The review series from Full Metal Mountain 2017 is provided exclusively for the Power Of Metal.dk by our guest writer Rock Thrashler. Thanks, mate!
These live reports are written in the fond memory of Dr. Dobrin Doychinov – a devoted thrash/death metal drummer, a gifted programmer, and a bright surgeon who untimely left us.
Country & Western
The Austrian Alps. Somewhere nearby Italy and Slovenia. The end of the season. In comparison to 2016, the weather is too pleasant and quickly predisposes to a wild party! The party that has extended all over the mountain over Tröpolach… The rich and complex logistics of the resort and its region is indeed interesting, but we will not research it in details. The metal backbone of the event is the three-stage covered lift called Millennium Express. At its highest point is situated the Peak Stage. At the second intermediate station is the wide but with club-like spirit Mountain Stage. Next to the main starting station is pitched the festival Full Metal Tent. At different social destinations and clubs, planned or sudden, metalized music performances of various size occur.
Yet in the evening of the 27th of March, a breakneck feast with metal karaoke for the most impatient fans takes place inside the FMM Club – Q2. Some of the glass walls did not endure the efforts of the first night… However the official start of the live concerts at the festival was at 11:30 on 28th March at the top of the mountain! A nice and small stage next to a mountain hovel, offering refreshing welcome drinks to a multi-colored group of metal skiers and conventional metalheads ascendеd by Millennium Express under the glowing sun and the sparkling snow.
While we were trying one of the best beers I’ve ever tasted, the troubadours of PAMPATUT appeared in front of us. The duo interpret medieval traditions from Saxony and Thuringia. The two musicians have significant biographies individually, but as a tandem they succeed to present one early-circus performance. Besides folk influences their music includes Irish rhythms, and modernizes the sound with country approaches. As if this mixture is especially invented for draining supplies of drinks! The performance goes on with jokes and toasts.
At noon, a Swedish German-speaking band from the right side of Mississippi rises on the stage… MANDOWAR are making country cover songs of rock and metal classics with a guitar, a mandolin, and an ukulele. It’s obvious that the true environment of the trio is in clubs, because they shorten the distance from the audience and forced plenty of people to dance although some of them are wearing ski-boots. The vitality of the band softens by the concept of the ukulele player / bass player whose role is the same as this one of the undead rabbit Zombunny from the animation “Doctor Zitbag”… The interesting music interpretation is as funny as it is served with serious abilities and a great extent of quotes and reflections of the contemporary “fast food” culture implemented. MANDOWAR have a wide repertoire of metal classics but this day they played the following songs:
- Hell`s Bells (AC/DC cover)
- Warriors of the World (Manowar cover)
- Smells Like Teen Spirit (Nirvana cover)
- Breaking The Law (Judas Priest cover)
- Ace of Spades (Motorhead cover)
- Jackson (Johnny Cash cover)
- Engel/Du Hast/Pulp Fiction soundtrack (Rammstein cover)
- Thunderstruck (AC/DC cover)
We did not succeed to catch a breath of air after this, because immediately, among the crowd, a brass orchestra started to march. The musicians got over the tables and performed an incredible mix of German beer hymns and rock classics in brass version. The toasts in the name of Kaiser Wilhelm and the brilliant solos on trumpet and saxophone are just a small part of the details the musicians are able to present.
The people who have visited Wacken Open Air had not miss the orchestra BLECHBLOSN which I am describing. The talented band has other reincarnations, which we will run into again… While the band is in a hurry to make the fans gathered around the Mountain Stage happy, we we just cannot leave the view, the amusement and the beer, here high up on the mountain!
The program of the Peak Stage offers in addition rock interpretations of folk melodies by an accordionist who uses a pedal for kick drum, forming a dynamic rhythm for his performance.
Country & Österren
When Millennium Express gets me to the Mountain Stage, I refuse the services of a lady pouring schnapps out of a rucksack especially designed for this. At the podium, a bunch of guys play music with modern tendencies, but the melodies and the diversity are such that they stick to the stage! Their two vocalists use rather serious percussionist kits, close to a SEPULTURA paradigm. TUXEDOO promote their music as Original Austrian Alpencore but they gather also the epic of PARADISE LOST and modern metal/hardcore approaches. The diverse rhythms give face to each of the songs, and the precise riffs show not only excellent techniques but a bow to the traditional metal forms. All of these many-sided influences are skillfully fused and the band makes a unique style that is rather well perceived by the audience.
TUXEDOO have a show prepared for each of their songs! In combination with very well presented music someone should have a very constricted outlook not to like them! The dynamic and served with the peculiarities of the German language deprive me of the messages that fill the pauses between the songs with a bow to the provincial Austrian traditions. Their music influences are in denial of the traditional thesis which determines a part of their stage clothing. This is globalized music urban culture dressed in philosophic modern traditionalism. But the most important is that it is rather pleasant for the ears!
The Alpen core band engages with the audience of the FULL METAL MOUNTAIN 2017 every day – including on the big stage. I watched three of their gigs and I did not regret once nor did I feel bored! When on the next day I saw TUXEDOO again at the Mountain Stage their show was proceeding in a different way and with new songs! The stage is enriched with drapings in the province traditions, the show is more confident and diverse. The cannikins for milk complement the percussionist kits and their sound is successfully combined in the songs. Everyone from the aggressive vocalists has his own signature and the songs are very understandable (At least for me!). Besides as Original Austrian Alpencore the local young men promote themselves as Jäger Metal as well! A part of their show is at every concert to give 20-gram Jägermeister, which very forcefully stimulates the support for them.
The same evening I watch TUXEDOO at the Full Metal Tent. This band makes a show of full value both in a club environment and in a rather wide stage! The fascinating concert has a definite performance for every song! Whether a long description before the track, transsexual show or melted motives from famous drinking hymns, if you have the chance do not miss a concert of TUXEDOO! Once cutting core, even hip hop at places, other time – epic or with heavy riffs, they have the music, the pleasant one. Their unique decisions, for instance the beatbox-scratching and others shows them as rich of ideas musicians although their logo is an intentional replica to this one of IN EXTREMO. Their 45-minutes long program at the big stage sets them among the successful names in the choice of the organizers of the festival.
The Other View of the Ski Industry
The activities in the ski resort are proceeding according to a strict program which excludes any freedoms. After a solid night consummation of “refreshing” drinks in the morning the normal skier should devote himself to the mountain! Because in the room of the skier there are at least ten types of racks for diverse skiing equipment, scent eliminators for ski-boots, but there is no furniture. The seriously rocking crowd is being extradited to the heights where the contemporary skiing equipment helps the easy achievement of balance and makes the falling almost impossible. Of course there is more to be achieved in this direction. The full exploitation of everything connected to the racing tracks gives to the skier the right to drink at night as it is supposed for the holidays and to be ready to sacrifice himself again on the next day for the winter tourism!
Guitars and Chainsaw
On 29th March I succeeded to make it for the Mountain Stage for the beginning of the performance there. BLECHBLOSN are in their guitar version. They play a wide repertoire of cover songs. Drunkard’s songs, famous pop melodies, rock classics and metal songs are served in a manner of Bohemian drunkards frequently pouring from one song to another. The saxophonist and the trumpeter did not lose their main functions but the first one makes a virtuoso performance on motor cutting machine in the cover of AC/DC „Highway to Hell” which included an incident castration of his colleague!
– From Detroit city! (Not from Kansas! Do not mix them up!) We present you the band KIZZ! – BLECHBLOSN are joking from the stage and play „I Was Made For Loving You”, disguised with masks.
Children’s Rock Morning
From one point of view the naked green meadows are decors for the thorough skier and tourism supporter at the end of the season. On the other side the wet show at the peaks is a grateful place for training of the beginners! At the morning of 30th March whole classes with children are waiting for the lift with their ski equipment. BLECHBLOSN are also there! They play lively brass versions of DEEP PURPLE, AC/DC, STEPPENWOLF and others’ songs. The children applause the music with bright eyes in the sunny morning!
With grief I leave the festival untimely this morning because of unforeseen circumstances. It was a delightful experience. Farewell to FULL METAL MOUNTAIN 2017! Farewell to Dobri!
Rock Thrashler
R.I.P Dobri
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