Tag: epica

After an intense first day of Metalhead Meeting, the skies were angry and we got rain, rain, and some more rain. But the show must go on. I don’t envy Blood Oath and Rhemorha who had the difficult job of opening the festival on a rainy day.

An Theos, however, are better established with the Romanian audience, who gathered to cheer for them. A little rain won’t stop us from doing a ¨hor㨠on Ciuleandra.  It wasn’t a big crowd, but they were here to party with the band. An Theos delivered as always, bringing their folk sound, metal kicks, and energy in a very fun performance.

Up next, Carach Angren, were the surprise of the day for many. They wrote the book on how to establish themselves as a performative act. We are all suckers for live gimmicks. Crowns, masks and face paint? Sure. Fake blood and fake dying? Their music is an interesting symphonic black metal, perfect for headbanging, jumping, and screaming. Their frontman is an amazing performer, commanding the crowd so strongly and yet allowing himself to be silly and amusing. By the end of their set, they had gathered an impressive crowd. I am convinced they are the band from the festival who gathered the most new fans after this show.

Things are heating up with Kataklysm, who delivered a strong show to an energized crowd. Their powerful death metal songs ensured mosh pits. They went a bit much for my taste in the hurr durr we are strong metal men fuck everyone metal is the best.  In a more touching moment, they dedicated Outsider to Vinnie Paul. All in all, a good show, which took the crowd with it. Insomuch that, at the end of the set, many people were screaming for an encore.

Time for Epica to hit the stage. I am very biased since I am fan of theirs, but I knew they would deliver. when you go to see Epica you’re gonna get great and bombastic music, intricate orchestration and heavy beats. You’re gonna get lights and movement, interaction and closeness. Once again, they delivered. In what was a good festival setlist, they played some of their most famous songs (Sancta Terra, Cry For the Moon). But they were here to promote their latest album and showed us the best it had to offer. Old fans still enjoyed gems such as The Obsessive Devotion or the grand finale Consign to Oblivion.

From beginning to end, Epica are giving it all. Simone Simons was in such a great vocal shape, and the boys were outperforming each other. I love seeing how much they move on stage, with a particular shoutout to Coen Janssen, the most active and moving keyboard player you’ll see. Between songs they had little jokes and games to get the crowd screaming and moving. It was not the best Epica show I have seen, but definitely a solid one. Cannot wait to do it again.

It is now Soulfly‘s turn to show us what metal is. The list of accolades for Max Cavalera and his boys is too long to be named, and they are household names. Even if they do not have anything left to prove, they sure put on a great a tour de force, engaging with fans and non-fans alike. Their technical prowess in undoubted, and they showed it off song after song and solo after solo. Pure, strong music and the crowd went insane. Even if their style is not your cup of tea, you cannot help but admire them and the complexity of their songs. You are going to be taken in by the energy they send out.

Blood, Fire, War, Hate! Blood, Fire, War, Hate!Song after song, the people chanted with the band through constant moshpits and crowdsurfing. In what was surely a high point of the evening, they played Sepultura’s  Roots Bloody Roots! Max Cavalera knows how to make an impact. And he did not stop there with the Romanian public, bringing out a Romanian flag and his very own Romanian national team T-shirt.

And with that, two days of music and performances passed. Metalhead Meeting proved again to be a solid festival. Here’s to the next one!