An Ode To Joy – The Dying Fetus Way
[Dajana] First day of the festival, the sun is shining, the sky is blue. After splendid weather was forecast on Wednesday, the weather radar on Thursday morning had shown a thunderstorm for Saturday. Well, we'll see... And already at 1:45 pm the first band was on stage. That’s the new kick-off time since last year. And I find it MUCH, MUCH too early and the first three bands thus burned. They should row back to 3pm in my opinion. Quality instead of quantity.
The consequence was that none of us saw the first two bands... Means, nothing to read about :: MENTOR :: and :: ORBIT CULTURE ::.
[BRT] More and more people arrive on Wednesdays, so I can understand that the program starts earlier. But for me it's also too early or we weren't really there yet...
[Öko] I also arrived for the first time on Wednesday! But only because my rideshare wanted it. I would actually prefer an arrival on Thursday.
[BRT] The Spaniards :: JADE :: opened the festival in the tent, offering atmospheric melodic death metal that was really, really cool. Had the band only marginally on the radar, but must urgently listen to the album The Pacification Of Death. It's not about speed records or stupid riff-shredding, it's about atmosphere and sound. Well, sound is only conditionally good now and on the following days in the tent. In addition, the musty, sultry and slightly moldy air didn't make it easy to stay in the tent. Bölzer and Sulphur Aeon? No, they don't sound like that. But also not like old Paradise Lost. Maybe it fits right in the middle…
[Öko] The focus of JADE's performance is not the pursuit of speed records or the repetitive clanging of simple riffs. Rather, everything revolves around the creation of a dense atmosphere and an impressive sound experience. The experience inside the tent turns out to be challenging both at present and in the days to come. The air inside is suffused with sultriness, sticky and carries a slight whiff of transience. Before this performance, I had never heard of JADE! However, during the journey and at the base camp, I heard countless recommendations for this Spanish band. Curious, I decided to take a closer look and especially listen.
Band: J. (bass, vox.), M. (drums), A.(git)
:: pics :: ANGELUS APATRIDA ::
[Dajana] Somehow I was fixated on the Greek Slayer clones of Suicidal Angels the whole time and wondered why there was another singer on stage... ;) Well, yeah, wrong wind direction I would say ;) There was Spanish Thrash Metal with :: ANGELUS APATRIDA :: and that was really fun! There is a new album called Aftermath coming in October, from which however no song was presented live yet.
[BRT] Solid Bay-Area Thrash, better live than on record. And certainly eons better than those Slayer/Sepultura clones. But somehow I'm done with this topic. Modern thrash doesn't give me anything and I don't buy records anymore. Only live it's quite fun. But well, there are enough people who celebrate it. That's how it should be.
Band: Guillermo Izquierdo (vox, git), David G. Álvarez (git), Jose J. Izquierdo (bass), Víctor Valera (drums)
Setlist: Bleed The Crown, Indoctrinate, One Of Us, Violent Dawn, We Stand Alone, Give 'Em War, Sharpen The Guillotine, You Are Next
:: pics :: GATECREEPER ::
[Dajana] So, slowly it starts to get interesting with the bands. :: GATECREEPER :: I haven't seen live yet.
[BRT] As soon as I'm on the battle field, there's the first big surprise. At first glance, GATECREEPER play quite classic Swedish HM2-Death Metal, but have their very own note in their sound. The Americans are simply more relaxed, more progressive and more exciting. Much more mid-tempo and doomy passages, plus cool melodies. The vocals have a slightly hardcore touch and that alone lifts the band out of the endless HM2 swamp. Great gig, likeable band. Awesome!
[Öko] An unexpected surprise for me as well. The sounds of GATECREEPER seem like classic death metal in the style of many Swedish bands, but they weave a completely individual nuance into their sound. The band from North America shows itself progressive and extremely captivating. A large share of mid-tempo passages and darker parts enriches the performance, accompanied by impressive melodies. An outright thrilling performance from a band that seems extremely accessible. Really outstanding, without a doubt.
Band: Chase H. Mason (vox), Eric Wagner (git), Nate Garrett aka Jack Maniacky (git), Sean Mears (bass), Matthew Arrebollo (drums)
:: pics :: ARCHSPIRE ::
[Dajana] :: ARCHSPIRE :: literally made my jaw drop. Jared alone played on the six-string bass, like common Post Rock guitarists on the seven-string guitar. That was just… WOW!
Totally crazy. The singer, on the other hand, looked like someone taken out of a rapper video and acted like one. Technically absolutely top-notch. But, somehow, you can only listen to two or three songs, then it becomes too much...
[BRT] Phew... Nah... That's too stressful for me. Sure, I can definitely appreciate that there is a quite original and technically skilled band on stage, going wild. But the sound doesn't give me anything and rather makes my heart pound. Okay, ok - this is where PSOA caters to a younger modern crowd, that's certainly ok. But all in all, ARCHSPIRE divided the minds and how.
P.S. The singer was impressive, he was crazily fast when speaking/singing.
[Seb] ARCHSPIRE were my entry into the PSOA 2023. After six hours of travel, the shuttle was very punctual, but I stood with full luggage for a good hour at the accreditation booth. This could be done better in 2024, e.g. two counters could be opened on the main arrival day, especially when the shuttle bus arrives.
The music as such is impressive, but the band themselves seem to suspect that hardly anyone can stand it for 45 minutes at a time. Otherwise there would certainly be no antics with twister mats and other comedic interludes in between.
[Öko] Fast! Very fast! Very quickly boring! But of course also kind of impressive!
Band: Oliver Rae Aleron (vox), Tobi Morelli (git), Dean Lamb (git), Jared Smith (bass), Spencer Prewett (drums)
[BRT] Yeah! :: BALMOGs :: Eve was an absolute highlight of the last two years for me and so of course I watched the gig of the Galician in the tent. Atmospheric and dark, very awesome. Maybe a few nuances of the record got lost in the muddy sound, but overall the gig is a lot of fun for me. Great band, exciting records - I think I want to see them in the club as soon as possible. There are a lot of Spaniards in the billing today. Fine, fine!
[Öko] The tent stage of PARTY SAN METAL OPEN AIR 2023 became the scene of a compelling and dark performance when Spanish black metal band BALMOG took the stage and captivated the audience. The setlist consisted of a carefully crafted selection of songs from their latest album Eve as well as older tracks. Singer Balc expressed the lyrics with fervor and intensity, which underlined the dark themes of the songs.
Despite isolated sound problems during the performance, BALMOG maintained their dedication and professionalism. The band did not let the challenges get in their way and continued their dark musical journey with determination. The band undoubtedly managed to convey the darkness and intensity of black metal in this intimate setting, transporting the audience into their sinister sounds. Very awesome gig!
[Dajana] I only heard the last two songs and I didn't find them all that exciting - considering all the praise. I'll have to listen to it again back home.
Band: Morg (bass), Virus (drums), Balc (git, vox), Javi Bastard (git)
:: pics :: TRIBULATION ::
[Dajana] Well, I don't think there is much more to say about :: TRIBULATION ::. Nice show. Someone said that the band now sounds rockier with Joseph Tholl...
[BRT] I somehow missed or didn't notice TRIBULATION. Well, after the Children Of The Night disc it went rapidly downhill and the band didn't grab me anymore. Joseph Tholl, on the other hand, was always a household name with his other bands, but as a frontman. Unfortunately he doesn't sing with TRIBULATION. Maybe I have to give the Swedes a chance again, but it would be easier with better vocals.
[Seb] I kind of have the feeling that this band haunts me: without ever wanting to see them active, they would have to be one of my most watched combos in recent years. If I hadn't been told that there was a change in the lineup, I wouldn't have noticed and just thought that one fellow had a new haircut. Sounded the same to me as always. Solid, unspectacular but at least not unpleasantly noticeable.
[Öko] I'm quite pessimistic about the future of TRIBULATION since lead guitarist Jonathan Hultén left the band in 2020 to focus on other endeavors. His performance was the main driver of the Swedish band's live performances. Having seen this group live several times in the past, it's impossible not to notice that the chemistry that once existed between bassist Johannes Anderson, guitarist Adam Zaars and Hultén has evaporated.
Band: Johannes Andersson (vox, bass), Adam Zaars (git), Joseph Tholl (git), Oscar Leander (drums)
[BRT] Somehow I think I have seen another cool band in the tent... The name :: MORBIFIC :: is also buzzing around there. But maybe I was one over the eight...
Band: Jusa Janhonen (bass, vox), Olli Väkeväinen (git), Onni Väkeväinen (drums)
pics :: :: NILE ::
[Dajana] The show of :: NILE :: afterwards was not under a good star. Technical difficulties led to a delay of almost half an hour. But also during the set there were interruptions again and again. I found the show rather disappointing.
[BRT] Arrrgh, this increasingly self-indulgent shreds of the band drives me up the wall. NILE used to be really cool, but they don't reach me anymore. Too much technical fiddling, no more cool groovy parts or oriental melodies that really grab you. It's just pure technical show. Sure, super done and about George Kollias you don't have to say anything, but the rest…
[Seb] The difficulties and delay were already very unsatisfying and at times it was also too quiet. However, when they finally got going, NILE unpacked the wrecking ball as usual, even on bad days songs like Call To Destruction or Black Seeds Of Vengeance are still convincing. The reactions to Karl's announcements ("Are you motherfuckers ready to destroy shit with us") remained very restrained during the set, which in the end lasted just half an hour. I have seen them doing better, also on this stage.
[Öko] I have no idea if NILE can even play a bad concert. The band just has a fucking hit density. Sure, there is always something to complain about and no matter which setlist they play, they will never please everyone, I also would have liked to hear other songs for today. Nevertheless, NILE are always great live and manage to play an awesome show. So they did tonight at PSOA. I'll just ignore the technical difficulties.
Band: Karl Sanders (vox, git), George Kollias (drums)
Setlist: Sacrifice Unto Sebek, Defiling The Gates Of Ishtar, Kafir!, Call To Destruction, Vile Nilotic Rites, In The Name Of Amun, Black Seeds Of Vengeance
:: pics :: DEICIDE ::
[Dajana] With :: DEICIDE :: it is always such a thing. The show stands and falls with the mood of Mr. Benton. But apparently everyone was really in the mood to sacrifice the PSOA 2023 to the horned one... The first part of the set consisted of the 1992 album Legion, played in its entirety. Quasi for the 30th anniversary of the record. After that there was half of Once Upon The Cross and some really old stuff.
[BRT] Demolition! It felt like DEICIDE got better and better during the gig. Sure, Benton doesn't talk much, he's not an entertainer anyway. But this malicious charisma has something. I thought it was great. What a slaughter.
[Seb] DEICIDE also took their time with the sound check, but at least not that long. The compensation came in the form of excellent old school thrashing, with a much better, crisper sound than their death metal colleagues right before. Mr. Benton and his buddies were in a really good mood, and when the old classics were introduced with slogans like "Let's get to the fucking business of the day: In Hell I Burn", one felt transported back to the good old days. The squeaking during the so-called "guitar solos" still gets on my nerves but in the long run, the enormous riffs and the sheer brutality more than compensate for that. Very nice!
[Öko] As mentioned above, the dynamics of a DEICIDE live show are often closely linked to Glen's state of mind. However, at PSOA 2023 it was noticeable that the entire band was highly motivated to pay proper respect to the Dark Lord. The performance began with a special tribute to their 1992 album Legion, which was played in its full glory - an enthusiastic celebration of the 30th anniversary of this masterpiece. This was followed, as Dajana mentioned, by selections from Once Upon The Cross as well as some of their earliest classics. Good gig!
Band: Glen Benton (vox, bass), Taylor Nordberg (git), Kevin Quirion (git), Steve Asheim (drums)
Setlist: Satan Spawn, The Caco-Daemon, Dead But Dreaming, Repent To Die, Trifixion, Behead The Prophet (No Lord Shall Live), Holy Deception, In Hell I Burn, Revocate The Agitator // Once Upon The Cross, When Satan Rules His World, They Are The Children Of The Underworld, Scars Of The Crucifix, Dead By Dawn, Homage For Satan
:: pics :: OBITUARY ::
[BRT] Can :: OBITUARY :: ever do bad? Evil gossip has it that it's all about the motivation of John Tardy... Okay, I've never seen it that way. I guess I've always seen great, fat and groovy OBITUARY gigs and can't complain. It was great here too; it didn't take long before the band got the fans hooked. A bit too much routine maybe, but that's okay with the songs.
[Dajana] I can't remember a bad OBITUARY show. As many times as I've seen them, the Americans always gave it their all and had fun doing it.
[Seb]I honestly can't remember the last time I saw OBITUARY live. Directly after Deicide, the crowning finale was a hefty "blast from the past". The Florida boys went one step further in terms of sound and for the first time on the opening day the audience was fully into it - I haven't seen such a "full house" on a Thursday here for a long time.
Since OBITUARY had recently released their eleventh studio album with Dying Of Everything, this naturally took up a large part of the set with six songs, while the album cover served as a backdrop. It's fitting that the album is quite excellent - with the classics sprinkled in, I think it was a well done mix of old and new. But of course also the fans of older material got their money's worth at the end: Around 0.40 am there was a short breather, before as a kind of "encore" and next two more songs from the current album, the two absolute OBITUARY classics were beaten around the ears. You didn't have to be a clairvoyant to know that the finale would consist of I'm In Pain as well as the crowning Slowly We Rot. Strong performance and a worthy headliner for the first day!
[Öko] The tension in the air was palpable as OBITUARY took the stage. Touring this year in support of their excellent new album Dying Of Everything, they of course often draw on its material, but also pulled enough from their repertoire to satisfy even the most "their debut was better" fans.
At this point in their career, OBITUARY aren't exactly reinventing the wheel, but they can easily keep up with bands half their age, delivering death metal anthems from Sentence Day and I'm In Pain to modern tracks like Visions In My Head and The Wrong Time. OBITUARY may play death metal, but there's plenty of life left in the old dog.
Band: John Tardy (vox), Trevor Peres (git), Kenny Andrews (git), Terry Butler (bass), Donald Tardy (drums)
Setlist: Redneck Stomp, Sentence Day, A Lesson In Vengeance, Visions In My Head, The Wrong Time, Barely Alive, Slow Death, Find The Arise, Weaponize The Hate, My Will To Live, Chopped In Half / Turned Inside Out // War, Dying Of Everything, I'm In Pain, Slowly We Rot
[Dajana] One last delicious dark Köstritzer, brushing teeth, pee and off to bed... um... to the sleeping bag ;)
[BRT] Shockingly reasonable... Without party tent and devastating escalations...
[Seb] Yeah, let's see what those ramshackle bones have to say the next day, haha. At first glance, the air mattress made a slightly more uncomfortable impression than the usual hotel room, but at least I don't have to compete with hundreds of more or less drunk people for a seat on the bus ;)
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