Returning to the Effenaar venue on day two of Eindhoven Metal Meeting, logistical issues with trains sadly meant I missed the opener on the main stage, Izegrim. As I arrived I decided to do my best to at least catch Dervaza, but it quickly becomes apparent today is the “meat” of the fest for most people, and somehow it is even busier than the day before. Watching the bodies trying to squeeze into the small room, a line forming of metalheads craning their necks to see the band, I’m left to strike pretty much everything I wanted to cover in the small room off my itinerary today.
Category Archives: Festival Reviews: Europe
Eindhoven Metal Meeting 2018 – Part I
December, for most a time of going home and seeing family, retrospectives, lists and copious amounts of food. However, for many in the European metal community, it’s also the time for the magnificent Eindhoven Metal Meeting. For many it’s the final party of the year, a place to see friends, network, hang out and lift the horns up one last time before the dead space at the end of the year when we all ascribe to the forced merriness we call the holidays.
As every year, the line to get in trails quite a way before the doors even open. It’s cold this year though, and very much sold out solid. It has been for several weeks. Progress inside is somewhat slow because security meticulously checks everyone. But once we get inside the familiar maze of the Effenaar venue the pace quickens, at least for now. Continue reading
Damnation 2018 – Leeds, UK
In the face of trying financial times for bands and gig-bookers alike, the fact that Damnation Festival still pulled off another sell-out edition is both impressive and heartening. Despite their own admissions about a couple of missed opportunities this year, Damnation always manage to bring an unmissable line-up that caters for a wide fan base, be it lovers of Extreme or the more Progressive, and once more they have done so with love and more than a few surprise additions!Continue reading
Beyond The Gates 2018: Live In Bergen, NO
Once again we return to the frozen north, Norway to be exact. Norway and its many metal festivals are becoming like a second home to Ghost Cult. We are thankful that we get to be part of the international metal community, covering festivals in Europe, Scandinavia, America, Canada and elsewhere. For this year’s epic Beyond The Gates, intrepid photographer Daniel Nyman traveled across the sea and over to the motherland of all that is and honest and true about black metal, and really other great kinds of metal too. Taking place at both The Garage and USF Verftet, these world-class kvlt bands With a keen eye for the grim, please enjoy Daniel’s highlights for the fest. Continue reading
BLOODSTOCK 2018- Part 2: Catton Hall, Derbyshire UK
SATURDAY
With everyone firmly into the swing of things by now, Saturday’s main stage openers Nailed to Obscurity opened proceedings strongly enough but were promptly blown out of the water by one of the major surprises of the festival – Power Trip. A combination of thrash and early death metal, the Texan act were a blur of riffs and speed, whipping up the early afternoon crowd into an explosive cyclone of energy. Continue reading
BLOODSTOCK 2018 Part I – Catton Hall, Derbyshire UK
With people on social media proudly sharing photographs of their recently purchased or newly patched up tents, or cirrhosis-inducing beer supplies during the days and even weeks leading up to the event itself, by the time the big day actually arrives, anticipation for Bloodstock 2018 has already turned into a Christmas-like level of excitement.Continue reading
Fortarock 2018 – Nijmegen, Netherlands
Having a thriving metal scene and more gigs on an area the size of a pinprick on a globe, it’s surprising that the Netherlands doesn’t really have any big outdoor summer metal festivals, like Wacken, Hellfest and Graspop, ever since Dynamo Metalfest called it quits and recently revived in super small-scale all we’ve had is Fortarock. With its three stages and two-day lineup, it’s still charmingly small for the big boys, but it manages to pull impressive headliners and after having taken a break for one year, it sure is back in 2018.Continue reading
SOS FESTIVAL XI – Part II: Manchester, UK
Sunday
It’s an indisputable fact that it’s never too early for metal, a fact more than embodied by Avarus who have the unenviable task of getting everybody’s head banging on a Sunday noon with some genuinely impressive metalcore. I’m not normally a fan of metalcore so that last sentence still makes me feel slightly confused and somehow vulnerable. Reminiscent of times of Avenged Sevenfold they show some serious promise. A young band they need to work on their stage performance, turning their backs to the audience between songs and a lack of direct stage banter did let them down somewhat, hopefully, that will come with time and confidence as musically they’ve got it. Continue reading
SOS Festival- Part I: Manchester, UK
Now in its 11th year, Manchester’s SOS Fest is going from strength to strength and firmly establishing itself as one of the very best small festivals going. The key to the festival is family, the whole thing is family run, and has the kids firmly at its heart. For every parent wondering if it’s time to start their kids at a festival then this is the one for you. There are kids everywhere, from playing happily in the kids’ area, performing sets on the acoustic stage, doing press, and generally rocking out it’s clear from the atmosphere that SOS really is THE family festival. Continue reading
Slam Dunk Festival 2018 – Birmingham NEC
When Slam Dunk formed in 2006 it had a bill of 7 bands at a sole location in Leeds with a small capacity of a few thousand, skip to 12 years on and oh my has it grown! Whether you’re reliving your mid-2000’s singing along to the likes of Taking Back Sunday or throwing yourself into the heart of California in the 90’s with the likes of Reel Big Fish, this festival has really developed into a three-location monster of a day out. What better way to start off the day than with getting your rear end torn open by Brutality Will Prevail on the ever hardcore Impericon Stage.Continue reading