[Dajana] The second festival day started out quite stormy. So, no backdrops. Understandable yet it looked shitty with the green background and the working stage-hands behind the performing band. On the other hand, immersing in the waving green was quite mesmerizing. Could not stop watching…
[Öko] What a worthy opening act! I, and the other NH members, had already seen :: TYLER LEADS :: performing live, supporting Satan (live review here). Back then the band had already shot their wads after four songs. This morning the band displayed stamina. They kept up their high-energy-performance throughout the entire show, showing a lot of action and delight in play. Great show, impressive development since the Satan show.
[Psycho] Blimey! It is a home match for TYLER LEADS and they presented themselves as well-oiled party and groove machine that did not stop any second. Or said with other words: a boisterous urge to move meets a massive enthusiasm playing together. There this huge festival stage was just big enough. I still don’t know how to categorize their brand of 70s tinged heavy Hard Rock and stuff but yeah, this band is highly rousing. Besides, TYLER LEADS was one of just few bands on this festival that had real and visible fun playing their music. I think, they can grow big.
[BRT] No doubt, this show was way better that the Satan support show. The guys rocked hell for leather. I would put their music anywhere between Hard Rock and Metal with the energy of certain Scandinavian Rock stars such as Hellacopters and Gluecifer.
Setlist: Call Of The Wild, Heavy Eyes, The Witch, Lady In Green, Big City Blues, Supercharged, Electric Wasteland, Burning Smoke
[Psycho] Since my opinion about stuff of this genre is well known I would like to rather give the coverage up to someone else.
[Dajana] I agree… *yawns*
[Öko] My first highlight of the ROCK HARD FESTIVAL 2019. With Gateways :: THE VINTAGE CARAVAN :: released their strongest record so far and so it is no wonder that the best songs of the show came from this album. But also older material knew how to please, making the show of the Icelandic power trio a stunning experience. I need to see them in a club. I guess, there the atmospheric guitar parts of guitarist/singer Óskar Logi Ágústsson work much better than on a huge festival stage. I will not leave the great rhythm work by bassist Alexander Örn Númason and drummer Stefán Ari unmentioned. I have rarely heard such tight playing!
[BRT] I’m more or less through with the Retro-Rock topic. There is hardly anything new and exciting coming from this genre. Especially when you dig deeper into the 70s there are much more thrilling and more diversified bands to find. THE VINTAGE CARAVAN did a great job though, played tight, straight, with enough variation in pace and dynamics, yet not enough to buy their records.
[Dajana] Did they start with “Hello Wacken”?
[Terry] I would not say so. I watched the whole show and I really enjoyed it. After the power show of Tyler Leads, THE VINTAGE CARAVAN needed a bit time to warm-up but then fully convinced, combining great musicianship with positive vibes and enthusiasm. Besides, Midnight Meditation was a great sing-along closer.
Setlist: Reflections, Set Your Sights, Babylon, Midnight Meditation
[Öko] CARNIVORE or :: CARNIVORE A.D. :: respectively, without Peter Steele is almost impossible like Motörhead without Lemmy. But, if you have seen videos from last year’s Hellfest, you know, there is no need for fears. New singer and bassist Baron Misuraca was convincing as replacement visually (minus some charisma) as well as regarding voice. Unfortunately, the second guitarist was missing (I actually don’t know who was there and who not), so, on stage there was not that much action.
[Dajana] Chuck Lenihan replaced Marc Piovanetti on guitar at this festival. There is no second guitarist. And they dedicated Sex And Violence with love and honor to the memories of Peter Steele and Keith Alexander.
[Öko] But in front of stage it became the first time rambunctious and the mosh pits got started. CARNIVORE A.D. offered songs from the first two CARNIVORE albums Carnivore (1985) and Retaliation (1987). If you ask me, they also could have played songs from Carnivore all alone. So, we had to miss crushers such as Male Supremacy, Armageddon, Legion Of Doom and Thermonuclear Warrior. Well, all in all a well-done show!
[Psycho] It was already hard to digest the musical contrast from the debut to the sophomore back then, and that not only due to the unappetizing intro. Also songwriting was much worse on the sophomore, now confirmed 30 years later at ROCK HARD FESTIVAL. As for that it was pity that the band did focus more on the sophomore than on the debut. Replacement guitarist Chuck Lenihan did a good job but did not change the overall lame performance. I have already seen cover bands more motivated than this one. And… sing-along-games with CARNIVORE? Seriously? The good ol’ Pete would have turned over in his grave…
Setlist: Carnivore, Predator, Inner Conflict, Jesus Hitler, God Is Dead, Race War, Sex And Violence
[Öko] :: HEIR APPARENT :: are said to be cult but their work never got stuck in my head. So, let’s try from a neutral point of view. New singer Will Shaw (the eighth one since the band was founded in 1987) delivered a great performance. His piercing screams set my teeth on edge yet did it way too often. Variation is something different. All in all I have to say, there was recognition value in the songs, but it sounded great. Maybe I should take a closer view on the band’s discography.
[Psycho] That I would like to recommend too. The band’s ’86 Graceful Inheritance album is a true classic, and the brand new one, A View From Below, is a strong one too. Unfortunately, the band was suffering from the worst sound of the entire festival and thus it was difficult to follow and to hear out musical fineness. It carries even greater weight as HEIR APPARENT do not do sing-along-song with two or three riffs. So, the band tried hard but even from my fan-view they tried to no avail. Too bad, because I though this show would be my highlight for Saturday.
[BRT] Whew, the sound on top the Amphitheater was really dull and sludgy. So, ran quickly down and see, much better! I’m not familiar with HEIR APPARENT either, as more I was surprised. This was great! Technically excellent, with a brilliant guitarist Terry Gorle and the much likeable Gimli-twin-brother Will Shaw. Sure, it is debatable if HEIR APPARENT work better in a club but hey, such band you get hardly to see live.
Oh, and what about these Queensrÿche comparisons? Sorry, but those guys have to prepare oneself for the worst with their half-baked stuff. HEIR APPARENT definitely was a Saturday highlight! Oh, and by the way, I have to go to buy some records…
[Terry] The rad new singer I have already seen on the Keep It True Festival in 2016 and their show blew me away. I found the sound in front of stage ok (as BRT already mentioned), as well as the song selection with two new ones (The Door and Insomnia, if I remember right) and classics (Tear Down The Walls, Another Candle). Yes, HEIR APPARENT are rather known for solemn hymns but for complex material at a higher pace Symphony X followed.
[Psycho] There you just want to visit an art exhibition instead of a metal market (with original cover art and other work of the artists) and then you get “arrested” by a heavy shower of rain. So we stayed in the tent and enjoyed more art and readings. This was interesting, but why not do this next but instead of the metal market?
[Öko] With :: SYMPHONY X :: it is like with Heir Apparent. I have often heard this name but never dealt with the band and their music. But I think, I have heard the one or the other song during our regularly happening metal evenings. Technically an excellent play, especially of drummer Jason Rullo. Single songs did not get stuck, but again I would like to deal closer with the band’s discography. Any recommendation from the NH crew where to start with?
[Dajana] For a long time there was nothing to hear from SYMPHONY X. The announced short hiatus lasted longer than expected, undesired, as singer Russel Allen got badly injured on tour with Adrenaline Mob, where the bassist and the tour manager got killed. He remembered both wholeheartedly during the show. By the way, Russel Allen looks much better, healthier and fitter these days. He almost completed a full fitness program on stage, had a lot of energy and much fun to perform live. And so had the whole band too.
[BRT] Another band I never dealt with any deeper but will make up leeway, because SYMPHONY X delivered a mind-blowing performance. They are great at playing and songwriting, while Russel Allen is a fantastic singer. My mate Chris said that they were more Prog-like earlier, while they are now much heavier. That was punching show on this early afternoon. Together with Heir Apparent my highlight for Saturday.
[Terry] Great live band but not one that hits the road often. Highly skilled musicians. SYMPHONY X is a band that ranks higher on my fave-list for quite some time, especially when it comes to Progressive. All of their chapters are more or less recommendable. I agree with Chris and would like to recommend the 1996 The Divine Wings Of Tragedy and the 2007 album Paradise Lost to be checked out. Russel Allen is one of the best singers in the whole metal world and performs with an immense power. His calling to live here and now and to enjoy every moment might sound hackneyed but is absolutely true, fitting and genuine, especially if you remember what Dajana told above.
Setlist: Iconoclast, Evolution (The Grand Design), Serpent’s Kiss, Nevermore, Without You, Domination, Run With The Devil, Sea Of Lies, Set The World On Fire
[Öko] Can you plan the perfect show? :: SKID ROW :: can!
1. Intro: Blitzkrieg Bop (Ramones) – spirit got immediately lifted high
2. First song: Slave To The Grind – One of the best songs of the band’s history. The mood is boiled up to 100%.
3. Middle of the set part I: Cover version Psycho Therapy (Ramones) – spirits are still high
4. Middle of the set part II: the crushing Monkey Business – the crowd is freaking out
5. Grand final: Youth Gone Wild – the band’s hymn. The crowd is going wild too and sings along full-throated
6. Outro: Country Road (John Denver) – a song everybody knows, everybody sings along as loud as possible, minute after minute (gave me creeps – Dajana)
All that played and performed with much energy and enthusiasm. And what a great singer ZP Theart is (I did not miss S. Bach). One of the best shows I have seen recently.
[Dajana] THE RAINBOW! Don’t forget the fucking rainbow. A doubled rainbow, so bright and great that even singer ZP Theart needed to go to have a look. Yes, yes, yes! I knew it! Would this show be as half as good as the show last year in Bochum, it would be already be a great one. And it was even better! What a smashing show! SKID ROW nailed it! Best show of the day!
[Psycho] It was indeed a great performance. I did not expect that. There is actually no need for SKID ROW to adorn themselves with borrowed plumes, erm, songs, but first, it worked perfectly, and second, it seems to become trendy to do so as we will learn on Sunday. Great song selection (even I knew the most of them), performed with punch and power, and ZP Theart, who is the perfect match as the band’s new singer. The crowd had fun! There you go!
[BRT] Soaked, I needed to go to the car to bet me dry clothes. So, I missed most of the show. But whenever I came close to the stage I heard a hit. Seems like SKID ROW did not make prisoners as all the feedback I got afterwards proves. Must have been a concert highlight.
Setlist: Blitzkrieg Bop (Intro, Ramones song), Slave To The Grind, Sweet Little Sister, Big Guns, 18 And Life, Piece Of Me, Livin' On A Chain Gang, Psycho Therapy (Ramones cover), Get The Fuck Out, Monkey Business, Makin' A Mess, We Are The Damned, Youth Gone Wild, Take Me Home, Country Roads (Outro, John Denver)
[Psycho] News: After the guest performance of :: CANNIBAL CORPSE :: at ROCK HARD FESTIVAL 2016, a drastic accumulation of serial killing, civil war like situations and a general neglect of the battle vest wearing population followed. This time the township of Gelsenkirchen wanted to prevent similar situations and casted an order of banning one day prior the festival to make the band not playing some of its (indexed) songs (see picture in the gallery). What a luck! Otherwise I would perhaps now nag on someone else’ guts, instead of writing in a neutral and journalistic manner of those happenings.
[Öko] Heard about it too. Yet, I think, Mr. George “Corpsgrinder” Fisher should be actually used to it by now. But he seemingly was not and did not have replacement songs in his set. Cut the CANNIBAL CORPSE set by around 20 minutes.
[Psycho] I guess that is due to the fact that CANNIBAL CORPSE have temporarily replaced guitarist Pat O‘Brian (who probably still leads the US cops through his collection of arms and potential explosive devices) by Eric Rutan (who has produced four albums with CANNIBAL CORPSE and is uniquely equipped to fill the role). They probably did not rehearse any further material.
[Öko] However, the Death Metal powerhouse of course smashed everything to pieces. When I saw them first at RHF I was taken by their high level of musicianship. This alone could not captivate me this year. The songs of CANNIBAL CORPSE are just too… um… boring, which was mostly due to Mr. Fishers grunts. All the same, all too uniform. *yawns*
[Psycho] I liked the 2016 show better too. Tonight the band was visibly not up for a show. Probably pissed off as hell. Most of all Rob Barrett, who probably wanted to be cool but acted like a prima donna. So it was the guest musician who made the show. Technically it was all top-notch but boring. Even pissed off the Corpsgrinder sounds all the same – could be fascinating if it was not so… erm… boring.
[BRT] Hmm. My guts are still there. And they remained 3 years ago too. I did not slash someone with a chainsaw nor did I cannibal zombies. What made the township of Gelsenkirchen doing so might be their best kept secret. It was stupid and embarrassing anyway. Ok, back to the music… I’m no fan, and will never be. Though, it was the best show I have seen from CANNIBAL CORPSE so far. Even if Corpsegrinder is the most monotonous singer, his headbanging looks impressing and first-class replacement help Erik Rutan brought action into the show. Tight as fuck though. Yes, it was a great show. Perhaps it was so short?
Setlist: Code Of The Slashers, Only One Will Die, Red Before Black, Staring Through The Eyes Of The Dead, The Wretched Spawn, Unleashing The Bloodthirsty, Kill Or Become, Stripped, Raped And Strangled, (Unknown), Death Walking Terror, Make Them Suffer, Hammer Smashed Face (instrumental)
[Öko] Help! What the shit??? The worst show ever I have heard and seen at a ROCK HARD FESTIVAL? Could possibly be. The sing of Kai Hansen was too often off-key and lead singer Frank Beck just average. The melodies were so sickly sweet that my gorge was rising. The rhymes were probably stolen from a children’s song book. In pain I fled from the Amphitheater.
[Psycho] Lights out, spots on – confusion. Heavysaurus are headlining? Oh shit, it is :: GAMMA RAY ::. I actually like Kai Hansen but with this show he did not do himself a favor. This show was beyond bearable for every fan of heavy music: too many candy-like riffs and an extra portion of softener. Even the light show would have better suited for a Ballermann evening entertainment. Just Captain Cook and his singing Saxophones were missing… No wonder that the crowd started a veritable disengagement (at least from the circles). And the arena was not packed at all.
[BRT] WTF! Seriously? That was the worst collection of Speed Metal melodies even children would have performed in a better way. Voice-like totally off-key and his announcements were so funny that I wanted to puke. Technically there was nothing to nag - solid show. When the banana… erm… ballad was announced (quote Hansen), we needed to flee too.
P.S. GAMMA RAY must have made something right as the arena down there was packed and the response was enthusiastic but I don’t know if that now should put my mind at ease…
Setlist: Welcome, Land Of The Free, Man On A Mission, Master Of Confusion, Gardens Of The Sinner, Heavy Metal Universe, Dethrone Tyranny, The Silence, To The Metal, Rebellion In Dreamland, Heaven Can Wait, Hellbent, Avalon, Send Me A Sign
[Dajana] What a wonderful day, especially as a photographer. No cams in the pit with camera staff pushing us around. Generally there have been too many photographers in the pit, quite a few with mobiles or compact cams only with hands up, blocking ways and sights of real photographers. And of course there have been ones not behaving properly in the pit. Always the same people by the way… |
