All pictures ©Aga Zu (except were stated otherwise). Used with kind permission.
Also last year, Abbath and his two mates visit Agger to perform with Bömbers, very possibly the best Motörhead tribute band around. I mean…Abbath sounds a LOT like Lemmy, or at least he manages to get the same feeling out of those old songs as Lemmy did.
Not being the biggest fan of Motörhead, some songs are less familiar to me than others, but I’m a complete sucker for ‘Iron Fist’ and ‘Orgasmatron’, and both are part of the 20-song (!) set list tonight. This is probably because Sodom and Sepultura made covers that were part of my induction to metaldom back in day, but who cares? The songs are as cool as Abbath is one of the funniest characters of the metal scene.
The tones of ‘Overkill’ signal the end of Heavy Agger 2017, and a fine festival it has been. For some, it’s time to party on, for yours truly it’s time to sit in the car for almost two hours before I can hit sack. Goodbye to Agger and the lovely people there – looking forward to next year already!
All pictures ©Aga Zu (except were stated otherwise). Used with kind permission.
Unleashing a pure Teutonic thrash metal assault on the Agger crowd, the two guitarists and the bassist are all over the place. They sound like an early version of Destruction plus some Kreator, and as scary as that may sound, it works like magic. Agger sucks this up like a thirsty kitten sucking up milk from a saucer.
Compared to our own Impalers, there is the main difference that, even if the Belgians are completely over the top active on stage, they are still in control of the chaos and their instruments. The intensity is emphasised by the fact that lead guitarist Max has to go backstage and change strings on no less than two guitars after a few songs. Not that this prevents the rest of the band from continuing the next two songs as a three piece.
Impressive and furiously intense performance. You gotta love it!
All pictures ©Aga Zu (except were stated otherwise). Used with kind permission.
With two decent albums out, “Power Behind the Throne” (2013) and “God from the Machine” (2015) as well as a couple of EP’s, the thrashers are slowly but surely establishing themselves. And they are hungry for more. The band is like an outburst of thrash metal passion and energy, and that in itself is a pleasure to behold.
As I’ve mentioned, Impalers also have decent songs to present, so that’s all good. There is a slight ‘but’ hidden in this praise; Possibly in the haze of giving it his everything, guitarist Thomas Carnell has a real problem getting things right. I stand on the right hand side of stage during the majority of the concert and get Carnell’s output straight in the face. He’s untight and quite simply misses notes. When Impalers do a cover of Maiden’s ‘Prowler’ (which by all means in an admirably thing to do), the guitarist has to start on one of the solo parts.
This is a band who have the potential for the bigger stages and could be one of this country’s next thrash metal exports, but, guys, everyone has to work together as a machine in order to make the grade. Practice, practice, practice, etc…
Extra points for covering ‘(Empty) Tankard’ to celebrate Allan’s birthday!
All pictures ©Aga Zu (except were stated otherwise). Used with kind permission.
Last year, Nicklas visited Agger with Defecto (a gig that was only memorable because basically everything went wrong), but this year, it is with Theory that he’s going to adorn Heavy Agger with his voice.
Where one could expect that the same singer would make two bands sound a lot alike, this is really not the case when you compare Defecto and Theory. My conclusion during this gig is that I have a clear preference for Theory over Sonne’s other bands. Their ‘math metal’, as Nicklas calls it, to me comes across as being more brutal on the whole, and yet incredibly catchy at times. This is a well-executed gig and the songs are great. In particular the last tune, ‘In Silence We Ride’, is a true earworm.
All pictures ©Aga Zu (except were stated otherwise). Used with kind permission.
Now, this Copenhagen band who put out their first demo in 1982 and released their first full-length in 1984. A second album was recorded and released in 2003 after the band had come back together after a long hiatus. But, yes, you can talk about old school in a very real sense. Apart from the bassist and the drummer, the rest of the band, i.e. singer Michael Sonne and guitarists Allen Sørensen and Thomas X-mas Olsen are original members.
There are of course signs that these fine gentlemen aren’t spring chicks anymore, most notably the fact that Sonne needs his glasses to read the set list. He also chatters a lot, but I wouldn’t know if always did that.
The repertoire contains a number of good and effective heavy metal songs. Not being familiar with their material, I lack the joy of recognition, but I’m entertained and there’s a good feeling around the first gig of the day. The good feeling is propelled further as Allan Iversen, one of festival organisers and if anyone THE personification of the devoted Agger metal fan, is invited (forced) on stage to receive Wasted’s presents to him in celebration of his 50th birthday, which happens to be today,
All pictures ©Aga Zu (except were stated otherwise). Used with kind permission.
No one (other than Jørgen) really knows what to expect from this show, but some drama is to be expected as a mini coffin is placed on an altar in front of the stage. There are crosses and skeletons on stage as well, and some character with a deformed face and a top hat is walking around the area outside and inside the venue.
Now, those who have figured out that the band name Them is inspired by King Diamond are of course right. The idea for the band came out of Norr’s King Diamond tribute band, and it simply developed into a being of its own, with its own concept story. The tour is based on that story, and totally in the spirit of the King himself, this is not just a tour merely with musicians. No less than three actors are part of the entourage to help make the story of Mary in Sweet Hollow come to life.
Just like King Diamond, music like this will always be an acquired taste. High-pitched vocals are not everyone’s cup of tea, but in this case, I, for one, dig it.
The music accompanying the story is no less than fabulous, perfectly and professionally executed by guitarists Ulle (Lanfear, Septagon)) and Justin Zych (Viking, Valhalla, etc.), as well as bassist Alex Palma (Septagon), keyboardist Richie Seibel (Lanfear) and stand-in drummer Angel Cotte (Demolition Hammer). Troy does the King Diamond clone vocals in style, whilst playing his part as König in the play (or is it musical?).
This is full scale entertainment with baby dolls, fake blood, the works. And the music, well, it’s just brilliant.
All pictures ©Aga Zu (except were stated otherwise). Used with kind permission.
All pictures ©Aga Zu (except were stated otherwise). Used with kind permission.
Singer Kevin Moore and his hardy men kick off with ‘Nightflight to Tokyo’, their probably best known song and the opener from the debut album from 1984, “Fit for Fight”, and basically deliver a solid set consisting of songs from the debut and the second album, “Axe to Grind” (2013).
Although the bassist, Little John Field, still can’t control his tongue and has shining eyes, I assume, purely because he’s enjoying the whole thing so much, I’m slightly less moved tonight compared to my first encounter with the Danish/British ensemble last year. A tad less energy in the old bones this time around? Still, rock solid material.
All pictures ©Aga Zu (except were stated otherwise). Used with kind permission.
Heavy Agger comes to life in a totally different way at this point in time. This is clearly something that is appreciated by a good portion of the audience tonight, yours truly included.
Yeah, sure, there are bits and bobs that need a bit of adjustment, it’s not flawless, but the groove is solid and firmly enjoyable to dance to.
And why not end the gig with a song that hasn’t been played before? As in; hasn’t been rehearsed properly with vocals? Why not indeed! Claus has the lyric sheet on the floor in front of him and Prevail churn out another groover as a foreboding of the next album, which I can imagine will gain some attention if they continue in this vein.
All pictures ©Aga Zu (except were stated otherwise). Used with kind permission.
