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WackenOpenAir


Event: Wacken Open Air 2004
Written by: Ravensclaw
Published: 15.08.2004


Every year during the month of August, thousands of metal warriors from all over the world gather in a little village called Wacken situated in Germany. During this time of the month, takes place an important event, the Wacken Open Air Festival. For some this is only a show like others but for the true warriors this is when a dream comes true. This year wacken had something special. it was celebrating its 15th anniversary.

This year Wacken had a line up which compromised some of the best metal bands namely: Satyricon/Darkthorne, Destruction, Unleashed, Children Of Bodom, Helloween, Hypocrisy, Arch Enemy, MotorHead, GraveDigger, Doro, Dio, etc? Not forgetting some unheard of but great bands which made their first appearance at Wacken that is: Misery Index, Hobb's Angel Of Death, Satan, Griffin, Gun Barrel, Schandmaul, Mystic Prophecy, etc?

Day 1

The Wacken festival opened with the following bands:

Zodiac MindWarp
MotorHead
Bohse Onkelz

I started the day by going the meet and greet point to get an autograph from one the oldest yet ageless band Saxon. Then I attended the Motorhead gig. Who wouldn't? There gig was as amazing as usual, but to my deception the opening of the W.O.A was not very spectacular.

Day 2

Hoping the festival would be better than the previous day, I was contented with what I saw.

Cathedral, their show was good and reached its peak of exhilaration when the band played the publics favorite song "Hopkins". The crowd went wild, and the "mosh-pits" went more violent? Not surprising with this song which wasn't really aggressive but rather stimulating.

Arch Enemy

Arch Enemy a band which I was looking forward to see. Even though I didn't get to the front row I still enjoyed the show. The band played most of their old songs which was great as their new album isn't as good as the previous ones. Arch enemy had quite a big crowd even though the sun was burning and the temperature was around 30 c. Metal fans didn't really care about the weather all they cared about was the show, that was the true metal spirit.




ArchEnemy



Dio

Dio, a band led by Ronnie James Dio, one of the compositors and vocalist of Black Sabbath. He was among one of the most cheerful person I met at the meet and greet point at Wacken. Not only was he cheerful but he was also one of the legends performing for Wacken, his show was spectacular, he had massive fans. Not surprising with the show he gave to the public.

Mayhem

This band was my utmost disenchantment. Mayhem was the worst band I have seen in Wacken actually that I have seen in my whole life. Maniac was a disaster at Wacken. I'm afraid to say this to all mayhem fans put there, but if mayhem wants to keep a good reputation they better stop playing music especially with Maniac in their line up. The show was bad, as Maniac was throwing pig's head in the crowd in such a brainless way. It was like he was doing a bad act. He could have been compared to "Marilyn Manson". The songs he sang was terrible, he ruined dead and euronymous's art. Mayhem was the one and only greatest deception to Wacken and all his fans. The show was so bad that I left not even halfway through.




Mayhem



Destruction

So far the day was good well nearly (to the exception of mayhem). Nightfall all the metallers reveal their hidden powers, they get the entire wrath hidden in them out. Destruction was on; the thunder was about to struck. This band had everything the people came for, their music quaked the ground. I had a great respect for this band as it never got commercial and its show was tremendous. Everyone in the crowd went to the extreme. To the fans surprise Destruction had a guest. Holy Moses performed with them another great band, what more could the fans expect. This made the night everlasting. All the fans were crazy till the end. They offered Wacken the greatest thrash metal show they ever saw.

Doro

Straight after the Destruction show, Doro and the Warlocks made its appearance. I wasn't going to see it as my legs were killing me and I got tired with all the other bands I was standing throughout whole day and had only alcohol to impede my thirst. Yet when I heard an Iron Maiden song from the W.E.T. stage I rushed to the true metal stage where Doro & the Warlocks were performing? what did I see? It was blaze bayley covering some of the iron maiden songs. Blaze Bayley was one of Doro & the Warlock's guest. Unlike what most Iron Maiden fans said about Bayley, his voice was in euphony with the music. I really enjoyed the Maiden songs, and also Doro's whole show.

Day 3, last day at W.O.A

Death Angel

The day started well off with Death Angel, I had never seen them live before but when I did, I was contented. They had a great show and great fans too. You would be amazed by the amount of people who cheered them and also how many people knew their lyrics by heart, the vocalist Mark Osegueda could have stayed quiet and let the fans sing in his place.

Unleashed

Even though Death Angel had a great show I didn't stay till the end as I wanted to get a place in the front row for Unleashed, which I did. Unleashed was the first gig which I actually appreciated from beginning to end. I got to take pictures, look and listened to the band properly without getting stuck in a "mosh-pits" or having some tall people in front of me.

Thinking I would be the only one at the black stage where unleashed was about to perform one hour ealier(while death angel was still on), I was wrong other fans were already waiting there.

Songs like "to Asgard we fly" and "death metal victory" really cheered all the fans. The greatest thing this band did was a tribute to Chuck Schuldiner and Quorthon by performing a song from the first album of the band "Death" which was "Scream Bloody Gore". The song was well achieved by unleashed and was eulogized by all the Death and Unleashed fans. And by the way they were also celebrating their 15th anniversary.

Helloween

One of the only heavy melodic bands I attended, and didn't regret it. Same here the show had some sound problems i.e. quite a lot of feedbacks. But then again the show was still awesome, with Andy Deris pulling the elation out of the fans. Their special guest was not to anyone's surprise, the great Kai Hansen who raised more joy out of the fans. They played most of the songs the fans wanted to hear i.e.: "If I could fly", "Eagle Fly Free", "Dr. Stein" and "Future World" but unfortunately the song I was most expecting "I want out" was not played. Even though my favorite song wasn't played the show was still fantastic.




Helloween



Children of Bodom

Children of Bodom, a band which comprises of outstanding musicians, this band could be called entertainers. This band had the best sound the black stage has had during the whole festival and on top of that COB had great musicians. They were astonishing; I can't find the proper word to describe the band. However what I can tell you is that the band was awesome. Every song they played was art in its chaste form. Unfortunately I was too far from the stage to get good pictures. Anyway I got to enjoy the whole show even from the back.

Saxon

The festival was reaching its climax with Saxon, on stage. One of the oldest yet ageless band in the W.O.A. They were also celebrating there 25th anniversary in Wacken if I am not mistaken. They have offered one of the best shows in Wacken which lasted two hours. There were fireworks which was really amazing. The songs performed were really melodious not really for the extreme metallers, yet pleasant to all.

Satyricon/Darkthrone

All the black and death metal warriors weren't bothered by the time, when Satyricon made it appearance at around 00:00. All the fans were ready and waiting for the blast. There again the band had a lot of problem with the sound system and if I'm not wrong they went off tune for a while, nevertheless the show was like hell on earth. I had the impression being impressed with the amount of fans it gathered as i think they were expecting less. All though the show had a great start exhaustion was imminent to me, I had left the stage heading towards the W.E.T. stage to the rest, from there i was hoping to wathc the rest on the screens. But as Nocturna Culto appeared and sang "mothernorth" I rushed back to the stage and head banged even though I was exhausted. Straight after "mothernorth" came another great song from Darkthrone "Transylvanian Hunger" those songs gave me energy to stay there till the end. They also had some nice effects put up, such as the flames which would burst out and the burning inverted cross.




Satyricon/Darkthorne



This was my last gig at the Wacken Open Air, there were a lot more of other bands but unfortunately I couldn't attend all of them. Even though I wish I could. However here are a few bands who made their first appearance at W.O.A. and who were as great as the Legends.

Hobb's Angel Of Death

A band which I had the honor to meet before the festival, I had never heard of them before, but when I did I was dazed. They were amazing the techniques used in their music was just WOW, they obviously had talent. They were a great Australian band which started since the "slayer era". Each member of the band plays an important role in the band, and they are each as talented. They are well known in Australia and by some people around the world. As one said "no one can know every single metal band in the world" but beleive this has to be known.

Misery Index

Misery Index, a band which I discovered last year in a gig in Scotland, Glasgow, and was performing with Nile and Dew Scented. At Wacken they really took out everything they had and offered the audience a great show, Sparky as usual throwing out his streaming solos from his guitar, Jason growling (singing) and playing his bass in a very hasty way and there were two new comers which I have noticed the second guitarist/vocalist Mike Harrison and the new drummer Adam Jarvis who was incredibly fast and brilliant. The new line up of Misery Index has proved itself being an excellent band, as to me the new members have contributed a lot to the band, especially the drummer they have bought something new and better.




MiseryIndex



Those were the bands which I saw and appreciated and hopefully let us hope they don't end up like Mayhem (with Maniac, my greatest deception). I wish i could have reviewed all the other bands, but unfortunetly i didn't have the opportunity to see them and "analyze" them..

anyways cheers AND KEEP FIGHTING FOR METAL

Goldwyn(Ravensclaw)





Guest article disclaimer:
This is a guest article, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.



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