Summer Breeze 2014 Review

Summer Breeze 2014
This year’s Summer Breeze was a different one: One of the two organizers had passed away whose name stands for the rise of this festival as it is combined with the rise of lots of bands while his time as founder and head of Metal Blade Europe. To honor him the organization decided to rename the Party Stage into T-Stage considering his nickname. A remarkable gesture, and not the only one for this weekend as you can read in this review! The SB-team decided to rearrange the festival area with a second direct entrance as exit to the open air stages, the mentioned tent stage got turned and the hole festivalsite seemed enlarged. The New Blood Award got dropped, instead of that competition the whole Wednesday became a Nuclear Blast – related day in the tent. As the year before the Camel Stage offered 30 minutes sets for mostly underground bands alternating with the T-Stage on all days. In contrast to the years before there was no tropical heat, therefore the climate conditions seemed to show autumn is near. Over each day it was pretty moderate, in the night it became a bit colder. Anyway, we dealt with it. The billing offered all different subgenres of hard music lead by the headliners Machine Head, Heaven Shall Burn and Children Of Bodom. At this year’s Summer Breeze 112 bands appeared on four stages for about 35000 visitors (Sold out!).

Wednesdayy
T-Stage
The Vintage Caravan The seemingly young trio from Iceland showed by „Expand Your Mind“, „Craving“ and „Cocaine Sally“ Vintage Rock could sound heavy. The Black Sabbath – as Blues – related sound inspired the numerous spectators to move.
Blues Pills The fourpiece from Orebrö had just released one album, but they got celebrated like stars when they entered the stage. And from „High Class Woman“ on this atmosphere even got raised. Lead by the impressing voice and the indisputable aura of their female voice Elin Larsson this hour turned out to a triumph finished by the encore „Time Is Now“. Highlight: „No Hope Left For Me“.
Decapitated The Metal-related highlight of this day should become the high-approached Death Metal quartet from Poland. Technical skills met brutality and resulted in a smashing live experience. The fans reacted headbanging and creating moshpits to „404“, „A View From A Hole“, „Pest“ and the final „Homo Sum“.

Thursday
Main Stage
The Unguided After the brutal beginning on the neighbored one it was up to the Swedes to open the program on the biggest Summer Breeze stage. The quintet of three former Sonic Syndicate members didn’t really sound different in contrast to their ex-band. And probably this isn’t demanded by the target audience. Anyway, the modern sound balancing between the debut „Hell Frost“ and the new release „Fragile Immortality“ animated to move by crowdsurfing and circle-pits.
Kärbholz The next formation tried to win the crowd by German Punk Rock, but just a couple of spectators felt motivated to this sound. The idea to integrate the Torfrock hit „Beinhart“ into the setlist didn’t really help at all.
Eluveitie The eightpiece from Switzerland got much support for their Folk Rock although they played by the opener „Origins“, „The Nameless“, „From Darkness“, „The Silver Sister“, „Call Of The Mountains“ and „King“ many tracks from their brandnew release which probably had been unknown for the present majority. „Inis Mona“ of course earned the most celebration.
Arch Enemy High expectations awaited the Swedes around new Canadien vocalist Alissa White-Gluz , but the sound got blown away by the wind. So smashers like „Ravenous“, „My Apocalypse“ or „We Will Rise“ didn’t reach its usual power. Anyway, Alissa showed she’s not just an eye-catcher and animated the crowd to headbang massively to the new „War Eternal“ – tracks („Yesterday Is Dead And Gone“, the title track, „You Will Know My Name“, „As The Pages Burn“).
Down What followed was one of the most powerful as unique bands in the billing, a long jam session followed by hits and a drunk as stoned but still sympathic fronter Phil Anselmo. He is allowed to insult the audience („You assholes on this asshole festival!“, etc.) which still knew not to take this too serious. Anyway, the Sludge legend from New Orleans rocked as grooved the infield by „Witchtripper“, „Lifer“ (dedicated to Dimebag Darrel), „Lysergic Funeral Procession“, „Hail The Leaf“, „Stone The Crow“ and the fantastic final of „Bury Me In Smoke“ after which Phil Anselmo returned to sing with the crowd the chorus of Led Zeppelin’s „Stairway To Heaven“ a capella.
Children Of Bodom Mark my words: Children Of Bodom are much too overrated than to fill a headliner position for a festival like the Summer Breeze is! Anyway, the infield got pretty packed, and so this position couldn’t be that wrong. Starting with „Hate Me!“ and „Needled 24/7“ the audience got pushed to singalongs, circle-pits and crowdsurfing, and this continued while „Sixpounder“, „Hatecrew Deathroll“, „Are You Dead Yet?“, „Everytime I Die“ and „Bodom After Midnight“. On the other side this appearance looked much to experienced. Anyway, the fans seemingly enjoyed it.

Pain Stage
Aborted Brutal Death Metal started the Open Air program of this year’s Summer Breeze – edition. Considering their new smasher „The Necrotic Manifesto“ by „Coffin Upon Coffin“ and its title track the Belgians probably woke up the last metalheads had been asleep till then.
Delain In contrast to the Swedes playing right before on the neighbored Main Stage it should be the approach for the Dutch band to play the keyboard live, but keyboarder as songwriter Martijn Westerholt was missing, so they were forced to sample several keys. Lead by front-beauty Charlotte Wessels the temporary fourpiece performed a convincing best of set just considering „Army Of Dolls“ from their new „The Human Contradiction“ album and finished by „We Are The Others“ motivating all spectators to take part in.
Hackneyed Instead of the live surprise of this year’s With Full Force, Of Mice & Men from California, the local heroes bored for another time by their trivial Death Metal. Anyway, the organization reacted fast replacing the short-termed cancelation by a band enthusing the first rows.
Caliban Germany’s leading band in melodic Metalcore attracted lots of supporters creating a huge circle-pit. By the opener „King“, „Nebel“, „I Am Ghost“, „My Vertigo“, „Chaos – Creation“ and „Your Song“ the fivepiece played six tracks from the new album „Ghost Empire“ which worked as well on stage as the more familiar „Nowhere To Run, No Place To Hide“, „I Will Never Let Youn Down“ or „Memorial“. Meanwhile numerous crowdsurfers took care about the pit security didn’t get bored.
Equilibrium Why this trivial Pagan Metal combo from Munich got this high billing position after Caliban and Arch Enemy having one hour show time was and still is a riddle to me. The new members on guitar (Dom R. Crey) as on bass (Jen Majura, also known from Knorkator) seemed well-integrated balancing their set between new „Erdentempel“- tracks and older ones.
Behemoth A complete triumph should be the right description to what followed the next hour. The Death / Black Metal icon from Poland attracted numerous fans in front of the stage who celebrated the return after five years in which fronter Nergal had to fight against cancer leading him to the announcement: „It’s great to be alive.“ After beginning by the new „The Satanist“-tracks „Blow Your Trumpets, Gabriel“ and „Ora Pro Nobis Lucifer“ the fourpiece enthused by „As Above, So Below“, „Slaves Shall Serve“, „Ov Fire And The Void“, „At The Left Hand Ov God“ or „Chant For Eskaton“ before the third new title „O Father, O Satan, O Son“ finished this pyro-supported show.
Testament This gig left me kind of speechless. After their headliner appearance at Rock Hard Festival completely had disappointed their sound sucked again big time. Highlight of this concert just was the guest appearance of Arch Enemy’s Alissa White-Gluz during „Into The Pit“. „More Than Meets The Eye“, „Practise What You Preach“, „Over The Wall“ and „D.N.R. (Do Not Resuscitate“) animated the die-hard-fans, but my face wasn’t the only one showing dissappointment after the show.

T-Stage
The Ocean Two years after they had overwhelmed every present being while their show in the tent stage the experimental weirdoes from Berlin returned to convince for another time on the same stage as well. The band completely focussed on their new masterpiece „Pelegial“. Their sound got visually supported by video suiting productions sharing the album’s issue: The sea. Band as fans freaked out pushing this performance to its maximum.
The Haunted Marco Aro is back, and with him the focus on the brutal side of The Haunted. And this set accent became clear from the beginning marked by „The Premonition“, „The Flood, The Medication“, „99“ and „Tresspass“ which all took care about getting the crowd activated, and this worked well. And although I had preferred the fronter of all the years before, Peter Dolving, the sympathic new old one won all fans’ hearts including my one. „Bury Your Dead“ and „Hate Song“ finished an energetic performance.

Friday
Main Stage
Crucified Barbara After the Stahlmann-desaster the all-girl-quartet from Stockholm might have had an easy game to convince the audience, but that did it anyway. Besides the attractiveness of the four ladies their performance rocked. Special attraction was the presentation of four tracks from the forthcoming album by the opener „The Crucifier“, „To Kill A Man“, „I Sell My Kids For Rock ‘n’ Roll“ and „Electric Sky“.
Primal Fear Melodic Metal usually doesn’t work that well at the Summer Breeze, but Mat Sinner, Ralf Scheepers & Co had kind of a home game. Otherwise there weren’t that many fans on the infield anyway. Those ones who were there celebrated the new „Delivering The Black“ – tracks as the title track or the ballad „When Death Comes Knocking“. The loudest reactions earned the final consisting of „Chainbreaker“ and „Metal Is Forever“.
J.B.O. It was surprising as astonishing how packed up the infield was in the afternoon, so a few persons spoke about the secret headliner. The fourpiece celebrated with their masses of fans their 25th anniversary of existence. While „Ein Fest“ they turned the infield into a pink cloud, the festivalsite floor should stay pink for the rest of the festival. Fans sang J.B.O. songs all over the campsite even hours after the show. Really substainable!
Gamma Ray Kai Hansen looked quite a bit different with his full-haired head. Anyway, the German Melodic Metal institution enthused their fans by tracks from their new release „Empire Of The Undead“ (the opener „Hellbent“, „Avalon“, „Master Of Confusion“) as by classics („Rebellion In Dreamland“, „Man On A Mission“, „To The Metal“, the final „Send Me A Sign“). Just the much to enlarged Helloween cover „I Want Out“ with even an integrated Reggae-part could as should have been much shorter.
Carcass It was the first time for the Grind / Death Metal legend to appear at the Summer Breeze, and it turned out to a complete success. The audience celebrated „Cadaver Pouch Conveyor System“, „Unfit For Human Consumption“ and „The Granulating Dark Satanic Mills“ from their current album „Surgical Steel“ as classics like „Incarnated Solvent Abuse“ and the final „Heartwork“. Fronter Jeff Walker amused in the beginning with his advise his German being damaged, so keeping on to talk in English which wouldn’t make any difference because nobody would understand him in England as well. Entertaining as amazing!
Machine Head The time had come for the probably biggest band that had ever played in Dinkelsbühl. And the 90 minutes should turn out to a triumphal procession. Lead by the probably best live opener a band can call their own, „Imperium“, the whole infield supported the kings of modern Thrash Metal from the Bay Area, ignoring the beginning rain. Mainman Robb Flynn communicated a lot with the fans, and sympathy turned out to loyalty showing up in headbanging- pit support for „Locust“, „The Blood, The Sweat, The Tears“, „Ten Ton Hammer“, the ballad „Darkness Within“, and „Bulldozer“. Supported by pyros, catapulted paper-pieces and smoke fountains the band-hymn „Davidian“ got as much celebrated as the following „Aesthetic Of Hate“ and „Old“. After this the quartet got support by Ignite-vocalist Zoli Téglás to cover his band’s classic „Bleeding“ introducing the interluding intro „Darkest Days“ before. Finally the band bid farewell by „Halo“. To quote Robb Flynn’s favorite word: „Awesome!“

Pain Stage
Stahlmann The Rammstein-clone from Göttingen was one of the hardest wake-up-calls I had ever experienced. Besides the uninspired music the announcements weren’t even better. As fronter Mart said (translated): „One word: Just great.“ As promising was the whole appearance.
Deadlock It was a very rare, exclusive show when the Deathcore quintet returned to Dinkelsbühl, and shouter John pointed out why: „We have a baby!“ Female vocalist Sabine was pregnant which didn’t disturb her voice skills. So the SB-audience-darlings got celebrated for „The Brave / Agony Applause“, „Code Of Honor“, „I’m Gone“, „Renegade“ and the final „Awakened By Sirens“. Well done and good luck for the baby!
Benediction It had been a long time since the Birmingham Death Metal machine had released an album, so they presented a best of set their die-hard fans used to bang their heads off to from the starter „Nightfear“ over „The Grotesque“ till „“Magnificat“.
Ignite What followed probably was the best performance of the whole weekend! The strong beginning consisting of „Let It Burn“, „Fear Is Our Tradition“ and „Poverty For All“ caught the crowd to move and singalong. Vocalist Zoli Téglás did some intelligent announcements which showed brain was present as well at this party. Before „Fill In The Blanks“ he advised all fathers to take care about their kids and what may happen, if not.. He also pointed out on free-trade-madness as on the several wars distressing this planet and animated the crowd to „No War!“ chants. The fans celebrated „A Place Called Home“, „Bleeding“, the new unreleased „Oh No, Not Again!“, „By My Side“, „My Judgement Day“, the ballad „Live For Better Days“ and the final „Veteran“.
August Burns Red After the older Melodic Metal veterans on the neighbored stage it was time for the modern Metalcore from Pennsylvania. The fivepiece attracted numerous especially young fans to go crazy for „Back Burner“, „Meddler“, „Empire“ and several other songs containing tight breakdowns, melodic guitar melodies as brutal shouting. So „White Washed“ closed a convincing performanve leaving no doubt August Burns Red were worth their high billing position.
Hypocrisy The Swedish Death Metal institution populated the infield, a switch to the Main Stage next time would be logic. Besides its title track and „The Eye“ from the recent release „End Of Disclosure“ Peter Tägtgren performed a killer setlist containing „Fractured Millenium“, „Killing Art“ and the amazing final consisting of „Fire In The Sky“, „Final Chapter“ and of course Roswell 47“ leaving no wishes open as causing much headbanging action on as in front of the stage.
Devin Townsend Project After the awesome headliner show of Machine Head there was one act to hold or even raise the level: The almighty Devin Townsend and his sidekicks. After the entertaining photo shop show putting his face into several familiar heads the quartet blew all present fans away by „Seventh Wave“, „War“ and „Regulator“ before bringing magic by the atmospheric „Deadhead“ and especially by Anneke van Giersbergen on stage.. The rest of the concert had turned out to pure art before „Bad Devil“ set the final point.

T-Stage
Maroon The final chapter of one of Germany’s leading Metalcore bands had come: Fronter André Moraweck animated the fans to reach a maximum level of participation. So the moshpit constantly was in motion from the opener „And If I Lose, Welcome Annihilation“ over „(Reach) The Sun“, „Stay Brutal“ up to the last played title „Wake Up In Hell“. This was the final curtain of a band which split much too early.
Ahab The quartet from Munich had appeared in the deepest night both of their latest Summer Breeze – appearances before, what had worked very well with the atmospheric as heavy Doom. This time they got the chance to play in the evening right after prime time to reach more spectators. And they took their chance fascinating several hundreds from „The Divinity Of Oceans“ over the Omega Massif cover „Wölfe“ to the epic „The Hunt“.

Saturday
Main Stage
Iwrestledabearonce The weirdoes with the unspeakable name astonished by their mixture between high-approached and party-compatible elements leading to a heavy as innovative sound while the quintet from Louisiana around the variable voice of Courtney La Plante didn’t take themselves too serious what their stage-action as titles like „Tastes Like Kevin Bacon“, „Karate Nipples“ or „Danger In The Manger“ showed.
Thyrfing After their Norwegian neighbores on the neighbored stage the second Viking Black Metal formation of the day performed, and according to the later time this one attracted more fans in front of the stage. And those ones celebrated „The Voyager“, „Mjölner“ and „Storms Of Asgard“.
Obituary The Death Metal icon from Florida set the brutality level much higher from the first tone on. The riffing catching up with John Tardy’s unique shouts caused much headbanging in front of the stage. By „Visions In My Head“, „Violence“ and „Inked In Blood“ the fivepiece even introduced three new tracks from the forthcoming album. And all over this throned the final „Slowly We Rot“.
Tarja The ex-Nightwish-siren returned to Dinkelsbühl followed by ex-Apocalyptica-cellist Max Lilja, ex-Farmer-Boys-sixstringer Alex Scholpp and drum-legionnaire Mike Terrana starting with „Little Lies“. It was impressing how Mrs Turunen performed jumping in her high heels while every other woman would have gone to hospital for sure right after the first move. On the other hand I asked myself what exactly this show had to to with Metal. The last remained connection to the sound of her ex-band was the Gary-Moore-cover „Over The Hills And Far Away“ earning the most applause.
In Extremo The Folk Rock / Metal sevenpiece returned, for the first after several times not as headliner. So they populated the infield just a bit earlier anyway. And their numerous supporters were motivated celebrating the opener „Mein Rasend Herz“, „Vollmond“, „Herr Mannelig“, „Gaukler“ which got dedicated to the mentioned passed Summer Breeze organizer T, and the final with „Spielmannsfluch“ and „A Vis Lo Loop“. Assisted by an enormous stage set including different levels and a mighty pyro show the medieval formation got the right stage to even more than to co-headline.
Heaven Shall Burn But finally the one and only headliner of this last SB2015-day showed they were the real deal. For the fifth time at the Summer Breeze headlining it for the third one they left no doubt about it from the opener „Counterweight“ on. The masses followed in huger and huger circle-pits to a killer-setlist containing „Combat“, „Voice Of The Voiceless“, „Hunters Will Be Hunted“, „Behind A Wall Of Silence“, „Godiva“, the Edge Of Sanity cover „Black Tears“, „Endzeit“ and „The Weapon The Fear“. The most overwhelming moment happened when the quintet returned for the encore as Blind Guardian cover „Valhalla“ in which a large backdrop was shown up with the portrait of the passed organizer T! All thumbs up to this memorable action!

Pain Stage
Undertow The formation is a very festival-related one: This must have been about their seventh appearance at the Summer Breeze. The pretty Crowbar-comparable sound was the right one to get myself slowly into the day. Definitely the highlight was when fronter Joschi dedicated „Canvas Ghosts“ to the mentioned passed SB-organizer T!
Kampfar After the interesting opening acts on both stages on each followed Pagan Black Metal. The first stept of these got done by the Norwegian fourpiece spending half of the set to their new output „Djevelmakt“ reaching the little Pagan-fraction.
Brainstorm The only Power Metal band always having a home game at the Summer Breeze is Brainstorm. And from the beginning marked by „Highs Without Lows“, „World’s Are Comin’ Through“ and „Shiva’s Tears it was clear nothing had changed about their status in Dinkelsbühl. Lead by the voice as sympathic entertainer Andy B. Franck the quintet presented by „Erased By The Dark“ and the title song material from the new album „Firesoul“. So they finished by „All Those Words“ another jubilated gig.
Callejon The following hour turned out to one big success: The Metalcore-fivepiece from Düsseldorf attracted lots of fans including many female ones who were motivated to party to „Sommer Liebe Kokain“, the cover versions „Schwule Mädchen“ (Fettes Brot) as „Schrei Nach Liebe“ (Die Ärzte), „Dieses Lied Macht Betroffen“ as both editions of „Porn From Spain“. Especially the loud singalongs of the audience while the ballad „Kind Im Nebel“ showed the popularity of this band.
Mono Inc. Who had thought about what Tarja has to do with this festival needed to have even a much bigger tolerance level to survive the following hour. The trivial Goth Pop rocked like a political party convention, a podiatrist date, or just like the vatican. Who didn’t watch this at all spared an hour for more interesting things, whatever they may be, in life.
Wintersun Nine years after playing at the Summer Breeze on the old ground in Abtsgmünd the Finnish fourpiece around ex-Ensiferum-guitarist Jari Mäenpää returned and just got the billing position between the two main acts of the day. Titles as „Darkness And Frost“ or „Winter Madness“ suited a bit too this year’s colder Summer Breeze edition. The fans celebrated those ones getting warm.
Watain The final hour of this year’s open air stage program belonged to the Swedish Black Metal formation celebrated their rituals with the usual candle-flames, tridents and those stuff. The left Blackies of the visitors celebrated the too routined performed show including „Black Flames March“, „Malfeitor“, „Outlaw“ and the final title „The Wild Hunt“.

T-Stage
Biohazard Hopefully nobody of our readers missed this show: The NYHC-fourpiece invited to the last dance. One of the oldest bands under more than hundred participants this weekend showed the most agile performance. But besides their numerous heli-jumps they invited about fifty fans on stage filling this up as turning it to a pure party platform while „Punishment“ after „What Makes Us Tick“, „Urban Discipline“, „Survival Of The Fittest“, „Tales From The Hard Side“ and „Black And White And Red All Over“ had got jubilated as well in front of the stage.

Conclusion:
Besides the mentioned stages the Summer Breeze was the relaxed as well-organised event that finished the summer festival season being a highlight for another time. In contrast to all the years before this year’s edition turned out much colder. But this shouldn’t be a real poblem to anyone. The food mile offered for another time a variable choice. The prices for food and drinks just increased a little bit (e.g. 3, 50 € for a 0,4 l can of beer or softdrink = 0,20 € more per can). Besides that the Summer Breeze published the first confirmed bands for the 2015-edition:
Cannibal Corpse, Dark Tranquillity, Ensiferum, Kataklysm, Knorkator, Powerwolf, Pyogenesis, Saltatio Mortis & Sepultura!
So we are looking forward to Summer Breeze 2015!!! Special thanks go out to David Gregori and the Summer Breeze-team!!!!! At the Summer Breeze rocked, drank and partied Tobi Wan Kenobi, Densen, Wirwa, Fleiter, Dumbo & Red Nicole!!!!!