Down - Karaoke - Overkill - Vicious Rumors - Anacrusis - Metal Inquisitor - Atlantean Kodex - Enforcer - Vanderbuy

[Psycho] Division of work is a great thing, especially if you get the “right” part. I did ;) Had a sleep in and the fact that it definitely would not rain made it even better. Good mood. But much more important was the fact that on this festival day the best bands would share the stage. Today’s billing is just awesome!

:: pics ::

[Dajana] Yes, but hey Psycho, you missed something special. So :P I talk about Dutch crazy heads :: VANDERBUYST :: I have to admit, I didn’t know them either. Ok, gap in education. Now closed ;) This Dutch trio so damn fucking rocked the Amphitheater… it was a hell of a blast. And compared to the last two days, now the arena was well filled, from the first tone on. VANDERBUYST is Hard Rock, definitely insane, and not from this world. Pure entertainment. The dot on the i followed with the dancing background singer later in their set. Flashback. 80s. We are back in the 80s! Do you remember Stevie Nicks? (Stand Back, 1983 – oh, you not really need to know it actually ;)). As for me… the most surprising act on ROCK HARD FESTIVAL!
P.S. VANDERBUYST are going to support Saxon on tour in autumn.
[Terry] Same to me! I unfortunately missed the beginning, but then just got blown away. Asskicking Hard Rock, cocky but sophisticated.
[Psycho] Ok, ok, I believe…
[Dajana] Just watch the pics… ;)

[Psycho] Talking about :: ENFORCER :: I can refer to what I said about In Solitude the day before. ENFORCER just play Maiden influenced Power/Speed Metal, of course the 80s style. In a direct relation I prefer today’s show. Song material was easier accessible and the band more active. Sure, also ENFORCER left much room for improvement but the guys had a lot fun, the crowd too, and with Scream Of The Savage we got the first festival hit of the day. As for that I would like to overlook some tuning problems and miscues.
[Terry] I think the show was great, was in front of stage to pep my groaning neck up. ENFORCER definitely brimmed with energy and a Rock’n’Roll attitude. As for the unclean playing I guess it’s due to the fact that frontman Olof Wikstrand was not so very long ago only the singer. Now he had to take over the guitar duties too. I’m sure they gonna work on this.
[Wiebke] Why the hell I had all the time this Europe-felling?

[Psycho] Next up was :: ATLANTEAN KODEX :: and I have to confess that their latest CD release could not match the expectation various reviews and especially the Rock Hard raised. Yes, I also like to run riot but we should try not to go overboard. These Bavarian gents are for sure a good band with some great songs but I could not discover the described epic dimensions, neither live nor on CD. Together with the almost motionless performance I can call this show solid at best.
[Dajana] STATIC was the term we were searching for upstairs. ATLANTEAN KODEX was just static. As for me I also get used with “boring” ;)
[Terry] Static… yes. But to this kind of music (and band members) an exaggerated posing and movement does not suit. And we also have to consider that the band hardly played live so far. As for that I (and the ones I talked to) found the show pretty awesome and mighty.
Setlist: From Shores Forsaken, Pilgrim, Marching Homeward, The Atlantean Kodex, Temple Of Catholic Magick

[Psycho] Well, how a band can do it better following :: METAL INQUISITOR :: proved, who also cultivate a classic Metal sympathy. Ok, they don’t go that wild anymore like the Swedish whippersnapper but there was significantly more movement on stage. Besides, the Koblenz-based metallers delivered the tightest live performance of the day and only had highlights in their setlist. Singer El Rojo not only shined with a great singing performance but also with friendly funny sayings and announcements and got the first rows drunk. Yep, 45 minutes with a max. of entertaining factor. The band got deservedly celebrated with fans yelling at them, on own request ;)

[Psycho] Next band was the one I was most looking forward to. At early 90s I was a true :: ANACRUSIS :: fan but never had the chance to see them live. Now I was curious if Ken Nardi and his mates would be able to play their tricky kind of Thrash Metal the same good way as 20 years ago.
And yes! No problem! Seems like ANACRUSIS don’t have any difficulties in doing so. Sorely during the opener Paint A Picture there seemed to be some probs with the monitor sound. ANACRUSIS played as if they would never had disbanded and, as for the time frame, played an almost perfect best-of-set through Reason, Manic Impressions and Screams And Whispers, as well as one new song, which stylistically hints towards the last two mentioned album. Also a great one! Besides, I got much impressed by Kens singing performance. Next to his sophisticated guitar playing he also screamed, growled and sung clean. Also the characteristically piercing shrieks of the past he did perfectly. Just WOW! Another striking fact: the entire (old) material sounded much modern. ANACRUSIS definitely were ahead of times, back then…
[Wiebke] Now I have to state that ANACRUSIS were my surprise of the day. Definitely before my own Metal time these old gentlemen just blow me away. Fucking great riffwork, awesome voice, that’s the way Metal has to be!
Setlist: Paint A Picture, I Love The World, Release, My Soul’s Affliction, Something Real, Terrified, Far Too Long, Grateful, Sound The Alarm, Butcher’s Block

[Psycho] That I call “service for customers” :: VICIOUS RUMORS :: accelerated the change-over just to play one more song. Great attitude! For many, many fans now the best show of the day followed. Geoff Thorpe was really keen to play live and had as many classics as possible in his bag to heat up the crowd. New singer Brian Allen did a good job, just his intonation I found unclean at some points. Forgiven. To replace singers such as Carl Albert and James Rivera is a heavy task and besides, Allen was moving all the time. But he didn’t have to say anything. All announcements were made by Geoff. Either he could not help doing this band leader thing or he thought he’s the only one able to conjure the spirit of Heavy Metal the right way. However, nothing to nag about really. VICIOUS RUMORS delivered the full program, songs through their entire history, added by a highly energetic stage-acting and thus scored enormously. Grandiose show! Really. In this shape they will surely still please us for a long time.
[Dajana] Yep. Agree 100%! For me it was the best show of the day and one of the best of the entire festival (top 3 ;)). I could not stand still any second in the photopit and as soon as I was out I gave away my equipment and stormed the first row. Ready to rock baby! ;)
[Terry] I’m really happy to see the band in full action again. VICIOUS RUMORS displayed such delight in playing! I know it ain’t the easiest thing to replace Carl Albert and James Rivera (both two of my favorite singers) but I agree, Brian Allen really did an awesome job here. Now let me mention the “I throw my guitar into the crowd” action by Geoff Thorpe. He got it back ;) And VICIOUS RUMORS had a fantastic sound.
Setlist: Digital Dictator, Minute To Kill, Murderball, Razorback Blade, Dust To Dust, Out Of The Shadows, Abandoned, Worlds And Machines, Lady Took A Chance, Let The Garden Burn, Hellraiser, War - Soldiers Of The Night, Don't Wait For Me

[Psycho] Hardly to top but no worries. :: OVERKILL :: always tops the popularity scale. They finally release great records again and regarding their live shows they are a certified might. Rock Hard’s chief editor Götz additionally announced something special happening during the show. OVERKILL got into their set with The Green And Black seeing the Amphitheater freaking out completely. There were rumors going around OVERKILL would play the entire Taking Over album. They did not. Instead they played two very, very old songs from the very first demo tape: Deathrider and Within The Beast. And the grandiose Skullcrusher they don’t play at every show either. Besides, we actually got the common best-of setlist, of course once again as a stunning performance, but nothing I would call too special or memorable. OVERKILL closed with the sing-along classics Old School and Fuck You. Everything as ever and thus outstandingly great!
[Terry] These both ancient tracks from the very first demo Power In Black (1983) really were a surprise and I had a blast. But compared with the Killfest show in Enschede I found the band less energetic tonight. Blitz often ran off the stage and did not seem to be 100% ok (he needed to smoke there – Dajana). Of course he delivered a flawless performance. I guess touring lasting for months now takes its toll. If so, than I’m nagging on a high level ;) Besides, they played In Union We Stand and also Elimination, yeah!
[Wiebke] I was just wondering why D.D. Verni flipped me off for no reason…
[Dajana] He always does, to anybody…
Setlist: The Green And Black, Evil Never Dies, Rotten To The Core, Give A Little, Bring Me The Night, Hello From The Gutter, Ironbound, Deathrider, Beast Within, In Union We Stand, Skullcrusher, Old School, Elimination, Fuck You

[Psycho] Time for the finale of the karaoke competition. This year the just 11 years old Paul stood out who frankly took possession of Maiden’s Fear Of The Dark vociferous supported by the crowd. Well, who would have thought that: The ROCK HARD FESTIVAL is made for the entire family ;)
[Wiebke] Yeah, this little boy was just great. No worries about the next metal generation ;)

[Dajana] Gosh darn it! Can please someone turn back the time??? Back to Friday please, 12am… Don’t wanna see the festival already coming to an end! No? F***! Ok. ROCK HARD FESTIVAL 2011 and the grand finale :: DOWN :: Well, if it really was such grand finale is debatable I guess. The headliner we already had. Many left and the Amphitheater got emptied. Mr. Phil Anselmo afterwards did not leave out any faux pas and was offending the fans. A chav as its best, megalomaniac, egoistic and a motormouth. If he would have told just the half (of bullshit) he could have played the doubled amount of songs. Yep, there were some great and groovy riffs, and I think without Anselmo DOWN would be an awesome band but as for now… dispensable. Just wondering if this behavior is just his stage image or a general attitude…
[Terry] Although I found his singing pretty much ok I agree when it comes to his asshole-factor… And they could have used the breaks much better. Maybe Anselmo then would have been more exhausted to leave the stage. Instead he started playing drums while the stage-hands already removed the equipment. Made me smile… ;) Also a nice gesture was to hand over the instruments to the crew during the finale Bury Me In Smoke, while the band said goodbye to the fans. By the way, Rex Brown got properly replaced by Crowbar’s Pat Bruders.
Setlist: Hail The Leaf, Lysergik Funeral Procession, Lifer, Losing All, New Orleans Is A Dying Whore, Pillars Of Eternity, Ghosts Along The Mississippi, Temptation's Wings, Eyes Of The South // Stone The Crow, Bury Me In Smoke

[Psycho] Since I’m not such a DOWN fan I left earlier. But next year, to the 10th anniversary, I will be back for sure. Götz already announced something special for this anniversary. I’m much looking forward. If it is allowed to wish me something: Annihilator, Machine Head, King Diamond/Mercyful Fate, Onslaught, Hell, Havok, Omen, Portrait etc… Give me 5 seconds and I might extend this list ;)
[Dajana] Yep, same here. I have so many bands in mind we would have to spend a full week at the Amphitheater or so *lol* See ya in 2012!
[Terry] Yep, booked! Yes, it was a great weekend. As for the weather, well, you can’t have such luck every year. As for the bands in 2012 I wish the first three of Psycho’s list and Omen would be a dream come true. And spontaneous: Armored Saint, Into Eternity and um, yes Shadow Gallery. And Riot...:) And… Ok, enough for now… :)

story © Psycho, Terry, Wiebke, Dajana • pics © Dajana