Headbangers Open Air festival 2004

In a large part of the world, Germany stands for the territory of Metal worshippers. It does not really matter what kind of metal, as long as it isn't nu-metal, but otherwise the German Headbangers will adore it. That only the most fanatical headbanger joins the HOA seems quit natural when we enter the festival area. Although this festival is already organised for the seventh time, to me it seems it's still done with the same number of visitors as seven years ago. The area covers the area of the parent's house of the organizer. The broad entry is the concert area where a barn with an open front is the stage, the frontlawn is for eating, on the side of the house is some rainshelter and the backyard is backstage. When myself and Mario (the photographer & webmaster of MMM) has taken the matter once in consideration, we can only conclude that the organisation isn't in it for the money but that this has been organized because metal for many German Headbangers is a way of life. In this enjoyable environment we decide to judge the 23 bands performing the next few days.

DAY 1 (July 9, 2004)

A little bit too late (15:15) SAVALLION DAWN from North-Germany kicks off the seventh edition of HOA. The band exists about 5 years and released two demos of which most of the material is played. Savallion Dawn plays straight forward heavy metal, nothing more nothing less. The moderate zanger from Uruguay does not really contribute to the enjoyment but for an opening band their oke. Nice.

Hereafter the next band is CRYSTAL SHARK which started in 1998 and has released already two demos and a complete cd. The band is from nearby Hamburg and tries to amuse us for the next 45 minutes and succeeds. Although the band interacts nicely with the audience and the band members can actually handle their instruments well, the mediocre singer becomes a little bit boring after half an hour. The fanatical crowd thinks otherwise and gets crazy when they play a covertune from Running Wild.

When the singer of the third band ROSAE CRUCIS from Italy begins to sing, I'm overwhelmed with excitement. What a voice. I always enjoy high and long screams and when the band plays good metal songs, they deserve my complete attention. The other advantage is that the musicians can handle their instruments well, but this isn't astonishing when we take in consideration that the band already exists for about 14 years and ended their demo phase in 2003 with the release of their cd Worms Of The Earth. When Rosae Crucis decide to play Pleasure Slave from Manowar it's obvious that the singer has no problem with the range and power of the once great metal voice of Eric Adams. Great band.

The fourth band of today DARK AT DAWN from Germany with zanger Marcel Van Drunen (ex-Pestilence) had a car accident and therefore they cannot attend this year edition. Too bad, but with 6 bands to go and a bad time schedule, I don't really mind. Next year perhaps.

That there were Greek metal bands I knew already, but that there are also qualitatively good bands from Greece I found out at that moment. BATTLEROAR hits the stage with their power/heavy metal where the clear and good singer claims a leading role and not undeserved. He maintains his stage presence despite the musical power the band produces and in the meanwhile, there is some nice musicianship from the band members. Very well done and I'm looking forward to that other Greek band Bloodstained which enters the stage tomorrow.

TYR from Denmark have probably lent their name from the album of Black Sabbath with the same name and that can be also said in a certain way of the music. The reasonable doom metal originating from their only release Eric The Red has a good impact on the audience so that both are enjoying themselves during the set. Despite this I decide to head for some food after some time.

With a full belly, I'm curious to the surprise act which is the seventh band on the bill. It appears that it is the Swedish formation RAM. Never heard of and I don't wanna hear them anymore. Absolutely not my taste. Standard metal and carried out badly.

After this surprise act, it is time for today's headliners. The American band INTRUDER plays US speedmetal and has released during the 80's three albums out of which the last two (A Higher Form Of Killing and Psycho Savant) through the famous Roadrunner Records. Of all three releases, the band plays some songs. The crowd goes wild and so does the band. Unfortunately the sound isn't that great so that has its negative effect on the solo parts and on top of this, it seems that the drummer has some problems with his kit. But despite these setbacks, songs as Killing Wind and the title track of their first record Live To Die are delivered well. That the band can do better, they prove a few days later at the afterparty in the Headbangers Ballroom in Hamburg.

In Germany, the American outfit BROCAS HELM is a well-known cult band and that's something I have never understood. However it's nice for the band and I must admit that their first record Into Battle is quit good actually, but what I see and hear that night is total crap. Bad played songs and a terrible sound is the only thing we get. Strange enough, I hear of several fans that the band was captivating, therefore I think I'm just stupid, and when the crowd enjoys themselves, who am I to think otherwise. It's about musical enjoyment, isn't it?

When the Canadian band HANKER enters the stage at 2:00, we are a bit fatigue but we nevertheless hang on to see what's to come. Hanker treats us with good US metal and the good musicians make it worth it to listen to. Outside some songs from their first three records (In Our World, The Dead Ringer and Snakes And Ladders), we also get some new tracks from their upcoming cd Web Of Faith. Good to hear that the new stuff is just as good as their old stuff, so I can conclude there is nothing wrong with the performance of this band, despite some problems with the drumkit again. A good band to conclude this first day of HOA 2004. (Check out some other Hanker photos at HOA under Pictures.)

Hanker show playlist: I'd Like To Know Bloodbath In Heaven You Won't Live Eternally Disturbing The Brain Empower The Age Of The Quick Fix Face To Face United We Stand, Divided We Fall This Could Be Heaven

DAY 2 (July 10, 2004)

After a short night's rest, we proceed rapidly to the festival area, because the first band of the second day performs already at 12:00. Of course, our German friends are also in large numbers present and are entirely ready to get to it.

This time however, on time, METAL WITCH has the honour to open the second day. This local band has won some kind of band contest at the Headbangers Ballroom and therefore plays on HOA. The band kicks in with tough and furious metal arrangements and both band and audience go for it. The band members do their best and keep tormenting their instruments as if their lives depend on it. Also the singer gives all he has got, but he doesn't deserve the first prize for his singing qualities. His lack of talent is well compensated by its commitment and performance. Pretty good opener.

As second, another local band (Bremen) can show what they've got. ETERNAL REIGN plays slightly progressive metal where the singer, with his short high screams supports the music very well. As one of the few bands, Eternal Reign uses a keyboard to spice up their songs and that works very well. Also, the crowd can appreciate this, and when the band decides to play a covertune from the first record of Vicious Rumors (Soldiers Of The Night), they receive a big applause.

At last, a Greek band. After I got a good impression of Battleroar, I had been curious to watch BLOODSTAINED. The band plays powermetal à la Helloween and of course a good singer is not lacking. Bands who play this kind of metal can always count on support from the German audience because they simply love it. Nothing special but their singer makes it worthwhile to watch them.

When I read some information about FORSAKEN, I can hardly believe that there are metal bands in Malta. Nevertheless, Malta contains a metal secret for some 14 years because, that's how long this band operates from there. Forsaken plays doom metal which refers to Candlemass. To be honest, they are actually quit good except then that Candlemass has a better guitarplayer, but this minor setback is only a question of time. It is striking to see that the singer scarcely rises above the crowd in length but he rises for certain with its powerful voice. When the band honours their heroes by playing a cover with the title Dark Reflections, Forsaken establish them as a band to stay.

RITUAL STEEL is to follow and since this is their farewell show, I can suffice with a short comment. Bad standard metal with a bad singer who is also called Sir Lord Doom and writes reviews for the Hellion catalogue. It's obvious that he's better doing that than to sing, so it's not my loss the band dissolves after this show.

The sixth band of today had it's heyday during the NWOBHM hype at the beginning of eighties. The band is called FIST and even had a little hitsong with the track SS giro. The well played metal/boogie is nice to hear and the zanger/guitarist appears to be able to still sing with a firm voice after all those years. Despite that his look is touched by father time, his short high pitch screams sound very good. Nice entertainment from a good band.

DESASTER needs no introduction of course because this German band kicks around for a lot of years with their black metal/thrash style. Nevertheless a little bit strange to see such a band on this festival. Definitely the most aggressive band of HOA 2004. The audience always likes some thrash so they go for it for the next 45 minutes.

In the past, I found the Swedish band OVERDRIVE already a bit boring and unfortunately, I can still account for this. Too bad because it's clear that the band did their best to learn and play the songs according to the original. Nevertheless, bad songs stay bad songs and no super-musician can change that. Boring.

ELIXER is an often seen guest on all kinds of festivals (Keep It True 2) and as a result, the band got on the bill of the HOA 2004. The band plays British Heavy Metal with much enthusiasm, and the band enjoys themselves onstage and when a band onstage is having a good time, then most of the time the crowd is amused too. Despite of their somewhat standard metal it's not torture to listen through their setlist.

Italy has been represented by means of Rosea Crucis and ADRAMELCH on the HOA. Adramelch seems to have built also a cult status, but honestly, I have to admit this is something of a riddle to me. The band plays prog-metal on a considerable level, so I ask to myself the question why this band still hangs around in this underground circus. I like to blame it on the factor -no luck- because according to the songs and the instrumental qualities, this cannot be true. Sometimes the singer has some long high pitch screams, but most of the time he unfortunately performs on a mid-range level. In spite of what inferior sound problems, the band has a strong performance and their excellent drummer is one of the highlights of the festival.

For day two, we have again arrived at the headliners which exist today from the Dutch VORTEX. The band plays already for the second time on HOA and again, it's somewhat of a mystery to me because I'm looking at a mediocre SPINAL TAP imitation. All heavy Metal clichés are again visible like there are; the corpse paint and wig of the singer, pyro effects and a logo of the band with light effects. Nevertheless I do not get the impression that the band takes itself seriously and that result in the fact that the band members of Vortex take the stage with much pleasure and humour. The audience goes wild and, according to the show element, I can say that Vortex is a just headliner.

The US power metal of the American band BREAKER are second to last to play some music at the HOA 2004. The straight forward metal barely affects the headbanged tired crowd in the beginning. It nevertheless lasts some songs before the fanatically playing band and the very fanatical and sympathetic singer Greg Wagner (ex-ARCHETYPE) gets some response from the audience. Too bad that such a great singer joins Breaker because his dynamic voice doesn't fit the music, and it's obvious Wagner is keeping his voice a bit down and that's a shame. When Wagner decides to give a stagedive performance, at best, the audience gets full into the show to the end.

The clock already points 2:00 in the night when HIRAX enter the stage. Unfortunately due to the late hour, the band didn't have a soundcheck, therefore the first songs didn't sound like they're supposed to. The band plays some tracks of all releases such as Demon Evil Forces, Thunder & Lightning, The Plague, Destroy and the hitsong Bombs Or Death. Also we get some songs of the new record New Age Of Terror, where Unleash The Dogs stands out because this is probably the only mid-tempo song of the set, and here both guitar players give their best performance. Singer Katon dePena gives himself totally from the first song to the last and we see a fanatical band showing how thrash has to be played: In Your Face!!

Shots taken by Mario van Dooren from Mario's Metal Mania

Pim Botermans

Source: Metal Live, gig review, July 2004