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|Wednesday| - |Thursday| - |Friday| - |Saturday| The Opening WordsAnd so the long wait was over; time had finally come to once again enjoy what is the highlight of the year for many thousands of Swedish rock and metal devotees: Sweden Rock Festival. It is probably a favourite event for all those fans travelling from abroad as well; as usual, there were many nationalities represented this year - over 50 - from all over the globe. Tickets were selling fast early on, and were eventually sold-out. This year's line-up had three very big names as headliners: Kiss, Rush and Europe. The bookings of the first two groups made big headlines, especially as it was long considered that they, or bands of that magnitude, were not going to appear at Sweden Rock. But here they were. While they were indeed big happenings, the headliner performances turned out to be a case of mixed fortunes, which can be examined below. Otherwise, the bill was impressive as usual. Offering something for everyone, there were acts like AOR icons Survivor, doom masters Candlemass, modern metal stars Five Finger Death Punch, heavy metal veterans Saxon, thrash favourites Kreator, death metallers At The Gates, glam rock legends Sweet, and the list goes on. While there are a number of different genres represented, Sweden Rock also offers excellent variety in that long-established names are joined by rising stars as well as brand new bands, even demo bands. With the tremendous line-up being accompanied by lovely weather this year - sunshine most of the time and no rain - there was a happy, excited atmosphere. Then again, the atmosphere is always great here - definitely a main characteristic of the festival. Another one is the awesome organisation - areas such as service, space, toilet facilities and cleanliness are some that come to mind - which is surely one of the best in the business. It speaks volumes when well-known bands regularly express wishes to come and play at Sweden Rock, because of the organisation, as well the audience. And for us press people, the working conditions are very good. As always, there were many press conferences with the festival bands. For the one featuring Kiss, the tent was jam-packed and excitement was high before the masked icons finally appeared, showing great spirit and humour. A definite highlight and unforgettable experience for a long-time fan. Regarding next year, it will be interesting to see if the organisers will go for a couple of major names again. There are not really many to choose from at the level Kiss and Rush operate in, and Sweden Rock has had quite a few already. One big name which has long been requested though - and certainly has been enquired about - is Van Halen. And would it even be possible to get a giant such as AC/DC, for example? Speculation has begun already. Some names have already been confirmed, among them
classic 80's project Phenomena and prog rock super group Transatlantic
- two terrific bookings. We can sure count on another memorable edition
of Sweden Rock Festival in 2014. Meanwhile, read below to find out how
Metal Covenant rated this year's performers.
~ Reviews by Mozzy/Tobbe/Bjorn Wednesday - June 05Band: Vader ~ By Mozzy This is indeed a well-rehearsed, professional unit that is playing. The
songs hit you with full force, and given the music's tempo, a couple of
untights spots can be forgiven. This being the Poles´ debut appearance
at Sweden Rock, Wiwczarek expresses that the band are proud to be here,
and one can tell it is a heartfelt feeling. While this may not be Vader
at their truly best, and they are better suited indoors, it is indeed
a fine display of death metal that is given. Vader get a good reception
from the crowd, and their concluding tribute to Slayer's Jeff Hannemann,
a cover of Hell Awaits, goes down a storm. Performance: 7 chalices
of 10 Setlist: Band: Bullet ~ By Mozzy Otherwise, Bullet's recipe is the same as before: catchy, uncomplicated heavy metal which get a good response by the large crowd that reaches way back. The stage show is simple but effective: the logo is illuminated by light bulbs, and there is some very cool pyrotechnical entertainment, with flames going off frequently. The guys display their usual charming attitude, with vocalist Hell Hofer thanking the audience many times. Still, it feels like the energy does not reach top level this evening. The show is not that engaging, more like a day's solid work. That being said, Bullet's experience and capacity as a live band ensures that this is still a good performance. Performance: 6 chalices
of 10 Setlist: Band: Candlemass ~ By Mozzy That the band is excited and up for the task is visible straight away, with bassist and band motor Leif Edling stepping onstage with a smile and getting the crowd to wave their arms to the ominous intro piece Marche Funebre. With the stage tastefully adorned with fences, tombstones, crosses and candles, the show kicks off with Prophet from the latest album, going straight into the classic Bewitched. What follows is a splendid selection from the band's discography. Of the old material, tracks such as Under The Oak and At The Gallows End are just as great as always, with the former being totally epic tonight. With Ancient Dreams having its 25-year anniversary, we are also treated to a rare airing of Darkness In Paradise. As regards to the latest album, Psalms For The Dead, excellent versions of the title track and Waterwitch confirms that Candlemass are still at the top of their game. Too bad, then, that the album was branded their final one, but let's see what happens. Levén, then, once again proves he is a terrific choice. He has an awesome voice, with great power, feel and range. And as a frontman, he is so confident and has very cool stage moves. If one could have any complaints, it is that his occasional high-pitch lines do not fit too well in Candlemass, plus he does not have that much contact with the audience. Overall, though, his voice and stage presence means that he should be here to stay. It is freezing and pitch-black when Candlemass take the stage, but the conditions fit the music and their opening day headline performance is certainly warming and engaging. It is a very impressive display that sees the fans worshipping and one which further cements Candlemass' eminence. Performance: 8 chalices
of 10 Setlist: Thursday - June 06Band: Demon ~ By Mozzy One can tell the Englishmen enjoy being at Sweden Rock again. There is
little to remark on music-wise, as we are treated to quality tunes with
glorious melodies which are most enjoyable in the sunshine. The visual
and entertainment aspects, however, leave much to be desired. Dave Hill
is of course an experienced frontman and has a jovial, likable attitude,
but his bandmates are far from an exciting bunch to watch, not moving
much and barely looking at the crowd. And the energy level onstage as
a whole is low, with the music being played well but not much else on
offer. All in all though, a good time is had in the sun listening to some
timeless songs. Performance: 6,5
chalices of 10 Setlist: Band: Sonata Arctica ~ By Tobbe The actual performance gets my full approval, but closing the set ten minutes ahead of schedule and their choice of setlist don't. With five songs off their latest release, Stones Grow Her Name, I'm after the show standing on the ground wondering why I didn't leave earlier. My best answer was that I really was waiting for those 3 or 4 songs that would make my day, but I can tell you I got denied, because they didn't. I know of no people who prefer their new more progressive stuff before their old classic power metal and also not one song was played off their greatest album, Winterheart's Guild. The Cage, guys, The Cage, remember that song? Major disappointment again. Performance: 3 chalices
of 10 Setlist: Band: Devin Townsend Project ~ By Mozzy And what about the music? You would think it is somewhat sidelined because
of all the funny parts, but it does not. Townsend has a huge catalogue
of wonderful music, and the songs chosen, containing sublime melodies
as well as imposing heaviness, are played with much skill and dedication.
To a festival audience, some numbers may be a bit too complex, dense and
atmospheric to appreciate, but even those get a warm reception, the good-humoured
character of the performance getting the crowd to sway along to the music.
This does not match the performance at Getaway Rock in Sweden last year,
but as expected, a very entertaining time is had together with the inimitable
Devin Townsend. Performance: 7 chalices
of 10 (sorry, no setlist) Band: Five Finger Death Punch ~ By Tobbe They rock hard most of the time with angry vocalist Ivan Moody up front.
This is the first time I see them perform and I must say that their music
is rather headbanging friendly and occasional moshpits shows that some
aggression is present. It's like a violent show without violence, as they
rush through their set with mainly well-known songs. The only new song
played, Life Me Up, was this show's top moment and a future classic in
their live sets. A fairly good show all through, played in front of an
attendance that was rather satisfying, considering many people raised
their eyebrows when they found out that FFDP was playing the main stage
on this multi rock and metal festival. Performance: 6 chalices
of 10 (sorry, no setlist) Band: Amon Amarth ~ By Tobbe When this band was announced, we were told that they were bringing their dragon ship to heat things up. I've seen it before and it's not that impressive, with mainly a stem shooting its way from the drum kit and forward. Still a visual element though and I always enjoy when bands try to present their music in a package. The summer nights in June are bright even in Southern Sweden and the visual effects turned out greater when darkness slowly fell halfway through their set. Amon Amarth gathers a greater fanbase with every record released and
I see nothing that can stop this outfit. They never let you down, even
if fans to their earlier albums probably long for more material from that
era. Tonight we were pretty much presented a best of set, or if preferred,
a festival set with one song off their new album, the title track Deceiver
Of The Gods. To you who haven't seen Amon Amarth perform live, I encourage
you to at least give them a shot when they're around. Performance: 8 chalices
of 10 Setlist:
(might be slightly incorrect) Band: Kiss ~ By Tobbe We got a good mix of songs throughout most of their career and the songs from the latest album was highly appreciated, since I'm fed up with hearing all those seventies songs all over again. A set with I Love It Loud, War Machine and God Of Thunder is something outstanding and I can't even imagine when all these three songs were played in one set before. Nonetheless, most of the show was a standard Kiss show. Paul Stanley
got ejected from stage and did Love Gun from the tower in the crowd's
center and his voice wasn't working well. Gene Simmons did God Of Thunder
on a platform on top of the light rig and spitted blood. Many old fans
think that this band should call it quits because they eventually destroy
their heritage, or already did. With hand on heart, I say they still have
better shows than many bands on the scene, even if they apparently have
aged and don't perform as good as they did before. Performance: 7 chalices
of 10 Setlist: Friday - June 07Band: Treat ~ By Tobbe Showtime: Noon. The Swedish band and its followers down on the grounds haven't really come together yet from last night's activities. Treat plays the gig with total joy though, performing much of their most well-known songs and songs off their latest and presumably last album Coup De Grace, which in many fans' ears is their absolute most brilliant release. It's no understatement that this band call it quits when they're on top. Despite this, the gig never tip the scale to something extraordinary, much due to the early hour and with the sun shining bright. It was announced that they would bring a couple of guests to share the
stage with. It didn't work out that well and they didn't take it too serious,
singer Robert Ernlund said, but we eventually got current Candlemass and
former Treat vocalist Mats Levén singing the much demanded Learn
To Fly to an ecstatic crowd. Performance: 5 chalices
of 10 Setlist: Band: Firewind ~ By Tobbe There's no chance in hell you can mistake who's the man in this band. From start to finish most focus is shining on the above mentioned guitarist. He enjoys the attention of being in his own band and not functioning as a more withdrawn character behind Ozzy. This situation gets even clearer during his guitar solo and the fact that he also speaks to his audience occasionally. The gig never got to the point where I enjoyed it to the full, as the
songs' qualities varied from good to barely decent. Heavy metal meets
power metal is something I often is drawn to and there were moments where
my head started to bang, but it never hit me hard. Still a decent performance,
although they never found momentum. Performance: 5 chalices
of 10 Setlist:
(might be slightly incorrect) Band: Newsted ~ By Bjorn The weak point of this gig was really the fact that many of the songs
that were played, five out of eleven, haven't actually been released yet.
So even though these songs sounded very promising and made me look forward
to the upcoming album, it put the gig in a kind of limbo where a large
part of the audience seemed to lose interest. In contrast, the audience
responded best when the band played some snippets from Metallica's Creeping
Death and My Friend Of Misery, as well as Whiplash in its entirety. I
guess that's the curse of having played in the possibly biggest metal
band on Earth. Performance: 7 chalices
of 10 Setlist: Band: Doro ~ By Tobbe Not too unexpected, Doro's set contains mainly old glorious eighties Warlock songs and songs from her latest album Raise Your Fist. Songs like The Night Of The Warlock, Revenge and True As Steel go down excellent on this bigger stage, whilst her cover version of Judas Priest's Breaking The Law should be put to rest. She knows what to play though, to not make people lose their attention. An impressive performance and if she stays in this great shape, I'm certain that she'll be around for a very long time, or at least as long as people care for her. Performance: 8 chalices
of 10 Setlist: Band: UFO ~ By Mozzy Mogg's bandmates are not as outgoing onstage but they sure know their musical stuff. As Pete Way is still absent, having gone through serious health problems, handling the bass guitar is Rob De Luca, and he does a good job. Apart from Mogg, however, the one who steals the attention is guitarist Vinnie Moore, who is simply an extraordinary musician, excelling with heavy riffing, sublime melody work and blistering soloing. His long solo during Rock Bottom, however, makes the otherwise superb song tediously drawn-out. But when the show is then brought to the finish line via the glorious anthems Doctor Doctor and Shoot Shoot, the atmosphere is restored to one of pure joy. Performance: 7,5 chalices
of 10 Setlist: Band: Krokus ~ By Mozzy Still going strong, Krokus released their latest album, Dirty Dynamite, this year, and four tunes from the album appear early in the set. Though these are fine examples of the catchy, groovy hard rock Krokus play, the first part of the set is not that memorable, although the classic Long Stick Goes Boom is always a treat. During the second half, then, we are served a handful of old gems such as Screaming In The Night and Bedside Radio. That the audience enjoy themselves is apparent, with many dancing about
with wide smiles when Krokus deliver their "krok n´ fucking
roll" as Storace calls it. It takes a while for the show to gather
momentum and there could have been more favourites from the past in the
set. Also, although Storace works hard and has a good rapport with the
crowd, the band does not feel ideally at home for 90 minutes on the vast
Festival Stage. Even so, this is a delightful display of good ol´,
straightforward hard rock. Performance: 7 chalices
of 10 Setlist: Band: Naglfar ~ By Bjorn When the final notes of Harvest echoed I couldn't believe that 75 minutes
had passed and I instantly felt like driving home and listening to Naglfar
on Spotify instead of hanging around at a measly festival. This was one
of those gigs when I discovered how good a band is and afterwards when
I listened to them at home I couldn't understand how I didn't love them
from the start. Performance: 9 chalices
of 10 Setlist: Band: Saxon ~ By Tobbe The packed festival grounds feel the energy of the band's excitement. Biff Byford's vocal cords feel rejuvenated, although his aging body pretty much don't. Still he keeps going decisively and gives everything he's got, although being sixty-two and not getting any younger. Impressive. Contrary to most bands, this outfit just gets better and better and there's just no way to stop this ongoing heavy metal machine, but instant death. Guitarplayers Paul Quinn's and Doug Scarratt's laid back appearances
stand in contrast to bassplayer Nibbs Carter's ravaging headbanging, making
it a great visual experience somehow. Still current after well over three
decades on the scene and no wonder they play all these European summer
festivals each year by popular demand. Performance: 8 chalices
of 10 Setlist: Band: At The Gates ~ By Bjorn Performance: 7 chalices
of 10 Setlist: Band: Europe ~ By Mozzy Nevertheless, there are times when, anticipating another old classic, a newer song is played instead, taking the edge of the atmosphere a bit. As the band celebrate 30 years, one could feel that the emphasis should be even greater on the past, thus really celebrating the history of Europe. There are times when you can sense a slight frustration in the audience, who clearly should have preferred old gems like Stormwind, Cherooke and Ready Or Not - all played quite often in recent years but now absent from the set. And although there is nice surprise in the form of Paradize Bay from the debut album, and a long-requested Prisoners In Paradise, one or two more old gems would have been appreciated. In the middle of set, we get a rendition of the acoustic Drink And A Smile, which just feels redundant. Although the acoustic part is intended to create some dynamics to the show, and also includes the beautiful Open The Heart (which would have been great to hear in its original version though), it kills the momentum somewhat. When this is followed by a golden oldie, Sign Of The Times, the way it is greeted reveals the crowd's preferences. Reservations about the setlist aside, this is most definitely a convincing live show, which is also enhanced by an outstanding stage show with cool lights and effects. The sound is really good too. As for the band, the guys have a great band chemistry going. As a live unit, they are simply rock-solid, in sound as well as performing-wise. Joey Tempest' voice is strong and the singer is a bundle of energy onstage. His excitement and passion is obvious and he salutes the band's fans and their support, although it is not always unreserved tonight. Though not anywhere near as lively as the frontman, the others in the band are in a cheerful mood too and their musical tasks are fulfilled with skill, with John Norum once again showing that he is a stellar guitarist. Towards the end, then, Norum is joined onstage by first Scott Gorham and then Michael Schenker. The renditions of Thin Lizzy's Jailbreak and UFO's Lights Out are great and the guest appearances are highlights, both for the happy Europe guys and the audience. During the second half of the show, there is for the most part a tremendous, celebratory atmosphere. The audience sings passionately along in Carrie, and rock out to Seven Doors Hotel and Let The Good Times Rock. As Europe bring it all home with Rock The Night plus encores of Last Look At Eden and The Final Countdown they are the top of their game. Afterwards, it is a bit difficult to assess this Europe show, however. It's slightly disappointing in some ways and parts. And to be honest, near two and a half hours comprising 27 songs plus a drum solo is a rather testing affair, no matter how good the music is. As a whole, though, Europe demonstrate their greatness and receive love from the fans, although not all the time through the concert. Performance: 7 chalices
of 10 Setlist: Saturday - June 08Band: Tankard ~ By Mozzy The catchy thrash tunes and the band's excellent connection with the fans makes for a great party atmosphere, and the crowd is really up for a good time, headbanging, moshing and singing along. A young blonde is invited onstage for a dance with Gerre to the intro of Chemical Invasion, before two Tankard hits from different eras - A Girl Called Cerveza and (Empty) Tankard - nicely round off things. Once again, our German beer thrashers have delivered a show that is, simply put, great fun. Performance: 7 chalices
of 10 Setlist: Band: Kreator ~ By Mozzy The other tunes from the album sound as great, with plenty of superb melody work. A little later, the already fired up fans go nuts to the Coma Of Souls/Endless Pain combination, with a wall of death and moshpit instigated by charismatic frontman Mille Petrozza. The chaos is upheld during a lethal Pleasure To Kill, and there is action in the pit for the remainder of the set. Whether it's classics from the 80's or more recent material that is offered, there is a marvellous atmosphere throughout the concert. Every number is greeted warmly, and the moshpit participants' energy and happiness is awesome to witness. The band are clearly taken by the response, showing off wide smiles onstage. As usual, singer and guitarist Mille Petrozza leads his troops with a dedication that never ceases to impress. The man has a genuine fire and passion for his craft which you can really feel, and the crowd follows his every command. Enemy Of God is dedicated to the fallen Jeff Hannemann of Slayer, and
the response is as wild as it is heartwarming. The finale of the concert
is a trademark, vicious Kreator attack: the outstanding Civilzation Collapse,
a real treat in the form of Under The Guilotine and the usual conclusion
with Flag Of Hate and Tormentor. With band and crowd feeding off each
other, this is a bloody awesome performance and a triumphant celebration
of thrash metal and the wonderful devotion which typifies it. Performance: 9 chalices
of 10 Setlist: Band: Accept ~ By Tobbe I wonder if there still are fans longing for Udo's return to the band, when his replacement shows a complete package, as he brings total justice to the eighties songs and the major part of the new material also rocks. Accept has a state of the art back catalogue, still they play seven songs off their latest albums Blood Of The Nations and Stalingrad, and they do it terrific too. A balanced setlist for fans who have seen this band before, although some every day fans probably would have preferred a set filled with classics. I believe the reactivated Accept has never been more accurate and they still are a great force to reckon with. It's heavy, captivating and joyful. The band enjoys the moment to every minute and their crowd scream loud during the few sing-a-longs. I walk away with a sore throat and great satisfaction. Performance: 8 chalices
of 10 Setlist: Band: Skid Row ~ By Tobbe I've always supported singer Johnny Solinger since he joined the ranks well over a decade ago. On this night I however miss Sebastian Bach's attractive and ravaging appearance. The band is somewhat numb, although guitarist Scotty Hill plays his tricks and enchants the audience in front of him. The shows elapses in an everyday pace and feels like just a dutiful appearance. Two songs are played from their latest effort, the EP United World Rebellion - Chapter One and these ones highlight, together with the opener Slave To The Grind. Monkey Business certainly doesn't, as I can't stand that extended middle section of it. Someone please tell them to ditch that crap and play one more song instead. I don't want to call this performance bad, still tonight's show was the worst, or least good, I've even seen by Skid Row. Somewhat decent however, although I demand much more from this unit. With the treasure of songs they possess, I feel a bit let down when things don't happen the way I want to. I miss the devotion from this experienced band and I truly hope that this was an isolated moment. Performance: 5 chalices
of 10 Setlist: Band: Paradise Lost ~ By Tobbe Paradise Lost usually gives a perfunctory appearance, which is and have always been their style. Yet they take it to new levels now and that wasn't in fact that amusing. Vocalist Nick Holmes had a somewhat terrible day and he really couldn't get the hang of it. The melodies of guitarist Greg Macintosh were stunning on the parts where you could actually hear them, as the sound was all but good from my position. There were better moments though and all wasn't bad. The music in its
foundations is certainly good, but a clear lack of force and killer instinct
was evident. I left a bit disappointed, but I'm sure they'll regroup and
come back strong until next time I see them perform. Performance: 4 chalices
of 10 Setlist: Band: Avantasia ~ By Mozzy As always, Sammet has brought some very prominent guest singers. The first three songs are all picked from this year's The Mystery Of Times, with Pretty Maids' Ronnie Atkins delivering strong vocals and an energetic effort during the two latter numbers. Then, it's time for the revered Michael Kiske to shine in Reach Out For The Light and Avantasia, both from the debut album. Slowing the pace, Bob Catley appears for The Story Ain't Over and The Great Mystery with his wonderful voice and charming character. Then, Eric Martin takes the stage for a duet with Sammet in Dying For An Angel, one of the highlights of the show. As expected, every one of these renowned, gifted singers do a splendid job throughout the show, and let's not forget Sammet himself, who also has a great, natural rapport with the audience. Nevertheless, the powerful pipes of Jorn Lande, who couldn't take part this time around, are missed. With the lead vocals supported by the most competent back-up singers Amanda Sommerville and Thomas Retke, plus guitarist Oliver Hartmann's voice, the vocal impact is indeed rousing. Combined with the bombastic music, it is a mighty sound that grabs you. What is obvious, too, is that this ensemble of musicians enjoys each other's company very much, with lots of jokes and smiles as well as admiration towards each other taking place. It has an infectious effect and generates a merry atmosphere. Credit to Sammet, who has really managed to build a band feeling under the Avantasia banner. Sammet expresses his pride to getting the honour to finish the festival, and there is no doubt that Avantasia is a terrific choice. Sammet states that these are "2 hours full of hits - it sounds cocky but it's the truth". He does so tongue-in-cheek, of course, but while there may not be 'hits' throughout, the set is packed to the brim with high-quality tunes. Containing magnificent melodies and hooks as well as an upbeat spirit,
any sadness among the audience that the festival has come to end is effectively
swept away and replaced by joy, cheers and singalongs. Thus, this is a
very fitting ending to Sweden Rock Festival 2013. Performance: 7,5 chalices
of 10 Setlist: Related links: www.swedenrock.com |