ROCK ALTITUDE FESTIVAL 8 – DEFTONES, EYEHATEGOD, CULT OF LUNA, ORANGE GOBLIN, ELIZABETH, NEOSIS

We were guests at the festival in Switzerland again. It was already 8 edition of Rock Altitude Festival, and so I will not elaborate about the details of the concert's organization, because it as always was the professional concert. If anyone is interested for the whole description then I suggest to read the previous reports of Rock Altitude Festival at Metal Centre, because the shows basically every time are similar. The bands only were changed on the scenes. In short, the organizers constantly are keeping a high level of the event, so let's go for the show…

… Traditionally… short and friendly conversation at the entrance while receiving identifiers and after that we went to the square of festival. There were stalls encouraging with the fast-foods, drinks, souvenirs, and all concerts gadgets… Of course, as always there was plenty of room to sit at tables, to talk or something to consume in peace…

… Now is the time of first show, so we went to conquer of the small stage where Swiss local NEVBORN had to play… The first sounds were quite strong and aggressive, with the underline by the hoarse scream… I thought about the style of Post Hardcore. However, as is the case at the beginning of the concert, the audience mostly calmly listened the offer of young team. NEVBORN also showed a different face – melodic, very climatic, almost psychedelic – typical of the climate Post Rock – with the clean emotional singing and the climatic guitar phrases…

… In turn, the first band on the main stage was a Swiss NEOSIS from Geneva. I must admit that musicians look inconspicuous in terms of their visage – the quiet young people with their instruments… But they offered a decent music… Of course the climate Post Hardcore filled the space again but this time with the very extensive rhythms and the virtuosity of guitars… The heavy, complex rhythms… the crushing guitars… virtuosic solos and the dynamic screams interlaced by the calmer vocal themes of charismatic frontman… The musicians caused that ​​part under the stage has not been idle, admittedly it was not a crowd but it was quite interesting…

… A few dozen meters away, on the small stage – Swiss band ELIZABETH was warming up itself… I guess it was not easy with such a sound system on the main stage… At that time we took a photos of funs. During the shooting of funs we met the journalist of Swiss magazine – L'impartial. Initially, a colleague asked us to note that taking pictures permission is required. But when he saw our IDs and then he was reciprocated while doing us a photo:

http://www.arcinfo.ch/fr/photos/rock-altitude-vendredi-16-aout-ambiance-cool-avant-concert-2746-1209304?idPhoto=27

A few days later, the press published a brief report of the festival, in which the was mentioned the Polish journalists… And on the small stage the acute shambles in the style of Punk – Hardcore was started… Although these sounds were not absorbed too much the audience under the stage. Although the music was fast and aggressive, and the atmosphere was pretty hot, until the singer took off his shirt… But at this time we went to conquer the fast-food stands and next hunting with the camera on funs. One of them bravely joked that he should take a beer for the photo. So we gave him some compilation CD from some magazine, with Polish underground bands from area of Thrash Metal and Hardcore. And he gave us the concert flyer announcing a local event at next weekend…

…After the hunt with camera, after eating and drinking next we topped the batteries to stand face to face with the Swedish CULT OF LUNA… To be honest, I had big expectations for this band, but I knew this band rather from the tales… Why New Wave bands does not depend for image? I think about such bands like CULT OF LUNA that they look like men neatly dressed, although rebellious guys like from the American TV series for teenagers… But people focused less and less importance to the appearance in the world of Rock, Metal, or rather in this case – the world of Metalcore… Despite all, CULT OF LUNA did not disappoint me, creating alternating dark, sometimes downright hysterical depressive mood created by the overwhelming riffs… The great combination of emotional heaviness of Post Metal with the spatial climate of Post Rock… The game of lights, the smoke, the music, the audience moving in trance… The great climate… It is a pity that this time has passed so quickly… Although I took a big chance to listen: The One, I: The Weapon, Ghost Trail, Finland, Owlwood, Disharmonia, In Awe Of…

… We were taking a break to cooling of emotions by a cold beer and then English star ORANGE GOBLIN was started to install into a small stage. With this band was the same as the previous – I knew that I should listen their music here, and moreover, in this day it was something other among the all bands from the Hardcore style… I noticed Helvetians once again invited Stoner Metal bands. In the previous year, KARMA TO BURN played, and in the 9th edition will play DOWN (admittedly it is not quite Stoner team) and RED FANG… And now ORANGE GOBLIN was played. Their dynamic, distinctive riffs in “sabbath” style took well warmed up the audience. Under the stage was crowded and certainly very dynamicly… There appeared first jumps into the audience, the catching funs over the heads, which indicated that band has a positive effect on the emotions of the audience… The meeting with the orange goblin we considered to very successful…

Meanwhile… in time of half-hour break before the main star DEFTONES We planned a closer look at the musical merchandise… And of course we purchased another shirt from the festival… It was getting more crowded at the main stage, so we went in that direction… My beloved brave wife was rested at the barrier (and it was already about midnight, and the concert was started at 06.30 p.m., and we still have the music till yet 03.00 a.m.) and I went to talking over with the guardians about a place to take photos. Unfortunately, it turned out that band does not wish other photographers, as their own photographers, so we had to take photos from behind the barriers … Earlier I rarely was focused attention to this kind of music like DEFTONES performs, but what I heard (almost embarrassed to admit that it was my the first time) made quite an impression for me… Alternative Metal has its own atmosphere… Under the scene was really busy and vigorously. The charismatic singer Chino Moreno very strongly emphasized own emotions… At one point he was running across the stage and in the front of the audience with Mini-Cam (which he took off from his photographers)… And the funs were possessed by the sounds saturated by the strong emotions… They sang together, chanted… So DEFTONES showed itself as both heavy and at times aggressive and at the same time dark, atmospheric, sometimes melancholic. The songs which were played: Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away), My Own Summer (Shove It), Diamond Eyes, Rocket Skates, Rosemary, Poltergeist, Digital Bath, Elite, Tempest, Swerve City, You’ve Seen the Butcher, Sextape, Feiticeira, Change (In the House of Flies…). Obviously also there were additional tracks: Romantic Dreams, Engine No. 9, 7 Words…

Now was started the expected time for EYEHATEGOD. The band that I have knew from my early youth. Then, in the early nineties the first time I met Sludge Metal, thanks to EYEHATEGOD… Since then, the band has sometimes was in my head… At the small stage gathered many fans, the minute it was getting busier. The atmosphere of expectations was infected to most people, although it was not a long time… Finally the band started to appear at the stage to the installing of instruments… so time has come… the show was started… The harsh guitars and insane screams of Mike Williams were filled the space … And the slow pace together with the squeals were coming from the speakers created the whole music… Here's the essence of EYEHATEGOD … Hatred, anger, rage… And under the stage was buzzing… In majority the band had played the faster songs…

…The musicians from Geneva – KESS'KHTAK were the last one at the scene. However, due to fatigue we decided to leave off the festival… In way to home we listened sounds of Grindcore a long time… That night the calm town in Switzerland was not slept…

… To sum up the whole… There was great as always. But I'm starting to feel lack of more classic varieties of Metal, like Heavy, Thrash, Death and Black, because for several years the music is very saturated by the spirit of Post Hardcore and Post Metal and it makes that day of the event sounds almost the same… So in the 9th edition also will not miss Hardcore, this time with the release of the American CONVERGE and Swiss IMPURE WILHELMINA.