It’s that time of the year again, the fourth edition of Dynamo MetalFest, this small festival is becoming more and more popular each year, due to it’s small size, cozy environment and a lot of good bands for a very democratic price. The Ijsschaatsbaan in Eindhoven is a perfect place for this to happen, a lot of free parking around it, if you come early enough , a lot of good food, tribunes to take a good rest and enough shadow which was very necessary due to the heat that is conquering Europe for several days now. While the line-up was not so excellent as the sold out edition of last year there were plenty of metalheads who didn’t wanted to miss this metal party. A full photo report can be seen here.
As opener of the festival Elephant (**) had the tough job to wake up the people. While playing a very energetic show that went from metalcore to rock elements when jumping all over the stage, I couldn’t help myself that this was something I already heard a lot (e.g. Caliban ) and still hear a lot. Good energy, good playing but not so original, ok they did a hell of a job on stage but when this isn’t supported by strong songs you’re going nowhere, I would love to hear some more work on the songs dudes.
Over to Iron Reagan (***), who are playing crossover like bands in the 80’s, e.g. Nuclear Assault and so on. This was their last show on their tour and they still played extremely well and fast, so if you’re into classic thrash that goes to crossover you have to check out this band, it was fun to see and hear. This band has a lot to do with Municipal Waste, sometimes you even wondered if they weren’t playing . Songs like Fuck The Neighbours and I Won’t Go resulted in the first moshpits of the day. Their job was done, everybody was awake.
Vuur (**) with our ever sympathetic Anneke, who was the last minute replacement for Sons Of Apollo, brings us progressive music, the guys (and woman) are talented and master there instruments very well, but the songs just didn’t do it. The response of the audience was also quite lame, even though Anneke tried to get more response, it just didn’t worked out. You can say what you want, she has a very good voice and she has become a very beautiful woman, she’s one of these woman that are just becoming more beautiful with aging, as a whole package though Vuur didn’t bring fire. As they played The Gathering‘s Strange Machines as the last song the crowd finally came to life.
I Am Morbid (***1/2) is an alternate version of Morbid Angel. That last band, build around guitarist Trey Azagthoth, cancelled their tours lately. I Am Morbid is formed with the original vocalist and bass player David Vincent together with Tim Yeung on the drums completed with guitarists Bill Hudson (Circle II Circle) and Ira Black (ex-Vicious Rumors, ex-Lizzy Borden) and are bringing songs from the first four records of Morbid Angel, so you could see them as sort of a cover band. It seems there are a lot of things happening between David and Trey, as David was talking about ‘my records’ which is a pity to hear this on stage. Musically they brought songs like Immortal Rites, Ears To Hear en Dominate , for the death metal fans this was a great party and a lot of moshpits, dust and crowdsurfers were the response. Hell of a show.
With Leprous (***) we came back to the progressive side. This was something for the diehards, their songs have strange arrangements and are quite in conflict with the heavy style of I Am Morbid. And you have to love his voice, if you hear it at first it can get quite hard to get used to it. Their song choice was not the best, they choose more songs of their latest album, like Bonneville. I’ve seen them before and I had the impression they just played the same songs as at their other gigs. They did an excellent performance, let’s be honest, this is music that should be experienced in a small dark club not on a hot sunny open air festival or they should have chosen more powered and up-tempo songs.
The Canadians of Annihilator (****) were next and they brought classic thrash as we are used from them, energetic fast playing, a lot of interaction with the audience and killer songs. Jeff Waters is a good frontman, although I had the impression that his voice wasn’t 100 % today or was it due to the heat he sounded a bit tired. With classics like King of the Kill, Alison Hell, Insecticide and the newest Twisted Lobotomy it was a thrash party all the way with a lot of dust in the wind. Looking forward to see them on their headlining tour and hearing some other songs than always the same classic ones.
OverKill (*****) was next. It has been a long time since I’ve seen them and was curious if they could still deliver it. I know they are always giving 300% so I had a lot of expectations. And yeah, from the first note they were on fire. Starting off with Mean Green Killing Machine going to Rotten To The Core, accompanied by Horrorscope’s (which is for me their best album ever) Coma, playing Hello From the Gutter and Elimination, and ending with the all-time classic Fuck You, OverKill showed us that after 35 years they still rock as hell. Bobby made himself unforgettable when he talked with the audience in Dutch, nice one dude. I think when I am saying that OverKill should have been the headliner today a lot of metaldudes will agree.
Al Jourgensen‘s Ministry (**) is a cult political band from the eighties/nineties and that’s where they should have stayed. Here they were just loud, they have good songs and riffs, but this industrial metal was just too repetitive for me. With his “anti-Trumps” (the two inflatable chicken alike Trumps was a nice thing to see) statements the show became too boring. We know you don’t like him, but really do you have to build your whole show around it . The people are here to enjoy good music, cut all the political bullshit dude.
All day we could see that Ghost (***) was the headliner, we saw a lot of nuns, black nuns, white nuns, fetish nuns, sexy nuns, corps painted nuns, even some totally dressed up as a devil, I had too pinch myself because sometimes it thought that I was on a fetish festival. Not that I minded, with the burning sun there was a lot of sweet things to witness. Ghost is popular, that much is clear. Personally I don’t like them a lot and wonder why are they headlining and became so big in a small time. I have to admit that they do bring a good show, that’s for sure, but musically not my cup of tea. Of course the fans loved it from the beginning ’till the end. With their poppy metal songs like Rats and Dance Macabre, they stole the heart of their beloved fans. Ghost is in the first place a show, a gimmick band, with some poppy tunes where a heavy guitar has been put under, I miss the “grinta” in their music. It’s too polished, but for a lot of fans it is just what they needed. That’s what’s metal is all about, it’s so diverse there are always things that just not fit into you but hey you can’t have everything in life.
Conclusion : The fourth edition was again a big party, some bands were better than other but with such a differentiated line up it is normal that you love some bands more than other. Up to next one which is on the 20th of July 2019 and early birds kost 28,5 €, again a price raise with this year, but still a steal for this festival. Keep up the good work dudes.
