Old Kids In The Pott
[Dajana] The introduction of the “New Kids In The Pott” bands meant that the gates to the ROCK HARD FESTIVAL 2026 opened half an hour early, and the first band took the stage earlier than usual. Still, even though Friday was a normal workday for many, the amphitheater was already well-filled. Wow.
Anyway, let's first take a deep breath, enjoy the view, find a spot and have a first festival beer, yeaahhh :)
[Psycho] Hmm, our usual parking spot was totally empty - did we get the day wrong? Nope, it’s fine; it’s just early for a workday and already scorching hot. Check-in is quick and painless, and then we’re off to the sponsorship event disguised as a band contest. Sure, it’s a great thing for the “newcomers” (most of whom, however, already have quite a bit of experience), but can’t they just call it what it is instead of making such a big fuss about it?
:: pics :: MAJAK ::
[BRT] Restless Wicked, the latest album from :: MAJAK :: out of Neumünster, was a total surprise to me - quirky, diverse, and unpredictable. It’s certainly not an easy listen and a bold choice for an opener; the guys will have to prove themselves on the big stage and are sure to raise a few eyebrows.
[Psycho] It wasn’t my thing. A strange mix of conventional metal with a bit of a Southern twist and screeching vocals. Unfortunately, there was no real groove and/or action on stage, making it rather boring. The stage was definitely too big for the band.
[Sui] MAJAK had the equally honorable and demanding task of opening the RHF. Their solid heavy rock with rough, growling vocals was, however, rather predictable and came across as a bit sedate. With 16 years of band experience, MAJAK weren’t really “New Kids” either.
[BRT] Yeah, I’d expected more from MAJAK, too. I like their album, and it worked well at the small Marx club in Hamburg. On the huge stage here at the amphitheater, the guys seemed a bit static and lost. The songs also came across as rather bland and lacking in edge - there’s gotta be more to it than that, right?
[Dirk] Although I felt like the second half had a bit more energy, the show at Marx was definitely better.
Band: Wild Eye (vocals, guitar), Rippe (guitar), Hammersmith (bass, vocals), Al Punchino (drums)
Setlist: Liquid Gold Nebular, Devilcatcher, Blood On The Iconz, Temple Of Death, Restless Wicked
:: pics :: MAAMUUT ::
[Psycho] I was pleasantly surprised here. Musically, with its heavy Sabbath-esque vibe and a few stoner rock elements - not really my cup of tea - :: MAAMUUT :: won me over with heavy grooves, significantly more drive, and just a greater sense of joy in playing. Bonus point: the guest listener (?) at the camping table on the left side of the stage with a cigarette and a beer (and a beer belly), who didn’t move an inch the entire set. Never seen anything like that before - weird!
[Sui] MAAMUUT got down to business with much more energy (aside from the aforementioned living stage prop). Guitarist and singer Martin Fankhänel, in particular, was a real asset, with a grin that barely left his face despite the heavy sounds. But here too: three pros with years of experience - which, in my view, definitely paid off musically.
[BRT] I also found MAAMUUT much more entertaining. Very powerful songs that worked really well live. I wouldn’t buy the album, but they were top-notch on stage. The gimmick with the guy in a tank top smoking a cigarette and drinking beer was definitely cool. At first, you thought he was about to get up and grab the second guitar…
[Dirk] That eating and drinking guy on the side was definitely something different, but I didn't really get it. Other than that, I give this performance a thumb-up too! The sound was crisp, and the songs were spot-on.
Band: Martin Fankhänel (vocals, guitar), André Weller (bass, vocals), Mike Pohle (drums)
Setlist: Intro, Skyfall, W.A.R, Karma, Into The Void, Merkholm Hansen
:: pics :: PROPHETS OF THE RISING DEAD ::
[Psycho] To me, however, :: PROPHETS OF THE RISING DEAD :: sounded more like metalcore than metal. We got the usual Gothenburg riffs with clean-voiced choruses. Well played, but that wasn’t even original back when the band was founded in 2011 (remember: newcomers). But the guys were definitely having fun, which was clearly evident.
[Sui] And the third band doesn’t really bring a breath of fresh air to the RHF either. PROPHETS OF THE RISING DEAD offered run-of-the-mill metal - professional, passionate, but also predictable and heard too many times before. At least they were the winners of the “contest.” The “New Kids in the Pott” concept urgently needs to be rethought.
[BRT] Musically, nothing new, even if it sounded damn modern “core-like”. At least the Prophets came across as quite professional and rightly won the contest. But yeah, this concept could probably use some fine-tuning.
Band: Sven Eltner (vocals, bass), Pascal Rath (guitar), Philip Hillich (guitar), Florian Fischer (drums)
Setlist: Out Of Reach, Veiled In Light, Scarytale, Behind The Stars, Where The Days Never End, This Pain For Heaven
:: pics :: NECKBREAKKER ::
[Dajana] I was really curious about the Danes. These young guns had caused quite a stir in 2024 with their debut album Within The Viscera, which landed them a deal with Nuclear Blast right away.
Oh, you better take the band’s name literally.
And yes, they delivered - with full throttle. By the way, those kids could almost be our grandchildren… hahahaha
[Psycho] I’d only heard of the band by name before. Visually, they were definitely the newcomers, but their performance was significantly more professional than all three sets before them. Extremely energetic, :: NECKBREAKKER :: offered a cool mix of fast-paced death metal and some downbeat passages. The only thing that wasn’t my cup of tea was the heavily hardcore-influenced vocals. In any case, the energy in the venue was immediate, and the first mosh pits and a (small) wall of death formed. I’ll have to check them out on record sometime.
[Sui] Death metal with slightly hardcore-style vocals: NECKBREAKKER delivered a convincing performance, but they’re definitely not my thing. And so, it was time for a quick first tour of the venue.
[BRT] NECKBREAKKER weren’t my thing. Death metal with a few thrash bits and hardcore-styled vocals. Over the course of three-quarters of an hour, it sounded pretty monotonous and devoid of melody. Sure, these were pros at work, and the Danes certainly picked up a fan or two. But not me.
[Seb] After an eventful journey (at least I actually made it, unlike some others in the group… the Ruhrbahn was apparently a bit less of a piece of junk than the Deutsche Bahn…) involving quite a few unplanned kilometers on foot in scorching heat, NECKBREAKKER was my introduction to RHF 2026. I didn’t catch everything, and part of it I only heard on my way to the stage, but overall, I really liked it; it was just the vocals (as is usually the case with this subgenre) that didn’t quite suit my taste. All in all, though, a lively and successful “personal opener.”
Band: Christoffer Kofoed (vocals), Sebastian Knoblauch (bass), Joakim Kaspersen (guitar), Johan Lundvig (guitar), Viktor Bjørnstad (drums)
Setlist: Face-Splitting Madness, Between The Sun And The Gallows, Shackled To A Corpse, Nephilim, Unholy Inquisition, Horizon Of Spikes, Silo
:: pics :: ANGEL WITCH ::
[Psycho] The rest of the editorial staff is probably sharpening their knives, but :: ANGEL WITCH :: have, in my opinion, once again confirmed their status as a one-hit wonder with this performance. Of course, the Brits saved that song for last, and the rest of the set just kind of meandered along. The fact that they seemed even stiffer in the hips than they already did due to their age - especially after the previous act - didn’t exactly help matters.
[Dajana] Nope, totally agree with you. Found it absolutely boring yet again. Have no idea what all this “cult status” stuff is about…
[Dirk] It wasn’t a disaster like the King performance BRT already mentioned; instead, it was a solidly played gig. With Sorcerers, Angel Of Death, and of course Angel Witch, I counted more hits in the set than Psycho might be willing to concede to them overall. My biggest criticism was Kevin Heybourne’s vocals. They weren’t great on the debut album either, but in over 40 years, you’d think he’d have developed as a singer - or at least brought in a new vocalist. I was quite impressed with his guitar playing, though.
[Sui] The NWOBHM pioneers ANGEL WITCH were the next band to deliver a solid, run-of-the-mill performance. A lot went wrong in their career, but the show they put on also demonstrated that one of their problems is definitely their limited musical substance compared to other bands of that era. That said, the songs they played were by no means weak. The ones that stuck with me were White Witch, Angel Of Death, and Angel Witch. The vocals didn’t hurt anyone and weren’t terrible, but unfortunately, they were just so-so and pretty lackluster. My biggest criticism is the long pauses between songs, which kept sapping the energy.
[BRT] A definite thumbs-up from me… I like ANGEL WITCH’s first album, which definitely has more than one hit to offer, as Dirk already noted. But Kevin Heybourne’s vocals unfortunately ruin a lot of it. It just sounds like someone who has to stand at the mic but doesn’t really want to… He was never a really good singer, but on the debut album it all still fit together. Now, unfortunately, it mostly just plods along… Hmrmpf!
[Seb] I generally have a soft spot for bands from the UK, but unfortunately this one didn’t really click with me. Even though I’ve never seen the band perform live, I felt like I’d heard it all before - only better. Technically solid, but that’s about all I can say.
Band: Kevin Heybourne (vocals, guitar), Will Palmer (bass), Jimmy Martin (guitar), Fredrik Jansson (drums)
Setlist: Atlantis, Confused, Sorcerers, Window Of Despair, Dead Sea Scrolls, White Witch, The Night Is Calling, Dr. Phibes, Angel Of Death, Baphomet, Angel Witch
:: pics :: CORONER ::
[Dajana] Yeah, yeah, yeah! I was especially looking forward to :: CORONER ::. After more than 30 years, the Swiss guys suddenly emerged from the deepest abyss (where I bet they had to listen to Triptykon, Celtic Frost, and Hellhammer every single day) and dropped an incredibly intense and amazing album with Dissonance Theory. Holy crap!
[Psycho] Actually, that was my album of the year, so it was awesome that the Swiss could be part of the lineup. And things got off to a great start right away with Consequence, the opener from the current album, followed by my favorite, Sacrificial Lamb. Stunning! That was followed by a successful journey through almost the entire band’s history. Luckily, the sound was much better this time than at their last show here in 2018, where you could barely hear Tommy Vetterli’s brilliant guitar playing. Speaking of 2018, Armored Saint, Saxon, and Uli Jon Roth were also on the lineup back then - does that ring a bell?
[Dajana] Oh damn, that’s right. That was the Sunday I was out and about doing other things and couldn’t see those bands...
[Psycho] Hmm, I was actually referring to the constant repetition of the same bands every few years... ;)
Back to CORONER, who, in addition to their great song selection and technical skill, also knew how to win over the crowd with their friendly demeanor. Grin deserves a special mention as a highlight - not every band can pull off performing such a long song live and keep it exciting all the way through.
[Seb] I'd never seen them live before and had only heard good things, so I was really looking forward to seeing CORONER.
[Sui] Finally, a real highlight. Musically, CORONER are beyond reproach. This time, they also had a powerful, clear sound that really put the finishing touches on their complex songs. Really awesome, sophisticated thrash that never gets old.
[BRT] There’s not much to add, except that the stage might seem a bit big for a trio, but who cares. The guys have charisma, groove, and awesome songs - that sets the bar pretty high for other bands. Personally, I’d love to see/hear even more of Grin, but that’s just nitpicking at the highest level. Awesome band, awesome gig! Thanks!
[Seb] You’ve got a point about the stage seeming too big, especially when one of the three is completely “stationary” and just presses a key on the laptop every few minutes and/or sings backing vocals…
[Psycho] He’s not really part of the band; he’s just there to create the electronic effects live that you hear on the CD. It’s a different approach than just playing that stuff from the mixing board.
[Seb] Aside from that, I can almost unconditionally agree with the praise - the sound was amazing, and the only thing is that the somewhat drawn-out “monotonous phases” the band kept throwing in could be a bit shorter now and then, if you ask me.
[Dajana] I would have liked to pick up some merch - but there were only two kinds of shirts and an overpriced hoodie. I’d rather buy directly from the band… *coughs slightly*… well, same prices at the band’s merch shop…
[Seb] Did the singer accidentally say “Have fun with Amon Amarth” at the end, or not? I’m almost certain he did, and it definitely sounded that way live, hehe…
[Dirk] Yeah, he definitely did. Well, something with an “A”… Everything’s been said about CORONER. For me, they were the highlight of Friday! With their strong album under their belt and for the subjective reason that I haven’t seen them that often yet, they were even a step ahead of ARMORED SAINT.
Band: Ron Royce (vocals, bass), Tommy T. Baron (guitar), Diego Rapacchietti (drums)
Setlist: Consequence, Sacrificial Lamb, Divine Step (Conspectu Mortis), Serpent Moves, Masked Jackal, Symmetry, Semtex Revolution, Metamorphosis, Grin (Nails Hurt), Renewal, Die By My Hand
:: pics :: ARMORED SAINT ::
[Dajana] I’m going to go out on a limb and say that :: ARMORED SAINT :: is one of the entire NH Crew’s favorite bands. Correct me if I’m wrong. They’ve also got a new album out, Emotion Factory Reset (weird title), which was released on this very day. So, the headlining show on the first day of the festival is also the live album release show.
[Psycho] Bingo, they’re definitely the editorial team’s favorites. These guys just always deliver live and have phenomenally good songs in their repertoire. I’d given the new album a couple of listens right before the festival and thought I’d spotted a weakness or two, but live, there was no sign of that. They kicked things off with a bang with the opener Close To The Bone from the new album, followed immediately by the indestructible all-time classic March Of The Saint, which the crowd roared along to at the top of their lungs. Of course, there are too many great songs to cover them all, but ARMORED SAINT, driven by exceptional vocalist John Bush, gave it their all. With only two new tracks, it wasn’t so much an original album release as a “best-of” set spanning their now more than 40-year history. John himself spent much of Aftermath singing right in the middle of the crowd, which, of course, went over well. And with Mad House, they had the perfect finale - unfortunately without an encore to follow. I would have loved to hear Symbol Of Salvation, but otherwise it was a perfect performance.
At least the crowd for ARMORED SAINT was finally decent; otherwise, compared to previous years, it was pretty empty - and hot. But it was about to get even worse…
[Seb] Speaking of being hot: It’s unbelievable that the singer performed the first few songs in a denim jacket - I would have almost melted just standing there in a T-shirt, let alone running or jumping around on stage while straining my vocal cords…
[Sui] Can ARMORED SAINT ever disappoint? A band that never fails to thrill, without any stage gimmicks, light shows, or grand gestures. I really can’t add anything to what the previous reviewers have said, except that despite a brutal headache, I would have loved to see one or two encores.
[BRT] What a band! As always, the five from the City of Angels give it their all, featuring an exceptional singer in John Bush and plenty of hits to boot. ARMORED SAINT played a whole stack of old hits and very little new material, but they got everything right. The second half, in particular, was a nonstop (and for me, very emotional) fireworks display of hits. Hats off!
[Seb] I’m probably guilty of a bit of heresy here, but: I thought the music itself - and for the genre - was damn good, but the vocals, unfortunately, just aren’t really my thing. I can’t even pinpoint exactly why; probably just a tad too high-pitched or shrill at times… Still, in my eyes and/or ears, they’re absolutely a worthy headliner.
[Dirk] At the Amphitheater, you’re often faced with the decision of whether to enjoy the better sound from the stands or soak up the atmosphere up front. If you’ve seen the band a few times before, the choice is easy. In the end, we were rewarded by John Bush’s trip into the crowd. Up close, the giant at the mic turned out to be a surprisingly small guy. It was all the more impressive to see firsthand the ease with which such a powerful voice comes out of him. It’s remarkable that most of the audience simply enjoyed this interlude instead of filming him the whole time. All in all, a perfectly rounded performance, musically top-notch, and always a pleasure to watch Joey Vera. Definitely, along with Coroner, two real hits as headliners. The wish list for encores would have been long, but most of all I would have loved to hear Tension.
Band: John Bush (vocals), Phil Sandoval (guitar), Jeff Duncan (guitar), Joey Vera (bass), Gonzo Sandoval (drums)
Setlist: Close To The Bone, March Of The Saint, Dropping Like Flies, End Of The Attention Span, Human Vulture, Last Train Home, Win Hands Down, Hit A Moonshot, Creepy Feelings, Aftermath, Left Hook From Right Field, Can U Deliver, Reign Of Fire, Mad House
[Psycho] Just to mention it again: before ARMORED SAINT, the winner of the band contest was announced. And the winner was… drumroll… the PROPHETS OF THE RISING DEAD. Congratulations! With two guitarists, hopefully everyone gets a chance to play the guitar they won.
[Sui] Well, I guess the guitar will probably end up as decoration in the rehearsal room at some point, or at a musicians’ flea market. “Newcomers” with that much experience have surely already found the instruments of their choice.
[Dirk] Why do they always give away guitars? A vinyl or CD pressing would be a prize that everyone in the band could actually use. Or a colorful double-sided T-shirt print in a reasonable quantity, so they could have merch they otherwise couldn’t afford. I do think the coaching package is a good idea though - that’s more along the lines of what we need.
[Seb] I found it very confusing that, according to the lady on stage, the winner was “drawn by lot”? I really hope that was just a slip of the tongue and that they were actually “counted” - that’s what those orange slips of paper were for, right? Or did she not mean the band at all, but someone from the audience who had voted for the winning band?
[Psycho] At least tickets for next year were awarded as prizes, which suggests that the RHF will continue in 2027 as well. |
