Day 1
Darker Half
The first proper festival day starts with Darker Half. The power metal band from Sydney, Australia, delivers a great performance. Their guitarist jumps around the stage and demonstrates his flexibility with the energy of two bands. As they play, the hillside is still empty, but on the top and down in the valley in front of the stage, the crowd is already filling up to witness their energetic show.
Mission in Black
Despite the rainy weather again, the German melodic death metal band Mission in Black gives a fantastic performance. The Metalacker is very open towards families and people who live in the area, and some are not as familiar with harsh vocals. Conversely, one festival-goer is visibly shocked upon realizing that the frontwoman, Steffi Stuber, is singing both clean and harsh vocals with a powerful and versatile voice.
Ensiferum
The Finnish folk metal band Ensiferum brings a pagan ritual with atmospheric elements to the stage. Their performance is fantastically enacted and very melodic, with folk tunes infused into an otherwise heavy soundscape. Their outfits, a mixture of authentic and modern elements, draw the crowd further into their world. Keyboardist and clean vocalist, Pekka Montin, occasionally leaves his instrument to focus on singing at the front of the stage, and all members are visibly enjoying their shared performance.
Emil Bulls
As a versatile metalcore and modern metal band, Emil Bulls command the stage. As they are often found on festival lineups around here, the crowd knows that they can rely on them for their always great show. The charming frontman and singer, Christoph von Freydorf, is an absolute party instigator. As he sees the now sold-out Metalacker filled with all its visitors, he proclaims, “The more you heat up, the more we escalate.” And so they all do.
Dynazty
Picking up next are Swedish power metal band Dynazty, ready to draw the last bits of energy out of the tired crowd. The sound is super-fast and lots of fun, getting the midnight crowd going. For some, the show is a bit too monotonous, and the crowd is definitely divided into those who absolutely love it and those who are somewhat indifferent. Drummer Georg Härnsten Egg delivers an impressive, lengthy drum solo. Last time I saw something comparable was by the tour drummer at the Black Sabbath The End tour, when the older band members needed a break.
Aephanemer
The French extreme metal band Aephanemer close the night. They offer a unique performance of symphonic and melodic death metal. Their singer, Marion Bascoul, reminds me a bit of Adrien Cowan in her stage presence. Musically, they resemble bands like Nervosa or Carach Angren. A well-needed dose of bedtime morbidity. Despite the dark concept, the band members are constantly smiling. That kind of passion and chemistry adds to the beauty of their performance.
