{"id":457,"date":"2011-03-09T19:58:57","date_gmt":"2011-03-09T18:58:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/new.metal-festivals.com\/?page_id=457"},"modified":"2011-03-09T19:58:57","modified_gmt":"2011-03-09T18:58:57","slug":"rock-hard-festival-2005-review","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/new.metal-festivals.com\/?page_id=457","title":{"rendered":"Rock Hard Festival 2005 Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

Rock Hard Festival 2005<\/strong>
\nThe trilogy is complete! But no reason to stop about a Festival that has turned to one of the most important Open Airs in the Hard \u2018n\u2019 Heavy-scene. For the third time the Rock Hard organizers were able to serve the visitor the familiar relaxed atmosphere by the wonderful place of the Amphitheater in Gelsenkirchen combined with a very interesting billing. After last year the metalheads had again the opportunity to camp close to the festivalsite. In Gelsenkirchen played 22 bands (each band 45 minutes minimum) on one stage (on Friday on a different stage) in three days for about 4500 visitors.<\/p>\n

Friday<\/strong>
\nSide Stage<\/em>
\nRegicide <\/strong>The festival opener played Gothic Rock\/Metal without any typical genre limits. Rather the sevenpiece combined different influences to their own style on their debut-longplayer \u201cViorus\u201d. Supported by a violin, a male and a female voice they managed to entertain the crowd with this combination. Well done!<\/p>\n

Sunride <\/strong>From a Stoner Rock-band I expect a show which really rocks! But what we got was a boring gig. Especially singer Jani Peippo didn\u2019t seem to only stuck on my nerves with his diva-performance. Hopefully they work a lot about improving their live performance. That the Finnish formation can do much better they had showed on their third release \u201cThe End Justifies The Means\u201d.<\/p>\n

Abandoned <\/strong>This German fourpack qualified for the co-headliner-slot of Friday by the SIMeVIL Band-contest. In the internet the fans had voted for a very Bay Area Thrash-orientated group. By Thrash-compositions like \u201cPrivate Little Hell\u201d or \u201cForcefed\u201d they won the crowd pretty fast.<\/p>\n

Girlschool <\/strong>The NWOBHM \u2013 all-girl-band celebrated Hardrock classics-program from the debut \u201cDemolition\u201d until the last year\u2019s released \u201cBelieve\u201d which found the crowd\u2019s support. The right place to celebrate singer and guitarrist Kim McAuliffe\u2019s birthday. To me it was the first time to watch the ladies and they rocked! That seemed to be the opinion of the clear fan majority. So the band even caused many stagdivers.<\/p>\n

Saturday<\/strong>
\nMain Stage<\/em>
\nCommunic <\/strong>The Norwegians are the nowadays shooting stars of the Prog\/Power scene. So it wasn\u2019t really astonishing a pretty awaited the first band of the day in the noon. The band around mainman Oddleif Stensland and the rhythm section consisting of bassist Erik Mortensen and drummer Tor Atle Andersen (who looked behind his drumkit like an 11-year-old boy) performed the whole material of their praised debut album \u201cConspiracy Of Mind\u201d except for the track \u201cThe Distance\u201d and earned the jubilation of their fans by \u201cHistory Reversed\u201d, Silence Surrounds\u201d and \u201cCommunication Sublime\u201d. But one complaint: What was tour-keyboarder Peter Jensen good for who headbanged most of the gig while leaning on his keyboard instead of playing ?<\/p>\n

Heaven Shall Burn<\/strong> The German icon of new German Metalcore besides Caliban are Heaven Shall Burn. While the intro \u201cEchoes\u201d was running the musicians entered the stage. At last the vocalist. But surprise! It wasn\u2019t the regular fronter Marcus Bischoff. He had become sick short time before, so Andr\u00e9 Moraweck usually known from Maroon replaced him for this show which they started with the single \u201cThe Weapon They Fear\u201d. This new material from the new \u201cAntigone\u201d-album caused much motion on the spectatorside as older tracks like \u201cThe Martyr\u2019s Blood\u201d (from \u201cWhatever It May Take\u201d). And the statements of the always spitting Andr\u00e9 wasn\u2019t less entertaining: \u201cThis guys behind me are the ugliest band I\u2019ve ever played with. Thanks for choosing me for this show although I\u2019m so small and don\u2019t talk your ridiculous accent.\u201d Cool!<\/p>\n

Ensiferum <\/strong>I can not really call myself a fan of this new little Viking Metal-wave, and so the next 45 minutes should become a real martyrium to me. Musically the Finnish fivepiece didn\u2019t have more to offer as on their \u201cIron\u201d-longplayer or on their self-titled debut. And their outfit (cow pants, instead of a shirt a white belly except for the female keyboarder and cowboy hats) was a mean attack on any working eye. Nevertheless they reached many fans especially with their hymn \u201cLai Lai Hei\u201d (What?!) including some crowdsurfing.<\/p>\n

The Haunted<\/strong> The Gothenburg Thrashers didn\u2019t even present a new albun They also introduced the new old fronter Peter Dolving who acted on their first album. With a classic from this one (\u201cHate Song\u201d) the band began the show. Peter showed by his voice appearance, his agillity and his humour in his comments (While his anouncement to the following song he explainted in a grunting way to finish it with its title \u201cUndead\u201d in a Rob Halford-style) he can replace ex-singer Marco Aro. Backed up by the excellent riff-triumvirat consisting of Jensen and the Bj\u00f6rler-brothers they celebrated songs from the \u00b4Aro-era` (\u201cShadow World\u201d, \u201cDark Intensions\u201d\/\u201dBury Your Dead\u201d, \u201cD.O.A.\u201d, \u201cHollow Ground\u201d, \u201cGodpuppet\u201d) as the other debut-tracks (\u201cIn Vein\u201d, \u201cForensick\u201d, \u201dUndead\u201d) and the compositions from the new album \u201cRevolver\u201d (\u201cNothing Right\u201d, \u201c99\u201d, \u201cAbysmal\u201d, \u201cAll Against All\u201d, \u201cNo Compromise\u201d) and reached the enthusiastic crowd.<\/p>\n

Samael <\/strong>To no darkness at all Vorph, Xy, Makro and the always jumping bassist Mas entered the stage, but the daylight didn\u2019t really matter at all. Their very own and original sound fits to every part of the day in the meantime. Ignoring the first two outputs the four Swiss played an interesting combination between old and new. They began with the two hammers \u201cRain\u201d and \u201cShining Kingdom\u201d and immediately bound the crowd. After this they let follow by \u201cInch\u2019Allah\u201d one of seven tracks they played from the new release \u201cReign Of Light\u201d (\u201cOn Earth\u201d, the title track, \u201cTelepath\u201d, \u201cOriental Dawn\u201d, \u201cHigh Above\u201d, \u201cMoongate\u201d). With the classics (\u201cBaphomet\u2019s Throne\u201d, The Ones Who Came Before\u201d, the two encores \u201cJupiterian Vibe\u201d and \u201cMy Own Savior\u201d) they of course earned the best fans\u2019 reactions.<\/p>\n

Sonata Arctica<\/strong> Although the five Finish twens got their fan support I need to worry a little bit about I had seen them in a much better mood the times before, especially Tony Kakko\u2019s voice. But the problems of the actor in a strange outfit (A Finnish virus?) as of the sound became less during the show. So the band fed the hungry crowd with the singalong-hooks of \u201cBroken\u201d, \u201cVictoria\u2019s Secret\u201d, \u201cFull Moon\u201d, \u201cMy Land\u201d and \u201cDon\u2019t Say A Word\u201d. But instead of the \u201cWe Need Some Vodka\u201d in the end they should have played their debut-hit \u201cReplica\u201d. Nice gig, no more no less!<\/p>\n

Amon Amarth<\/strong> Then the time had come for the real vikings to invade the amphitheatre. The Death\/Viking Metal-band is definitely on a rise to higher levels. The opener \u201cAn Acient Sign Of Coming Storm\u201d) of their show was supposed to be the opener of their new album \u201cFate Of Norns\u201d and the crowd didn\u2019t hesitate to celebrate their music. Besides the other played new songs like the new hit \u201cThe Pursuit Of Vikings\u201d (Dap dap dap dap dap) and the title track front-viking Johann Hegg and his fellowship inspired the fans by their best of-setlist including \u201cBloodshed\u201d, \u201cBleed For Ancient Gods\u201d, \u201cMasters Of War\u201d, \u201cVictorious March\u201d and the final \u201cDeath In Fire\u201d.<\/p>\n

Children Of Bodom<\/strong> Suomi Part III: In the following 75 minutes Alexi Laiho and Co showed this band deserved this day\u2019s headliner position. So after the intro they fired the musically tripple weapon consisting of \u201cSixpounder\u201d, \u201cSilent Night Bodom Night\u201d and \u201cHate Me!\u201d into the wild bunch of supporters and gave them more by \u201cEverytime I Die\u201d, \u201cNeedled 24\/7\u201d and the debut-classic \u201cDeadnight Warrior\u201d. After a wild celebrated show the five Finnish returned with the encore part starting with a new track (\u201cIn Your Face\u201d) from the forthcoming album and two other jubilated hits (\u201cAngels Don\u2019t Kill\u201d, \u201cDownfall\u201d) before the outro \u201cFight For Your Right (To Party)\u201d described what just before had happened.<\/p>\n

Jon Oliva<\/strong> The headliner show should become a very special one. Jon Oliva, backed up by the four musicians who had played with Zakk Stevens\u2019 Circle II Circle two years before, introduced two tracks (\u201cAll The Time\u201d, \u201cThe Dark\u201d) from his current Jon Oliva\u2019s Pain-album \u201cTage Mahal\u201d and spent the rest of the show concentrating on Savatage classics from his era. Right decision! Although Mr. Oliva seemed while his strange statements a little drunk this evening nevertheless he sang like a young god through evergreens like the fantastic opener \u201cGutter Ballet\u201d, \u201cHounds\u201d, Tonight He Grins Again\u201d, \u201cBelieve\u201d and to the end of the regular set the early days-classics \u201cThe Dungeons Are Calling\u201d and \u201cSirens\u201d. What show which became another highlights added by the two encores \u201cPower Of The Night\u201d and \u201cThe Hall Of The Mountain King\u201d (Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah) followed by hundreds of crying voices. Phenomenal!<\/p>\n

Saturday<\/strong>
\nMain Stage<\/em>
\nHellfueled <\/strong>With a singer sounding very Ozzy-like and a Black Sabbath-orientated style the Swedes didn\u2019t sound really original, but with its party-attitude this was the right \u00b4accoustic shower` to get in motion after a long night. And so they rocked the stage mainly with material from last year\u2019s debut longplayer \u201cVolume One\u201d and added the new title \u201cBorn To Rock\u201d from their forthcoming second album. In the middle of the show the combo got honoured for being voted by the Rock Hard readers as the newcomer of 2004.<\/p>\n

Wolf <\/strong>Power Metal of its worse kind got presented by Wolf. As first comment singer and guitarist Nick Olsson apologized for his sick voice caused by a cold. Honesty counts! But it wasn\u2019t only the vocalist as rather the whole band performing a boring show. So at its end Nick left the spectatorship with the words: \u201cThis was our words gig and our best audience we\u2019ve ever had!\u201d Probably he was right with his comment!<\/p>\n

Threshold <\/strong>The second attempt: The UK-Proggies appeared on the first Rock Hard-Festival, but were forced by a thunderstorm followed by many lightnings to cancel their performance after three songs because it became much to dangerous to play. The ironic was: It was the one and only hour having rain besides the sunny and hot weather on RHF 2003. Two years later the conditions were much better and especially dry! Starting with the opener of the new album \u201cSubsurface\u201d (\u201cMission Profile\u201d) they directly inspired their numerous of fans. Besides their other new tracks (\u201cGround Control\u201d, \u201cPressure\u201d) the sixpack played a best-of (\u201cLight And Space\u201d, \u201cFreaks\u201d, \u201cFragmentation\u201d, \u201cLong Way Home\u201d) and earned a lot of celebration from the spectatorside. Between the songs fronter Andrew Mc Dermott entertained them with his little jokes held in German (he lives in Hamburg) about his bandmates who weren\u2019t able to understand this detailly. Great!<\/p>\n

Unleashed <\/strong>A big bunch of fans seemed to have been waiting for the only harder band of Saturday besides Overkill. Right from the opener \u201cLegal Rapes\u201d the crowd raged in a positive way and mainman Johnny Hedlund knew how to animate them rising the atmosphere from song to song. Not to difficult with Death Metal-hits like \u201cShadows In The Deep\u201d, \u201cInto Glory Ride\u201d, \u201cVictims Of War\u201d, \u201cBefore The Creation Of Time\u201d or the title track of their latest release \u201cHell\u2019s Unleashed\u201d. So the Swedes closed the \u00b4Death Metal Victory` with the last encore \u201cNever Ending Hate\u201d.<\/p>\n

Pretty Maids<\/strong> A friend of mine and me use to call the sound of bands like Pink Cream 69 or Pretty Maids \u00b4stadium rock` because of playing a Melodic Metal combination which consequently rocks and owns lots of melody hooks quite as well. So they entertained the small stadium of the amphitheatre which had became a little emptier after Unleashed. Due to some sound problems the danish dynamite around voice wonder Ronnie Atkins and Ken Hammer had a difficult start into their show while their strong opener \u201cSin-Decade\u201d. But no matter to such an experienced band like the fourpeace. They convinced every present visitor by newer as older singalong invitations like \u201cDestination Paradise\u201d, \u201cYellow Rain\u201d, \u201cBack To Back\u201d as the two classic encores \u201cFuture World\u201d and \u201cRed, Hot And Heavy\u201d.<\/p>\n

Masterplan <\/strong>Although the band around the ex-Helloween-musicians Roland Grapow (guitar) and Uli Kusch (drums) and their great Norwegian singer Jorn Lande had released two interesting Melodic Metal-records their position in the billing seemed a little bit too high. In contrast to the Pretty Maids which play in the same sub-genre somehow the fivepiece wasn\u2019t able to give their vibe to the crowd. They performed a combination a little bit more balanced on their debut (\u201cKind Hearted Light\u201d, the first single \u201cEnlighten Me\u201d, \u201cHeroes\u201d, the finishing \u201cCrawling From Hell\u201d) than on the new release \u201cAeronautics\u201d (the opener \u201cCrimson Rider\u201d, \u201cWounds\u201d \u201cI\u2019m Not Afraid\u201d, their new single \u201cBack For My Life\u201d), but with no special effect on the audience. Hopefully next time they can do better.<\/p>\n

Overkill <\/strong>As I don\u2019t need to announce I\u2019 m not calling myself a big Overkill-fan I need mention how asonishing the show of the New York Thrashers was. After beginning the gig with \u201cWithin Your Eyes\u201d from the new output \u201cReliXIV\u201d the group around fronter Bobby \u201cBlitz\u201d Ellsworth and bassist D.D. Verni played the Thrash-faves of their loyal fans with \u201cRotten To The Core\u201d and \u201cWrecking Crew\u201d. The moshpit raged and was kept alive by titles like \u201cHello From The Gutter\u201d, \u201cThanx For Nothin\u2019\u201d and the two last tracks \u201cOld School\u201d and \u201cFuck You\u201d which was yelled by hundreds of voices.<\/p>\n

Sentenced <\/strong>After 15 years it was time to say good-bye to a truely legend of dark melodic Metal. And a very exclusive one in deed: The Rock Hard Festival was one of only two farewell concerts being held in Germany (the other one in Wacken). Generally their \u00b4tour` was just consisting of a few festival shows. The Finnish Metal-institution opened with \u201cWhere Waters Fall Frozen\u201d from the new \u201cThe Funeral Album\u201d, to play after \u201cExcuse Me While I Kill Myself\u201d another new one by its opener \u201cMay Today Become The Day\u201d. Now it was on to their first and maybe biggest hit \u201cNepenthe\u201d from the \u201cAmok\u201d-masterpiece to be played to let follow my fave \u201cDrown Together\u201d, \u201cBleed\u201d and the second \u201cFrozen \u201c-track \u201cThe Rain Comes Falling Down\u201d. But it didn\u2019t really fall. The weather was staying dark and warm to create a perfect atmosphere for the numerous of fans partying to this great appearance. Suomi\u2019s finest performed with \u201cDespair-Ridden Hearts\u201d another new one, and fascinated with the double from \u201cThe Cold White Light\u201d consisting of \u201cCross My Heart And Hope To Die\u201d and the calm \u201cNo One There\u201d. The end of the set was close and after \u201cThe Sun Won\u2019t Shine\u201d and the new release\u2019s hit \u201cEver-Frost\u201d they finished this concert with the classic hit from the \u201cDown\u201d-opus, of course I\u2019m talking about \u201cNoose\u201d. The five Finnish left the stage to return with the encores \u201cVengeance Is Mine\u201d (the fifth new composition) and the only tonight played \u201cCrimson\u201d-song \u201cFragile\u201d. After this singer Ville Laihialla who had entertained the crowd with cool statements sayed good-bye with the words: \u201cHave a good life and see you never!\u201d A legendary appearance of a legendary band we will definitely miss!!!<\/p>\n

Accept <\/strong>And the Rock Hard Festival-organization was able to offer another very exclusive event on the headliner-position. Fronter Udo Dirkschneider (also known from U.D.O.), guitarist Wolf Hoffmann and bassist Peter Baltes reunited the German Heavy Metal-legend from Solingen. They started the timetrip through their legacy with \u201cStarlight\u201d, \u201cLiving For Tonight\u201d and \u201cLondon Leatherboys\u201d. Right after this the classic \u201cMetal Heart\u201d followed. They motivated the full amphitheatre which turned out to one big partyground. In the middle of their appearance the musicians played a bass as a guitar solo just interrupted by \u201cNeon Nights\u201d. After the second solo the only little disappointment followed. They played \u201cRestless And Wild\u201d and \u201cSon Of A Bitch in a medley. Blasphemy! Accept closed the regular set by \u201cFast As A Shark\u201d and came back with \u201cPrincess Of The Dawn\u201d and \u201cWinter Dreams\u201d. The band left the stage, but the curfew apologized one other track and the fans demanded it loudly. Udo and Co returned to play the final \u201cBalls To The Wall\u201d which of course was planned. A fascinating lesson in Heavy Metal History was done and an amazing party was celebrated to it, too!<\/p>\n

Conclusion:<\/strong>
\nThe Rock Hard Festival rocks hard!!!!! This is for sure! And the Amphitheater is the right place to celebrate this Open Air which hadn\u2019t lost anything of its atmosphere. The only thing had changed were the beverage prices. Rock Hard chief-editor explained about being forced by the owner of the Amphitheater on Saturday morning before the first Main Stage-band. That was the right way to inform the visitors, staying transparent and close to them! So this year the prices for drinks mostly cost 30 Cent more than the year before (e.g. 2,30 Euro for a 0,33l beer or softdrink). The toilets were for free and as constantly clean as the years before. Big big applause to an aspect which is not a matter of course on open air festivals!!!<\/p>\n

Special Thanks go out to Manni Glamowski (The saviour of my lost passes, thanks a lot again!!!), G\u00f6tz K\u00fchnemund, Martina Sinovzik and Conny Schiffbauer!!!!!<\/p>\n

On the Rock Hard Festival 2005 rocked, drank and partied Tobi Wan Kenobi, Lotte, Yvonne, Dumbo and Primal Dirk!!!!!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Rock Hard Festival 2005 The trilogy is complete! But no reason to stop about a Festival that has turned to one of the most important Open Airs in the Hard \u2018n\u2019 Heavy-scene. For the third time the Rock Hard organizers were able to serve the visitor the familiar relaxed atmosphere by the wonderful place of … <\/p>\n

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