There was a bit of chaos at Zeche Carl. Amon Amarth and God Dethroned were still far far away, anywhere in traffic jam and it even wasn't sure, if they would arrive in time at all. At least, they would play after Marduk! All other bandmembers were sitting at backstage, pretty dull, bothered and stressed. Besides a fucking flu was shaking the one or the other odd musician up. After 6 weeks of large european festival tours all people were worn out and that was clearly noticed. Nevertheless the event started at 6pm on schedule. And it became a really long night...

• BAL-SAGOTH • Well, to hit the stage as first band, to whip up the emotions is never easy. So the mates around Byron Roberts had to start in front of approx. 70 people. Their new album Atlantis Ascendant actually promised a bombastic Black Metal firework, but to notice of that was nothing, unfortunately. It all sounded pretty bumpy and lame. The guys moved inside of a beer mat radius. No atmosphere came up. To top it all, frontman Byron acted kind of lofty and absurd with his "outfit". Well, I did expect much more...

Many more were thrashed by • ...AND OCEANS • The guys gave us the full load, although they had a lot of problems with the sound. So all the subtlety in the music didn't take effect. But still, ...AND OCEANS seem to put bands like Kovenant in their pocket with their mixture of Black Metal and... erm... Industrial? Most tracks were from the new album A.M.G.O.D. which is instore since February. In spite of weird headdress, they never acted ridiculous or awkward. They just know how to not take themselfves too seriously.

Also • MYSTIC CIRCLE • started with a new album called The Great Beast in their baggage. I must confess the gentlemen made a great leap forward since i saw them last time. In stylistical respect as well as musically. Graf von Beelzebub and co. served us a symphonically atmosperic Black Metal. Not to ignore their examples Cradle Of Filth (but unrivaled). But also here the sound sucked, you couldn't hear a lot of the voice. A lead Slayer riff was very embarrassing and the audience - in the meantime more numerous - became overflowed with a lot of pathos. A bit more movement wouldn't have done much harm, either. But, it was not as bad as it sounds now * lol *

Ha!!! UNBELIVEABLE!!! Really, hardly to believe! Already before a rumour was going around • SINISTER • had obligated a woman as new singer. But, what Miss Rachel then zapped around our ears was simply unbelieveable! Behind this voice, some male Death Metal shouter could hide. The honourable audience was instandly wide awake and celebrated this Lady very much. Finally it also brought some movement to the business. On stage as well as among the crowds the metalheads headbanged as hell. SINISTER started up a Death Metal hunk (significantly Morbid Angel influenced) that our ears tinkled. After this festival, SINISTER will enter the studio directly and mill their 6th full-length crusher on CD with the working title Creative Killings. The surprise of the evening, definitely!

With • VADER • on stage started the first highlight of this evening. It seems the guys are very popular. The crowds were becoming crazy then. But still, during the set the audience was pretty quiet. Was it possible, that the celebrated highspeed Death Metal really was too fast to bang??? *lol* VADER's last album Reign Forever World was already unleashed at the beginning of last year. So we have still to wait until approx. middle of next year before the polish mates will sparging our auditory canals again.

• MORTICIAN • Yesssss! Now I was really pretty curious. I have heard a lot about the band, but I didn't listen to them of yet. Actually, MORTICIAN is a 2 man project with Will Rahmer (bass, vox) and Roger J. Beaujard (guitars, drums), plus the guitarist for live sessions Ron Kachnic. They describe their music as the most brutal Death Meatl/Grindcore of the universe, well... nearly. Mainly they featured their new album Domain Of Death. In 20 minutes they played 18 tracks? And after 10 minutes you may have had the feeling the setlist was replayed. But, in musically respect, these chaot persons were a real treat. Never heard so many killerriffs one after another (maybe by Napalm Death). Wow! And the crowds were headbanging as hell again. Maybe the guys should create entire cool songs of these riffs? The sound was extremely gross, but singing? lyrics? Erm (ok, i always heard a long growl). During the set, Will Rahmer stood on stage like he was rooted to the spot (must been the flu), on the other hand, Ron Kachnic was hardly to control. Very strange...

So, • MARDUK • had to enter the stage earlier. Because those to date missed bands just arrived. But, it seemed, for the mood it didn't made no difference. The venue was packed now and at least Legion was in the best mood on stage. He acted pretty well to the crowds and came over well (that gave me back the hope still to get that fucking interview à Interview!). But still, Legion had a lot of problems with his voice (he also was shaken from the flu). Nevertheless, the mates did their set in their usual way. The tracklist was well-mixed, but more songs from the new album La Grande Danse Macabre, than the older stuff. What really was shit at this show, was the fact, that some securities kicked some stagedivers very brutally from the stage.

Evidently exhausted • AMON AMARTH • entered the stage around midnight. The hall was pretty empty again, but nevertheless, the swedish elk-killers made all efforts to arouse the people again and zapped us tracks from their new album The Crusher around. And that was definitely successful, despite of some problems with the drums. You could nearly see how man and woman woke up. Besides, it was really refreshing to see 5 colossuses (record of the evening) on stage, headbanging like the devil in person. Unfortunately, I just saw the half show because of that interview.

Here I also saw just a couple of tracks. But, I have to say: my respect! • GOD DETHRONED • just played in front of a handful people, but did that with a pleasure like hardly a band before. They started with some new tracks from the new album Ravenous, later hightlights from the albums The Grand Grimoire and Bloody Blasphemy. The mates gave everything, played their asses off till the last song!

Upshot: A festival tour with 9 bands is definitely way too hard and a burden to everyone, no matter if it's musician or fan. The sound in general was shit, i just wonder why the soundcheck all the time, then all bands had their problems. But, however that may be... it was worth it though!