METAL CAMP

Slovenia, Tolmin - July 2010

METAL CAMP
Slovenia, Tolmin2010
In this particular review/report I will not mention every single band that has performed on the main stage of Metal Camp since I was obviously unable to observe them all. So, I'll try to focus myself on ones that I had a chance to watch. Nevertheless, I would like to say that this year Metal Camp was well organized festival, most of the bands were more than great and also friendship was on the highest level. So, everything went really great and it was a pleasure to be in Tolmin, Slovenia during those 5-6 days. Moreover it was a nice opportunity to establish some contacts within the scene and to observe metal fans which were gathered in Tolmin (really small and beautiful place among the mountains in Slovenia). The scale of difference among the fans was indeed huge, from many Pagan-kids which were dancing to their favorite troops to some more serious metal-heads that came there to enjoy their fave bands. But as it was case with Metal Fest in Hungary, it was also a freak-show - obviously a nice and not-to-be-missed opportunity for those goth girls to show themselves in the night-clothes even through that it was solidly hot these days.
Dornenreich: I have actually seen just a two last tracks of Dornenreich but their show was surly something special. They performance was only with 3 members and without the bass-player but yet they have the guy who played violin on the stage. As I have noticed, during the last few tracks that I've a chance to witness at the end on their show, all of them were from ''Her Von Welken Nachten'' which is in my humble opinion their best effort so far.
Nevermore: they show was far better comparing to one that I had a chance to witness on Metal Fest in Hungary just a month ago. Simply the show was great and they have focused more on the older tracks. They performed only two songs from their new album which was very different from their show in Budapest. The performance and play-list was indeed great, the sound awesome and the reaction of public was just perfect! So, I have really enjoyed in some of the fantastic titles such as ''Enemies of Reality'' and others. It was very interesting to see Nevermore at the light of the day. Warrel Dane & co. simply gave their best!
Trail of Tears: it was a fine opportunity to catch them on the stage since I didn't have a chance to seen them live so far. And their show was indeed a fantastic one. Although that was still a day (actually they were playing around 16h) it was really nice to enjoy in some great tracks from their latest effort ''Bloodstained Endurance'' which turned out to be the best issue in their huge discography. Everything passed well sound-wise and music-wise and it was a pleasure to bang my head on some great songs! I am really looking forward to see one more time in near future these interesting Norwegians!
Equlibrium: to be completely honest I am not so much into their discography. I just know that they're on Nuclear Blast and that the band was having some problems with band-members but at the end it seemed clear that everything went ok since they gave a nice performance in Tolmin. It was nothing spectacular but it was a nice opportunity to check them on the stage. I have noticed that people were indeed enthusiastic waiting for them and also the huge number of Pagan-kids have gather in the front of main stage to hail them. From my point of view their show went pretty ok. Probably on the upcoming Heidenfest I’m going to see them again!
Paradise Lost-a perfect one! Their show was started during the twilight fall so just imagine how was it to watch masters of metal Paradise Lost as the night gathers among the trees and high mountains of Slovenia. Well, it was more than perfect! And, also their sound and play-list was indeed a great one. I lost myself on such a great hits as: ''The Last Time'', ''Embers Fire'', ''The Enemy'', ''Enchantment''...indeed it was a nice evening! Moments of the purest magic!
Dark Tranquility: it was for the very first time that I have a chance to catch them on the stage and it was a pleasure to observe them while they're playing some of their greatest hits. To be completely honest I am not so into their discography, but I have been observing them since 1996 and I really like one of their cult efforts ''The Gallery'' and their style of playing. Truly indeed, they have performed nothing from ''The Gallery'', and truly I didn't know many songs that they've played, but yet I have enjoyed in their show very much. And there was a huge number of people who gathered to watch them live. This was one more of these so called ‘’twilight-shows’’ :)!
Immortal: uh, I haven't listened to Immortal's music for such a long time. Perhaps even few years have passed since I have checked out some of their albums. And, moreover I am surly not a fan of their new era. But, yet their performance was indeed something special and many people gathered just to see them on the main stage. I missed few songs, perhaps in the middle of the show due to my obligations with Kalmah but it was really nice to see Immortal. Obviously, they performed mostly the songs from their latest records and I am not so much into their few latest issues but I have to admit that their gig was a nice one. If nothing, Abbath has just greatly amused people with his ''reptilian-looking'' and ''grotesque behavior’’ :) They have one of the best light-shows with lots of smoke :) one more time I have to say that the sound was just perfectly done!
HammerFall: it was definitely their best performance that I have seen so far. Maybe because of the sound, awesome-almost magical light-show or something else, but self-proclaimed metal-warriors: Joakim, Dronjak & co. was simply incredible! The sound was indeed bombastic one and the songs, which they played that night, were well performed. I am not so into their latest few efforts (I didn’t checked them even properly), so obviously I was more enjoying in some older hits as ''Dragon Lies Bleeding'' but it was nice opportunity to hear these ancient songs with a massive sound and production. I am not pretty sure but I guess that there was the biggest crowd on this particular show. There were even some really young boys with their fathers which, actually, is more than great! So, if you’re a fan of HammerFall you have missed one of their better performances.
Sabaton: I have missed their gig on Metal Fest in Hungary, but finally I got a chance to check them live. And it paid off. I mean, I am not a huge fan of this Sweden-based band, but their performance was simply nice. Sound-wise, everything was more than perfectly done; light-show was as usually done great and, it clearly seems that people were having a blast while Sabaton was on the stage. A fine number of people gathered on Sabaton since they were headliners that night alongside with HammerFall.
Heidenvolk: cool show but the worst thing was that they were playing during one of the hottest moments during these few days. So, it was a hell to be on the stage for these Pagan warriors. They were using their horns to throw some precious water on them while they were performing. The audience was mainly hidden in the shadows during their performance and some of the bravest die-hard Pagan-warriors were hailing them in the front of the stage. But, yet their show was a good one. So far I have checked out all their records since they are on Napalm Records and it was more then a good opportunity to see them on the stage. I hope that next time they're going to be luckier with the annoying sun :)
Insomnium: yet another show that was preformed during the hottest moments on Metal Camp. But yet the band members were giving the best of them. These Finns were actually very good. The show was full of energy so we have all enjoyed in some 45 minutes of melodic death metal dose. I'm looking forward to see them again live, most probably on their upcoming dates in October with Dark Tranquility.
Arkona: once more many Pagan fans had the opportunity to enjoy in their favorite bands. There was a solid crowd gathered on Arkona. I didn't expect it and it was more than interesting to see and meet with some friendly Russians. So, once when the show has started Russians flags started to rise. I am not so much into the music of this Russian-folklore troop but since they're on Napalm Records I already had a chance to meet with their music. This particular day has started to be hotter and I was really amazed to see their front-girl Masha fully clothed in the fur. So once again we were having an opportunity to enjoy in some folk-pagan melodies.
Ensiferum: I was waiting for their show for a long time. And finally various Pagan Gods and Goddesses gave me opportunity to watch them live. And it was such an incredible show, I have to admit! They were playing many songs from their latest and highly successful effort ''From Afar''. They have started their show with ''From Afar'' and later continued with ‘’Twilight Tavern’’, ‘’Smoking Ruins’’, ‘’Stone Cold Metal’’ and the grand finale came with older one ‘’Iron’’. Pagan warriors with other kids as well were dancing thorough the entire show and few plastic swords were also there. Nonetheless, their live performance was well done although it was during very sunny day. I cannot wait to see them once again live and that will be probably on Heidenfest! Later on I was having a nice meeting with Pete & co, and we have done one very nice interview.
Finntroll: one more time I have an opportunity to see one band two times within a single mouth. So, it was a case with Finland-based Pagan shamans Finntroll. Last time in Hungary they were the best and this time their show was also a good one, one among the best. But, I also need to add that their play-list was indeed different from this one in Budapest, at Metal Fest. Of course, you cannot imagine Finntroll show without such popular hits as ''Trollhamaren'' but definitely there were less of the songs from the latest record. But, anyway, who cares at all, I have just relaxed & simply loose myself on their show with other fans as well. And really huge crowd was gathering to see mighty Finntroll. I really have to say that it was really a great thing to see Finntroll on such a big stage and somehow their show was a full of magic. Also, it seems that this time they have chosen some of their more aggressive songs to play which was very welcomed :)
Eluveitie: they were much, much better comparing to their latest show in Hungary, at Metal Fest. During this particular show in Budapest they were having such annoying problems with some of their instruments and sound. But, this time they were more than awesome, lets' say incredible and perfect. Their enthusiastic front-man Chrigel is a really important figure within the band since he had a really great communication with the audience. He even command the charge and making of death-wall on the song ''(Do)Minion''. It’s needless to say that Eluveitie performed some of their finest tracks alive and among them were ''Inis Mona'', ''Thousandfold'', ''Quoth the Raven'' and ''Kingdom Come Undone''. And their latest full-length ''Everything Remains as it Never Was'' is one of the most essential releases in 2010.
Behemoth: hm, this turned out to be the most effective performance on the stage from my point of view. Nergal & co. are well-known on the present metal scene with their visual effects and also this time they have proved themselves. Their appearance was furious and fantastic as they were fully clothed and armored. And during one hour and more they focused mainly on the most wanted hits so the show went just perfect. There was a solid dose of songs performed on the stage: ''Slaves Shall Serve”, “Demigod”, “Conquer All” and “Decade of Therion'' and so on and on... The grand finale was in this particular moment when Adam came on the encore with the huge demonic-looking helmet on his head. Crowd then just went simply crazy!
Ex Deo: the first thing that I saw on this concert was several of Roman war-banners while they were preparing for the stage performance. Ex Deo was the last band for that night but there stayed a solid audience. And such a show it was! To watch Ex Deo on such a huge stage, with such a great sound was a must for every fan! I remember that I have ended just in the front with some guys from Austria. I really have to admit that we were very violent :). Perhaps the gods of the long lost Romanian Empire has possessed us in this particular moment. Actually, I am not joking at all as from the sounding and visual point of view their show was awesome and probably one of the best on Metal Camp. The day after was a problem because my neck was in injured condition :). Since they have only one album released so far it was obvious that they were playing almost every song from it so we have enjoyed in such a great titles as ''Romulus'', ''Storm the Gates of Alesia'', ''Legio XIII'', ''The Final War’’, ‘’Invictus’’…And, as I have already said above, it is hard to choose the best performance on Metal Camp but Ex Deo’s was one of the finest.
Kalmah: being just recently a fan of this band that comes from Finland I was really enthusiastic while I was waiting for their show. And, actually it turned out that I was doing the interview with brothers from Kalmah just half an hour before they started their show. And already I drank a lot (maybe even too much) so it was nice warming up for upcoming destruction. And truly Kalmah were very passionate on the stage while they were performing some of their greatest hits (''The Black Waltz'', ''The Groan of Wind'', ''Time Takes us All'', '' Rust Never Sleeps'', ''12 Gauge''...). Obviously as one could easily notice, I am more into their 3 latest efforts which are more important from my point of view when it comes to Kalmah. One of the strangest things was that they had a show on the 2nd, smaller stage. I don't know the reason why that happened but for the first time 2nd stage was full of completely insane crowd. Hundreds of heads were banging and making the great riot while Kalmah were performing.
Korpiklaani: vodka, vodka!!! This sounds maybe too simple but that the way of these completely insane Finns. Their vocalist and front-man Jonne was even too drunk for the performance and the stage. But, anyway who gave any fuck about it since people were just gathered to make celebration, to have a few more drinks and get even more insane. During the performance of the opening song Jonne has fell from the stage. Everyone was thinking that he is hardly injured and that’s impossible for him to continue with the show but yet he has returned only having a few stretches. And few more time he fell, not from but on the stage, one time too drunk even to rise again…I mean, it was more than nice to see them although this kind of music isn’t definitely my cup of tea but yet I was very delighted. They closed this evening and I was very, very satisfied.
Obviously I have seen many other bands as well. Sometimes I caught just one or two songs from their performance but you should keep in mind that I was having some interviews to do and some meeting to release. Among others I watched also: Six Feet Under, Overkill, Sonata Arctica, Sadist (entire show), Ashes You leave… and few other bands on the 2nd stage. I have also noticed that the music was much happier (happy Pagan melodies) on the 2nd stage :) So, until next year…cheers!

Marko Miranović

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