and vocalist Gerrit (and yes, his last name is Schwarz, meaning „black“ in english!) has a pink kiddy umbrella, so cute!

Setlitst Ketzer

Satan’s Boundaries Unchained
Starless
The Fevers Tide
When Milk Runs Dry
Godface
He, Who Stands Behind The Rows
The Fire To Conquer The World

Master of Black Masses & Black Metal: Nergal

Taking the rest of the afternoon to relax on my couch, I return to the dusty grounds of RHF just as Exodus finished playing. Round two of festival food turns out to be a slightly overpriced case of asian noodles with hot sauce and a hint of veggies. Could have been worse, but it could have been better as well…And three songs and no flash of D.A.D. later, we find ourselves preparing for the second headliner. Another first time sees the night, as I finally see Polish Black Metal masters Behemoth for the first time (those few minutes at Wacken 2014 while passing by in the Hell band bus do not count!). And even though I haven’t really been that big of a fan in the past, I am totally intrigued by their 2014 massive musical monument „The Satanist.“ Right in time at dusk, the trio states its first plead with „Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel“, followed by „Furor Divinus“ and „Messe Noire“. My personal black mass peaks with the infernal hails of „Ora Pro Nobis Lucifer“. If my neck and fiercely flying hair won’t summon the dark lord, vocalist and guitarist Adam „Nergal“ Darski most certainly will. „Amen“ to that and yes, this pun is of course intended. And if you haven’t guessed it yet, the band is playing ist current record in its entirety. Nothing to complain imho, cuz it really is the only one I know song by song and happen to love it! Can’t even say at what point I leave the scene, but it’s my bus call again…worn-out, tired and sweaty, I take off happy as one full-time music nerd can possibly be.

Setlist Behemoth

Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel
Furor Divinus
Messe Noire
Ora Pro Nobis Lucifer
Amen
The Satanist
Ben Sahar
In The Absence Ov Light
O Father O Satan O Sun!
Ov Fire And The Void
Conquer All
Chant For Eschaton 2000

Gone pro with stage props: Behemoth

The final festival day begins with a band I just recently discovered. While they were on tour with Angel Witch, Susan and I have been hooked on Night Demon. They are such an awesome live band and some of the greatest people you’ll ever meet, if you have the chance to. After their show at Helvete metal club, we partied with them till 4:30am. Oh yeah! Starting their appearance with the opener of their latest output “Darkness Remains” might seem a bit strange, cuz it’s a bright sunny day. Still „Welcome To The Night“ is inviting the slighty zombified masses to join them to one heck of a show. If you enjoy straight forward Hard Rock with a touch of NWOBHM, Night Demon from Ventura is your new favourite band. Last into their set is a very well-known and heartwarming received Maiden classic: „Wasted Years“. But this time the Amphitheatre has an audience that some headliners will not attract and only few bands to play first on the last day will ever see.

Welcome to the Night Demon!

Setlist Night Demon

Welcome To The Night
Full Speed Ahead
Maiden Hell
Curse Of The Damned
Ritual
The Chalice
Screams In The Night
On Your Own
Night Demon
Black Widow
Wasted Years

I’m under their spell: Blood Ceremony

Up next my favourite Canadian export enters the stage to bring some early darkness to the city of Gelsenkirchen. Blood Ceremony are the ever so charming and living proof that a Hammond organ and flutes do contribute to contemporary music and are still as present as Deep Purple and Jethro Tull. Throw in some of the most endearing female vocals you can imagine and you know what to expect from these four musicians. Their six track setlist features songs from the 2013 album „The Eldritch Dark“ and their latest creation „Lord Of Misrule“ from 2016. The latter one sounds like something a 60s garage rock band could have done and all members of the band totally live the spirit oft he hippie era throughout the show: Guitarist Sean Kennedy with his blue jeans, BC band shirt and brown suede vest ist he epitome of cool and let’s me think of „That Seventies Show“ – just image Hyde with Kelso’s head! Michael Carrillo changed his shirt in favour of w black wife beater; good thinking cuz as the drummer he might be sweating the most and with arms like that he might as well show the (off). Bassplayer Lucas Gadke took off his shoes and rocks the barefoot style, way to go bro. And last but clearly not least there the enchanting chanteuse, flutist and organist Alia O’Brien. To quote Susan on this: I realised my closet is in need of a blue velvet turtleneck onesie!

Setlist Blood Ceremony

Old Fires
Goodbye Gemini
Drawing Down The Moon
Half Moon Street
Lord Of Misrule
I’m Coming With You
The Magician

Ready to fight for any battle hymn: Ross The Boss

The final serenade for me will be that one band playing songs from that other band no one wants to admit to like but in the end everyone will go all crazy when any of their songs will be played in any metal club. You know that one, the one with the fur bikinis, striking poses and high-pitched vocals many opera singers will be totally jealous of. In one word: Manowar. And in three words today: Ross The Boss. So very bosslike the old hymns work at this very present day. With „Blood Of My Enemies“ I just let go and get lost into the music like there is no tomorrow. Night Demon’s Armand who watches the band along side Susan and me is no stranger to those metal anthems either. Some „Kill With Power“, „Fighting The World“ and „Battle Hymn“ later, I’m good to go (home that is). And what better note to end the event than „Hail And Kill“?

Setlist Ross The Boss

Blood Of The Kings
Death Tone
The Oath
Blood Of My Enemies
Kill With Power
Thor (The Powerhead)
Sign Of The Hammer
Fighting The World
Metal Daze
Battle Hymn
Hail And Kill

The event for the whole family: Rock Hard Festival!

All pictures courtesy of Queen Of Spades Photography

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ROCK HARD FESTIVAL 2014 – Praiseful Pentecost Gathering

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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)

Girl 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.

Second 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 –

Forgot 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’.

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.

The 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!

The 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 –

Shining 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)

Would 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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