Hellfest 2008

Yes this Mayhem had to come to an end. This was a great festival this year too !! My highlights (and biggest deceptions) are:

• The weather, no rain this time !!! And cold at night, so it was perfect to rest after one exhausting day !!


• The organization was flawless this year. Obviously the festival team did learn from their mistakes of last year

First day:

• Alchemist. This band build on atmosphere, and I don't always like that, because it sometime means weak, but not this time. Check them out !!


• Septic Flesh, excellent Greek black metal


• Job For a Cowboy. I like their albums, but I did not know how they were on stage. And I can tell you: They are not only buzz, their show was a killer !!!


• Rotting Christ. It was the second time I saw them, and I can't say they made a strong impression on me...


• Marduk did not disappoint me, and the duo with Mortuus and Alan (Primordial) was an excellent surprise !!!


• Testament were alive and kicking, hailz Trash metal !!!


• Carcass showed that they did not reformed only for money


• Venom were a big deception for me. How about kitsch ?

Second day:

• Legion of the Damned. Once more a Trash metal band, but I liked them !!


• Benighted, an excellent French Brutal Death band


• I really like Satyricon, and I liked very much this show, with insanely heavy drumming by Frost of course !!!


• Haemorrhage, funny but excellent Spanish grindcore !!! Are you a pathology ?


• Shining, this Swedish Black metal band really look dangerous on stage. The singer cut himself on stage, arms bleeding, he threw a cigarette in the middle of the public, he broke a bottle (of Jack Daniels ?) and cut himself with the remains... But they also have a very depressive but heavy sound. A discovery for me !!!


• The Watain show was just after Shining, but they really offered Black metal to remember (sorry no dead rats on stage this time)


• Ministry, the show (one the lasts) was excellent, with almost no blanks between the titles

Third day:

• Origin, insanely fast, insanely good Brutal Death. At one time, someone in the public shouted "faster !!", and the singer answered "faster ?". It was impossible.


• Primordial, I really like the Celtic / Folk Black metal of this band, and their singer really have an amazing presence on stage !!!


• Obituary, of course...


• Dying Fetus. speedy, heavy, full of integrity. And Sean Beasley had a Origin T-shirt ;-)


• Motörhead, they are always heavy, heavy, HEAVIER


• Morbid Angel show was faultless


• And finally, the Slayer show was a bit disappointing, probably because of Tom Araya's voice which seemed to never be really there (ill, maybe ?)

Pictures to come soon...