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Steelwing - Skull Fist - Vanderbuyst

 
2012-01-14 DE – Essen - Turock

No False Metal!

New year gets kicked off brilliant. The very first show in 2012 for me and our beloved Turock club already presents a killer package. Pure and true Heavy Metal that is. So it does not wonder that the club is totally sold out. Yes, should leave the owner much satisfied too ;)
Despite the fact that five bands would share stage time schedule was the normal one. Left me wondering how every band can play an adequate set and the show is finished at 11, 11:30pm to open the doors for the usual Saturday disco. Well… GRAND MAGUS played till long after midnight what made the disco kids showing strong displeasure, because inside it was really, really packed and outside fucking cold.

:: pics ::

Apropos fucking cold… those who think now that you would have sweated as hell inside, is wrong, at least for the ones in the front row, the common place for photographers. Under the stage, on the left and the right, huge air pits blow in the icy cold air from the outside. So, depending on your size, the ones standing in front got sooner or later icy legs or even an icy abdomen. It truly hurt after a while. Since the club was sold out we were nailed were we stood. To be honest, I gave up before the show’s end, feeling entirely like a block of ice. Not the worst thing at all since I had early shifts and the alarm would kick me out of bed at 4.30am again…

If the show would have had a different running order I probably would have missed the first bands. But this way I wanted to see :: VANDERBUYST :: see live urgently. The Dutchies had to leave right after for a headlining show anywhere in their home country. Saw these cats for the first time at last year’s Rock Hard Festival and was totally blown away. And they did it again. Despite the early hour the Turock was filled till the backside when VANDERBUYST started their furious show. Fans welcomed them almost frenetically and cheered and adored them till they left again. It’s so refreshing to see a band playing that energetic and dedicated. It’s stirring. A short but definitely a great and highly entertaining show!
Setlist: Black & Blue, KGB, Tiger, Into The Fire, Traci Lords, Stealing Your Thunder, Don’t Believe A Word (Thin Lizzy), From Pillar To Post

Quick change-over and :: SKULL FIST :: jump onto stage. Flashback, time machine, back to the future… I am 16 years old and we are in the middle of the 80s. And these guys exactly looked like that. These guys sounded like that and feeling was like that as well. Incredible. All clichés got used, but the way it has to be! That’s pure fucking Heavy Metal! With a proper dash of Speed Metal. The baddest thing was the ‘83 Ozzy tour shirt on the bass player’s skin. That I call homage. Anyway, founded back not so long ago the debut album of the Canadians Head Öf The Pack is already kvlt and so is SKULL FIST.
P.S. If you can’t get enough, after this tour (second to last tour date tonight) SKULL FIST go on without a break with Steelwing as sweet two-pack ;)
Setlist: Attack Attack, Like A Fox, Ride The Beast, Ride On, Commit To Rock, Sign Of The Warrior, Heavier Than Metal, Head Öf The Pack, No False Metal

Next up is :: STEELWING :: introducing the Swedish side of the evening. They kick in with songs from their brand new sophomore Zone Of Alienation (out on Jan 6), with a pair of songs from the debut Lord Of The Wasteland. Same look: colorful Spandex pants, striped soccer socks and high tops. Indian summer for Kutten-bearer a reviewer said about them. Again traditional Heavy Metal with a splash Priest, Maiden, certain speed and Swedish lightheartedness.
Setlist: 2097 A.D., Solar Wind Riders, Headhunter, Full Speed Ahead, The Illusion, Zone Of Alienation, They Came From The Skies, Lunacy Rising, Roadkill (...Or Be Killed)

:: BULLET :: right after turned out to be the secret headliner. These dudes are hardly to stop and even less to top. Bullet-proven setlist, kind of a best-of but still focusing on the new Highway Pirates. Crowd completely freaks out and sings along every song. BULLET is touched and plays even harder, rocking their souls out of the bodies. Mr. Hell Hofer appears royally robed in (Roadking), while the duo Hampus Klang & Adam Hector poses as if there were no tomorrow. Only lead guitarist Erik Almström seems to be much restrained. However, everybody was going wild and BULLET was the highlight.
Setlist: Highway Pirates, Back On The Road, Turn It Up Loud, Stay Wild, Roadking, Rebels Return, Dusk Til Down, Bang Your Head, Bite The Bullet

There’s no doubt :: GRAND MAGUS :: are one of my personal faves. But tonight things did nit go too well. The Turock got emptied, the band had some tech probs, sound was bad, way overdriven and JB’s singing was hardly to hear. Beside, the master got out of beat, occasionally. No hard feelings! It’s always a pleasure to see and to hear the Swedes playing live :) Contrary to last year’s shows they played a best-of set through the last 3 albums with only three new songs and the very old Ulvaskall. Again, fans are enthused, adoring the band enthusiastically.
Yes, that was an amazing evening! Every fucking band was just great and much entertaining! Loved it. Truly.
Setlist: Intro, Storm, Kingslayer, Like The Oar Strikes The Water, Silver Into Steel, I The Jury, Wolf’s Return, Ravens Guide Our Way, The Shadow Knows, Hammer Of The North, Ulvaskall, Iron Will

 

story & pics © Dajana