With Full Force
After years of dealing with extreme weather conditions like thunderstorms as lower or very hot temperatures as last year WFF 2016 became pretty moderate at this issue. The most obvious change was done by the organizers adding with the Metal Hammer Stage a third live platform where underground acts as well-known bands who had appeared on the Main Stage years ago like Raunchy could impress the crowd. This stage alternated with the neighbored Main Stage.
The billing turned out to another exciting one anyway. Slayer, Amon Amarth and Five Finger Death Punch lead an attractive billing satisfying all the present fans watching out for special Metal, Hardcore as Punk experiences. Rare appearances as that one of Bad Religion, the pure cover show of Six Feet Under or Legion Of The Damned performing their debut album to its 10th anniversary in its entirety even raised this impression.
As two years before the running order of the participating acts got short-termed fixed due to the quarter final of Germany, so nobody had to play against it. Besides the german match the other quarter finals got shown on a huge video wall as all the years before.
Of course the awesome win of Germany over Italy after a dramatic penalty shootout even increased the great atmosphere in the spectatorship which had been guaranteed by the excellent organisation. The fair prices for drinks (e.g. 0,4 l beer for 3,- €) as food stayed the same. The organization just had to handle one band cancelation of Stray From The Path by replacing them with Virtue Concept.
At the airfield of Roitzschjora 71 bands appeared on three stages in three days for about 30000 visitors.
Friday
Main Stage
Deserted Fear The Death Metal trio from the close town of Jena had the honor to start the open air stage program. „Forging Delusions“, „Wrath On Your Wounds“, „Kingdom Of Worms“ as the comments between the songs won the present people by headbanging and applauding.
Havok Thrash Metal took over the scepter. The fourpiece from Denver didn’t catch that many attention of the audience by „Point Of No Return“ or „Worse Than War“. To the end marked by „Give Me Liberty … Or Give Me Death“ that had changed which got obvious by much more jubilation than before.
Fit For An Autopsy The technical high-skilled Deathcore from New Jersey attracted more spectators than expected in front of the stage. From the opener „Out To Sea“ the approach of the quintet became clear. While „Absolute Hope Absolute Hell“ the first circle-pit got sighted.
Stick To Your Guns The Californians were the first band to fill the Main Stage festival area. And from the opener „Nobody“ on they kept the crowd in motion. Most impressing moment was set by shouter Jesse Barnett’s clear announcement by „refugees welcome, no compromise, refugees welcome!“ right before „What Choice Did You Give Us?“. „Against Them All“ marked the end of a stirring as jubilated show.
The Amity Affliction Less spectators wanted to watch the completely in black performing band from Brisbane starting with the current single „I Bring The Weather With Me“. The more melodic orientated Metalcore might have been the reason for. But the present audience enjoyed the gig celebrating „Open Letter“ and „Shine On“.
Six Feet Under The decision of the fivepiece from Florida around grunter Chris Barnes to perform only cover versions from their four „Graveyard Classics“ albums was discussable anyway. From the opener „T.N.T“ on the fans celebrated the appearance also considering „Sweet Leaf“ and „Nightcrawler“.
Walls Of Jericho With lots of energy the icon of female-fronted Metalcore entered the stage and started into their set. By the opener „Illusion Of Safety“, the title track, „Forever Militant“, „Reign Supreme“, „Relentless“ and „Fight The Good Fight“ they chose to play an astonishing number of songs from the new release „No One Can Save You From Yourself“. Anyway, inspired by shouter Candace Kucsulain the crowd celebrated these newcomers as classics in moshpits which culminated in a huge one during the final „The American Dream“.
Slayer The time had come for the return of the most favored band in the WFF-community: Slayer! The Bay Area Thrash Metal legend opened by the current single as title track from the latest output „Repentless“ to start in a setlist containing by „War Ensemble“, „Mandatory Suicide“, „Dead Skin Mask“, „Seasons In The Abyss“, „South Of Heaven“ and „Raining Blood“ lots of classics which got celebrated by thousands of supporters headbanging as taking part in several moshpits. New material like „When The Stillness Comes“ and „You Against You“ earned their jubilation as motion, too. So Tom Araya, Kerry King & Co finished another successful WFF-show with „Angel Of Death“.
Tent Stage: Knüppelnacht
Inquisition Right by midnight the Black Metal formation around the two Colombian mainmen, fronter Dagon and drummer Incubus, opened this year’s Knüppelnacht section. Their ordinary Black Metal enthused just a couple of fans.
Vader The Polish Death Metal institution left no doubt they would leave the Knüppelnacht without another furious performance. Smashers like „Come And See My Sacrifice“ and „Decapitated Saints“ let lots of heads bang.
Ragnarok The Norwegians impressed as less as the first Black Metal combo had done in the Knüppelnacht. If tracks from the new record „Psychopathology“ or from the back catalogue of seven albums, just a few supporters seemed to feel entertained or inspired.
Grave The Swedes had no matter to top that musically, but the tent had been played pretty empty. The trio convinced many fans back in front of the stage. Their classic Death Metal caused much headbanging as jubilation.
Endstille Third Black Metal band, third live desaster. The fivepiece from Kiel had the problem to enter the stage at 4:00 a.m. after many spectators had decided to sleep or to party somewhere else. And their infernal sound seemed to be no argument to change anything about this development.
Metal Hammer Stage
The Hirsch Effekt The Industrial Hardcore Crossover in German language was nothing for drunk people. „Bezoar“, „Agnosie“ as „Agitation“ were too complex just to party. But those ones who dealt with the sound had fun with the trio from Hannover.
Raunchy After years of performing on the Main Stage the WFF veterans from Danmark had no matter to appear on the neighbored small platform. The new vocalist Mike Semesky earned sympathy by his question if he would be allowed to move to Europe in the case of Trump’s getting president. The jubilation meant a clear ‘Yes’! The quintet convinced musically as well. Hymns like „Phantoms“, „Warriors“ or „Watch Out“ still belong on bigger stages. Cool show!
Saturday
Main Stage
Fallujah The usual procedure is to open the gates to the festival area for the visitors 30 or 60 minutes before the program starts. This saturday noon the security did this right with the first band starting because of the windy weather before. The quintet from San Francisco fascinated by their exciting Prog Death Metal. So „Abandon“, „The Void Alone“ and „Scar Queen“ from the new masterpiece „Dreamless“ convinced totally and animated the first moshpit besides headbanging. Especially bassist Rob Morley impressed in a generally high-skilled band. Overwhelming!
Goitzsche Front Overwhelming ist not a description to be used for the following combo from the close town of Bitterfeld. Their Hardcore / Punk average sound wasn’t even ordinary. Tracks like „Schweinepriester“, „Männer Aus Stahl“ or „Nicht Genug“ from the new output „Monument“ were as weak as the older ones or the stupid comments between I couldn’t have drunk enough for. Put them back to any mini fest!
We Butter The Bread With Butter Also in German words and not with too much approach, but still entertaining and not dumb presented the next fivepiece from Brandenburg itself. From the opener „Ich Mach Was Mit Medien“ over their hit „Der Tag An Dem Die Welt Unterging“ till „Meine Brille“ they animated the supporters to jump and crowdsurf. Good mood was guaranteed.
Ektomorf The Neo-Thrash Metal fourpiece still sounded like a Soulfly-clone, but it seemed to be the right time for the crowd to celebrate just that sound. Suited in a German national soccer team jersey fronter Zoli Farkas decided for the right live costume hours before the quarter final everyone was waiting for. Besides that new material like „Holocaust“ as older stuff like „I Know Them“ held the supporters in motion.
Behemoth The high billing position showed the evolution Poland’s finest in Death / Black Metal had completed yet. Too many WFF-visitors their sound seemed too extreme. Meanwhile their fans celebrated newer „The Satanist“ tracks like „Messe Noir“, „Ora Pro Nobis Lucifer“ and „O Father O Satan O Sun!“ as their classics like „Ov Fire And The Void“, „At The Left Hand Ov God“ or the final „Chant For Eschaton 2000“.
Hatebreed The Hardcore formation from Connecticut, probably the second most popular band in the WFF-community right behind Slayer, welcomed by „Destroy Everything“ a packed Main Stage area as a motivated audience and let follow by „Looking Down The Barrel Of Today“ and „A.D.“ the only two new tracks from the new release „The Concrete Confessional“. The moshpits became bigger while the next one „Everyone Bleeds Now“, „Live For This“, „This Is Now“ and „To The Threshold“. So the final „I Will Be Heard“ was the correct accomodation for the following soccer match.
Amon Amarth After the quarter final victory of Germany’s soccer team in an epic shootout thriller the right atmosphere was set for the vikings from Stockholm. Starting with their hit „Pursuit Of Vikings“ they left no doubt performing from the beginning on a high intensity level. The stage set impressed itself by the drumkit being placed on a ship and the front artists being flanked by two dragonheads spitting fire. „Death In Fire“, „Deceiver Of The Gods“, „Runes To My Memory“ and „First Kill“ as the only played track from the new „Iomsviking“ record motivated headbangers as crowdsurfers to act. So „Guardians Of Asgaard“ and „Twilight Of The Thunder God“ finished a triumphant show.
Tent Stage: Hardbowl
Annisokay The fivepiece from the close city of Halle/Saale opened saturday’s Hardbowl program taking care of motion as a good mood in the tent. So melodic Metalcore earcatchers as „Wolves In The Walls“ and „Carry Me Away“ earned much applause.
Monuments The quintet from London welcomed a filled tent and took their chance. Especially vocalist Chris Barreto knew how to catch the audience by letting it knee down before collective jumping to „Regenerate“ or when he stagedived losing his ear plugs for a short while. Besides that his bandmates impressed by their high-skilled performance while the tent freaked out to „Origin Of Escape“, „Atlas“ and the final „I, The Creator“. What a blast!
Breakdown Of Sanity The five guys from Berne performed in front of an even more packed tent which celebrated their in comparison pretty ordinary Metalcore enormously. „Blind“, „Infest“ and „The Writer“ kept as held the crowd jumping, shouting and crowdsurfing.
Tent Stage: Saturday Night Fever
The Browning With much soccer-caused delay the four Texans returned to the Saturday Night Fever to take care of another one by their electronic Metalcore. In contrast to the latest appearances the surprise effect was gone, but they enthused anyway by „Dragon“, „Pathologic“, „Vortex“ and „Gravedigger“. The final freakout happened when they performed their club hit „Bloodlust“.
Cypecore Seven years ago I discovered this fivepiece from southwest Germany replacing another band on a small festival and a few months later in a newcomer competition at the Summer Breeze festival. With the strong new album „Identity“ and new members behind the microphone as the drumkit they were back. By its title track, „Saint Of Zion“, „My Confession“ and „The Hills Have Eyes“ their Melodic Death Metal convinced the present audience.
Drescher Deep in the night the Folk Metal ensemble from Austria tried to keep the crowd continuing the party. But there was no crowd left than just about hundred people. And „First Blood“ as „Dresch Quetschn“ didn’t really change anything about that.
Sunday
Main Stage
Gutalax The WFF-organizers decided to to book the Porn Grind combo from the Czech Republic to reawake the crowd for the last time, and that plan worked. A few thousand supporters wanted to party to „Fart Fart Away“, „Brothers In Ass“ and „Asshole Ghost Wishmaster“ while a lot of toilet paper got thrown around.
The Real McKenzies And the party continued. The sixpack from Vancouver played by their Folk Punk the right sound to reload the visitors’ stamina reserves on the last day of this year’s WFF. From the opener „Pour Decisions“ over „White Knuckle Ride“ up to „Bugger Off“ good mood was all around.
Legion Of The Damned Usually good Thrash Metal works well in Roitzschjora, so there was the question if the Dutch fulfill the quality standards of the WFF-spectators. Anyway, the couple of fans celebrated this exclusive performance considering the debut „Malevolent Rapture“ in its entirety to its 10th anniversary from the self-named opener to „Killing For Recreation“.
August Burns Red Over the years the quintet from Pennsylvania evolved from the Hardbowl tent to this Main Stage position. And from „Identity“ on they made clear why. After the temperatures had become more moderate they attracted numerous fans supporting „Composure“, „Spirit Breaker“, „Back Burner“ and the finishing „White Washed“.
Bad Religion One of the rarest highlights we had been looking forward to was the Punk Rock legend from Los Angeles. Singer Greg Graffin, looking like a father in family vacation, welcomed the smaller than expected audience that everywhere they go to they proclaim these are the „New Dark Ages“ to start with the so-called song. In contrast to this introduction the following hour became a mentionable positive one. The old Punkrock idols rocked like many newcomers would do like. The present crowd celebrated „Social Suicide“, „Supersonic“, „Sanity“, „Generator“, „21st Century (Digital Boy)“ and „Fuck Armageddon … This Is Hell“ before rain let many spectators flee from the festival area. Those ones who stayed chose the opportunity to rock with their hit „Punk Rock Song“.
Trivium The rain had stopped right before the quartet entered the stage. First of all the the stage set impressed, the band played between two huge devilish masks known from the recent album cover of „Silence In The Snow“ whose eyes shined each color of the alternating stage light. The perfection of Florida’s finest’s performance of their hard as catchy Modern Metal was their biggest handycap as well. The action on stage seemed to be planned and Matt Heafy’s attempts to motivate the audience was way much too American. Anyway, new material of the mentioned latest release like the title track, „Dead And Gone“ and „Until The World Goes Cold as well-known songs like „Strife“, „The Deceived“, „Like Light To The Flies“, „Built To Fall“, „Watch The World Burn“, „Down From The Sky“ and „Pull Harder The Strings On Your Martyr“ definitely rocked and caused moshpits, headbanging as crowdsurfing action. So „In Waves“ finished an amazing show.
Five Finger Death Punch Everyone of us was curious about the headliner appearance of 5FDP. And that one began furious by „Lift Me Up“, the hymn „Hard To See“ and „Never Enough“ leaving no doubt this live experience was supposed to become a special one. The current album got considered by the title song as „Jekyll And Hyde“. In between they played the cover „Bad Company“ sung by thousands of fans. Vocalist Ivan Moody knew how to conduct the masses. Supported by a clear powerful sound his voice as the tight musicians convinced absolutely. Another highlight was the acoustic section consisting of „Wrong Side Of Heaven“ and „Battle Born“ supported by many spectators’ lighters. Besides that the crowd supported the quintet jubilating as producing circle-pits. Just the guy with the Bengal light should have stayed away from the circle-pit. So „The Bleeding“ marked the end of an awesome headliner performance that also worked well without any pyros or special effects. Great!
Tent Stage: The Last Supper
Paradise Lost The British inventors of Gothic Metal opened by „No End In Sight“ to let follow the classics „Pity The Sadness“ and „As I Die“ in front of a smaller crowd while as because 5FDP still headlined on the Main Stage. After this vocalist Nick Holmes commented the arriving masses by a little Brexit-joke. Besides that the band was obviously motivated to rock, so the live performance of „Faith Divides Us – Death Unites Us“, „Embers Fire“ and „The Enemy“ became a real pleasure.
Beyond The Black The female-fronted Symphonic Power Metal youngsters, musically an exot in the WFF-billing for sure, proved all the negative critics they’re just a Wacken-raised clone wrong. The opener „In The Shadows“, „Lost In Forever“ and „When Angels Fall“ as the clear voice of singer Jennifer Haben convinced and won new fans as the strong applause showed.
Borknagar When one of the best Black Metal bands entered the stage just about hundred fans experienced a real live jewel. Letting the vocals alternate between three artists classics like „Icon Dreams“, „Oceans Rise“ and „Colossus“ developped even more effect. The Norwegians obviously had as much fun as their little fan colony and finished by the title track of the new masterpiece „Winter Thrice“. Cool show!
Conclusion:
As mentioned so far the organization worked well again. The new Metal Hammer Stage alternating with the Main Stage program got acceppted by the visitors, so several newcomers had the opportunity to appear in front of an interested audience. The history of dramatic German quarter finals seen at the WFF got added by the penalty shootout drama vs. Italy happening at the European Championship. The biggest public viewing in Saxony and the result even raised the positive atmosphere. Besides that we need to mention the statement the WFF-organization does each year by the anti-racism-banner just next to the Main Stage is a remarkable one, especially nowadays! Our special thanks go out to Madeline Friedemann and the WFF-team!!!!! At the airfield of Roitzschjora rocked, drank and partied Tobi Wan Kenobi & Densen!!!!!