Saturday 27th June
Saturday starts quite early again, with breakfast served from 9:00, which seamlessly transitions into the opening of the infield. There is still some time before the first band takes the stage. Some guests have therefore booked an exclusive whisky tasting in one of the pagodas otherwise reserved for the bands to pass the time. In high spirits, they then join the audience for the first band.
Red River Running
This band is Red Running River from Brunswick, and their set is an intense experience, characterised by groovy riffs, hard breakdowns and emotional passages. With distinctive hard screams and deep growls, they unleash a primal energy that captivates the audience and wakes up even the last sleepers.
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In Demoni
In Demoni from Magdeburg take it one step further. With their truly brutal death metal disguised in innocent stage outfits, they even wake up the dead in the cemetery 4.5 km away. Who would have thought that when they entered the stage wearing flip-flops, colourful shorts, various rubber dolls and animals?
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Source of Rage
The third band of the day recorded their albums at the Institut für Wohlklangforschung in Hanover, which pretty much says it all. Source of Rage offer melodic groove metal of the finest kind. With thoroughly danceable melodies and the necessary playful finesse, they put you in a party mood and whet your appetite and thirst for more over a cold drink.
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Jaded Heart
And then it’s time for the Swedish-German combo Jaded Heart, a very likeable band of experienced musicians without any airs and graces. Their catchy metal anthems inevitably captivate the audience, and it’s no surprise that they are frenetically demanded for an encore, which the tight schedule even allows because they talked less and played more.
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Todsünde
The line-up continues with a few guys from the Ruhr, Todsünde, with their black and white painted faces and simple but elegant black stage clothes, offering us groovy riffs for headbanging par excellence. The band’s stage presence is incredibly entertaining, not only for the audience and our crew, but also for themselves, as is evident. They threaten to come back again next year, if necessary as Sündentod with white and black face paint.
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Leaves’ Eyes
Can the atmosphere get any better? Hard to believe, but yes, it can! Leaves’ Eyes, a wonderful symphonic metal band, takes the stage. Unfortunately, the start of the set is delayed somewhat by a technical problem, but thanks to the energetic efforts of the stage crew, the delay is made up for by the end of the festival.
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The six musicians are accompanied by two 10th-century Norman warriors as moving stage decorations. Remarkably, these are not paid actors or LARP performers, but genuine re-enactors, i.e. historical performers with a scientific background. Their clothing is modelled on original pieces and museum-quality grave goods down to the smallest detail. Leaves’ Eyes’ epic pieces are in no way inferior to this quality; this is top-notch symphonic metal! Incidentally, Leaves’ Eyes’ label Reigning Phoenix Music supported the raffle with a significant donation of material and CDs.
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Infected Rain
Does this performance make it easier for the second headliner of the evening? Yes and no. Yes, because the atmosphere is positively charged, no, because the bar is set really high. But Infected Rain wouldn’t be Infected Rain if they didn’t clear it with ease. The band around charismatic vocalist Lena Scissorhands is indeed stopping by Rock & Metal Day’z for one of their few performances this year, as they are currently writing songs and recording their next album.
Unfortunately, their mood is somewhat dampened by cancelled flights home and stopovers, but as true professionals, the four musicians don’t let it show on stage. Infected Rain expertly play their set, which is the highlight of the festival for many of the audience, both visually and musically. Among others, a loyal fan group has travelled with the band, and one fan has travelled over 800 km from France especially for Lena and co. Incidentally, Luna is not with them this time, as the short tour would have been too strenuous for Lena’s sweet little dog lady.
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Milking the Goatmachine
Last but not least, things get brutally heavy again when Milking the Goatmachine take the helm at almost midnight. The goat heads kick off as if there were no tomorrow, even though they are plagued by member shortages; for example, the drums are played by a puppet and soundboard recordings. Guttural and rough, they play at insane speed. The audience has no time to catch their breath or get tired, as the final show is too energetic. And then it comes, the last song, and the festival is over, as already mentioned, but still on time so that the infield doesn’t have to be left in a hurry due to a possible time overrun, but there is still time for a last snack, a beer, a whisky or rum and a chat with the musicians present.
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At some point, however, it’s time to say goodbye to the great venue until Sunday breakfast. For the crew and the remaining musicians, this means the start of the after-festival party. Even without beer-fuelled high spirits, MA.D.E. for Kids president Andreas Horn loses his braid during this party as a hair donation for a good cause.
And before we forget it, here are some more impressions from the audience and the goodbyes of the eight bands playing at Rock & Metal Day today.
