With Full Force
To its 25th anniversary the With Full Force returned to Ferropolis to which it had moved from the former festival ground in Roitzschjora last year.
And the anniversary program turned out to become a special one: Lead by Parkway Drive, Judas Priest, Bullet For My Valentine, Soulfly, Hatebreed and the very rare appearance of Body Count featuring Mr. Ice Tea the final night got concluded by the Saturday Night Specials of Beatsteaks and Apocalyptica with their Metallica-only-set. The organization concentrated on the three stages known from the latest Roitzschjora-edition, so the Big Wheel Stage from last year’s friday as saturday didn’t happen again. After canceling the first festival day in 2017 due to stormy weather conditions, this year’s edition the climate was a WFF-fan as it mostly had been the years before causing sunny days at Ferropolis. At Ferropolis 70 bands appeared on three stages in three days for about 17.000 visitors.
Thursday
Ferox Stage
For I Am King The Dutch fivepiece around their energetic female shouter opened this year’s program on the biggest WFF-stage. The mainly on their debut-longplayer based Metalcore like „The Crone“ animated the first spectators to move.
Toxpack Maybe I’m the wrong person to review this band seemingly being the only person of our crew having no sympathies for the Punk-Streetcore quintet from Berlin. They released their ninth album last year, and so they attracted numerous fans to celebrate them in the afternoon.
Powerflo We awaited a real all-star-band consisting of vocalist Sen Dog (Cypress Hill), the guitarists Billy Graziadei (Biohazard) as Rogelio Lozano (Downset), bassist Christian Olde Wolbers (ex – Fear Factory) plus drummer Fernando Schaefer. Their Crossover mainly basing on the self-named debut as „Where I Stay“ or „Victim Of Circumstance“ rocked as the performance of these experienced gentlemen did.
Kataklysm As their WFF-participations before the Northern Hyperblast got a Main Stage slot for another time because of attracting more than just a few headbangers. Their Death Metal got performed very tight as usual. The Canadiens presented by „Narcissist“, „Guilotine“ and „Outsider“ three songs from their brandnew album „Meditations“. The most support fronter Maurizio Iacono & Co caused by the intro „Like Angels Weeping (The Dark)“, „As I Slither“, „At The Edge Of The World“ and „Crippled & Broken“.
Stick To Your Guns In front of the huge backdrop of their recent „True View“ release the Californian Hardcore fivepiece started by its song „The Sun, The Moon, The Truth: Penance Of Self“ into their set. And this should include the first more than mentionable mosh-pit-action. No wonder, „Married To The Noise“, „We Still Believe“, „Amber“ as „Nothing You Can Do To Me“ are well-known in the WFF-community which showed many voices taking part in its choruses.
Body Count feat. Ice T Finally the time had come to watch the Crossover icon lead by the personality of this weekend introducing himself as „Ice Motherfuckin’ T Bitch“. The band opened by the Slayer-cover „Raining Blood“, and the motivated fanbase reacted from the first tone on. Ice T who had acted in several Hollywood movies as well showed his mean mimic over the whole show telling about racism in the music business as in the whole world. Each comment was worth listening to this man who got support by his son as his little daughter, their classics as „Manslaughter“, „Voodoo“, „Here Goes The Neighborhood“, „Talk Shit, Get Shot“ and „Cop Killer“ were it anyway causing much support by the audience for Ice T, Ernie C & Co. I just missed the hit „Body Count’s In The House“.
Bullet For My Valentine The Welsh quartet appeared as a WFF-headliner for the second time. Supported by a strong light-dominated stage set Matt Tuck & Co welcomed numerous fans for the following 75 minutes. And by the opener „Don’t Need You“, „“Over It“, „Letting You Go“ and „Piece Of Me“ they surprised by the exclusive live presentation of four songs from the forthcoming album. Besides this interesting material the well-known „Your Betrayal“, „4 Words (To Choke Upon)“, „You Want A Battle (Here’s A War)“, „All These Things I Hate (Revolve Around Me)“ and „Scream Aim Fire“ lead to much support by crowdsurfers, headbangers and mosh-pit-activists. Those ones got completely satisfied after the set closing „Tears Don’t Fall“ and „Waking The Demon“.
Metal Hammer Stage
Dagoba After many years the quartet from Marseille returned to the WFF and convinced for another time. Appearing on the smallest stage they attracted more and more spectators onto the sand ground right before it. Their modern sound including several Industrial-elements and mainly a groovy sound as the agile performance of fronter Shawter inspired while „Stone Ocean“ and „Inner Sun“ as during the older „The Things Within“ and „The Man You’re Not“. I just missed „The Great Wonder“. Anyway, more of that!
Tent Stage: Impericon Hardbowl
Miss May I The fivepiece from Ohio turned out to become the first highlight in the sunny afternoon. Their inspiring performance as the catchy chorus melodies of „Hey Mister“, „Lost In The Grey“, „Masses Of A Dying Breed“ and „Relentless Chaos“ left no doubt about having a talented band with strong songwriting as live abilities on stage.
Being As An Ocean A very special highlight followed in the Hardbowl Tent. The Post Hardcore quintet from San Diego released by „Waiting For Morning To Come“ a masterpiece, and by „OK“, „Glow“, „Dissolve“, „Black & Blue“ and „Thorns“ loud jubilated compositions from it on stage. The atmosophere of their music including the two voices created felt incomparable. It must have felt the same to the protagonists when vocalist Joel Cartuccio took a crowdsurfing bath in the audience while he was still singing. By their classic „The Hardest Part Is Forgetting Those Who Swore You Would Never Forget“ they finished a memorable show. No wonder they are declared as the headliner of the European „Impericon Never Say Die!“ – festival tour happening in november as some big banner at the WFF showed.
Caliban I must have seen Germany’s Metalcore icon for several times at the WFF, and for another time they shouldn’t disappoint me. With their new strong „Elements“-album they improved their setlist by the opener „This Is War“, „Intoxicated“ and „Before Later Becomes Never“. The filled tent jumped and sang along, a few of the fans climbed the tent pillars a bit above celebrating their faves combined with a better view without more danger in this height. After the Rammstein-cover „Sonne“ the fivepiece bid farewell by „We Are The Many“ and the seemingly very well-known „Memorial“.
Friday
Ferox Stage
Psychostick After beginning the second festival day by so-called Porn Grind – combos in the latest years, in 2018 it was up to a modern-sounding, but still not less fun-referred US-formation to enthuse by several costumes as tracks like „Obey The Beard“ and „Beer!“. All in all a question of personal humor!
Dritte Wahl I don’t know why their eleventh record was named „10“, but it had been 25 years since publishing the debut to the release of their current output last year. The Punk Rock – institution from Rostock played a best of set from their backcatalogue like „Der Spiegel“, „So Wie Ihr Seid“ as „Fliegen“.
Ektomorf One day before its original the Hungarian copy of Soulfly appeared in Ferropolis. After playing „The Prophet Of Doom“ material from the new output „Fury“ the well-known WFF-guests performed by „Black Flag“, „Outcast“, „I Know Them“ and „Fuck You All“ classics inspiring their supporters to mosh-pits.
Madball Another steady guest of the WFF returned onto the stage by the NYHC-institution. Besides introducing by „Old Fashioned“ and „Rev Up“ tracks from the brand new release „For The Cause“ the very agile and this year astonishing long-haired Freddy Cricien animated by „Set It Off“, „New York City“ „Demonstrating My Style“, „Look My Way“ and „Get Out“ to jump and to get into the pit.
Eskimo Callboy The Metalcore sixpack with undeniable Danceflloor-influences can count themselves to the faves of numerous WFF-visitors. Although sounding too much easy-listening to the harder majority of the community they populated the infield to start with the title track, „Back In The Bizz“ and „The Shallows“ from the recent „The Scene“ release. Their fans danced and sang along to those ones as to „Is Anyone Up“, „Muffin Purper-Gurk“ and „Crystals“. The band itself showed humor when a few haters threw cans onto the stage inviting the whole audience to throw their cans on stage. Good for the festival sparing some deposit.
Hatebreed Besides Slayer this Hardcore institution can be called the most familiar WFF-band.After several Roitzschjora-appearances the fivepiece returned on stage for the first time in Ferropolis. And they left no doubt about to conquer this new place by starting with the smashers „Live For This“ and „Destroy Everything“. The very active shouter Jamey Jasta animated the fans to go crazy again and again, and so they did joining mosh-pits while „To The Threshold“, „Looking Down The Barrel Of Today“, „This Is Now“ and the finisher „I Will Be Heard“.
Judas Priest Time was up for the very first appearance of the NWOBHM-legend at the WFF. Assisted by an astonishing digial backdrop showing suiting projections to the songs the quintet opened by the title track of their new album „Firepower“ before offering a greatest hits show within 90 minutes after the special Judas Priest curtain had fallen. And this set contained by „Grinder“, „The Ripper“, „Turbo Lover“, „Tyrant“, „You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’“, „Hell Bent For Leather“ and „Painkiller“ many classics which got celebrated by their die-hard-community. Rob Halford handled all tones, just his concentration on the teleprompter sometimes irritated. But the fans didn’t care about this detail celebrating this show until its final marked by the encores „Rising From Ruins“, „Metal Gods“ and „Breaking The Law“.
Saturday
Ferox Stage
Manos Their latest release „Genocide“ is eleven years old, but in East Germany the Fun Death Metal trio is still pretty popular. So a few mainly older fans didn’t miss to watch „Hol Mir Ne’ Bockwurst“, „Uprising Of The Dead“ and „Biene M.“
Pro-Pain After Madball and Hatebreed the third Hardcore-generation from New York City appeared at this year’s WFF in Ferropolis. For Gary Meskill and his three bandmates it was one of several WFF-participations. As each time they could count on their fan base celebrating together „In For The Kill“, „Foul Taste Of Freedom“, „Shine“ and „Make War (Not Love)“.
In This Moment What followed was the craziest performance of this weekend. The stage set attracted attention by several crosses and especially by a little church symbolizing tent in the middle of the stage a few metres behind the microphone, where the charismatic Maria Brink went in to change stage costumes suiting to the songs while the muscians finished or started the instrumental parts of their compositions. Besides „River Of Fire“ and the Billy-Idol-cover „Black Wedding“ from the current „Ritual“-album the quartet from Los Angeles performed, assisted by a few dancers/actors/figures, the opener „Blood“, „Adrenalize“, „Roots“ and „Big Bad Wolf“. After the announced „Whore“ their 45 minutes lasting set was over. Their fans celebrated them anyway, but we all were a bit impressed by the very original sound and the impassionate performance.
Emmure The US-Deathcore-quintet decided for many tracks from the current release „Look At Yourself“ by the opening five „You Asked For It“, „Shinjuki Masterlord“, „Smokey“, „Natural Born Killer“ and „Ice Man Confessions“ as later by „Torch“ and „Flag Of The Beast“. But that didn’t seem to stop their fans who of course created the fastest circle-pits while the more familiar „R2 Deepthroat“, „Nemesis“ and „Children Of Cybertron“. By the way, the shouter in white, the six- as fourstringer in black and the drummer in a flower-filled shirt resulted in a colorful combination.
Life Of Agony After a disappointing appearance at last year’s Summer Breeze the quartet started strong by the classics „This Time“, „Through And Through“ and „Other Side Of The River“. There had been a few changes in the latest time. After twelve years the band released by „A Place Where There’s No More Pain“ a new album they introduced by „Meet My Maker“. And Sal Abruscato got replaced by Veronica Bellino who did a great job on drums, so Life Of Agony had evolved from a male-only- to an equal-sex-band. Mina Caputo obviously enjoyed the concert and fascinated by her voice intoning „Weeds“, „River Runs Red“ as „Underground“ which got co-assisted by Gary Meskill from Pro-Pain. I just missed „Method Of Groove“, but anyway this show rocked!
Soulfly The Neo-Thrash-project around Max Cavalera also returned to the WFF after they had been appearing for a couple of times in Roitzschjora. Opening by „Fire“ and „Prophecy“ they marked a speed as heavyness factor for the following 50 minutes. And although I don’t like this simple sound, it was much more interesting than their Ektomorf-clones the day before. The crowd celebrated „No Hope = No Fear“, „Back To The Primitive“, the Sepultura-classic „Refuse/Resist“ as „Eye For An Eye“ anyway. Besides that Max’s son Zyan Cavalera astonished by his variable drumming. But his grown abilities as age also put the focus back on the father who had obviously grown old. His stage performance wasn’t a very active one, but his shouts sounded like years/decades before.
Parkway Drive For the first time of this weekend the infield was completely packed which showed the evolution of this quintet. After fulfilling the first day’s headliner position in 2015 the band from Down Under got the final headliner slot for this year long time before. And nobody should regret that, what followed turned out to become outstanding. The opening „Wishing Wells“ and „Prey“ from the new album „Reverence“ inspired the infield to jump, and this got maximized by „Carrion“ and „Vice Grip“. The fans sat down and did some kind of imagenary oaring to „Prey“ while the show got assisted by an amazing fire works full of pyros and many more special effects. The five guys from Byron Bay showed themselves agile, but that was incomparable to the motion on the infield they caused by their music and its energy. The band obviously enjoyed these 90 minutes as their fans what became clear while each announcement of vocalist Winston McCall. His bandmate on guitar, Jeff Ling, looked a bit like Tom Cruise’s killer role Vincent in „Collateral“ with his hoary hair, by the way. „Idols And Anchors“, „Karma“ and „Destroyer“ kept the whole crowd in motion before „Wild Eyes“ finished the regular set. But the band returned onto an inflamed stage with the encore „Crushed“ during which drummer Ben Gordon twisted headfirst with the whole rotating drum kit construction. The almighty „Bottom Feeder“ finished one of the best shows we have ever seen! With their final pyros the WFF-anniversary fire works started which held the special effects level of the headliner show.
Ferox Stage: Saturday Night Special
Apocalyptica performing Metallica by four Cellos After their last year’s headliner slot got canceled as the whole thursday program the four Finns came back with the honor to finish this anniversary-WFF with the same program just containing their Metallica-interpretations with four cellos and one drummer. Nearly exactly 22 years after publishing their debut „Plays Metallica By Four Cellos“ they played those songs as a couple of further Metallica-covers. Their versions of the opener „Enter Sandman“, „For Whom The Bell Tolls“, „Battery“ and „One“ earned much applause by the audience who also did the vocal parts which made this experience much more atmospheric. After finishing by „Seek & Destroy“ including an intermezzo of AC/DC’s „Thunderstruck“ the musicians concluded by the encore „Nothing Else Matters“. What a closure, simply magic!
Metal Hammer Stage
Dool „Flame Set“ This special set meant 4 inflamed tons next to the stage, two each on both sides. So the music was much more special. Lead by the strong voice of Ryanne van Dorst and a tight band their Rock songs like „Golden Serpents“, „In Her Darkest Hour“ and Vantablack from their debut album „Here Now, There Then“ convinced the audience.
Tent Stage: Impericon Hardbowl
Asking Alexandria Their red dominated stage set showed who was up next. The British fivepiece should astonish for another time with their energetic live performance. The band put their main focus on their recent self-entititled album playing „Into The Fire“, „Alone In A Room“, „When The Lights Come On“, „Under Denver“ and „Where Did It Go?“. The fans were into it as into the older songs like „Run Free“ or the final „The Death Of Me“. I just missed the variable hit „Closure“. But before „Moving On“ the band showed by two guys with two guitars and one voice what they are able to. It nearly sounded like a megaseller-Hardrock-band. Hope to see them again soon.
Tent Stage: Saturday Night Special (Big Anniversary Surprise)
Beatsteaks This cofirmation was a real surprise before the festival. In 2005 the Punkrock-fivepiece from Berlin co-headlined before Iron Maiden. Since then they have evolved to one of Germany’s most famous Rock bands. So this was a very worthy Big Anniversary Surprise. The Tent Stage of the former Impericon Hardbowl got filled to start the party with „Panic“ and „Jane Become Insane“. The band was motivated as their fans celebrating own classics like „Cut Off The Top“ and „Hello Joe“ as the covers „Frieda Und Die Bomben“ of Fu Manchu and Beasty Boys’ „Sabotage“. To its great final „Let Me In“ fronter Arnim crodsurfed to the people who had climbed a few steps higher at the tent pillars while he continued singing. Memorable!
Conclusion:
As mentioned the organization worked very well. This year there was no big screen to watch the first preliminary games of the soccer world championship. In contrast to the years before, when the biggest public viewing of whole Saxony got hosted by the WFF, there were no quarter finals due to the earlier date as there was no game with Germany participating, so nearly nobody worried about. Germany’s first game happened on sunday when everybody left the festival area returning to home. The strong billing, the unique location and the sunny weather made this year’s WFF fantastic!
Our special thanks go out to Madeline Friedemann and the WFF-team!!!!! In the city of iron rocked, drank and partied Tobi Wan Kenobi, Wirwa and Densen!!!!!