WACKEN OPEN AIR 2008

The 19th edition

31.07 - 2.08.2008 Schleswig-Holstein (GER)

This year I came to small town in Schleswig-Holstein land earlier than always. With the help of special shuttle-bus, leaving Berliner Zentral Omnibus Bahnhof a day before the beginning of festival, I have arrived to the place yet the same evening. The atmosphere of event, visible and hearable by the Italians, Spaniards and Englishmen, traveling with me by this shuttle-bus was not one and only sign of hot excitement, cause the black crowds, filling the streets of town and supporting by the bottles of beer or wine, scanning the verses “Wacken yeah!”, were the best circumstances of awaiting for real, 3-days music hell, which soon had to be unleashed.

Of course, I have never understood (and to this day I can’t to understand) the people, who franticly drunken sleeps on the pavements, letting to the others to trample or stumble against them, but if there are among the Wacken maniacs the persons, who comes to festival only for drinking the seas of alcohol and sleeping without remembering of gigs, but everyone has probably his own mind, so that’s his choice what want to do… The most important is, that me, as a good boy, I have eaten my supper and after short night walking through the empty and (fortunately) quiet already streets of town, I gone to sleep, that waking up myself the next day to be ready for the impressions of the festival’s first day.

Although this one the first day of 3-days sound massacre was started already at 4.00 PM by the gig of GIRLSCHOOL at Black Stage and traditional Metal Battle at W.E.T Stage (in tent), like for me festival has began not before, than at 7.00 PM and for my part, the first of bands, inaugurating the beginning of my impressions was NEGURA BUNGET. The Romanian band, playing the curious hybrid of black and folk metal, inspired of course by the legends of Transylvania, was in my opinion maybe not throwing upon the ground, but with a reason of performing repertoire was surely… the band very pleasant in listening. Not only in listening, cause the mysterious keyboard woman decided about the visual effects too, so if among the publicity were the fans of Balkan charms too, supposed the show of NEGURA BUNGET was rich in those kinds of attractions. Like the most of observers I was of course already by my thoughts with the one and maybe – frankly speaking – the biggest and most important participant of this Wacken edition. Ladies and Gentlemen – IRON MAIDEN! I don’t know, or only the fact of one and only in this year German show of kings the NWOBHM decided about the full sold out tickets yet a few months before the festival, but the one I know really sure – the hunger for music of British gods stays still the same by every of generations and in spite of passage of time. Not enough, that the form of heroes presents itself without of changes, cause Bruce Dickinson and his comrades are simply like tornado! Much of bands should to follow their example, shaming themselves by this opportunity, that haven’t got even a quarter of this power. I don’t know, or it’s sensible to write in this place something more. Of course, show of British gods like always included the collection of classics, and among of them we have heard following: “Aces High”, “2 Minutes To Midnight”, “Revelations”, “The Trooper”, “Wasted Years”, “The Number Of The Beast”, “Can I Play With Madness”, “Rime Of Ancient Mariner”, “Powerslave”, “Heaven Can Wait”, “Run To The Hills”, “Fear Of The Dark” or “Iron Maiden”. The one and only German gig couldn’t to be without encores, so “Moonchild”, “The Clairvoyant” and “Hallowed Be Thy Name” fulfilled the whole of concert. Now you will probably ask: OK, but what’s up with Eddie? No fear – the legendary monster of Maidens of course appeared itself too, confirming not only the soul and essence of this band, but even his traditional invariability.

The second day of my experiences was began by a close contact with GRAVE, playing this morning his show at Black Stage, but if I would admit, that those day was opened by the positive accent, I would simply lie. Firstly – the problems with security guys, who didn’t want to let us leave the VIP sector, although to the start of show remained only 10 minutes. A reason – the small space with bars and press tent, separating the camping from festival area, wasn’t yet cleaned up, so the statement, that “nobody can to go out, before the service people will clean it up”, made really angry not only me, but much of journalists too, standing like on tenterhooks and awaiting for opening the gates like for true salvation. A loss of time was the most stupid thing, for that I could to afford myself, so running with the Olympic time around the camping and entering the festival area through the gate for fans, I have reached the Black Stage exactly in the moment, when Swedes started to play their first track. And here the second unpleasant surprise – the sound. Maybe that’s nothing strange, cause this kind of problem stays traditionally the one of most popular complications for the bands opening the each of WOA days, but I can to admit in all conscience, that sound of Swedes was simply tragic, cause during the first two songs was completely impossible for me to recognize although a one known fragment (!) Fortunately, with time everything had normalized itself, so the tracks became a more listenable. Not so long ago was released the new album of Swedish death masters, so naturally a few things of him must to be presented (“Deathstorm”), of course the songs from two previous albums were included too (“Rise”, “Burn”), but like for me the most powerful stays of course the classics, so probably all of old-fashioned were satisfied hearing “Turning Black”, “You’ll Never See…”, “Soulless”, “Deformed” or played finally like always “Into The Grave”, connected deftly with instrumental “Judas”. Can’t to forget, that in spite of my fifth confrontation with this band in live version, those gig was the first watched by me, where I had an occasion to see in action a new guitarist. I don’t know however which circumstances decided about the abdication (?) of Jonas Torndal, but the new axeman – Magnus Martinsson of INSISION manages himself very good too, although I will have probably occasion to estimate his skills barely during the autumnal European tour, when the Swedes will fall (maybe?) more convincing than here.

For the show of next participant, which I have earlier planed to watch, I mustn’t to wait so long, cause Friday’s afternoon appeared itself only by one name – CYNIC. I don’t know, or the brave statement, that era of reunions has come, would mirror itself through the WOA band’s list, but there’s no doubt, that the one of most original in the past death metal bands was surely the one of very important points of this year edition. Paul Masvidal’s crew, responsible for creation of “Focus”, being the perfect fusion of so-called “jazzing death metal” and distinguishing oneself among the hundreds of albums, possessed those afternoon Party Stage, reminding about all of her technician skills like in golden times, when “Focus” has achieved the biggest of triumphs. It’s a pity however, that in one moment the clouds gathered above the festival area set the hectoliters of torrential rain free and became necessary to watch the most part of show the Miami death intellectuals from afar, but there’s probably no another way for the ugly weather. Watching the struggles of CYNIC from the comfortable post, which was the roofed drink-bar, I have survived their gig to the end, but the streams of rain, falling from the grey sky more and more intensive, forced me in one moment to leaving my position and retreating towards my tent, where I have spent at least two hours, destroying effectively the food rations. Satiated, but first of all satisfied with weather, which appeared itself again as rainless, I have returned to my task, watching a little the performances of KAMELOT and SONATA ARCTICA, but as those two bands doesn’t present the sounds, which takes complete my fancies, I pass here over the detailed descriptions in silence. All time however I was preparing myself for the real… massacre. Yes! In spite of big respect for OPETH playing at the same time, I have chosen MASSACRE and I don’t regret my choice in every of inches. That’s the next band, which died years ago and now rising up from the coffin, kills by their stuff again. About the good condition of Floridian classics, having in line-up so meritorious personalities like Terry Butler, Steve Swansson and of course Kam Lee, I had an occasion to convince myself last year in Berlin, when the heroes of American death metal played the gig within the Re-Animated Tour. My impressions couldn’t to be another than positive, if three mentioned above guys, reinforced by two DENIAL FIEND musicians – Sam Williams (guitar) and Curtis Beeson (drums), made the uncompromising music carnage, confirming their brutality and dangerous effect, able to blow away somebody, who will stand on their way. The veterans of DEATH concentrated themselves of course in most part on the tracks from immortal, indestructible and even after many years still the same kicking the asses to the blue “From Beyond” masterpiece (beginning since “Dawn Of Eternity”, through “Biohazard”, “Succubus”, ending on “Corpsegrinder”), not forgetting of course about “Provoked Accuser” from EP “Inhuman Condition” and a one new track from forthcoming new album. So, what could I to write about today form of MASSACRE? Simply the best! I believe in this band and I know, that this comeback won’t be the next reunion for earning the easy cash. Good luck, guys!

I was never the declared fan of CHILDREN OF BODOM and I won’t become him even in spite of fact, that the crew commanded by Alexi Laihoo is one of the most loved bands in Germany and his records sales itself in hundred thousands of copies. Perhaps I am complete ignorant, but as well the music from albums, like the gigs of these guys, which I have watched already three times, can’t to reason by me a faster heart beating or storm in my mind. A real orgasm for my dark soul I have felt barely one hour after, and if are you interested who made it, there’s only one answer – NIFELHEIM! Yeah!!! The Swedish servants of hell, full of spikes and the true satanic wrath, are simply not only the embodiment of devilish art, but the mastery of old school metal too, what mirrors itself of course by the new album “Envoy Of Lucifer”. During 45 minutes of black mass everyone, who had a lucky to stand in front of the W.E.T Stage, had the occasion to hear not only the tracks from the new blasphemy, cause two twins brothers, supported by NECROPHOBIC axemen – Sebastian Ramstedt (here as Apocalyptic Desolator) and Johan Bergebäck (Vengeance From Beyond), didn’t forget about the older songs too, so “Satanic Sacrifice”, “Gates Of Damnation”, “Sodomizer”, “Storm Of Satan’s Fire” or “The Final Slaughter” appeared obligatory. No comment – true satanic old school black/thrash metal in the purest form! Suppose, that Satan had a big influence for Wacken organizers, who arranged the running order, cause yet those night each girl and every boy, who doesn’t visits the church, gives no money to plate and has the ten commandments for nothing, felt his breath once again and the impressions were probably stronger. Most of Polish maniacs, who came this year to Wacken, remembers probably yet the heading titles of newspapers from before 4 years, screaming “The black mass in Krakow TV” or “Satan came to Krakow” and maybe were among them even the persons, participating in those famous event. If yes, they had in every of inches the repetition of enjoy, and for everyone, who watched those night the gig of this Norwegian horde, it couldn’t to be a lost time, no way! Probably yet very, very long we won’t meet ourselves with this kind of glory, enlarged to GORGOROTH regards of gig with special decoration – wire entanglements, ram heads, fire and of course hanged on the cross naked models. All of those elements appeared once again, so everyone, thirsty for visual impressions could to be surely rapturous, but first of all the most important is of course the music, so during one hour of black ritual, we had an occasion to hear among other things not only the tracks form “Ad Majorem…” (“Carving The Giant”, “Prosperity And Beauty”), but the older songs too, like “Bergtrollets Hevn”, “Procreating Satan”, “Forces Of Satan Storms”, ,,Teethgrinding” or “Incipit Satan” (shit, Satan must be obligatory keyword by this horde, cause otherwise no way, isn’t it?). The most charismatic member of horde stays of course all time Gaahl, but is very good hearable too, that Nick Barker fits with his skills even here, but being sincerely – was maybe a one band, where so talented drummer like he, done his work shitty or wrong? I don’t remember. But Infernus and his whole personality – here’s a big loss… Like for my fourth meeting with GORGOROTH impressions were of course first class, taking into consideration not only the visual elements, but the self music too. I would dare even to say, that for this moment there’s no more spectacular black metal band, which has strength, power and specific live aura. In my opinion GORGOROTH wins in this category irrevocable and I don’t think, or another band will be able to deprive them a priority, don’t forgetting of course about blasphemical releases, presenting this kind of diabolic art. Who didn’t see this show can truly regret it, but by way of consolation and for inborn decency can however to make up the deficiencies, because the DVD material, named “Black Mass Krakow 2004” is already available, being probably the most wanted stuff for declared maniacs of those devil’s sons. Enjoy the ritual, ha, ha!