• Autopsy - Candlemass - Nile - Vader - Aura Noir - Moonsorrow - Uada - Vital Remains - Kalmah - Demolition Hammer - Demilich - Gut // Tent // Dew Scented - Nailed To Obscurity - Kringa - Kosmokrator - Verheerer

:: pics ::

Dancing in the Moonlight

[BRT] In short: :: GUT :: were casted for the funny Grindcore opening act on Friday. The circle pit was filled with many funnily dressed figures, running in circles like lunatics. But GUT did not play Grindcore. It was rather a bumpy and scatterbrained kind of core without any recognition values. Sorry, but this band was bad (not only musically but also technically. That was the level of a student band at best).
[Dajana] Yes, I agree. Though, the crowd was screaming for encore, which was granted. Probably a reflex reaction… ;)
[Öko] There was nothing good on GUT (“gut” is the German word for good). It would be wasted energy to write more about the Mexican-wrestling-mummers. And sayings such as “we are GUT (good) – and you are shit” don’t make it any better or funnier.

[BRT] In the underground, :: DEMILICH :: are legend. With their one and only 1993 record, Nespithe, the guys probably triggered the big bang of Finnish Death Metal. I was really curious about them but have to confess, it took some time, till their complex music left its mark on me. Since DEMILICH tracks unfold its magic better in a dark atmosphere, the stage time was a bit suboptimal.
[Dajana] It’s kind of surreal that DEMILICH haven’t released anything anymore since their debut. Their 25 years spanning history is marked by many up and downs, break ups and reunions and assumed final shows. No idea if and how they will go on. The show was technically on a highest level but visually rather static. Continuous rain didn’t make it better.
[Öko] During the DEMILICH show I was a completely neutral viewer, cos, I didn’t know the band before. I liked what I saw and heard but it didn’t wow me. One needs to get used to the singing, but it’s eligible to become a unique selling point.

[BRT] Fuck, fuck, fucking, fuck… To put :: DEMOLITION HAMMER :: into words means to carry coals to Newcastle. However, I didn’t have any coals with me. DEMOLITION HAMMER delivered total destruction. A brutal and raw sound, thrashing songs fetched up by angry old men. Yeah, it was fun, even if one more and more started to count the “fucks” Steve Reynolds barfed into the audience :) There was huge nagging why DEMOLITION HAMMER played at such an early time – rubbish – 40 minutes and people were finally fully awake. Great.
[Dajana] Yes, yes, yeeessss! This show was awesome. What those angry old men delivered was killer! What a brutal impact and what an energy. And the guys… erm… gentlemen, had a lot of fun doing so. Fans reacted frenetically, were downright freaking out. DEMOLITION HAMMER was greeted by a tsunami of love and sympathy. Awww… And they played a song they never performed live in Europe before. This show was gigantic and my highlight of this inexpertly short festival day. By the way, DEMOLITION HAMMER broke the record of saying “fuck” in one sentence.
[Öko] I already planned to write a chorus of praise before the festival. Luckily, DEMOLITION HAMMER did me the favor and played this kind of show I wanted to drool about. This was indeed an absolutely stunning and fucking amazing show! Songs from Tortured Existence (a really good Thrash album) and from Epidemic Of Violence (perhaps THE Thrash Metal album of the 90s) were played with snottiness and at a tearing pace. Yeah, would like to get more. If they do a club tour, I’m sure, they would leave locations in disrepair. Or they directly play in condemned buildings, would perfectly suit the band’s name.

[BRT] Finnish melodic Death metallers :: KALMAH :: somehow passed me unattended. It was a solid show, nice songs but with kitschy melodies. Didn’t touch me at all. Ok, to play after Demolition Hammer is surely invidious.
[Dajana] I missed them, had to sort something out with my car and the garage…
[Öko] Seven records KALMAH already have up their sleeve. I don’t know any of them, and it won’t change. The show wasn’t bad at all, but they had no chance to score after this all killing show by Demolition Hammer.

[BRT] Right after we got pleased with ultra-brutal stuff from the old school legend from Lovecraft County: :: VITAL REMAINS ::. That was an impressing statement in matter of brutality and speed. High-class guitar virtuoso Tony Lazaro and his guys did an awesome job. Sure, the long tracks are not made for a (metal) dancefloor, but it surely was spectacular.
[Dajana] It was also a statement when singer Brian Werner burnt the New Testament… A statement of childishness. Huuuh, that was evil. Soooo evil. Well, it probably has to be that way when you are a (former) member and high priest of The Satanic Temple ;) However, musically the show was top-notch and surely worth a snapshot. And, Brian connected closely to the fans, crowdsurfed them, much to the reluctance of the security. They weren’t that much motivated at this shitty weather.
By the way… VITAL REMAINS didn’t release any album since 2007, right?
[Öko] VITAL REMAINS are truly an institution when it comes to Satanic Death Metal. Their show at PSOA was my first live experience with them. And it was a great experience. Excellent songs, a charismatic singer, and the band’s Satanic image created an entertaining time.

[BRT] With their 30 minutes running debut, Devoid Of Light, Portland, Oregon based metallers :: UADA :: caused quite a stir. Their brand of Dissection influenced Black Metal I like much more than what roundly celebrated band Mgla delivers. Performance, energy, charisma, dynamics…everything fell into place perfectly. Not even the grey afternoon’s light didn’t bother. UADA played a great show and convinced entirely.
[Dajana] Yep, I agree. UADA blew me away. I had already heard a lot about them and, besides, the musicians were drawn from not so unknown bands from the prolific Portland scene. I want more!
[Öko] I already saw them at Hell Over Hammerburg festival, and the hooded men were the highlight next to Dool. Ok, instead of the dark Markthalle (Hamburg), now the light PSOA open air stage. I had concerns about time and brightness but was disabused quickly. Great music is great music is great music! No matter if played in a club or open air.

[BRT] Um… what? :: MOONSORROW :: want to play only one or two songs? Doubts were appropriate. Would the Finns be able to play their epic hymns without losing atmosphere? The answer is… yes and no. There’s no doubt about the music itself. MOONSORROW write thrilling and captivating songs. But it seems, I like them more on CD or via headphones at best. The show wasn’t bad, but not really good either.
[Öko] It’s a headphone-band, definitely! Live, the overlong tracks didn’t work even half-way than back home on the sofa. Too bad - MOONSORROW are one of my fave bands. So, headphones on, eyes closed and now, let me drift away with Viides Luku – Hävitetty…
[Dajana] Meanwhile… I was doing a lot of phone calls to get things clear and settled with the unpleasant car-related circumstances. MOONSORROW I just heard from afar. After I got that 2000 Euro bill confirmed, I decided to get me some delicious booze to wash my frustration down. Guess what… Hereby I bow out of the festival to devote myself to the inevitable blackout to come (since I hadn’t eaten anything yet).

[BRT] For some, :: AURA NOIR :: were the big bang of Black(end) Thrash Metal, for others they are just one of many in a genre that seems to be kind of exploding these days. No question, AURA NOIR is a great live band with dark vibes but… I somehow missed the right songs.
[Öko] The AURA NOIR show didn’t leave any impression on me. What got stuck was the strange behavior of the band backstage during lunch time. Ok, I do understand that Aggressor (Carl-Michael Eide) can’t move properly anymore after his accident, but, in my opinion, that’s no reason to yell at the service and to get upset because he had to get his drinks outside the lunch tent just a few meters ahead. I offered to get him the water he so urgently wanted and he accepted. I sat there with his band mates who were constantly complaining about the backstage area, the food and stuff like that. Ja, ja, ja... rock stars…they are used to better conditions. By the way, the bitterly demanded water Mr. Aggressor did not even touch.

[BRT] Interlude in the tent: insider tip :: KRINGA :: emerged to be a real gem. The Austrians offered aggressive but atmospheric Black Metal with a very own note and some really grim slo-mo parts. Wow. Need to check them out too.

[BRT] My arse, what a hell of a show! I’m far away from being a :: VADER :: fan, or to know their discography, but their show on this grey and dull early evening was just killer. The Poles had a blistering sound, thrashed and grooved with full force through their… um… Death Metal. It was a hellish pleasure. Enthusiasm, skills, melodies and a brute power… hell yeah, they left me in awe. Didn’t expect that. Hmmmm. Seems, here I have to take a look at their records too. [Öko] VADER were the exact opposite of Moonsorrow. VADER on CD does nothing for me but live, the Polish old school Death Metal veterans know how to convince the audience fully. The best entertainment at this time and level of beer charging. A lot of groove combined with immense power. Want more!

[BRT] The last couple of :: NILE :: shows I have seen passed me absolutely unimpressed. That might be because their latest stuff drifted into look-how-fkg-awesome-I-play-fretboard-mauling fields. Luckily, NILE focused on their strength and asskicking songs from their early days. Unas, Slayer Of The Gods might be a long 12 minutes monster, but a worthy monster to finish a strong memorable show. Was fun! Seems like the line-up refreshment pays off. The killer sound put the icing on the cake.
[Öko] “Yeaaahhh! NILE played Unas!”… a certain Mr. Totti (Sulphur Aeon) screamed into my ears. Truly, the Slayer Of The Gods was the highlight of an excellent show. To be honest, releases after Those Whom The Gods Detest I didn’t like that much anymore, but In Their Darkened Shrines is a masterpiece beyond any doubt.

[BRT] At Rock Hard Festival :: CANDLEMASS :: already appeared to be one hell of a surprise. That they would even top this impression at PSOA 2017 I did not expect. And many others didn’t either. CANDLEMASS kicked off with Mirror Mirror and finished with Solitude. In-between they played a fucking awesome best-of set of the first four records. Mats Levén was in high spirits and scored with his voice, charisma and performance. He even infected his band mates. What an outstanding show! THE highlight of this year’s PARTY SAN OPEN AIR! Even the heaviest and hardest Death metaller was blown away and left in awe. Well, Solitude got stuck in mind since then…
[Öko] It is somehow funny that the best band at PARTY SAN OPEN AIR, which focusses on way heavier and more brutal music, were the Doom gods of CANDLEMASS, one of those outlier bands, the PSOA team books every year. Voices prior the show like: “Without Messiah Marcolin everything is daft” immediately fell silent. Mats Levén has developed to one of the most charismatic singers and the song selection from Epicus Doomicus Metallicus via Nightfall up to Tales Of Creation was beyond any doubt.
Setlist: Mirror, Mirror, Bewitches, The Well Of Souls, Dark Reflections, A Cry From The Crypt, At The Gallows End, Crystal Ball, Solitude

[BRT] After THAT show I had some doubts if :: AUTOPSY :: would keep up that level. But all concerns were blown away after the Mental Funeral starters Twisted Mass Of Burnt Decay and In The Grip Of Winter. AUTOPSY were in best mood too and played their music with a nonchalance other bands might learn a thing or two from. Sick high-speed attacks, nutty full breaking, and darkest Doom… all that played with a fine sense of humor. This, only old men can do that don’t need to prove anything to anyone anymore. Although drummer Chris Reifert is chained behind his kit, he though has charisma and frontman qualities. And a sick humor anyways. Except two or three songs they only played material from Severed Survival and Mental Funeral. Accordingly, the response was overwhelming. Second highlight of this year’s PARTY SAN OPEN AIR!
[Öko] Chris Reifert seemed to have a hell of fun. He grunted and growled and played drums like the devil himself. His band mates didn’t fall any short. This was indeed a great show. I’m not such a fanboy like a certain Mr. BRT, but yes, it was fun and kind of a wake-up call at this hour to raise your fists and bang your head.
Setlist: Twisted Mass Of Burnt Decay, In The Grip Of Winter, Severed Survival, Strung Up And Gutted, Voices, Arch Cadaver, Fleshcrawl, Torn From The Womb, Critical Madness, Burial, Pagan Saviour, Embalmed, Ridden With Disease, Destined To Fester, Gasping For Air, Service For A Vacant Coffin, Charred Remains, Fuck You (cover song)

[BRT] The second day was finished with two thunderbolts, the phenomenal shows of CANDLEMASS and AUTOPSY, as well as the strong shows of VADER and UADA. Well, it was cold but not that rainy anymore.

story © BRT, Öko, Dajana • pics © Dajana & Dajana Winkel • Photography