Metallsvenskan 2014

Summer was arriving in central Sweden and definitely in the area around Örebro, where another edition of Metallsvenskan took place. An annual football (soccer) tournament, linked to the festival, with bandmembers and mostly people connected to the music industry gives the festival part of its name. The word Metallsvenskan actually derives from the Swedish word Metall, which of course means Metal, and from Allsvenskan, which is the name of the premier league in football.

Sited at a new location, 3 stages were rigged, although 2 would have been enough, since there was no conflicts in the schedule and the smallest stage was too small to give the bands enough room to fulfill their duties to fullest extent. This was very clear when Sabaton entered the smallest stage under the name Heroes for a secret gig. I have no numbers, but I would say that there was somewhere around 3500 people visiting each day and as usual with these local festivals, an all too high percentage of the visitors choose to stay in the bar areas during the gigs, which is highly evident in front of stages.

The stages:
Stora scenen = The main stage.
NEMIS-scenen = The middle-sized stage. (New Music In Sweden stage.)
Lilla scenen = The small stage.

//Tobbe

|Friday| - |Saturday|

Reviews and photos by Tobbe

Friday - May 23

Band: Kreator
Stora scenen 20:30-21:35

Kreator is one of few bands in this day and age that takes focus and base the set on mainly new material. I like the band's early efforts, but still I totally enjoy the four latest releases even more and with the unwavering choice of songs played tonight, I bow down to serve as a loyal servant in that aspect. Out of 12 real songs played, only 4 is to be considered being part of the band's classic period and I think that a load of bands should have a look at this unit and see that this concept actually is quite adequate.

Main man, Mille Petrozza, shows as always his anger, energy and aggression, but Kreator falls short in this process occasionally, since he really doesn't have the right support from his wingers, although bassplayer Christian Giesler seems to have washed away the major share of his grumpy appearance during this gig. Petrozza's talk between the songs also feels a little too repetitive and I believe I've heard most of his words before. Even though the gig turned out somewhat monotonous, I still dug what I was given and I left satisfied after being handed a solid dose of German thrash metal.

Performance: 7 chalices of 10
Stage sound: 7 chalices of 10
Best: Kreator doesn't base the set on the classics.
Worst: Flag Of Hate and Pleasure To Kill.

Setlist:
Mars Mantra (Intro)
Phantom Antichrist
From Flood Into Fire
Endless Pain
Pleasure To Kill
Hordes Of Chaos
Death To The World
Phobia
Enemy Of God
Civilization Collapse
The Patriarch (recorded)
Violent Revolution
Flag Of Hate
Tormentor

Band: Saxon
Stora scenen 23:30-00:55

One of heavy metal's most respected acts, British legends Saxon, is well known for explosive and remarkable performances. This show was definitely no exception and it's rather stunning that they're still able to deliver the goods. Unlike Kreator, Saxon opted out most of its new material and instead concentrated on the 80's stuff to please a festival audience. Although I love the old Saxon, I've come to a point where I feel need for a little change. I mean, these songs are classics, but still there are tons of great material available from 1985 and up to this present day.

Biff Byford has full control. He truly has most of his vocal range still at hand and especially his performance in Motorcycle Man was awesome. The guitarists, Paul Quinn and Doug Scarratt, keep their cool all throughout and bassplayer Nibbs Carter still performs in a wild manner, even if his headbanging isn't as rabid as it used to be. It might be for the better, since his head would probably fall off someday. A highly solid performance from Saxon once again and if you haven't seen this unit play live before, I suggest you do.

Performance: 7 chalices of 10
Stage sound: 8 chalices of 10
Best: Motorcycle Man.
Worst: Too many 80's songs were played.

Setlist:
Procession (Intro)
Sacrifice
Power And The Glory
Heavy Metal Thunder
Battalions Of Steel
I've Got To Rock (To Stay Alive)
Motorcycle Man
Hammer Of The Gods
Solid Ball Of Rock
Dallas 1 PM
747 (Strangers In The Night)
Strong Arm Of The Law
Wheels Of Steel
---------
Crusader
Denim And Leather
Princess Of The Night

To the top

Saturday - May 24

Band: In Solitude
Lilla scenen 14:00

Performance: - chalices of 10
Stage sound: - chalices of 10
Best: ---
Worst: ---

(sorry, no setlist)

Band: Amaranthe
Stora scenen 14:45

Performance: - chalices of 10
Stage sound: - chalices of 10
Best: ---
Worst: ---

(sorry, no setlist)

Band: Heroes (Sabaton)
Lilla scenen 15:50-16:15

With signing sessions planned in Stockholm on Friday the 23rd and in Gothenburg on Sunday the 25th, Swedish metallers Sabaton took the opportunity to visit Metallsvenskan, in order to play a secret gig under the moniker Heroes, which also is the title of the band's brand new record. A few flashes of lightning and some light showers found their way to the festival area just before Sabaton went on stage and therefore many people stayed in the bar area and its canvas, sheltering them from the rain.

The band was as always in a great mood, but is nonetheless in need of a bigger stage than this one to have all their abilities in spades. Between the songs, lead vocalist Joakim Brodén referred to them as the cover band Heroes and that they were a new band doing its first gig and since they all are, in his own words, poor musicians, they could not play anything unless it was songs of Sabaton. To be frank, I think he lost the Heroes concept around 10 times during these just over 25 minutes. All in all, an amusing 5 song short set from a band that seems to gain more and more popularity with each record released.

Performance: 7 chalices of 10
Stage sound: 6 chalices of 10
Best: Far From The Fame.
Worst: The rain showers.

Setlist:
To Hell And Back
Carolus Rex (Swedish version)
Attero Dominatus
Poltava (Swedish version)
Far From The Fame

Band: Thundermother
Lilla scenen 17:20

Performance: - chalices of 10
Stage sound: - chalices of 10
Best: ---
Worst: ---

(sorry, no setlist)

Band: Pentagram
NEMIS-scenen 18:05

Performance: - chalices of 10
Stage sound: - chalices of 10
Best: ---
Worst: ---

(sorry, no setlist)

Band: Black Trip
Lilla scenen 19:00-19:35

I definitely enjoyed Swedish retro outfit Black Trip's debut album Goin' Under when it was released last fall. When I for the first time get to see them perform live, I can't help having set the aim high, even if the grounds weren't packed with people as a light rain fell from the sky. My expectations weren't in vain, although lead vocalist, Joseph Tholl, didn't hit the notes with the same passion and empathy as he does on the album. The songs have a cool appearance with 70's and early 80's style and the guys were trying their best to stand out as winners.

After about 35 minutes, at the beginning of the 9th song in the set, Tholl suddenly left the stage to not return. The band kept on playing for a minute until the moment they all realized that someone had pulled the plug on them. I had a look at the setlist after the gig and 12 songs were listed and I could really see the disappointment in each bandmembers eyes as they picked up their gear a few minutes later. During this short set on the smallest stage, I still had the opportunity to see that this band is something to be reckoned with, if people still are able to find comfort in this type of music, that is.

Performance: 6 chalices of 10
Stage sound: 6 chalices of 10
Best: Voodoo Queen.
Worst: The gig being cut short.

Setlist:
The Bells
Radar
Putting Out The Fire
Danger
Tvár Dábla
Outlaw
A Perfect Dream…
Voodoo Queen

Band: Millencolin
Stora scenen 19:45

Performance: - chalices of 10
Stage sound: - chalices of 10
Best: ---
Worst: ---

(sorry, no setlist)

Band: Freedom Call
NEMIS-scenen 22:25-23:10

7 or 8 minutes before Freedom Call was supposed to go on stage, I decided to take a leak, well in time before the gig at 10:30, I thought. I more or less hadn't started my activities before I could hear the first tones from the NEMIS-stage. A few minutes later I arrive to see that a rather large crowd has filled the area in front of the German happy metallers, although they decided to start 5 minutes early.

Lead vocalist and guitarist, Chris Bay, tonight really unshaved, was as always in his attractive happy mode and with bassplayer Ilker Ersin being back in the band, this feels like Freedom Call again. Guitarist Lars Rettkowitz has had plenty of time to adapt to his duties and Rami Ali sum things up behind the drum kit.

The band came out strong and launched a few awesome experiences, like the songs We Are One and Freedom Call, before they played Power & Glory and Come On Home, which both, in my personal point of view, took the edge of the gig to never really come back strong in total, even if the band eventually bounced back with the closer, Land Of Light. Anyhow I left rather satisfied and by judging the crowd's reaction, I believe that this band still has many years to come at this level.

Performance: 6 chalices of 10
Stage sound: 8 chalices of 10
Best: We Are One and Freedom Call.
Worst: Power & Glory and Come On Home.

Setlist:
Union Of The Strong
We Are One
Freedom Call
Heart Of The Warrior
Power & Glory
Come On Home
Tears Of Babylon
Warriors
Land Of Light

Band: Helloween
Stora scenen 23:30-00:45

Saturday's headliners, and the last band to play this year's Metallsvenskan, Helloween, needs no presentation. The band performed a balanced set of new and old. The undeniably most exciting moment was when they launched Starlight, off the first EP, but during this song, the crowd was embarrassingly lame and I stood there wondering what the hell was wrong.

Andi Deris is a frontman who interacts with his audiences in a great way, but still I think he gets a little too much attention with all those lengthy sing-a-longs. His voice isn't what it used to be and already in the opener, Eagle Fly Free, he left the highest notes behind. I shouldn't be too hard on him though, as he gave us all he had a few times, but time has nevertheless taken its toll on him.

This band also relies fundamentally on bassplayer Markus Grosskopf, whose appearance totally lightens up everything that surrounds him. Michael Weikath has at last stepped up in his stage performance and he even seemed to have a good time tonight. As did the other guitarist, Sascha Gerstner, who gets more and more space as he takes care of most of the solos nowadays.

Helloween pretty much gave us what was expected, but most likely I would have replaced at least half of the songs in the set if I was the one to pick them. A solid performance from the Germans however and I will go and see them next time they're around as well.

Performance: 6 chalices of 10
Stage sound: 7 chalices of 10
Best: Starlight.
Worst: Power and Are You Metal?.

Setlist:
Walls Of Jericho (Intro)
Eagle Fly Free
Straight Out Of Hell
Where The Sinners Go
Waiting For The Thunder
Hell Was Made In Heaven
Drum Solo
Starlight
Live Now!
If I Could Fly
Power
Are You Metal?
Dr. Stein
---------
Future World
I Want Out

To the top

The closing words

This is a festival without greater means involved, as far as I'm concerned, but I think that the organizers indeed brought a solid lineup to the table. The schedule was only showing the starting times of each band, so it turned out quite strange when a few bands said "goodbye" well in time before next would enter on another stage. Before the festival took place we were given the information that the lines to the bar were to be a just a memory, but that wasn't really accurate, since there was a 15 minute line on a couple occasions. Most things were on a pretty satisfactory level though and I will most likely return to this place in 2015.
//Tobbe

Related links:
www.metallsvenskan.com