• Venom - Dying Fetus - Unleashed - Exhorder - Deserted Fear - The Black Dahlia Murder - RAM - Coffins - Pillorian - Benighted - The Committee - Guineapig
• Tent • Blood Incantation - The Spirit - Skelethal - Ultra Silvam - Goath

:: Pics ::

„Aufstehen ist schön"

[Dajana] Comfortable temperatures, comfortable sleep. Though, I was up very early, because, as soon as the sun pokes over the hilltop it gets quickly hot in the tent. And there was a sunny day ahead again. Ok, a refreshing shower, breakfast and some physical educations. There have been challenges to be mastered. Did good, made awake before Esmeralda did her shots at 11am. At 10am the FOH already blasted its speaker with an old German song: „Aufstehen ist schön - der liebste Klang der Welt das ist für mich: Wenn der Wecker schellt“ - [by Johanna Von Koczian]. It’s a song about the “beautiful” alarm clock ringing in the morning. And there was a LOUD ringing tune thundering out of the speakers… *coughs*. Well, you can do so, but do not have to ;)
The area is as clearly arranged as the breakfast on the plate (scrambled eggs, 2 thin slivers of cucumber, 2 buns plus butter), which I found rather meager for 6 Euro. And the dishwater called coffee made to break a habit. Let me recommend the mobile coffee shops on the area: freshly grinded, freshly brewed, various tastes and sorts, even ice-latte. It is still windy and some of the stalls will remain closed for the rest of the festival.

[Öko] Of course, prices on festivals are always higher than back home, but I agree, this breakfast was worth 4 Euro, if at all.

[Dajana] Fresh and focused I went to the ritualistic Grindcore opening of the second festival day. Too daft that Italians Goregrinders :: GUINEAPIG :: was not such fun Grindcore band. No silly dresses, no masks and other bollocks, just serious grind. The fans did not care any bit, approached like a multi-colored circus, and had a lot of fun. Even the security appeared in pink… um… dresses ;)
[Öko] I did not see them. I went to the camp for delicious Mexikana and beer. What I heard was not thrilling either…

[Dajana] Next up was multinational :: THE COMMITTEE :: and brought us some really black Black Metal. Dense and atmospheric if played in a club but at noon on a huge stage under a burning sun felt… wrong. The committee stood on stage as nailed. Musically top but performance-wise rather lame.
[Öko] THE COMMITTEE is great band. I like their stuff. Top-notch Black Metal, played with finesse and suiting outfits. Again, hardly any action or movement. Seems like that is a rule for BM bands. Does anybody know a Black Metal band that tears it up? Right now none comes to mind…

[Dajana] Aaahhh, yeah! Finally music like a smack in the gob. I was looking forward to :: BENIGHTED :: and they did not disappoint me. Ultra brutal Death Grind with an irresistible groove. The French men killed and crowd honored while completely freaking out. That is the way it has to be! Did me well :)
[Öko] I would neither buy a CD nor listen to BENIGHTED at home. But live on stage it is was a demonstration how Grindcore has to sound like. The band played with so much passion and especially singer Julien Truchan went wild. That was fun, indeed.
Setlist: Reptilian, Reeks Of Darkened Zoopsia, Let the Blood Spill Between My Broken Teeth, Collapse, Cum With Disgust, Hostile, Slut, Versipellis, Necrobreed, Asylum Cave, Experience Your Flesh, Biotech

[Dajana] Watching :: PILLORIAN :: was like seeing a repeated scenery (The Committee). The music of the band around ex-Agalloch fronter John Haughm is demanding and highly atmospheric but on a PSOA stage at tea time under a burning sun… you know. It did not unfold the impact it should be. Ok. Coffee! Oh, apropos… what about cake?
[Öko] PILLORIAN I saw in my hometown in a club and it worked excellent. Here I can only agree with Dajana. Also on CD I like Agalloch much more, especially their album, Ashes Against The Grain, is a gem of music and one of the most atmospheric Black Metal records I know. PILLORIAN and their debut, Obsidian Arc, cannot keep up with them.

[Dajana] And here we go with another band I was looking forward to: :: COFFINS ::. But what happened to the guys? Still jetlagged? Disastrous parties at the other festivals the days before? Whatever. I like the band, I like their music and show was not their best, but ok. After so many splits it would be time to release a full-length again, isn’t it?
[Öko] I found them pretty disappointing. I expected much more action. It did not made sense to watch more than three song but it made sense to get me a beer. Too bad.
Setlist: Hatred Storm, Here Comes Perdition, Under The Stench, Hellbringer, Impuritious Minds, Altars In Gore, Evil Infection

[Öko] Many times I could assure myself that :: RAM :: is an excellent live band. And they did not disappoint me at PARTY SAN OPEN AIR 2018. It was once again a pleasure to watch the guys around singer Oscar Carlquist perform, even if the last two records ain’t that strong anymore. Lightbringer was and still is the highlight of the band.
[Dajana] The PSOA always has one or two bands that are a bit out of the ordinary. Mostly that’s are Gothic or Doom band. In 2018 they try it with classic heavy Metal. And the Swedes did a great job. Something different to loosen up and entertain.

[Dajana] :: THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER :: were probably the tightest and technically most sophisticated band of the festival. And the most energetic one. Singer Trevor Strnad did not stand still any second, jumped and whirled over the stage like a bouncing ball. The other guys did so too and played their asses off. I like TBDM more when they reduce the speed and groove. As for me, they could do so more often ;) Permanent high-speed attacks are a bit exhausting. Nevertheless: killer show!
[Öko] Perfectly played, a lot of action stage – metal heart what more you want? Maybe some more hooks that make TBDM stand out from the mass of similar releases. In their early days (first both records) THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER were awesome, these days I don’t care about them anymore. But that is a live report, right? And live TBDM were much better than 70-80% of bands of this year’s line-up.

[Dajana] :: DESERTED FEAR :: once promised on the tent stage to exchange their fee for a mainstage show into pyros and stuff. No sooner said than done. Now DESERTED FEAR returned to PSOA and played a show on the mainstage, using everything possible: No matter if fires, CO2 Jets, firework and flak shots, they used it all. At every song. But the fire spirits they have cited seemingly ignored their commands as the pyros started uncontrolled. Quoting singer Manuel Glatter: “Does someone has a look or do I have to die tonight? Fuck it anyway, next song!” Someone had a look and the fire worked afterwards properly ;) However, it seems, the guys had huge fun and best times on stage. Amazing show and a downright likeable band!
[Öko] Fire! Fire! Everywhere! It was a bit overkill. If things get used too often, they get boring. Besides, DESERTED FEAR left a good impression. Headbang Death Metal of its best. DESERTED FEAR are for sure one of the top five German Death Metal bands.

[Dajana] 25 years have passed since the legendary masterpiece The Law was released. Over decades :: EXHORDER :: have disbanded, reunited, disbanded, reunited, disbanded. 2017 sees Nola’s finest coming back, with a new line-up and a huge hunger to play live shows. And, as it is rumored: EXHUMER also work on new material. I have never seen them live before and was extremely excited. Expectations were really high and were highly fulfilled. EXHUMER played a fucking hell of a show and killed everything. What a comeback! Ok, with only two records up the sleeve, which are milestones nowadays, you can only deliver classics and do not anything wrong :) The crowd consequently freaked out. Totally. But it was also visible that the band enjoyed every second of their show, played with huge enthusiasm and pleasure. Next to Emperor the highlight of PSOA 2018!
[Öko] HELLYEAH!!! Same here. EXHORDER are the second winner of PARTY SAN OPEN AIR 2018. I was prepared and expecting such mind-blowing show as a friend of mine already told me about their festival appearance at Keep It True festival earlier this year. To collect so many hits with only two records only a few bands are able to do. Add the technical skills and their way to transform them for a live show without losing themselves into mauling fretboards. Hats off and bowed. Awesome show!

[Dajana] :: UNLEASHED :: are always a guarantor for an asskicking show. I don’t know how often they already played this festival, it was always great anyway. Tonight’s show was great too. Just predictable. By the way, did they play new songs? They will have a new album out on October 26 called The Hunt For White Christ.
Side note: In 2013 UNLEASHED played on the second PSOA day at the same time before Dying Fetus ;) There was a lot of smoke on stage and hardly any lights. Not that much to see actually. And Johnny surprisingly left out all those “ughs”
[Öko] How can he leave out “ughs”? Tststs. It does not makes a song worse. Anyway. UNLEASHED did not convince fully. Mr. Hedlund delivered one of his better shows and they have of lot of great songs (no wonder with 12 albums under their belt) but they could not catch me.

[Dajana] Now I could just do copy & paste, just with different names. :: DYING FETUS :: are always a guarantor for an asskicking show. I don’t know how often they already played this festival… blah. You know.
Of course, DYING FETUS teared it up and blasted everything away. I like to see them, I like to mosh with them. Good.
[Öko] With DYING FETUS it is a bit like with Cannibal Corpse. Excellent musicianship and a crowd going wild but I always miss something and could not even say what it exactly is.

[Dajana] And again copy & paste. Quasi. It was in 2013… again… when :: VENOM :: headlined the PSOA and played an exceptionally great best-of show. Anno 2018 it all was a rather sedated and halfhearted matter. Of course, the classics work. Always. Everybody was singing along full-throated. We The Loud – you know? It was about the middle of the set when suddenly drummer Danté stood on stage to say hello and reminding the fans that he will come back. He currently sits out live shows due to injuries and gets temporarily replaced.
[Öko] Yes, I agree. I sang the early hits along too. With newer material enthusiasm noticeably dropped down. Besides, it all sounded way too soft. I missed the raw and rumbling sound that is what VENOM makes so charming. Sounded soulless.
Setlist: Black Metal, Welcome To Hell, Bloodlust, 100 Miles To Hell, We The Loud, Long Haired Punks, The Death Of Rock 'n' Roll, Smoke, Buried Alive, The Evil One, Countess Bathory, In Nomine Satanas, Pedal To The Metal, Hammerhead, Warhead // Rise, In League With Satan, Witching Hour

[Dajana] I just had a look… Venom, Dying Fetus, Unleashed, Anaal Nathrakh, Coffins, Graveyard and Deserted Fear played PSOA in 2013 and in 2018, and, as mentioned aboved, partly on the exact same running order positions.
Ok, and so the second festival day ended in league with Satan. Hardly to believe but it got fresh during the night, under 10°C, and I froze my ass off.

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