Sweden Rock Festival
Day 1
9 June 2005
Due to a number of unfortunate unforeseen circumstances occurring whilst at Sweden Rock this year, I didn`t see nearly as many bands as I had set out. The event was an enjoyable one once again however and save for a very short spell of spitting rain, remained dry throughout.
The honour of opening this year festival fell to Crystal Eyes and there was an extra degree of interest about their appearance as taking the microphone was Daniel Heiman, formerly of Lost Horizon. Despite singing on new album Confessions Of The Maker, from which much of today`s set was culled, Heiman is not however a full time band member.
Last year, appearing with Lost Horizon on the same stage, Heiman was decked out in a cape and Braveheart style make up but it was a much more casual appearance today. His vocals were anything but casual however, lifting Crystal Eyes music up a level, though it has to be said without the special spark of his former outfit. The band themselves are solid with some tight Maiden-esque twin guitar work from Jonathon Nyberg and Mikael Dahl.
Dahl himself reclaims his role as singer for Highland Revenge, closing and enjoyable set. If Heiman is not a permanent fixture, Crystal Eyes will find, like Lost Horizon, that he will be a difficult man to replace.
Crystal Eyes set list:
The Charioteer / Confessions Of The Maker / The Wizard`s Apprentice / The Burning Vision / White Wolves / Northern Rage / Highland Revenge
If Astral Doors were the ultimate Dio tribute last year than step forward this year`s equivalent take on Ozzy in Hellfueled. Seriously, in Volume One, Hellfueled have written the best album Ozzy hasn`t written over many a year.
Vocalist Andy Alkman contributed the Ozzy style vocals to the Dream Evil song No Way and I`d read that the more he drank the more he sounded like Ozzy. Well perhaps 1pm was a bit early in his drinking schedule as for the first couple of songs of Hellfueled`s set he sounded like he was singing in the wrong key. However, maybe this was down to monitor problems as by Mindbreaker the band were all pulling in the same direction with guitarist Jocke Lundgren squealing like Zakk Wylde.
The highpoints of the set consisted of the two opening tracks from Volume One, being Let Me Out and Midnight Lady, with bassist Henke Lönn hiding behind very rock mirrored shades whilst posing with his white Les Paul bass.
Hellfueled provided a great rocking set in the sunshine, though I suspect they can cause greater damage in the confines of a club.
Hellfueled set list:
Second Deal / Someone Lives Inside / Eternal / Mindbreaker / Look Out / Let Me Out / Born To Rock / Midnight Lady / Live My Life / Rock ‘n` Roll
A tight timing turn around meant missing the opening of Force Of Evil`s set and as we arrive vocalist Martin Steene is telling tales of the candyman at Cabrini Green. The band sees the reunited Mercyful Fate Shermann / Denner guitar partnership and there are a couple of other connections with drummer Bjarne T. Holm also of that band and Hal Patino formerly of King Diamond.
It`s no surprise then that the music of Force Of Evil falls in similar territory to Mercyful Fate & King Diamond, but with Iron Fire vocalist Steene taking a more traditional metal approach. Steene`s a very different performer to King Diamond also, with a lanky frame and long blonde locks he bounded around the stage encouraging the crowd to join in the bands "evil" shenanigans.
Hell On Earth revisits the bands 2003 debut album, taking the pace up a notch before a sea of devil horns greet Mercyful Fate favourite Evil. At times Force Of Evil`s compositions seem a bit clumsy but persevering through their set was ultimately a rewarding experience.
Force Of Evil set list included:
Cabrini Green / Back To Hell / Death Comes Crawling / The Sinister Show / Hell On Earth / Evil
The bitterly cold weather had taken the edge of my enjoyment of Anthrax`s set at the Dynamo Festival, however with the sun blazing down conditions couldn`t have been better and I obviously wasn`t the only one with that opinion as the Rock Stage was rammed.
Among The Living was a bit of a misfired start however, with a very annoying drum sound and Dan Spitz`s guitar going AWOL. Thankfully things were soon corrected and Anthrax continued to storm through one of the sets of the festival.
Got The Time initially seemed an odd choice of second song, but it seemed to do the trick in setting the audience bouncing around, mirroring the band`s onstage activity. For Indians a huge cowboy hat was thrown on stage by someone in the crowd which Belladonna wore for a verse. Knowing Scott Ian`s hatred of the Indian headdress Belladonna used to wear, I was keeping my eye out for sparks flying but all that was flying was Ian around and around in his stomping mosh circle.
The set contained few surprises, though perhaps given the time limits I`m The Man was an odd choice, but went down well nevertheless. Interestingly Charlie Benante no longer swaps his drums sticks for Belladonna`s microphone for this one and the band play the speedy version with few stops.
Having initial been dubious of this reunion, I`m now of the opinion that maybe Belladonna and this line-up is the best thing for Anthrax and I could certainly live with that if John Bush reunites Armored Saint.
Anthrax set list:
Among The Living / Got The Time / Caught In A Mosh / A.I.R. / Madhouse / Antisocial / Efilnikufesin (N.F.L.) / Medusa / Indians / Be All, End All / I`m The Man / Metal Thrashing Mad / I Am The Law
Given my boredom at Megadeth`s last show in London I had not expected much today, but perhaps Dave Mustaine had witnessed Anthrax`s display on the facing stages as Megadeth tore through an enthralling 19 song set.
What was even more surprising was that the band managed to hold my attention with Mustaine uttering not a word to the crowd between songs until the seventeenth song. Though as that song was trip back to the band`s debut for a rare performance of Rattlehead, I was more than happy and so were the native crowd when, following Peace Sells, Mustaine proclaimed in Swedish "You were f**king great!".
For once Megadeth were blessed with an excellent sound and the performances were spot on. Of particular note was Glen Drover`s handling of the Poland, Young and Friedman solos. Hopefully Drover will get the chance to record his own solos in the future.
Megadeth set list:
Blackmail The Universe / Set The World Afire / Skin O` My Teeth / The Scorpion / Wake Up Dead / In My Darkest Hour / She-Wolf / Die Dead Enough / Trust / Kick The Chair / Hangar 18 / Return To The Hangar / Back In The Day / Sweating Bullets / Tornado Of Souls / Symphony Of Destruction / Rattlehead / Peace Sells / Holy Wars
Over on the Sweden stage, Within Temptation had gone to town erecting stone effect pillars and podiums with ivy creeping across them. At times all except vocalist Sharon den Adel would take set positions on the podiums for a spot of unison headbanging and although this provided a quite static backdrop it worked perfectly for their orchestrated metal.
Sharon was of course the focal point and today`s white bridal-look outfit of choice worked perfectly in making her stand out in the festival environment. Her enthusiasm was infectious and when not "worming" her arms she was bouncing up and down whilst always smiling. Of course, most importantly her vocals were perfection.
Within Temptation really come to life in the live environment and even the material from the slightly disappointing Silent Force album, from which much is played, came across with much more energy and heaviness than what might be expected.
Highlights would depend on a person`s favourite songs as they were all played well. For myself, Deceiver Of Fools and The Promise come to mind.
Within Temptation set list:
See Who I Am / Jillian / Stand My Ground / Angels / The Promise / Forsaken / Memories / Running Up The Hill / Caged / Mother Earth / Deceiver Of Fools / Aquarius / Ice Queen
The set I was anticipating most was a chance to finally see Morgana Lefay in the flesh and they did not disappoint. Right from the opening chords of The Source Of Pain, their pounding metal with a smidgen of doom had me gripped for the duration.
Hollow and Angel`s Deceit demonstrated why new album Grand Materia currently sits top of my album of the year list. Meanwhile distress call pips usher in S.O.S. from the bands days of being called simply Lefay.
Vocalist Charles Rytkönen`s vocals are just as distinctive as on cd, with that Jon Oliva like raspy tone. He spent the duration of the set stalking the stage and encouraging the crowd, getting us to bounce along to I Roam and sing along to Maleficium.
Guitarists Tony Eriksson and Peter Grehn combine well and churn out the massive riff of End Of Living, though to be fair the whole band were pulling as one. The set peaked with The Boon He Gives before a speedy In The Court Of The Crimson King closes proceedings.
Two years ago a band cut from very similar cloth, Tad Morose, dominated this stage and Morgana Lefay hit the same high water mark today.
Morgana Lefay set list:
The Source Of Pain / Master Of The Masquerade / Another Dawn / Hollow / Angel`s Deceit / S.O.S. / To Isengard / I Roam / Maleficium / End Of Living / The Boon He Gives / In The Court Of The Crimson King
What can you say about Motörhead really? If you haven`t seen them you really ought to at least once and if you have, you already know what they were like. With a set full classics just at the time when everyone`s had a few beers and is ready to party they were perfectly billed.
Lemmy often bemoans the fact that the bands new material often gets overlooked and with songs as strong as Killers and In The Name Of Tragedy, the latter featuring flame-pots, you can only agree with him.
The classics of course get the biggest response and having fire breathing bikini clad girls for Killed By Death didn`t hurt. However, the biggest cheer of the night is reserved for the encore and the appearance of the infamous Bomber lighting rig, which remains impressive even today.
With three appearances in the last four years, Motörhead are pretty much the Sweden Rock house band and with another solid performance today you can see why.
Motörhead set list included not in correct order:
Dr. Rock / Stay Clean / Shot In The Back / Love Me Like A Reptile / Killers / Metropolis / No Class / Over The Top / I Got Mine / In The Name Of Tragedy / Dancing On Your Grave / R.A.M.O.N.E.S. / Sacrifice / Killed By Death / Iron Fist / Bomber / Ace Of Spades / Overkill
With the increased attendance at Sweden Rock, the one thing now lacking is video screens on the main stage. For Accept it seemed most of the campsite had come out of hibernation for maybe a last chance of witnessing these German metal legends and not wanting to push to the front left the band looking very small from where I was standing.
The music however was plenty loud enough and pretty soon I was nodding along to Living For Tonite, chuckling at London Leatherboys and punching the air to Metal Heart.
It was a joy to hear Udo Dirkschneider, who was swamped by a huge very metal coat, belting out the classics in his distinctive Papa Lazarus on helium style.
There was plenty of guitar posturing and the line of Peter Baltes, Wolf Hoffmann and Herman Frank stood together rocking in unison was a common sight throughout the set. Meanwhile Stefan Schwarzmann demonstrated his speed during the legendary Fast As A Shark, a song which had a lot to do with the birth of thrash metal.
The Accept set list says it all with the only disappointment that I could not see them a bit clearer.
Accept set list:
Starlight / Living For Tonite / London Leatherboys / Metal Heart / Love Child / Breaker / Head Over Heels / Neon Nights / Restless & Wild / Son Of A Bitch / Turn Me On / TV War / Up To The Limit / Monster Man / Flash Rockin` Man / Burning / Princess Of The Dawn / Fast As A Shark / I`m A Rebel / Balls To The Wall
Accept
Motörhead
Morgana Lefay
Within Temptation
Megadeth
Anthrax
Force Of Evil
Hellfueled
Crystal Eyes
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