After a fairly warm night in our linen tent, we awake happy because today we would enjoy the first bands from the afternoon onwards, and visit the Teufelsmauer with more friends right after breakfast, before it becomes too hot for any physical activity other than raising a mug of beer.
The infield opens at 15:00, which is barely enough time to grab a beer and get ready for the first band of the year. Here is what Daniel says about the opening and the organisers. The crew and audience can really be proud of these words:
It’s my first time at the Rockharz festival, and the vibes are amazing! You immediately feel at home with the really super-nice people and the great atmosphere!
At the same time as the main entrance opens, a separate entrance opens and a large crowd of invited local children enters the reserved area on the left side of the front rows. The middle and right sides fill up quickly. I’ve never seen such a big crowd of metalheads of all ages, from four to 80 years old, especially for the opening act, none other than HEAVYSAURUS in costume, playing a 45-minute set of dinosaur-themed metal for kids. Later on, there will be a photo session with all the kids in the VIP area. It’s already a blast!
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The bar has been set very high for SOULBOUND, but they are still able to maintain the high level and mood. SOULBOUND’s mix of alternative metal, nu metal and metalcore, combined with their live band skills, is a hit with everyone.
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The third band of the evening is one that I usually enjoy far later, around midnight, but never as early as 17:10… Welcome to HARAKIRI FOR THE SKY and things are about to get rough! Post-black metal rules the afternoon, and the audience celebrates it as much as they would at a midnight show.
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The Swedish band THE HAUNTED will follow on the Rock Stage at around 18:00 with their melodic death metal anthems inspired by thrash metal – or is it the other way round? Anyway, let’s not worry too much about subgenres as long as the music is good and loud.
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Just a few minutes after they finish their set, at 18:50, ENSIFERUM change the musical style a little into the folk direction. The Finnish band knows exactly what to do, entertaining the audience with a wild journey through their masterpieces.
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Just one hour later, PARADISE LOST take to the stage with death, doom and darkness! Their brutal energy awakens even the last sleeping soul on the holy grounds of the infield.
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BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, led by Zakk Wylde, don’t hold back: wild guitar solos and pure energy take centre stage, preparing everyone for tonight’s headliner.
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HELLOWEEN present the longest show of the festival, playing two hours of golden power metal hits from the ’80s one after the other. A young metalhead told me afterwards, “I didn’t expect the headliner to play cover versions only”. I corrected him: “No, these are the original versions. They are indeed hits from the golden age of metal during the NWOBHM, which was 40 years ago.”
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Ten minutes after midnight, STEVE ‘N’ SEAGULLS close the day — or rather the night — with their crazy mixture of country, polka and humpa from Finland. They don’t have the easiest job at this festival, but they do it really well, and everyone who remains in the infield (come on, you could have stayed too!) really enjoys their music before going to bed or partying.
