I had previously known the guys around frontman Chris Harms mainly for the calm and classically acoustic “Swan Songs”. Today, it was to be shown that they could also strike harder tones. The amphitheater was now quite well-filled, and the weather was getting somewhat better. With the opener “Kill It With Fire”, the direction for the set was immediately set, and the audience was immediately involved.
Let's stick with EBM. After Spetsnaz, the Belgian veterans Absolute Body Control followed the same direction. Founded in the early '80s and disbanded in '84, the project by Dirk Ivens and Eric Van Wonterghem has been making music together again since 2006. This was especially interesting for fans of their older pieces.
Just before the Swedish EBM duo Spetsnaz was able to enter the stage the festival moderator announced a severe weather warning and they were hoping that they would not have to evacuate the festival as Cologne already was under water. Luckily, the severe weather passed by Gelsenkirchen and the party could go on.
Originally, at that slot the band Seasurfer should be playing but due to personal reasons they had to cancel on short notice. As substitute the Bottrop band Pre/Verse spontaneously stepped in. The electro-rocker mixed different sound elements what made it to a very attractive mixture.
With the Blackfield I went to a festival of the black scene which was something completely different to me. Unfortunately, it should take place for the last time ever this year due to several reasons (mainly financial ones) but that did not do any harm to the good atmosphere.
One of my wishes should be fulfilled on 14.01.2015 as on that evening I went to the Grugahalle to watch the self-proclaimed Kings Of Metal of Manowar live. Outside it was seasonable cold and it took quite long until you entered the venue. Luckily, I was standing quite near to the front of the schedule so that I was on time inside the venue. Some others had bad luck and finally entered right to the start of the concert. What was the reason for that I am not able to tell.
Already before the concert had started it was loudly chanted „Noch ein Bier!“ before the Swedish entered the stage after the used intro “The Final Countdown” by Europe and their own intro “The March To War”. After that, they directly delivered a broadside by “Ghost Division”.
After the Finnish of Battle Beast it continued just as atmospheric with Delain. Unfortunately, front woman Charlotte Wessels was not at her best that evening due to that the one or the other sound was failing but that was easily compensated by the performance of the whole band.
Sabaton is doing the honor to the Turbinenhalle at Oberhausen and as opener of the evening they brought the Finnish metaller of Battle Beast with them. Stylistic inspired by bands like Iron Maiden, Manowar or Judas Priest the four men and the lady directly put the first exclamation mark of the evening.
Wacken 2014 is nearly history, but only nearly. Because there is still the final concert of the German medieval / folk rocker of Schandmaul to come. Numbers were dwindling as usual but the ones who stayed should be rewarded with a really great show.