{"id":534,"date":"2011-03-09T20:57:57","date_gmt":"2011-03-09T19:57:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/new.metal-festivals.com\/?page_id=534"},"modified":"2011-03-09T20:57:57","modified_gmt":"2011-03-09T19:57:57","slug":"summer-breeze-2004-review","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/new.metal-festivals.com\/?page_id=534","title":{"rendered":"Summer Breeze 2004 Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summer Breeze 2004<\/strong>
\nThe Summer Breeze had developped to the conclusion of every year\u2019s Open Air-procedure. Usually the festival has stood for its name which didn\u2019t leave any whishes in regard to the weather open. This year it rained a lot while these three days. Nevertheless we enjoyed another nice stay in Abtsgm\u00fcnd entertained by a well-balanced different billing and by cool people just joining the last summer metal party of the year. At the Summer Breeze 2004 played 50 bands on two stages which rotated with each other for about 11000 visitors.<\/p>\n

Thursday<\/strong>
\nMain Stage<\/em>
\nSonata Arctica<\/strong> The little, but not worse, brothers of Stratovarius started with \u201cVictoria\u2019s Secret” and \u201c8th Commandment into their set containing excellent Melodic Metal. The show became its real effect when the miserable sound had got improved. By their hits \u201cKingdom For A Heart” and \u201cMy Land”, by the Scorpions-cover \u201cStill Lovin\u2019 You” or the new single \u201cDon\u2019t Say A Word” from their forthcoming album \u201cReckoning Night” Suomi\u2019s finest earned the first encore-shouts from the fans.
\nCrematory <\/strong>The official reunion show of the German Gothic Metal-band around fronter Felix was supposed to be held in Abtsgm\u00fcnd. A home match for the fivepiece coming from the southwestern region of Germany. And the big crowd proofed of their position they still have in today\u2019s Metal-scene. Introducing some new stuff like \u201cOpen Your Eyes” and the current single \u201cGreed” from the new release \u201cRevolution” was important to show the band is still creative. Nevertheless they earned the most spectators\u2019 reactions by their classics like \u201cEyes Of Suffering”, \u201cShadows Of Mine”, \u201cTears Of Time” and the in my opinion unnecessary Sisters Of Mercy-cover \u201cTemple Of Love”.
\nHypocrisy <\/strong>Under a sky which had turned to red the Swedish Death Metal-institution opened their set with \u201cAdjusting The Sun” and \u201cSlaves To The Parasites” under best conditions. Surprises like the ten-year-old song \u201cInferior Devoties” or the debut-track \u201cGod Is A Lie” alternated with live-classics like \u201cFire In The Sky”, \u201cFinal Chapter”, \u201cDeath Row (No Regrets)”. The quartet blasted Abtsgm\u00fcnd for their second time with a strong set which they closed with the encores \u201cFractured Millenium” and the eternal band-hymn \u201cRoswell 47″ which Peter announced as \u201cSummer Breeze 47″. The crowd enjoyed this showcase a lot like I did.
\nSentenced <\/strong>And the fans should be even more curious while the next Main Stage-appearance. For my first time I watched Sentenced in a festival-headliner position. And the five Finnish didn\u2019t leave any doubt they\u2019re worth that position. Starting with \u201cThe Suicider” and \u201cExcuse Me While I Kill Myself” they convinced the audience from the first tone on. Lead by its sympathic fronter\/entertainer Ville Laihiala the Gothic Metal-institution didn\u2019t leave any other option than to celebrate their numerous (festival) hits like \u201cSun Won\u2019t Shine”, the two \u201cAmok”-classics \u201cNepenthe” and \u201cNew Age Messiah”, \u201cBleed”, \u201cBrief Is The Light” or \u201cCross My Heart And Want To Die” before returning on stage with the two encores \u201cNoose” and the Iron Maiden-cover \u201cThe Trooper”. Besides this jubilated well-known songs they offered an outlook on their forthcoming album by \u201cEverfrost” and \u201cMay Today Become The Day.” A phenomenal performance!<\/p>\n

Pain Stage<\/em>
\nLake Of Tears<\/strong> Like on this year\u2019s With Full Force fronter Daniel Brennare who wore again his fly agaric-cap and his bandmates started with the \u201cA Crimson Cosmos”-songs \u201cBoogie Bubble” and \u201cCosmic Weed” which guaranteed a good atmosphere. Besides the tracks from their last three releases like \u201cPagan Wish”, \u201cThe Shadowshires” or \u201cCrazyman” it were the two \u201cRavenland”-classics \u201cRavenland” and the final \u201cHeadstones” which earned the most spectator\u2019s reactions. Thursday\u2019s best performance besides the mighty Sentenced!<\/p>\n

Friday<\/strong>
\nMain Stage<\/em>
\nEvergrey <\/strong>The Swedish Proggies always belong to the highlights of any festival they play. First they considered two songs of the 2003-release \u201cRecreation Day” (\u201cBlinded”, the title track) before presenting with \u201cMore Than Ever” and the current single \u201cA Touch Of Blessing” material from the new album \u201cThe Inner Circle”. During this hammer appearance performed by brilliant musicians I was already becoming hypnotized. Because of their limited 35 minutes the fivepiece around Tom S. Englund were just able to play five songs, so the \u201cIn Search Of Truth”-classic \u201cThe Masterplan” was supposed to be the last show\u2019s title. I hope next time this companion earns a later position in the billing. They deserve it anyway!
\nXandria <\/strong>My first and only performance failure on this year\u2019s Summer Breeze happened to me while I was waiting in a very long row in front of the men\u2019s restroom container. And there should be no escape! The new Gothic Metal-hopefuls around yodeling Barbara Sch\u00f6neberger-with red hair-lookalike Lisa (She Will Tease Ya!) Schaphaus who astonished by her innovative stage comments (An example: \u201cOh, it\u2019s so hot on here, I shouldn\u2019t have worn a leather skirt.” Questions?). Interesting to watch many fans celebrating a horrible gig consisting of material from their two outputs \u201cKill The Sun” and \u201cRavenheart” like their single and title track \u201cRavenheart” or \u201cBack To The River”, while my pants demanded: \u201cFor this exception you can shit in me. Just let\u2019s get out of here!” But then one cabin became free and it was on me to fill it (and actually I did!). But: Even there I was forced to hear the group from Bielefeld.
\nSodom <\/strong>Mainman Tom Angelripper, Bobby and Bernemann kicked ass! They couldn\u2019t have begun better like they did with \u201cThe Saw Is The Law”, \u201cOutbreak Of Evil” and \u201cBlasphemer”. After the new track \u201cNothing To Regret” the trio returned to their numerous hits like \u201cRemember The Fallen”, the german songs \u201cWachturm”, \u201cDie Stumme Ursel” assisted again by a roadie playing Tom\u2019s bass and a sex article doll named Ursel playing with Tom and the Udo J\u00fcrgens-cover \u201cAber Bitte Mit Sahne” and the final classics \u201cStalinorgel” and \u201cBombenhagel”. A top Sodom-show for which Gelsenkirchen\u2019s finest earned much fan support.
\nDie Happy<\/strong> After the two German Thrash Metal-icons Sodom and Tankard on the Pain Stage it seemed to be impossible for a popular Rock-act known from TV to perform on a Metal-festival. But to my own surprise the act from the near town Ulm came, rocked and convinced on their second appearance at the Summer Breeze after 2001. My ears noticed that fact and so I did a fast walk back to the stage. Lead by frontwoman Marta and her strong, charismatic voice the fourpiece inspired the not too small audience to singalong to hits like the opener \u201cLeaving You”, \u201cBig Boy” or the last song and title track of their output \u201cSupersonic Speed”. Well done!
\nSix Feet Under<\/strong> The first time I watched the Florida Deathers as a day headliner of an Open Air Festival should become an overwhelming one. The band around front animal Chris Barnes deserved to play for the biggest audience on the weekend and killed it by smashers like \u201cVictim Of The Paranoid”, \u201cFeasting On The Blood Of The Insane”, \u201cRevenge Of The Zombies”, \u201cWar Is Coming”, the debut-hit \u201cThe Enemy Inside” and the AC\/DC-cover \u201cTNT”. Besides those another reason for this show was the more stageacting the Americans showed in comparison to their gigs before. No doubt: The band played one of their best shows or even better and reached the biggest support – including a whole ocean of crowdsurfers – of the whole festival. And statements like \u201cYou\u2019re in the mud. You can be proud of yourselves!”, with which Chris Barnes reacted to it, spoke for themselves. They rocked!<\/p>\n

Pain Stage<\/em>
\nVintersorg <\/strong>After the cancelation of their appearance on last year\u2019s Summer Breeze the innovative Melodic Black\/Death Metal-band from Sweden finally arrived in Abtsgm\u00fcnd this year. First mainman Vintersorg shocked his fancrowd with his cut hair for a few seconds before celebrating with them material from their brandnew masterpiece \u201cA Focusing Blur” (\u201cThe Essence”, \u201cCurtains”) as well-known songs like \u201cA Star-Guarded Coronation” (from the \u201cVisions From The Spiral Generator”-album) or their hymn \u201cA Dialogue With The Stars” (from the \u201cCosmic Genesis”-album). But of course they earned the most support for their band hymns and the title tracks of their first two longplayers \u201c\u00d6demarkens Son” and \u201cTill Fj\u00e4lls”. Cool!
\nTankard <\/strong>After Sodom on the Mainstage it was to the Thrash Metal-institution from Hessen (in the middle of Germany) to continue the party, and they did. Whether with newer material like \u201cSlipping From Reality” and the hammer track \u201cRectifier” or classics like \u201cSpace Beer” and \u201cThe Morning After”: Tankard spread fun over the whole festivalsite sharing a Thrash party with the community. Compliment to the band and especially front-tank Gerre who showed again his huge entertainment qualities and of course his as huge body\/belly. They concluded the show with the inofficial beerdrinker\u2019s anthem \u201cFreibier F\u00fcr Alle” before the title melody of the famous German criminal series \u201cDerrick” followed as the outro (Cult!!!). Cheers!
\nSirenia <\/strong>I had discovered this band, founded by ex-vocalist\/songwriter of Tristania Morten Veland, on their tour with Trail Of Tears in Essen where they had surprised me totally, so I had concluded: A definite band for the Summer Breeze! And 15 months later they played on stage in an ideal billing position! And the Norwegians took their chance! Their set was well-balanced between their current album \u201cAn Elixir For Ecistence” (the opener \u201cLithium And A Lover”, \u201cVoices Within”, \u201cEuphoria” and \u201cStar-Crossed”) and the debut \u201cAt Sixes And Sevens” (\u201cSister Nightfall”, the title track and the final \u201cMeridian”). A powerful Gothic Metal-gig realized by the band musically as by Morten and female singer Henriette Bordvik who didn\u2019t neglect the show factor.
\nKatatonia <\/strong>It had taken a very long time to watch one of my faves on a festival, but after they had canceled their appearance on the Summer Breeze last year the time had come for them as for their many fans who had assembled in front of the stage a few minutes past midnight. The Swedish began with two compositions from their current \u201cViva Emptiness”-album (\u201cGhost Of The Sun”, \u201cCriminals”) before playing the hits from \u201cLast Fair Deal Gone Down” (\u201cTeargas”) and \u201cDiscouraged Ones” (\u201cCold Ways”). By \u201cEvidence” and \u201cTonight\u2019s Music” band as fans let the magic atmosphere grow which found its climax with the \u201cTonight\u2019s Decision”-hit \u201cFor My Demons” which got celebrated from its first riff. Finally Jonas Renkse who had evolved from a shy singer to a real frontman and his comrades dismissed the euphoric crowd happily with the \u201cBrave Murder Day”-classic \u201cMurder”. Great! Great! And for another time: Great!<\/p>\n

Saturday<\/strong>
\nMain Stage<\/em>
\nDead Soul Tribe<\/strong> No question: Dead Soul Tribe did a good job and played a great gig! But they just had 30 minutes and during those it rained a lot. Nevertheless the fourpiece around mainman Devon Graves \/ Buddy Lackey gave their best and compositions like \u201cSome Things You Can\u2019t Return” and \u201cAngels In Vertigo” found their applause by mostly wet spectators. In the end the singer gave the audience the choice to vote for one of two songs from their forthcoming album \u201cThe January Tree” and they elected \u201cSpiders And Flies” for the last song.
\nAn ideal concert besides the weather and the fact there was no time for a Psychotic Waltz-song!
\nMnemic <\/strong>The Danish Industrial Metal-shooting stars had to fight with similar problems. The rain had stopped, but many fans were still away, and so the crowd was growing slowly during their show. Although they had just one album (\u201cMechanical Spin Phenomena”) released the fivepiece had enough hits like \u201cLiquid”, \u201cBlood Stained” or \u201cGhost” to bind the crowd. Frontman Michael and his comrades were very ambitious to offer a good show and presented with \u201cDeathbox” a track from their forthcoming longplayer \u201cThe Audio Injected Soul”. After their appearances at With Full Force, Earthshaker and Wacken this year they also succeeded at the Summer Breeze!
\nSchandmaul <\/strong>After surprising me in Wacken two weeks ago the Bavarian Folk Rock-sixpiece had a home match musically on the Summer Breeze. With many different medieval instruments besides the usual electric department the band convinced again by tracks like \u201cWalpurgisnacht”, \u201cTeufelsweib” and \u201cHerren Der Winde” and their sympathic appearance. The right gig to forget about the weather conditions. Hopefully we\u2019ll see them soon on some festivals!
\nBrainstorm <\/strong>What shall I say! I have never seen a Brainstorm-gig that wasn\u2019t fantastic! A fact that shouldn\u2019t change in Abtsgm\u00fcnd! After the intro the regional heroes started with \u201cShiva\u2019s Tears” into a furious set. The day before very sympathic singer Andy B. Franck had lost a wager why he announced the next song \u201cBlind Suffering” with the statement (that was originally held in German): \u201cMy name is Barbara Eligmann (a german boulevard wannabe-journalist) \u2013 and these are the topics.” Now everybody got inspired by \u201cCrush Depth”, \u201cDoorway To Survive”, \u201cHollow Hideaway” and \u201cHighs Without Lows” performed by top musicians and a fronter who needn\u2019t fear any comparison with the best metal vocalists of the world (No, I don\u2019t exaggerate!). A great gig found its end by the Tony Christie-cover \u201cAmarillo” as the encore.
\nU.D.O.<\/strong> The most celebrated gig on this year\u2019s Summer Breeze didn\u2019t become an act from the dark or hard side. No, it was to everyone\u2019s surprise a traditional one. What didn\u2019t surprise was the live power Metal-icon Udo Dirkschneider and his band once again created. They opened with the title track from their new release \u201cThunderball” to let follow a 65 minutes lasting best of-program which shouldn\u2019t leave any wishes open. Supported by a bombastic sound U.D.O.-hits like \u201cIn The Darkness” and the title song from the \u201cAnimal House”-debut, \u201cIndependence Day” and \u201cMan And Machine” became celebrated a lot. But of course they earned the most support by the Accept-classics \u201cMetal Heart”, \u201cRestless Wild”, \u201cSon Of A Bitch” and the last song of the regular set \u201cBalls To The Wall” before they returned with the encores \u201cPrincess Of The Dawn”, \u201cI\u2019m A Rebel” and \u201cFast As A Shark”. Not to forget about some familiar guys (We don\u2019t want to mention their names!) who started a circle-pit and a wall of death while the gig which wasn\u2019t the pleasure of all the neighbouring spectators. Anyway: Another great gig by U.D.O. and I want to be adopted by Uncle Udo!
\nDanzig <\/strong>First of all Glenn Danzig had decided to close the photo pit short time before the show began. Nice idea! The first part of the set went into a desaster: The new songs like the opener \u201cSkin Carver” and new album\u2019s title song \u201cCircle Of Snakes” bored totally, many sound problems and an arrogant Glenn who didn\u2019t take the sound difficulties like a professional. No, he just left the stage and his musicians like Prong\u2019s Tommy Victor on bass alone. His comment: \u201cYou know this is the only Danzig show in Germany this year? You Don\u2019t!?…*Grummel Grummel*.” After long boring 40 minutes the quality of the show was raised a lot by the first classic \u201cHow The Gods Kill” which opened the exciting second part which was closed by \u201cTwist Of Cain” and the Danzig-hymn \u201cMother” before they returned with the encores \u201cAm I Demon” and \u201cDirty Black Summer”. I know somehow the discribed asshole-actions belong to Mr. Danzig, but because of the second part of the gig I need to mention: Without those actions this appearance could have been a really great one. But this way Danzig lost many spectators leaving the festivalsite disappointed while the first 30 minutes. Anyway: Finally I was entertained!<\/p>\n

Pain Stage<\/em>
\nHatesphere <\/strong>The Danish Dynamite-act nowadays counts to the best what the Thrash Metal scene can offer, especially live! They opened with the \u201cSomething…”-smasher \u201cRelease The Pain”, my personal band\u2019s favourite \u201cBloodsoil” from their self-titled debut album and \u201cVermin” (like the also played \u201cOnly The Strongest” from their brandnew release \u201cBallet Of The Brute”). By older hammers from the fabulous \u201cBloodred Hatered”-masterpiece (\u201cInsanity Arise”, \u201cDisbeliever”) as by songs from the new output (\u201cDownward To Nothing” and the final \u201cDeathtrip”) animated the crowd to partyand a few freaks to a moshpit in the moist mud. The band showed their live experience and appeared as a strong unity. The musicians didn\u2019t let miss any stageacting and fronter Jacob Bredahl must be well-known in every photo pit of Europe always searching contact to the fans. A very strong gig with any energy you can just imagine!
\nCataract <\/strong>The rain had just stopped and after the appearance of Heaven Shall Burn on the Summer Breeze 2003, the time had come for this year\u2019s shooting stars of the Metalcore genre Cataract. Different people gave me the hint to watch them and they were totally right! After the intro the Swiss started with \u201cKilling Tool” which is also the opener of their new album \u201cWith Triumph Comes Loss”. The set mainly consisted of tracks from the new smasher except for \u201cForsaken Cries” and \u201cDevon” from the 2003-release \u201cGreat Days Of Vengeance”. The band teared the crowd along with their first class metalcore material (\u201cAs We Speak”, \u201cSkies Grow Black”, \u201cReborn From Black”) and convinced with their stageacting. They finished a cool gig with their hit \u201cNothing\u2019s Left”.
\nEnsiferum <\/strong>The Finnish Folk\/Viking Metal-formation around frontman Petri Lindroos (also known from Norther) was awaited by many fans. They weren\u2019t innovative or original at all, but a not to small fan crowd loved it (whyever). And so they partied together to the songs from the self-titled debut (\u201cToken Of Time”, \u201cBattle Song”) as to tracks from the new output \u201cIron” (\u201cSlayer Of Light”, \u201cTale Of Revenge”) which found its climax while the also new \u201cLai Lai Hei”. Nice entertainment, but like I mentioned not really original.
\nPsychopunch At 8:00 p.m. Swedish Rock \u2018n\u2019 Roll-attitude was supposed to reign over Abtsgm\u00fcnd. The Silverdust-band brought a lot of motivation on stage and transported it into the first rows of the spectatorside. But like other bands before they had to play against the rain which had just begun again. The fans didn\u2019t care and partied to tracks from the new release \u201cSmashed On Arrival” like \u201cAll Over Now” or \u201cHard To Belong”. But disadvantaged by those exterior influences they probably didn\u2019t find that many new supporters.
\nPrimordial <\/strong>Another band that had canceled last year, but returned on the billing to perform at the same place this year. And it still rained, but little psycho Alan A. Nemtheanga (now without any hair at all) & Co didn\u2019t mind. After some sound problems the Irish inspired their fans by \u201cThe Soul Must Sleep” and \u201cGods To The Godless” from the 2000-\u201cSpirit The Earth Aflame”-output, as \u201cSons Of The Morrigan” and \u201cThe Heretics Age” from the current \u201cStorm Before Calm”-release. Alan dedicated \u201cJourney\u2019s End” to Quorthon and the damn old classic \u201cTo Enter Pagan” from the 1993-\u201cDark Romanticism”-Demo as the encore didn\u2019t leave any wishes open.<\/p>\n

Conclusion:<\/strong>
\nNormally the Summer Breeze is the festival with the highest \u201cno rain”-guarantee. This year somehow this definition was washed away (in the deepest sense of these words). So we had just the opportunities: To worry about it the whole three days or just to even party more and to enjoy the great billing the organizers were able to offer and this special atmosphere the Summer Breeze always has! Of course we decided for the second alternative and so the Summer Breeze was a great pleasure to us for another time with many nice people again! So don\u2019t worry, come back and enjoy! We\u2019ll do for sure (then on my personal fifth Summer Breeze in a row)!<\/p>\n

A special thanks to Georg Weihrauch and the Summer Breeze-team!!!!!
\nAt the Summer Breeze 2004 rocked, drank and partied Tobi Wan Kenobi, Melli and Dumbo!!!!!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Summer Breeze 2004 The Summer Breeze had developped to the conclusion of every year\u2019s Open Air-procedure. Usually the festival has stood for its name which didn\u2019t leave any whishes in regard to the weather open. This year it rained a lot while these three days. Nevertheless we enjoyed another nice stay in Abtsgm\u00fcnd entertained by … <\/p>\n

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