Yeaah, man
[Psycho] Skin cancer day, part III. Like almost every year, I found myself wondering again whether there really always has to be a band playing around (shortly after) noon. Wouldn’t we all rather sleep an extra hour?
[Sui] Absolutely: Yeah, man!
:: pics :: SMORRAH ::
[Dirk] Well, unfortunately I missed :: SMORRAH :: right up until the last few notes because I opted for a Rotting Christ stout and an invitation to a barbecue. Everyone knows it’s a bad idea to eat grilled cheese sausages too quickly. That’s not a great excuse, but it’s the only one I can offer.
[Psycho] If it makes you feel any better: You definitely spent your time more wisely (and learned another life lesson…).
SMORRAH from Gelsenkirchen usually hang out in front of the stage at RHF, but today they got to stand on it themselves. Musically, it was the predictable kind of rumbling Thrash Metal that nobody needs anymore. Which is totally fine for their own enjoyment… Were they invited because they brought a few buddies along, or because they always run into the RH editors at the kebab stand at lunchtime?
[Sui] SMORRAH only partially filled the opener slot for the last day. Musically, it was rumbling Thrash à la Sodom, but without their standing or their classics. Singer Marius’s banter was the most entertaining part and culminated in a somewhat helpless “Yeah, man!”. At least they had a seasoned veteran of the Ruhr area Thrash Metal on board, namely ex-Kreator bassist Speesy, whose truly awesome bass sound was, however, pushed way too far to the front.
[BRT] Phew, I found that really annoying and exhausting. Even though the guys are deeply rooted in the Ruhr area’s Meddl underground scene, it was little more than a school band level.
Band: Marius Wegener (vocals), Daniel Hartmann (guitar), Christian Giesler (bass), Raphael Swierczynski (drums)
Setlist: Hope Dies Last, No Positive Sides, Age Of Decay, Death Awaits, Buried Underneath, Dead Snake Eyes, Welcome To Your Nightmare
:: pics :: THE NEPTUNE POWER FEDERATION ::
“Brothers and Sisters, the time has come for each and every one of you to decide whether you are gonna be the problem, or whether you are gonna be the solution.”
(Brother J.C. Crawford; MC5 - Kick Out The Jams (1969))
[Psycho] I’d only ever read about :: THE NEPTUNE POWER FEDERATION :: before, but hadn’t seen or heard anything from them yet. Stylistically, though, I didn’t find it nearly as chaotic as people liked to make it out to be. On the one hand, the band rocked like crazy; on the other, we had the very flamboyant frontwoman, who to me sounded more like an ’80s indie siren. It was striking how often her vocal acrobatics were amplified by effects - you don’t see that very often in metal. The band would probably be better suited to smaller clubs than this massive stage in the sweltering heat. To wrap things up, they played Metal Health, a Quiet Riot cover that was a surprise to me. But yeah, pretty entertaining.
[Dajana] That was an absolute blast! A revelation similar to The Crypt last year. Screaming Loz Sutch – The Imperial Priestess was definitely an eye-catcher, even if I felt a little sorry for her in that heat. And seriously, those pseudonyms… hahaha. Awesome! That was really fun. And I liked the music, too! By the way, the Australians’ seventh album, Mondo Tomorrow, was just released in April.
[Dirk] Aside from the occasional delay, the vocals were otherwise mixed bone-dry, which I found a bit jarring. A little reverb would have done them good. One thing’s for sure: THE NEPTUNE POWER FEDERATION are a top-notch live band. Anyone who enjoyed them at the RHF should definitely check them out again at a club. They’re significantly more intense there, not least because singer Screaming Loz Sutch’s elaborate costumes come into their own better when the light show isn’t disrupted by the blazing sun.
[Sui] A completely baffling announcement (which culminated in the question mentioned at the beginning, “Do you want to be the problem or do you want to be the solution?”) left the audience somewhat perplexed, as no one knew what the problem was or what the corresponding solution would be. A collective sigh of relief went through the crowd when THE NEPTUNE POWER FEDERATION took the stage. The third act’s costumes were wild and, given the temperatures, downright daring: a floor-length, sweeping (hooped) skirt, a headpiece towering about 50 cm high, and a fur trim didn’t stop the singer from delivering an extremely good show, even if her range of motion was slightly limited by her choice of outfit. In any case, she outshone Hällas by a mile. And her vocal lines, which she enhanced with sound effects herself, were also the most “outer-space” aspect of the band. Otherwise, it was a very unique blend of Motörhead, Quiet Riot (an awesome cover version), 70s hard rock with a touch of garage rock. Absolutely entertaining and top-notch.
[BRT] During the band’s introduction, I think they used a few catchphrases from a classic rock song - I think I even caught a few references to Spacemen 3’s Revolution. But the guy might not have been entirely sober either. But whatever, because musically, THE NEPTUNE POWER FEDERATION delivered high-energy hard rock/garage rock straight to the face without any frills. It was a blast, and with the wildly costumed frontwoman Screaming Loz Sutch, there was plenty to feast your eyes on - and she’s got a seriously awesome voice to boot.
[Seb] Doesn't anyone have anything to say about the pun in the name. There was one in the '70s with “Lord” instead of “Luz,” wasn't there?
Band: Screaming Loz Sutch - Imperial Priestess (vocals), Inverted CruciFox (guitar), Search and DesTroy (guitar), Jaytanic Ritual (bass), River Sticks (drums)
Setlist: Elect Fairies, Bones Decay, My Precious One, Edmunde, Grip Of Death, Neath A Shin Ei Sun, I’ll Make A Man Out Of You, Mondo Tomorrow, Rat Queen, Metal Health
:: pics :: NAILED TO OBSCURITY ::
[Psycho] There seems to be something special about a band from East Frisia. I don’t quite get it, but it must be true because it’s repeated everywhere, all the time - even here now… The fact is, though, that :: NAILED TO OBSCURITY :: have delivered their strongest album to date with their latest release, Generation Of The Void. No wonder, then, that the setlist focused heavily on Generation Of The Void. The band had also put a lot of thought into the stage design and performed with great motivation and professionalism from the very start. Musically, it was a bit rougher than on CD (or should we say “stream” now?), which unfortunately meant the clean vocals couldn’t cut through as clearly. Still, a rock-solid performance that would certainly have come across even better with less daylight.
[Seb] For once, the train didn’t throw a wrench in my plans, and I made it comfortably to the first of the bands I wanted to see. Especially today, “heavier stuff” (as is usually the case on day three of the RHF) would otherwise be few and far between. Exactly which subgenre to classify this under is a matter of opinion, but I found it pleasantly straightforward overall despite a decent amount of melody; the vocals alone could have been harsher for my taste (not surprisingly). A nice start, practically a fresh breeze from the north, which felt good in the heat.
[Sui] Musically, NAILED TO OBSCURITY were in a similar vein to Paradise Lost, but I actually thought they were even better than the previous day’s headliner. Complex, hard-hitting, and as heavy as a fresh lump of peat, with melodies that were refreshingly free of kitsch. I hope to see and hear more from these East Frisians.
Band: Raimund Ennenga (vocals), Jan-Ole Lamberti (guitar), Volker Dieken (guitar), Lutz Neemann (bass), Jann Hillrichs (drums)
Setlist: Glass Bleeding, Overcast, Generation Of The Void, Spirit Corrosion, Deadening, Liquid Mourning, Road To Perdition 23
:: pics :: GUS G. & RONNIE ROMERO ::
[Dirk] How you experience a performance often depends on how you’re feeling. By the third day of the festival, signs of fatigue are starting to show here and there. And the beer - which, of course, has just as much alcohol as on the previous days - doesn’t seem to be having the same effect. I felt the same way about :: GUS G. :: & :: RONNIE ROMERO :: The ingredients were all there, but somehow, they didn’t really sweep me away. It was impressive, though, how well RONNIE ROMERO could imitate Dio.
[Seb] I always get a bad feeling when bands (wholly or partly) bear the names of “exceptional guitarists”. Far too often, that just amounts to unrestrained fiddling and strumming… I have no idea how much original material the band actually has, but the number of cover versions (some, of course, by bands in which at least one of the guys had previously played) was really unusual. No matter how exceptional the musicians are: a gig where a lot of songs by different bands are played just lacks coherence for me personally.
[Dirk] I’d also filed them away as a cover band. And whenever they played their own material, I’d request the next cover song.
[Sui] Yeah, GUS G. & RONNIE ROMERO were more of a cover band than anything else. It was inevitable that their original material would get lost in the mix alongside the all-time classics they played - songs with which both of them had only very distant personal connections. It wasn’t even that bad, though. It’s just that the other songs were way cooler and were rightly sung along to frenetically, because the versions were really good.
[BRT] Technically, in terms of quality, and vocally, they were absolutely top-notch; great song selection, but still a bit too much of a cover band vibe - you can do it, but you don’t have to… My favorite was, of course, Highway Star.
[Dajana] I think the two of them are a great musical match and should therefore focus more on their own material (as a band) instead of doing covers or resting on the songs of their former employers.
Band: Ronnie Romero (vocals), Gus G (guitar), Andrea Arcangeli (bass), Johan Nunez (drums)
Setlist: Steel Burner, Force Majeure, Bring The Rock, The Mob Rules (Black Sabbath cover), Kill The King (Rainbow cover), Frenemy, My Premonition, Highway Star (Deep Purple cover), I Am The Fire, Bark At The Moon (Ozzy Osbourne cover), War Pigs (Black Sabbath cover)
:: pics :: LUCIFER ::
[Psycho] Um, that was embarrassing: cringeworthy announcements, pseudo-occult rambling at a kindergarten level, and boring songs with no highlights. The latter may be a matter of taste, but frontwoman Johanna seemed to be more concerned with her hairstyle than her performance the whole time. So, while her hair looked nice, she’s anything but a good singer, and as for stage presence, maybe a glance to the left at the impressive woman on bass - in every sense of the word - could have offered her some helpful tips. The band, made up of such talented (hired) musicians, definitely deserved better. Did Coralie actually leave Atlantean Kodex for this?
[Dajana] Nope.
[Seb] Above all, they could have spared us the “hands-on” necrophilia stuff - that was seriously cringeworthy, and I have no idea what audience that was supposed to impress. Not that the other announcements were much better, assuming you could understand them… The only thing that actually surprised me more, was the fact that there isn’t a single band challenging them on the band name? Founded in 2014, they can’t possibly have been the first :: LUCIFER ::…
[Dajana] There are many bands of that name. Most of them split up, some still active, officially, but with no sign of (musical) life as of late…
[Dirk] I felt about LUCIFER’s performance a bit the same way I do about their albums: I think it’s okay, but I don’t know why I’d need it. Drummer Kevin Kuhn gets bonus points from me, though, because he was the only person on stage in a good mood. Too bad - I would have liked to be won over by them live. [Sui] Actually, I don't really want to write much about LUCIFER. Classic riff rock with hints of Sabbath and Led Zeppelin, about as "original" as the band name, competently played by the backing band, and completely botched by the singer (or perhaps by the ashes of her urn?). Lucifer's wannabe-evil gestures and pronouncements were embarrassing. The only bright spot (the real Lucifer, in the truest sense of the word) was the genuinely good, motivated, and definitely underutilized bassist, Claudia González Diaz.
[BRT] Wow, haha… I really struggled to find a way to put the blandness of LUCIFER's performance into somewhat diplomatic words, and then my colleagues deliver a truly scathing, but unfortunately deserved, review.
[Psycho] Well, they certainly earned it.
[BRT] Well, the band is more known for its hype and numerous lineup changes than for original music. When a Kiss cover is the best song of the set - that says a lot. Nothing really sticks; the music is bland, and you'd need a magnifying glass to find a decent chorus.
Paradoxically, the frontwoman focuses so much on her looks and stage presence yet comes across as completely awkward and wooden when interacting with the audience.
Oh, and the music... completely interchangeable Retro Rock, played by a really good backing band. Was this a case of "casting pearls before swine"?
Band: Johanna Platow (vox), Coralie Baier (git), Max Eriksson (git), Claudia González Diaz (bass), Kevin Kuhn (drums)
Setlist: Anubis, Ghosts, Crucifix (I Burn For You), Riding Reaper, Wild Hearses, Lucifer, At The Mortuary, Slow Dance In A Crypt, The Dead Don't Speak, California Son, Bring Me His Head, Goin' Blind (KISS cover), Fallen Angel
:: pics :: ULI JON ROTH ::
[Psycho] To be honest, back then I didn't really care about the Scorpions before Lovedrive and Animal Magnetism, and the hype surrounding the Virgin Killer album cover didn't start until much later. So, there wasn't exactly overwhelming anticipation when it was announced that this album would be the focus of the :: ULI JON ROTH :: set. But then, in fact, it turned out to be a very interesting performance, which was due to the superb backing band, but also to Uli himself. He impressed not only with his captivating energy but also with witty and informative introductions to each song. The result was an enjoyable and entertaining 65 minutes set, ending with Jimi Hendrix's All Along The Watchtower as an explicit reference to the origins of our favorite music.
[Dirk] No way, you'll have to work your way back to In Trance at least! With Pictured Life and Catch Your Train, Virgin Killer contains two of my all-time favorite Scorpions songs. And Uli Jon Roth and his band deliver the material incredibly well. Even though this likeable guy has already been to RHF twice, it's always a treat!
[Seb] Captain Iglo has grown long hair… That was my first thought when I saw the master on stage. When he then complained during his welcoming remarks about the canal boat that had “honked its horn” many years ago during his performance, Mr. Roth initially seemed like a strange old codger, but quickly proved that he hasn't lost his touch, even at over 70. You can have whatever opinion you want about well-aged hard rock, but the old man has (still) got it. Luckily, the vocals were significantly better than the “original Scorpions” – otherwise, even the most gifted guitar playing wouldn't have been able to save it for me…
[Sui] Didn't Uli Jon Roth have time to shave? In any case, the guitar virtuoso had the audience on his side immediately, even in his Captain Iglo look, although his contribution to RHF was considerably less heavy than that of most of the other bands. But the now 72-year-old man simply has it. His guitar style is a distinctive blend of classic scales and hard blues. Bassist and lead vocalist Niklas was the perfect choice to take the annoying nasality out of Klaus Meine's original vocals.
[Seb] Quick question: Do the individual guitars and their decorations have any particular significance for those in the know? They were changed several times, each time with a different colored cloth (or whatever) on the neck, without any noticeable difference in sound, and I think there were only technical problems with one at most.
[Psycho] The guitars with the pronounced cutaways are Uli's own signature models, if I'm correctly informed. The other guitars looked perfectly normal to me.
[BRT] Heresy pt. 666… I was never a fan of the Scorpions, I know they have good songs, but then there's Klaus Meine… Thankfully, Uli Jon Roth didn't bring him along, but instead had a really good singer and really good backing vocalists, which makes the whole Scorpions repertoire somewhat more bearable. Overall, it was okay, but unfortunately, I've seen the good Uli live too often in recent years, and this didn't really blow me away. He plays up the slightly confused old-stoner act a bit too consistently. Likeable, sure, but now it's time for something different.
Band: Uli Jon Roth (vox, git), Niklas Turmann (vox, bass), David Klosinski (git), Akasha Dawn Roth (keyb), Richard Kirk (drums), Célia Ramos (back.vox)
Setlist: Pictured Life, Catch Your Train, In Your Park, Backstage Queen, Virgin Killer, Hell Cat, Polar Nights, Sun In My Hand, We'll Burn The Sky, In Trance, All Along The Watchtower (Jimi Hendrix-Cover)
:: pics :: MIKKEY DEE ::
[Dirk] Beforehand, this act hadn't really interested me. If you've already seen Motörhead live a few times, who needs to hear it all reheated posthumously, especially when the two missing musicians are as hard to replace as Lemmy and Phil Campbell? After a few songs, I knew the answer: The songs are simply awesome and, when played well, instantly put you in a party mood. And played well they were! Admittedly, the singer needed a few songs to get close to Lemmy's original voice – they should have just sent him to belt out some tunes in the party tent the night before. However, what he lacked in authenticity, :: MIKKEY DEE :: more than made up for with his fantastic drumming! A first-class choice of co-headliner by the festival organizers!
[Psycho] At first, I wasn't quite sure what to make of a cover band as co-headliners, even though Mikkey, the last remaining original member (at least of the last lineup), was in it. But it actually made perfect sense and was a lot of fun: the band mainly played songs that hadn't been on a Motörhead playlist for decades, but proved live that they were definitely worth hearing. Mikkey also had entertaining anecdotes to tell, and he did so in a refreshingly open way, with just the right touch of humor that Lemmy would have appreciated. To be honest, I'd never heard of Mikkey's bandmates before, but they did a more than decent job. Although it was clear that Lemmy's voice is simply irreplaceable.
[Dajana] As much as I love Motörhead, for me this was just one of many cover bands, albeit with an original member. What really touched me was how much MIKKEY DEE missed his bandmates, since he's the only one left alive.
[BRT] I think Lemmy would have thought an all-female Motörhead cover band was pretty cool… Yes, as a co-headliner, you can expect a bit more than just another tribute band, even though it was generally very good and MIKKEY DEE's stage banter came across as very charming and emotional.
[Seb] I was expecting a nostalgia-fueled performance, and at least in that respect, I wasn't disappointed. Given the limitations, it was probably as good as it could be; the band can't really be blamed for the less-than-ideal sound. However, I'm of the fundamental opinion that a cover band - even with an original member - should never be a co-headliner at a festival. Surely there are still enough real and active bands for that, one would think.
[Sui] I was really looking forward to seeing MIKKEY DEE because Motörhead songs are simply best enjoyed live. And at least one original member was on board, who even admitted that it was basically a cover band. The song selection was surprising and gave this gig a unique character. They even played two tracks from Another Perfect Day, awesome! I do have two criticisms, though:
1.) The guitars were way too lost in the overall sound compared to the bass, and the drums were mixed a bit weakly.
2.) The vocals were far too average, at least at the beginning, and nowhere near Lemmy's voice.
[Seb] But you have to give credit: the longer the show went on, the closer the vocals got to the original, as the guy gradually got hoarse. But you can't expect someone to catch up on several decades of Lemmy's lifestyle in a very short time to (maybe) sound the same, hehe.
Band: Mickey Dee (drums - Micael Kiriakos Delaoglou), Viktor Skatt (vox, bass), Stig William Rickard (git)
Setlist: Love Me Like A Reptile, Iron Fist, The Chase Is Better Than The Catch, Killers, Shoot You In The Back, Snaggletooth, In The Name Of Tragedy, I Got Mine, Orgasmatron, Sacrifice, Born To Raise Hell, Shine, Killed By Death, Ace Of Spades, Overkill
:: pics :: SAXON ::
[Dirk] There was a period when I saw :: SAXON :: live so often in quick succession that I got a little tired of them. But now it was time again, and since SAXON never plays a bad gig, the anticipation was correspondingly high. I knew what to expect, I wanted it, and it was awesome! A worthy end to a great festival!
[Psycho] Today, SAXON had only one motto: Hits, hits, hits! But first, it was noticeable that Biff seems to have really come through the cancer well. The frontman was moving around a lot, and his voice was absolutely on point. While SAXON usually include 3-5 songs from their current album and otherwise rely on tried-and-true favorites from all decades, this time, with the exception of the title tracks from their current album Hell, Fire And Damnation and the 1986 album Solid Ball Of Rock, it was exclusively a best-of from the years 1979-1984. This went down a treat with the audience, so much so that practically the entire set was sung along too loudly by most of those present. In between, there was the usual tribute to the metalheads' battle vest (I have no idea how they get them back afterward), and during Denim And Leather, Uli Jon Roth was brought on stage as a guest guitarist. For some reason, SAXON were also the only band of the entire festival that was allowed an encore (other bands apparently wanted to, but weren't allowed). This encore, featuring Crusader and Princess Of The Night, was naturally a triumphant one. And then the ROCK HARD FESTIVAL was already over…
[Seb] It's usually all over by 11 p.m., and in the past, some bands who didn't comply with the regulations even had their power cut off…
[Sui] Normally, I head home during the last headliner's encore. I'd actually told my carpool buddies so. But SAXON left me no choice but to stay until the very last second. There's not much to say about the music. SAXON were one of the bands that shaped my first metal phase. And to this day, their live performances still give me goosebumps, especially since the band was in top form.
[Seb] My colleagues have said more about the music than I could about SAXON. But what I'd like to emphasize is how impressed I am that Mr. Byford was in such good shape not too long ago after chemotherapy and cancer surgery. As someone who has suffered health setbacks for decades, I know how difficult it can be not only to pick yourself up again, but to get back into decent shape… Kudos! And with that, we've unfortunately come to the end and it's time to say goodbye. Despite the slight dips in energy due to the heat, it feels like we only just arrived.
[BRT] My batteries were completely drained by the time SAXON played, so I didn't see everything. But there's no need to preach to the choir about the quality of the Brits; these guys always deliver, and anyone with so many great songs up their sleeve is bound to win any battle. A great end to a wonderful festival. Thank you!
Band: Biff Byford (vox), Doug Scarratt (git), Brian Tatler (git), Nibbs Carter (bass), Nigel Glockler (drums)
Setlist: Hell, Fire And Damnation, Power And The Glory, Solid Ball Of Rock, And The Bands Played On, Heavy Metal Thunder, Dallas 1 PM, Strong Arm Of The Law, Denim And Leather (with Uli Jon Roth), Never Surrender, Motorcycle Man, 747 (Strangers In The Night), Wheels Of Steel // Crusader, Princess Of The Night
|
