Summer Breeze 2016 Review

Summer Breeze
Same procedure as every year: A good festival summer is complete after finishing it by the final highlight Summer Breeze. The second largest Metal-related festival of Germany has evolved to one of the most important ones of the world. Lead by the headliners Slayer, Parkway Drive and Sabaton the organization achieved for another time confirming a well-balanced billing offering attractive shows even on the early positions as on the smaller stages. And if there is a bigger individual gap in the personal running order, you can create as print on the SB-website, you still got the opportunity to visit the lovely town of Dinkelsbühl with its frame houses, the medieval wall, etc..
The weather was much better than the forecasts had predicted. The organization convinced for another time. Holding this familiar atmosphere during this huge event ist a remarkable effort. The most appreciable change was the Campsite Circus, a little tent located on the campsite close to the festival area offering a cover art exhibition, (unplugged) shows and live karaoke. On this year’s Summer Breeze 121 bands appeared on four stages (without the Campsite Circus) in four days for about 40000 visitors (Sold out!).

Wednesday
T-Stage
Bury Tomorrow The Metalcore fivepiece from Southmpton assembled lots of fans in the tent which became pretty much packed. Considering „Memories“, „Last Light“, „301“ (assisted by Hatebreed fronter Jamey Jasta) as the final played title track from their new album „ Earthbound“ or older ones like „Lionheart“, „Man On Fire“ and „Of Glory“ the fans didn’t care and celebrated any song played. It wasn’t probably supposed to be, but this show was the one with the biggest as most interacting crowd.
Grand Magus The Doom Metal trio from Stockholm decided for a best of set. Their new release „Sword Songs“ just got considered by „Varangian“. The rest of the hour got dedicated to the past as by „Steel Versus Steel“ and the bombastic final consisting of „Iron Will“ as „Hammer Of The North“ while this numerous fans joined the choir parts and sang along.
Agnostic Front The NYHC-Hardcore-legend set the tone by their simple, but hard riffing sound. The fans celebrated „My Life, My Way“, „For My Family“, „Never Walk Alone“ as the anthem „Gotta Go“ by joining moshpits and singing along. The conjunction between Roger Miret, Vinnie Stigma & Co worked very well.
Vader The final band on this stage of the evening, and classic Death Metal was the right decision to set the final point. The quartet from Poland raised the heaviness factor, and so there were many fans headbanging to „Triumph Of Death“, „The Witcher“, „Come And See My Sacrifice“ and the new „Prayer To The God Of War“ from the forthcoming album.

Camel Stage
Novelists Somewhere between Djent and innovative Metalcore the five guys from Paris were the right band at the right place to attract many curious spectators. And they took their chance: The opener „Voyager“, „Gravity“ and „Echoes showed complexity can be listenable as danceable and definitely works live. By the way: The moment fronter Matt put down his cap le looked a bit like System Of A Down’s Serj Tankian. Anyway: The crowd headbanged, jumped and joined the final action before „Twenty Years“ to get down for a collective jump starting the riff. Awesome!

Thursday
Main Stage
Toxpack Punk Rock in german was about to attract the first curious visitors on the infield, and that was the right decision. Lead by the distinctive voice of fronter Schulle the formation from Berlin did their job by „Bastarde“, „Friss“ as „Was Uns Verbindet“ to wake up the audience. Well done!
Monuments From the first tones of „Origin Of Escape“ the Djent set the audience under motion. Headbanging, circle pits and a completely jumping audience showed how an early slot can work. Chris Barreto did it his way by crowdsurfing. The US-boy in the British band knew how to inspire the audience for „Degenerate“, „Atlas“ as „Regenerate“ and finally motivated the crowd to move down to jump collectively to the riff of „I, The Creator“.
Emmure After several member changes last year the fourpiece from New York returned with „Bring A Gun To School“ on the Summer Breeze stage. But somehow their brutal Deathcore didn’t work. The sound sucked and the band didn’t really act in time. So their final title „When Keeping It Real, Goes Wrong“ felt a bit ironic.
Exodus For the following hour the veterans showed that Bay Area Thrash Metal still counts. Without Gary Holt being busy with Slayer, fronter Steve ‘Zetro’ Souza got the main focus of the fans, and those followed him headbanging as moshpit participating to the smashing final consisting of „A Lesson In Violence“ which got dedicated to the passed Lemmy Kilmister from Motörhead, „Blacklist“, „War Is My Shepherd“, „Bonded By Blood“, „Toxic Waltz“ and „Strike Of The Beast“.
At The Gates The founders of Gothenburg Melodic Death Metal sound left no doubt about their live qualities. Lead by the Björler-brothers and a very agile fronter Tompa left no doubt about it by new material („Death And The Labyrinth“, „At War With Reality“, „The Circular Ruins“, „Heroes And Tombs“, „The Book Of Sand (The Abomination)“, „Eater Of Gods“) and especially the classics („Slaughter Of The Soul“, „Cold“, „The Swarm“, „Under A Serpent Sun“, „Suicide Nation“, „Nausea“) So the mighty „Blinded By Fear“ and „Night Eternal“ finished a jubilated show. Just to ask the fans after a few songs causing much headbanging as pic action if they like Death Metal was kind of a ridiculous question
Airbourne The Australian fourpiece started strong with „Ready To Rock“ and „Too Much, Too Fast, Too Young“ getting support from the beginning. By „Breakin’ Outta Hell“ they introduced a new track from the forthcoming release. Of course their music sounded like a little brother of their fellow countrymen from AC/DC, but the interpretation as especially the live performance of band leader Joel O’Keefe was spectacular enough. And this got raised when his brother left the drums to start a siren on stage for „Live It Up“ before „Runnin’ Wild“ set the final point for the appearance and the start for a strong rain.
Sabaton Usually Power Metal isn’t a subgenre that really works. The fivepiece from Sweden is an exception. The infield was filled and thousands of fans ready to celebrate their war-themed-tracks. Supported by a fireworks of pyros choreografed to the rhythm of „Cliffs Of Galipoli“, „The Art Of War“, „Attero Dominatus“, „To Hell And Back“ and „The Art Of War“ the show became spectacular visually. By „Shiroyama“ and „The Lost Battalion“ they presented two new tracks from the new output to be released the following day. The fans got what they wanted and sang along the whole gig.

Pain Stage
Lord Of The Lost The fivepiece from Hamburg started with „The Love Of God“ from „Empyrean“, which had just been released three weeks ago, to let follow a best of their older tracks. But somehow it became clear for another time Gothic Metal doesn’t work that good in the noon. Just the Backstreet Boys cover „Everybody“ animated the visitors to take part in.
Omnium Gatherum Guitarist Markus Vanhala’s other band besides Insomnium convinced by their inspiring Melodic Death Metal. Its great melodies harmonized by the dark growls of fronter Jukka Pelkonen. More than enough headbangers celebrated the opener „The Pit“, „Skyline“ and „Frontiers“ from the new „Grey Heavens“ album as older songs.
Deez Nuts The first titles „Shot After Shot“, „What I Gotta Do“ and „Tonight We’re Gonna Party“ was the answer to all questions about the following act. The fourpiece from Melbourne and their ‘Kangaroocore’ convinced the jumping crowd, and it didn’t take too much time till the first moshpits.
Equilibrium Germany’s leading Pagan combo from Munich attracted an astonishing number of supporters filling the infield. And those partied with the fivepiece even when they introduced by the opener „Prey“, „Born To Be Epic“, „Katharsis“ as by the set finishing „Eternal Destination“ titles from the brandnew output „Armageddon“.
Asking Alexandria A little contrast between Melodic Death Metal and Heavy Rock wasn’t the worst idea. The very modern Metalcore with melodic hooks for singalongs worked very well on the second largest stage. The opener „I Won’t Give In“, „Let It Sleep“ and the title song of the new album „The Black“ got as much support as the more familiar „The Death Of Me“, „Closure“, „To The Stage“ and „A Prophecy“. The fans jumped and sang along choruses they majorly hadn’t known minutes before. Well done!
Fear Factory The Industrial Metal institution started while rain with „Demanufacture“ into a strong set containing „Shock“, „Edgecrusher“, „Powershifter“ as the awesome „Archetype“. The only weak factor was for another time Burton C. Bell’s voice during a few clean vocal passages. In the end the rain stopped, reaching the right atmosphere for the final „Ressurection“, „Replica“ and „Martyr“.
Testament Bay Area Thrash Metal for the second time this day, and this was up to become a special one: For the first time after a longer while I experienced Testament with clean as powerful sound which set their great composition in a completely different light. „Rise Up“, „More Than Meets The Eye“, „Practise What You Preach“, „Dark Roots Of The Earth“, „Into The Pit“ and „D.N.R. (Do Not Resuscitate)“ animated the crowd to headbang and create moshpits followed by loud jubilation each time. So „Disciples Of The Watch“ and „The Formation Of Damnation“ finished a memorable concert as festival day on the main area.

T-Stage
Heart Of A Coward The Progressive Metalcore quintet with Djent-influences from London opened this day’s T-Stage program spectacular. Moshpits and crowdsurfers while the first band in the noon aren’t usual, but the starter „Hollow“, „Shade“ as „Deadweight“ animated the mentionable number of spectators to move.
Swallow The Sun This slot deep in the night right after 2 a.m. definitely dealt with the right atmosphere for the Death Doom of the six Finnish musicians. They opened by „10 Silver Bullets“ as „Rooms And Shadows“ from their current „Songs Of The North“ masterpiece. „Hate Lead The Way“ caused even more headbanging before the ballad „Cathedral Walls“ enthused by its aura.After „New Moon“ the classic „Silence Of The Womb“ turned the tent into a collective headbanging temple. Overwehelming!

Friday
Main Stage
Versengold The wake-up-call sounded like an acoustic torture. The medieval Folk ensemble from Bremen stuck on the nerves of all the „Halunken Betrunken“ on the campsite.
Feuerschwanz Another folk combo bored me as more than enough other present visitors. The sixpack from the close town of Erlangen presented by the opener „Ketzerei“ and „Sex Is Muss“ of the new output to be released the following day.
Kärbholz Honestly!? After the two Folk formations the Onkelz-wannabes bored by their Rock in german language. „Lass Mich Fliegen“ and „Nichts Mehr Zu Verlieren“ inspired a small couple of supporteers singing along over the whole show, including the Motörhead cover „Killed By Death“.
Queensryche Finally: Four years after Todd La Torre replaced the original voice Sharon Tate the quintet decided for the right setlist considering the best band phase around „Operation: Mindcrime“ and „Empire“: After the new „Guardian“ as the starter followed „Operation: Mindcrime“, „Best I Can“, „The Mission“ and „Empire“. Wow! „Jet City Woman“ rocked and „Eyes Of A Stranger“ set the final point for a phenomenal concert.
Arch Enemy The Swedes started strong with „Yesterday Is Dead And Gone“, „War Eternal“ and „Ravenous“. The new guitar duo consisting of bandleader Michael Amott and ex-Nevermore-sixstringer Jeff Loomis can be counted to one of the best of the nowadays Metal scene. But the main focus belonged to front amazone Alissa White-Gluz who gave „My Apokalypse“, „You Will Know My Name“ and „As The Pages Burn“ the thrill letting the fans freak out.
Carcass The Grindcore icon from Liverpool returned to Dinkelsbühl starting with „Unfit For Consumption“. Especially the medleys „Black Star“ / „Keep On Rotting In The Free World“ and „Corporal Jigsore Quandary“ / „The Sanguine Article“ caused much banging heads as lots of fists in the air. Jeff Walker, Bill Steer & Co performed another greatest hits set of their history and finished another convincing appearance by the mighty „Heartwork“.
Slayer For the very first time the Thrash Metal legend appeared at Summer Breeze, and a completely filled infield was ready to go crazy for the following 90 minutes. Tom Araya, Kerry King & Co opened by the title track of the recent release „Repentless“ to let follow a best of set containing „War Ensemble“, „Mandatory Suicide“, „Dead Skin Mask“, „Seasons In The Abyss“, „Hell Awaits“, „South Of Heaven“ and the band hymn „Raining Blood“. The mainly red illuminated stage got a new Jeff-Hanemann-memorial-backdrop for the final „Angel Of Death“. This show was nothing special, it was pretty usual Slayer live, and that’s what the fans wanted!

Pain Stage
Grailknights The four colorful uniformed superheroes were still on their search for the holy grail as in a battle against Dr Skull. Finally of course they won and bid farewell by „Grailquest Gladiators“.
Deadlock The first real highlight became the Bavarian quintet. Their Melodic Deathcore attracted numerous fans which celebrated „The Brave / Agony Applause“, „Earthlings“ and „Code Of Honor“ as the opener and title song, „Berserk“ and „Backstory Wound“ from the new album „Hybris“. And that was just one new introduction, the other one was the new female singer Margie Gerlitz. She convinced totally by her voice, but she should reduce her euphoric announcements in too high tones. Anyway, „End Begins“ did just that after a great gig!
Dying Fetus The Grindcore trio from Maryland showed their tightness, supported by clear as powerful Death Metal. So the new „Induce Terror“ from the forthcoming release as „One Shot One Kill“ and „Grotesque Impaled“ caused numerous headbangers as several moshpits.
Soilwork The Melodic Death Metal sixpiece welcomed an astonishing number of supporters by „The Ride Majestic“ and „Nerve“. By as after this start the number of headbangers as crowdsurfers increased enormously culminating in „Bastard Chain“ and „Rejection Role“, The Swedes seemingly enjoyed this visual audience feedback and finished a jubilated show by „Stabbing The Drama“.
Mastodon After they had to cancel their last year’s appearance in Dinkelsbühl the fans didn’t seem to have forgotten them. Actually the infield was well-filled. Lead by Brent Hinds as by Troy Sanders the quintet fascinated from the opener „Tread Lightly“ over „Chimes At Midnight“, „Mother Puncher“, „The Wolf Is Loose“ to the final „Blood And Thunder“. The innovative musical performance left several fans’ as musicians’ mouths open.
Eisbrecher I don’t know why or how this Rammstein-for-the-countryside-population-clone got this billing position, but many participating bands would have deserved it much more. Anyway, in the front rows celebrated a little community „Willkommen Im Nichts“, „Eiszeit“ as the final cover of the fronter’s ex-combo Megaherz „Miststück“ while all the others waited Slayer on the neighbored Main Stage.
Satyricon This was supposed to become a special live experience: Right after midnight Oslo’s finest played their breakthrough album „Nemesis Divina“ to its 20th anniversary in its full entirety. And after getting celebrated for „The Dawn Of A New Age“, „Forhekset“ and „Nemesis Divina“ itself Satyr, Frost & Co satisfied their fans by the hits „Mother North“, „Black Crow On A Tombstone“, „Fuel For Hatred“ and „King“ from the other masterpieces. Memorable!

T-Stage
Obscura Technical Death Metal comparable to the mighty Death got offered by the quartet from Munich. The set was mainly focussed on the new album „Akroasis“ like the opener „Ten Spiroth“, the title song or „Sermon Of The Seven Sons“, just the mighty „Anticosmic Overload“ and the final „Centric Flow“ got considered as older tracks. Anyway, the astonishing filled tent celebrated all live well-performed compositions by collective headbanging.
Coheed And Cambria These are the slots why I enjoy the Summer Breeze so much each time: Bands with extra class you don’t get to see everywhere appear on some stage, you just have to find out before. So did the Prog Rock band from New York which could have deserved more visitors. But the first half of the tent was populated and celebrated the starter „In Keeping Secrets Of Silent Earth 3“, the hit „A Favor House Called Atlantic“ as „Island“ and „Eraser“ from the current „The Color Before The Sun“. By „Welcome Home“ vocalist ‘Mr Hair’ Claudio Sanchez and his bandmates left a happy audience.

Saturday
Main Stage
Goitzsche Front Stupid german Rock with stupid announcements was an even harder wake-up-call than the day before. This try to sound like the east german pendant of the Onkelz failed.
Beyond The Black The North Germans seemed to be today’s first real attraction. Many supporters went to the stage and didn’t get disappointed. Lead by Jennifer Haben the Gothic Metal with Rock approach convinced by the opener „Lost In Forever“, „Songs Of Love And Death“, „In The Shadows“ and the final „Running To The Edge (Love’s A Burden)“.
Letzte Instanz The German Gothic Rock sevenpiece turned out to another competition to me. The most interesting issue about this gig was when they played Van Halen’s „Jump“ riff. But their community celebrated „Wir Sind Eins“, „Liebe Im Krieg“ and „Tränen Aus Stein“ while I tried to get more and more distance between the stage and me.
Korpiklaani The Finnish Folk Metal combo returned and was awaited by numerous fans. And those ones partied to „Journey Men“, „Ruuminmiinmulta“ and especially the alcoholic final consisting of „Wooden Pints“, „Vodka“ and „Beer Beer“.
Subway To Sally Germany’s leading Folk Metal ensemble started after an intro with „Alle Psalta Cum Luya“ into their set. The sevenpiece had appeared for several times at Summer Breeze, and by raising their popularity in general, so the infield was filled and ready for „Mephisto“, „Henkersbraut“, „Kleid Aus Rosen“, „Falscher Heiland“, „Sieben“, „Veitstanz“ and „Julia Und Die Räuber“ which got sung by thounsands of fans minutes after the band had left the stage.
Steel Panther For friends of bare-naked breasts as shirt-lifting beauties as non-beauties the Glam Rock fourpiece was a must to watch. From „Eyes Of The Tiger“ the ironic show madness reigned, and sometimes the show became a parody of its own. But it entertained the masses who got what they wanted to see: Pure entertainment finished by „Death To All But Metal“.
Parkway Drive A real show madness could be experienced on the headliner position in the following. A bit like In Flames the Australians decided to pimp the special effects enormously: High light traverses surrounding the drum riser as the middle of the stage, diagonal as straight-up flame throwers, paper streamer and pyros nearly everywhere resulted in an impressing fireworks against the chanceless rain. But the main attraction still was the agile band and their songs who caught every present person jumping and and singing along with „Carrion“, „Vice Grip“, „Idols And Anchors“, „Karma“, „Wild Eyes“ and „Bottom Feeder“. The stage seemed covered in flames while „Crushed“ after which „Home Is For The Hearless“ finished this highlight of the festival summer. Very impressive!

Pain Stage
Coppelius The sixpack from Berlin sounded somewhere between Folk, Gothic and Rock. There were moments the lyrics seemed a bit naive, but they had an original sound. So „Mitten Ins Herz“, „To My Creator“ as „Risiko“ attracted the first curious visitors to walk in front of the stage and spend applause.
Psychopunch The Swedish fourpiece is a familiar band to the Summer Breeze audience. So the people knew what they were about to get. Beginning by „I’ve Been Around“, „On A Night Like This (Hell Yeah)“ as „Sitting By The Railroad“ it became the Punk ‘n’ Roll performance everybody had expected.
Unearth What followed were 55 minutes of complete energy. The quintet from Boston started powerful by „The Great Dividers“ and „Watch It Burn“, and the whole infield in front of the stage went crazy. And so did the band, agile as always, especially the guitarists Buz McGrath as Ken Susi ran the stage up and down while moshpits raged to „Zombie Autopilot“, „This Lying World“ as „Giles“. The band acted tight and knew how to hold the fans in motion. So they finished by „My Will Be Done“ and „Black Hearts Now Reign one of the absolute summer gig highlights.
D:A:D Danmark’s finest in Hardrock was back. Fronter Jesper Binzer announced just to play old songs and added, there would follow no nostalgy, just energy. And he was right: The opener „Bad Craziness“, „Girl Nation“, „Point Of View“ and „Jihad“ transferred energy to the supporters whose jubilations got louder each song. The loudest peak of course happened during the final hit „Sleeping My Day Away“. Attraction besides that were the basses of Stig Pedersen. Cool band!
Pain Peter Tägtgren & Co decided for a classic set starting with „Same Old Song“. More than enough supporters ignored the rain and celebrated the danceable Industrial Metal like „End Of The Line“, „It’s Only Them“ and „Dirty Woman“. So their hit „Shut Your Mouth“ finished a cool show.
Blues Pills Last time appearing in the tent on the opening day and this year co-headliner of the latest day could be interpreted as a big development of the four Swedes. No wonder, lead by „High Class Woman“ Elin Larsson and her powerful voice as the sympathic performance attracted numerous fans in front of the stage. Those ones ignored the rain and experienced the live interpretation of Tony Joe White’s „Elements And Things“ as „Jefferson Airplane’s „Somebody To Love“. The own hit „Devil Man“ marked the end of another cool show.
Katatonia For another time the organizers put the five Swedes on the perfect position on the Pain Stage right after midnight. An hour of atmosphere and intensity was guaranteed as fulfilled for sure. By „Serein“ and „Old Hearts Falls“ they presented two compositions from their new masterpiece „The Fall Of Hearts“. Besides that the best-of-set containing the opener „July“, „Deliberation“, „My Twin“, „Soil’s Song“ as „Onward Into Battle“ got celebrated. For another time the optimal final of the final festival 2016.!

T-Stage
Illdisposed These 45 minutes became a demonstration of pure ‘danish dynamite’: Their new album just got considered by „In Light Of The Moon“, the fivepiece had decided for a best of program by the opener „I Believe In Me“, „Weak Is Your God“, „Dark“, „Throw Your Bolts“ as „A Child Is Missing“. Between the songs front-grunter Bo Summers, suited in a ‘Je Suis Illdisposed’ – shirt, entertained with his comments, for example explaing his need to shit into a forest because of a traffic-jam on the Autobahn next to it. So after the classic „Submit“ they finished a smashing as funny Death Metal performance by „Now We’re History“.
My Dying Bride Doom Metal of its best was offered in the night by the sixpiece from England. Vocalist Aaron Stainthorpe entertained with his British humor and acted tight with the band. By „And My Father Left Forever“, the title track and „To Shiver In Empty Halls“ they presented even three songs from the current masterpiece „Feel The Misery“ causing much applause and headbanging. This got even raised by the more familiar opener „Your River“, „From Darkes Skies“, „The Cry Of Mankind“ and the final „Feel The Misery“ which got sung along by the whole tent. Awesome!

Conclusion:
The Summer Breeze was the relaxed as well-organised event as known and finished the summer festival season being a highlight for another time. The weather was pretty cool with a bit rainy last day, but there might be different perspectives as personal preferences. Most of the time it was dry and it wasn’t too hot. The food mile offered for another time a variable choice. The prices for food and drinks were the same as last year (e.g. 3,50 € for a 0,4 l can of beer or softdrink). Besides that the Summer Breeze published the first confirmed bands for the 2017-edition: Heaven Shall Burn, Children Of Bodom, Behemoth, Hypocrisy, Wintersun, Arch Enemy, Caliban & J.B.O.!
So we are looking forward to Summer Breeze 2017!!! Special thanks go out to David Gregori and the Summer Breeze team!!!!! At the Summer Breeze rocked, drank and partied Tobi Wan Kenobi, Dennis The Menace, Flamenco-Ines & Cypsilonthia!!!!!