HEADBANGERS OPEN AIR 2009

BRANDE-HÖRNERKIRCHEN, NR. ELMSHORN, GERMANY - 23 - 25/07/09

After a tiring 13-hour drive we arrive at the festival site, greeted with lots of mud and usual associated nastiness; why does it bloody rain every year I go to Germany! Anyway, weather aside, HOA 2009 is my first visit to this festival, now in its 12th year. I always try to find a different festival to get drunk at each year, I chose this because the headliners (RAZOR) pulled out of last years Keep it True X festival, and I just had to see them! The already impressive line up was something that we would never get in the UK, but I fail to see how these Germans festivals make money. Some of these bands have come a long way, and I am sure not for Zero payment! With the “metal-ticket” (Yes it was printed on a slab of real metal) for a mere €40 this was a bargain (UK festival organisers should take note!) The organisation was not that great for festival access, but then it was limited with its remote location. It began with a weekend of spotting the different bullet belts, patched denim jackets, spandex trousers (why?), moustaches and mullets.

Lick the Blade (USA) start the festival proper (a warm up party at a different venue was in order the night before), disappointingly most of the crowd prefer to sit in the beer garden or in their tents and get drunk. The band promoting their debut album make a classic metal sound the way the UK and Europe knows best. It’s a good show for enthusiasm, though very rough around the edges. I still wish I had got the CD.

Bullet (Swe) do not really need an introduction. Their AC/DC sound-a-like hard rock is a welcomed relief with tracks from their latest album ‘Bite the Bullet’ sitting up proud, with those from ‘Heading for the Top’, especially ‘Turn it up Loud’. Vocalist Dag Hell Hofer makes things look really easy whilst nipping backstage for a fag and little sips of beer.

I miss most of Q5 trying to shelter from the rain and get as drunk as possible before the 48hr lack of sleep kicks in, but the band mainly comprise themselves of the band Nightshade who play later in the festival. From the car park I could hear some of their tunes from their classic ‘Steal the Light’ album, but nothing much else to report.

Tank (UK) provides HOA with a controversial return to the stage with new vocalist Doogie White and old band members are threatening legal action in the process! However, much to my disappointment, Tank are just too “clean”, there was no dirty, gritty angst that we have come to know and love, much like their show at the Kingston Peel by all accounts also. That was enough for me for the day it has to be said. Roll on day two.

I did not bother watching Vicious Rumors. Having been so tired, it was just too much and no matter how much I adore their 1st four albums, they still never sent my band shirt!

DAY TWO

I was looking forward to Lonewolf (Fra). The French version of Running Wild and Grave Digger were my thoughts before these chaps played having loved their album ‘Made in Hell’. Yes, this is exactly what I expected; great speed metal coupled with very powerful vocals; great stuff! The only let down for this band is the soulless charisma of guitarist Damien Capolongo, but the crowd loved them, even if it was a small turnout for them.

Memory Garden (Swe) are as doom as you can get, sticking out like a sore thumb on this festival bill, it was going to be interesting how well they pull things off. Not a problem! Their Candlemass inspired doom is simply perfect; this is a band to check out in the future, even though they have been going for many years, in fact its been nearly 8 years since I myself last heard from them. These chaps showed the rest of the previous bands up in terms of energy and how well they can play; some of the best vocals I have ever heard were performed by Stefan Berglund, with rib shattering bass and booming guitars, the stuff of doom messiahs? Damn right!

It was a bit of a mixed feeling about this next band, meaning whether they would turn up after previously cancelling their performance this year. However, this was Piledriver (CAN) (aka The Exalted Piledriver) and they did not care how bloody horrible they looked! Gord Kirchin makes a vocal delivery like it was still 1986, having lost none of the magic, but still not gained any dress sense! Classics like ‘Witch Hunt’, ‘Sex with Satan’ and ‘Metal Inquisition’ gets the crowd roaring and crowd surfing all over the place. Whilst the organisers are thanked for their excellent BBQ facilities, Piledriver continue to deliver one of the best shows of the festival. Newer track ‘Metal Manifesto’ still cuts the mustard, even if some of the other new tracks’ lyrics are rather dodgy. It’s the joy and humour that is laid down in this show that makes it special, even at the and of the show Gord asks the crowd to “thank me, thank us, we are great, thank me!” Yes you were!

Enforcer (Swe) suffer from a rain downpour that also takes me back to car to ride out the storm, so I only saw a few minutes of their set and ‘Black Angel’. All I can say, dodgy sound, after being the first band of the bill to complain during soundcheck to the soundguys.

Not until Exxplorer (USA) do I venture out of the shelter and the local supermarket. First things first, what a stupid bandanna and a very childish t-shirt worn by the vocalist Lennie Rizzo. But with that out of the way, these guys play pretty damn well and the crowd, ever swelling take to their music. What is it with German fans, they seem to know a lot more classic bands than us Brits? They are singing along and clapping away throughout their set. A solid showing, now go a try to find their album for less than £20 on eBay!

Neil Turbin, better known for his first album appearance with Anthrax, comes out with Deathriders (USA) his new band. Whilst are expectations were granted, classic renditions of ‘Metal Thrashing Mad’ and ‘Armed and Dangerous’ (apparently how it should be played), I am taken over by the sheer arrogance of the vocalist. The backing band, or as though it would seem that is what they are, play some good tunes, its hard to detract from the fact that Neil Turbin’s vocals are top notch and still provides a good show even with some reservations from myself. The newer tracks that he plays are simply average power metal for want of a better description, but the crowd got what they wanted in old Anthrax, man it’s going to be hard for this band to shake off that association.

Helstar (USA), another band I missed at Keep It True last year, give a show worthy of their accolade. Tracks from ‘King of Hell’ match perfectly with their classic tunes, whilst not a huge crowd, they command respect even if I am suffering a little bit from cans of beer smuggled into the venue (it was horrible but cheap!).

Now Pretty Maids (Denmark) were a band I specifically wanted to see. Whilst not the heaviest band on the bill (my friends reminded me of this whilst I was singing away to their tunes), they provide good entertainment, especially for the drunk and debauched. ‘Back to Back’ plays and some of you will know this from Hammerfall’s second album ‘Legacy of Kings’; well it is in fact a Pretty Maids song! Most of the tunes from the albums ‘Future World’ (including ‘We Came to Rock’) and a few from ‘Scream’ (and the title track), ‘Red, Hot & Heavy’ and ‘Jump the Gun’ get played; they entertain the crowd and myself late into the evening, shame I could not find any merchandise from this band though. Ronnie Atkins has some wonderful vocals especially those on the soulful ballads like ‘Walk Away’ (Admittedly it got me singing too!) with a personal highlight track ‘Attention’ being powered from the PA, it was a pleasure for me to finally see this band live.

Manilla Road (USA), a cult band in some respects, with nearly 30 years in the business they are well respected. I do however find their set a little plodding and tedious. But I am in a minority here I know as i only actually like two of there back catalogue of albums. Thankfully those tunes from their classic ‘Crystal Logic’ album get an airing, ‘Necropolis’ a true gem of a track, the crowd like this so much, but then I had to leave earlier than planned, the cheap crap beer had got to me.

DAY THREE

Oh bloody hell, Zed Yago were never that good when they were releasing albums between 1988 – 1990 or something like that, ok yeah, I bought their first two albums, I was intrigued to see if the band were as old as they looked on the back of their ‘Pilgrimage’ album! Probably a good surgeon, or in fact a different line up now to what I remember, but they plod along with their boring, boring tunes. Their “hit” err hem…’Black Bone Song’ still does not lift me from wanting to crawl into the muddy ground, I promptly left and got some more beer.

Portrait (Swe) are one of the bands that I really, and I mean really wanted to see live, I love their album, but I had my suspicions when they come on stage. Playing out of time with a terrible spate of missed notes and a shabby mix, they manage to get themselves through a very messy set and appear to be drunk. They were such a waste and such a disappointment; ‘A Thousand Nightmares’ does exactly what the title suggests even if they played it, I walked away shocked and dismayed.

Cloven Hoof thankfully restores my faith in the festival, even if it takes me a couple of tracks to get to see them from sheltering from another downpour. A really different set that that played in the UK and minus Christian Horton on guitar, how permanent this is we will wait and see. Russ North wears as much, if not more leather than Rob Halford today, perhaps its because it’s more ‘normal’ in Germany, who knows, who cares, a cracking set filled with crowd fist raising, enthusiastic chanting and some magical tunes. Now with Ben being the only guitar player again, you can see how good he is and makes the tunes stand out. Lee Payne as always never stands still and shows the power and emotion of a man intent on getting the whole festival crowd into the “hoof”.

Tyson Dog are a classic NWOBHM band from a place I know well, being born around that area. This is another band on my must go to the festival to see list also. Having borrowed Ian Swift (also of Avenger and Atomkraft) on vocals this gives life and a human touch to the day and to the whole festival. There was not a set that I watched that had more of an interaction with the crowd and down to earth honesty while providing some bloody great vocals. ‘Taste the Hate’, ‘Don’t Let the Bastards (Grind You Down)’, and ‘Dead Meat’, some quality classic tunes and thanks to HOA organizers giving most bands the same time on stage, we got a whole 45-50 minutes of pure British metal. This was one of the highlights of the festival thus far. Look out for these guys playing Hard Rock Hell this December, hopefully they will come out again and play some more shows in the UK.

Speaking of highlights, I was in for a surprise when Paradox came on stage. There was so much energy and fun being had; you could see that clearly on their faces, especially guitarist/vocalist Charly Steinhauer and guitarist Kai Pasemann. I love their second album ‘Heresy’ and we were treated to tracks old and new including from their newer offering. Apart from the German-speaking crowd interaction, you were left headbanging and just basically watching in awe as these guys run around stage and get the crowd worked up. The final track was a call for all of us lot to get up on stage and enjoy, then Kai beckoned them to all stage dive, some gladly obliged. This was so nice to see, you would not see that sort of respect for a band in the UK, the Germans left the band alone to play their songs and then decant themselves into the welcoming crowd, now isn’t it nice to all have fun! Paradox are now top of my list terms of performances at this years festival, a great spectacle, please come to the UK!

Bloody rain, I miss Killers (Fra) through boredom of their music and not willing to get wet for them. It’s still raining when Tankard (Ger) get up on stage. Now I thought this place would have been mobbed when they came out, but I guess people prefer to be dry if they have seen them a number of times. They have fun; clearly they have had a drink (well they are only human!) and then I have enough and go in search of proper food.

The Rods (USA) my salvation, what a show these guys put on, Ronnie James Dio would be proud of his cousin David Feinstein. Never before have I seen such a classic stage show and performance late at night at a festival, note for note perfection and great vocals from David and bassist Gary. Drummer Carl Canedy (famed for producing Megadeth’s ‘Peace Sells’ album amongst others) shows his real trade secret, relentless drumming! ‘Violation’ may have been released back in 1982, but they tried to tell the crowd they wrote it a couple of years ago about a situation in Germany, nice try, but I guess that is one was to warm the crowd. Not that they needed much warming when you have killer cuts like ‘Power Lover’, ‘No Sweet Talk Honey’, ‘Nothing Going on in the City’ and ‘Too Hot to Stop’ being played. A classic show by a classic band, bloody hell, this is what going to gigs should be all about.

Now it’s late, I am tired, cannot get drunk no matter how much filth you pour down your neck, it’s time for RAZOR (Can). Many will claim them to be a cult band, true, they have a great selection of albums released, I was a little sceptical myself about how they would come across on stage. Man was I wrong. I was surprised when vocalist Bob Reid came out with a shaven head. But then they power their way through some tantric speed metal and give the crowd an excellent workout, including the security personnel. I saw one security guy climbing up onto the stage roof to get a fan down from there whom had decided a birds nest view was appropriate. I must say, they did not blow me away until I hear ‘Take this Torch’. They treat us to tracks from nearly every album, when it came for the band to leave the stage, there was a chant and a need for them to return and play some more. They don’t play live that often, but man do they have the speed and talent. Bob the vocalist does look a little smug at the front of stage, but then when classics from the ‘Evil Invaders’ album are played, I don’t really give a shit, this is what it has all been about, Razor truly ruled Germany. I have resigned myself to the fact that they will most likely never come to the UK to play (prove me wrong please!), but it one of those bands you must see before you croke!

Apart from the weather, this was a great “classic” metal festival, beer portions were small, BBQ portions were large, but we did notice the pinch as the pound is nearly the same value as the Euro now. This is still the best way to enjoy the European summer. What a great selection of bands, and proof that if you try hard and take the risk, you will get these bands to play a festival. HOA was great, and my love for German festivals is still as strong as ever. The line up for next year is already impressive, who knows, it may grow, but there is a cap on ticket numbers and it was nice to see a few Brits there this year, its better than Wacken that for me suffers with its commercial appeal and size and better than Keep It True simply because it was outdoors and felt like a real festival. This is a festival for a real metal fan!!!

Paul Maddison

MTUK HOME