ROCK HARD FESTIVAL 2015 – A Road Trip To Hell & Back

Tags

Black Metal, Black Star Riders, Bobby Liebling, Bolt Thrower, Cronos, Death Metal, Deserted Fear, Entombed, Flash Point, Garage Rock, Kingdom Of Worms, Last Days Here, Motorjesus, My Empire, Obituary, Overkill, Pentagram, Queen Of Spades Photography, Rock Hard Festival 2015, Rock'n'Roll, Shake Electric, Space Rock, Spiders, The Boys Are Back In Town, The Order Of Israfel, Thin Lizzy, Venom

– Friday –

After pretty much THE WORST road trip of my entire life from the deep southern region of Germany to the Ruhrarea in the middle of the middle, I finally arrived at the sunny sight that will be my home base for the next few days. As I’m currently now living anywhere near the city of Gelsenkirchen, for once I’m actually forced to live through a campout among a dozen of eager young and middle-aged metalheats who might consider this the ideal vacation – while I’m taking this as an inevitable necessity. To regain at least a little strength I got my things unpacked quickly and tried to relax – being a person who likes it rather quite and secluded, this kind of surrounding clearly won’t do the trick.

A good view onto the stage from any angle

And while the sun was hardly setting yet, God Dethroned present their blent of blast-infected Death Metal, which would work so much better in a small club with little to no light…talking about that kind of location, today’s co-headliner would feel right at home in such a surrounding. Mainly because booze and drugs are easily available, I guess. They started off in the mid 80s with their eponymous debut “Pentagram”, but never really made it back then. Some 30 years later, specially young fans of the Doom genre seem to hail this band which has rising from its own grave in the new millennium. Some part of this newly found stardom is due to the notorious documentary “Last Days Here”, that portraits Bobby Liebling in the midst of fighting his severe drug addiction…But who am I to complain, Pentagram even released a new album and took The Order Of Israfel on tour as their support.

Setlist Pentagram

1. Sign Of The Wolf
2. Forever My Queen
3. The Ghoul
4. Review Your Choices
5. Starlady
6. Ask No More
7. When The Screams Come
8. All Your Sins
9. Dying World
11. Petrified/ Relentless
12. Be Forwarned
13. Last Days Here

Caught in a mosh during the Overkill show

Yet another band that lives off its own reputation and for naming a complete genre – and YES, Black Metal therefore owes a lot to these veterans – comes from the far north of the British isles. Venom have been around pretty much forever now and its seems there’s no end to their fame, generation after generation. Unfortunately mastermind Cronos looks like a  weirdly aged version of himself nowadays (specially that red tank top does not suit him too well….).

Setlist Venom

1. Rise
2. Hammerhead
3. Bloodlust/ Black Flame (Of Satan)/ Bloodlust/ Die Hard
4. Long Haired Punks
5. Buried Alive
6. The Evil One
7. Welcome To Hell
8. Antichrist
9. Countess Bathory
10. Flight Of Hydra
11. Death Of Rock’n’Roll
12. Grinding Teeth
13. Pedal To The Metal
14. Warhead
_____________
15. Black Metal
16. In League With Satan
17. Witching Hour

The Boys Are Back In Town

– Saturday –

Kicking off day two with some good Old School Death Metal in the vein of Entombed, Bolt Thrower or Obituary is a save way to get people awake and cure even the worst hangover instantly. Deserted Fear are not only a fan favourite, but also a band that earned some praiseful words from Rock Hard magazine itself for their 2012 debut “My Empire” saying “…simply amazing how the whole albums offers it´s permanent hit potential. If it´s allowed to say so within the death metal world. Great start!” With their sophomore attempt “Kingdom of Worms” (2014), Deserted Fear are set to tear the place apart in a most brutal and joyful manner.

Setlist Deserted Fear

1. Forging Delusions
2. Battalion Of Insanities
3. Kingdom Of Worms
4. Nocturnal Frags
5. Wrath On Your Wound
6. Field Of Death
7. Mortal Reign
8. Bury Your Dead

Three years ago, another German band was opening the second festival day and to call them a “crowd pleaser” would be the understatement of the decade: Motorjesus have been enlisted by an independent voting, started by their fan club and delivered to the festival organisers and how could they ever say no to this much dedication?! It was the right choice and re-inviting them was a great decision. During all those years I’ve been at Rock Hard Festival, I can’t remember any saturday morning being so well-attended than the one in 2012. And today it seems like everyone just waited three years for the band to return to play a set of honest and handmade Rock’n’Roll. Way to go, guys!

Setlist Motorjesus

1. Motor Discipline
2. Trouble In Motorcity
3. Speed Of The Beast
4. Fuel The Warmachine
5. Fist Of The Dragon
6. King Of The Dead End Road
7. Return Of The Demons
_____________
8. A New War

Swedish Space Rock in broad daylight: Spiders

– Sunday –

After missing the final opening act of the festival, I can’t wait to see Spiders again! With their positive energy and space Garage Rock these sweet Swedes are not only easy on the eyes. Catchy riffs and sing-along lyrics garnished with their stage appearance, mainly Ann-Sophie’s acting in those VERY TIGHT PANTS is simply irresistable – and I’m saying this as a woman. Equipped with their latest record “Shake Electric” (2014) as well as the previous release “Flash Point” (2012), Spiders got me rocking and dancing all through their set, making them my personal highlight of Rock Hard Festival 2015. TAKK ALLA!!!

Setlist Spiders

1. Hang Man
2. High Society
3. Mad Dog
4. Control
5. Hard Times
6. Only Your Skin
7. Give Up The Fight
8. Rules Of The Game
9. Shake Electric
10. Fraction
11. War Of The World

All pictures courtesy of Queen Of Spades Photography

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ROCK HARD FESTIVAL 2014 – Praiseful Pentecost Gathering

Tags

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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