This morning is also when the terrible news of Vinnie Paul’s untimely passing reaches us. This of course means that dedications to Paul are heard from the Copenhell stages throughout the day, something which is only natural when someone who has meant so much to so many people in our community passes away.
The infrastructure of Copenhagen and the picking up of another friend on the way to the festival means that I only get to witness two songs by up-and-coming Danish band LIVLØS‘s early afternoon concert. They’re a strong crew, the young Danes, and their brand of melodic death metal is effective. Front man Simon Olsen is by now a recognised shouter in Danish metal circles, and he’s also paying his dues as the singer of Beast. By the look of it, this afternoon seance is another victory for Livløs. Good on them!
What comes next is unique. In front of thousands of metal fans, the AARHUS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA plays a number of classical pieces used in films or film scores. And they are not just any films; they are all films related to comic books, with the exception of 2001, Star Wars and Indiana Jones. The guy who selected the repertoire is none other than the 60-year-old JAKOB STEGELMANN. For non-Danes his name probably doesn’t mean a thing, but for us he’s a cult figure. Since the 80s, he has been a sort of spokesperson for children when it comes to comic books, cartoons and games via his television programmes and books. Judging by the reaction today, the veneration for this man is a big as ever. The chant of ’Jakob, Jakob, Jakob’ resounds several times during the show between the superbly performed tunes. Stegelmann shares his thoughts on difficult questions like ‘what do you prefer, Marvel or DC’ and his views on Batman, Superman, Spider-Man, Tom & Jerry, etc., and presents the music from various versions of Batman, Superman, Avengers and many more.
The most fantastic thing about this concert is the reaction of the audience. They (we) are all smiles, laughter and appreciation. The symphony orchestra seems to be having a ball of a time as well. When the Superman theme is played, crowd surfers do it Superman style. And look at this reaction when the orchestra plays Grieg’s ‘Hall of the Mountain King’ (which we as metal fans all know from e.g. Savatage):
Excuse my finger shadow there! Shit happens. Anyway, as you can tell, people are having a great time. Things don’t get less amusing as the crowd decides to do a wall of death when the orchestra plays the ‘Imperial March’ from Star Wars. When is the best time to run? Where is trigger? You judge:
Tricky, right?
What an amazing experience in the Saturday afternoon sun!
STEEL PANTHER is all about platitudes. It’s by and large all about sex, cocks, breasts, venereal diseases, drugs and rock’n’roll. In a sentence: It’s hilarious!
I’ve never experienced this LA hair metal parody band before, and what a shame that is. With titles such as ‘Goin’ in the Backdoor’, Gloryhole and ‘Asian Hooker’, you kind of get the direction. Thing is, it’s all cleverly put together, the punchlines are in place, the timing is good, the dialogue between the band members is a riot, and, lo and behold, they actually play well.
Things get even wackier as singer Michael Starr is looking for a volunteer to get up on stage A woman, naturally. Young Kasia dares to get up there, and even if she refuses to show off her advantages, she gets a song and a hug. After this, all the women who’d like to join are invited. Guitarist Satchel would like to point out that hot women who like to take it in the arse are preferred. But of course!
Now we get much more serious on the Pandemonium stage with SUFFOCATION . I have great respect for the technical abilities of the New York death metal combo, but truth be told, I have a hard time listening through an entire Suffocation album. However, what the New Yorkers accomplish here today is no less than grandiose. I haven’t seen this band live since the 90s, and I am completely awestruck by their technical sublimity, tightness and brutality as a live band. It’s crazy.
‘Infecting the Crypts’ concludes a far too short set of only 45 minutes. This gig is a true triumph in my humble opinion.
As a side note, I can’t help noticing that Corrosion of Conformity singer/guitarist Pepper Keenan and guitarist Woody Weatherman witness most of the set from the wings of the stage. Interesting.
On the Hades stage, I catch the last couple of songs by Danish KELLERMENSCH. They are very popular here, and I can see why. They are most definitely different from the typical metal band, and probably more of an avantgarde sludge/noise thing, dressed very neatly and with a violin and all that.
I’m not sure why, but I can’t help thinking about Elvis when WASP hit the stage. I guess it could have something to do with the general appearance of Blackie Lawless and the fact that he looks slightly unhealthy, with an excess of 15 kilos or something. Yes, yes, the man’s almost twenty years older than Elvis was when peanut butter and drugs took him to the grave, but, still… The way Blackie’s pointing into to audience and pretending to talk to people is just funny – or perhaps this is just genuine showmanship, I’m not sure.
No matter what, Lawless’ characteristic voice is still in good shape, and songs like ‘Inside the Electric Circus’,’The Real Me’,’LOVE Machine’,’Chainsaw Charlie’,’Wild Child’ and ‘I Wanna Be Somebody’ still kick arse. WASP never were huge in Denmark, which is why the reception isn’t euphoric, but certainly decent. I’m sure that if Blackie and his crew in their much too tight shirts had played later in the evening, it would have been a much bigger party.
WASP setlist:
1. On Your Knees/Inside the Electric Circus
2. The Real Me
3. LOVE Machine
4. Idol
5. Pleasure Arena
6. Heaven’s Hung In Black
7. Chainsaw Charlie (Murders in the New Morgue)
8. Wild Child
9. I Wanna Be Somebody
CORROSION OF CONFORMITY is a band I know from merely one album, which I bought back in 1991 0r 1992 (Blind) and listened to quite frequently back then – and never listened to again. But I’m determined to see what they are like live. It turns out to be a good experience. Pepper Keenan, Woody Weatherman, Mike Dean and Reed Mullin sound a lot like Black Sabbath, that’s for sure. And it’s just as plain to see where some stoner bands found their inspiration.
Keenan is the natural focal point of the band, but it is bassist Mike Dean who fascinates the most with his curly, fluffy hair and totally stoned appearance.
After the concert, Pepper and Weatherman return to the stage with the Suffocation guys to do a toast for Vinnie Paul. ‘I’m Broken’ is played across the field. Can you bang your head in a heartfelt way? Some of us do this time.
A toast for Vinnie:
The next live experience brings me and at least one of my good friends to a state of near-orgasm. HELLOWEEN show everyone what true power metal is like I’ve never seen it before.
This show is in truth a parade down memory lane. It feels like skydiving into my youth and my first years as a metalhead. The concept of bringing all line-ups of Helloween together in a united package is a stroke of genius. Hansen, Kiske and Deris delivering songs together from all phases of the band’s career is brilliant and amazing entertainment.
Either the many members of Helloween on stage are fantastic actors, or they are actually having fun as well. It looks like it, and it is contagious. In the audience you see lots of old farts like me, smiling and banging their old heads – because we can’t help it.
I’m certain the cynic would say that they are simply there to cash in on the concept, but I say to hell with it – the songs are good, the musicians too, and it is like a big celebration of power metal. In Helloween’s version, I’m loving it.
Helloween setlist:
1. Halloween
2. Dr. Stein
3. I’m Alive
4. If I Could Fly
5. Starlight/Ride the Sky/Judas/Heavy Metal (Is the Law)
6. Power
7. How Many Tears
8. Invitation
9. Eagle Fly Free
10. Keeper of the Seven Keys
Encores:
11. Future World
12. I Want Out
A much darker note is struck on the Pandemonium stage a couple of minutes later as SATYRICON take to the stage. Satyricon is a band I’ve always thought I didn’t like. And therefore I’ve stayed away from their music and the shows. My mistake!
This show is a small revelation for me. Satyricon are a fantastic live band. So dark, so intense, så professional and cool, this is simply grand. I don’t know the songs at all, but especially three songs (which I figure out are called ‘Black Crow on a Tombstone’, ‘Now, Diabolical’ and ‘KING’) are complete and utter hit songs. Wonderful surprise!
The midnight hour belongs to Swedish rock phenomenon GHOST. Tobias Forge a.k.a Cardinal Copia has accomplished to capture the hearts of both rock and metal fans of all breeds and kinds – from death metal to rock fans. Tonight gives you a pretty good idea of the broad appeal of Ghost. You meet all sorts in the first rows (yes, I’m there with my good friends, simply because we want to be close to the Satanic preacher…or just because Ghost’s music is the dog’s bollocks) and it is as if Copenhell greets Ghost as heroes who have finally returned home.
The stage is set up as the inside of cathedral with glass mosaics, in several levels, which allow the Cardinal and his Ghouls to walk up and down and around to create a more dynamic stage show. It all looks amazing. And not only that: The band sound amazing. This is the third time I see Ghost live and it’s by far the best sound I’ve experienced at one of their shows.
It may be that Forge is a peculiar geezer who may or may not be a ego-centered bastard who only focuses on himself, but fact remains that his music strikes a nerve right here and now, and it sounds great.
The one weak spot I have to point out is the Cardinal’s desire to listen to himself speak. He talks too much. The introduction of the band during the concert is far, far too long – I can’t be sure, but it feels like a ten-minute intro where Forge takes us through the role of each Ghoul. The joke is funny the first couple of times, but after five minutes or so, it kind of dies. I’d rather have one more song, please!
But, that said, with songs like ‘Rats’, ‘Absolution’, ‘From the Pinnacle to the Pit’, ‘Cirice’, ‘He Is’ og ‘Mummy Dust’, forgiveness is always close at hand. What a show!
Ghost setlist:
1. Ashes
2. Rats
3. Absolution
4. Ritual
5. From the Pinnacle to the Pit
6. Faith
7. Devil Church
8. Cirice
9. Miasma
10. Year Zero
11. Spöksonat
12. He Is
13. Mummy Dust
14. If You HaveGhosts
15. Dance Macabre
16. Square Hammer
Encore:
17. Monstrance Clock
Despite the fact that my original plan was to witness crush the remains of SODOM Copenhell’s senses to pieces after this, I have to admit to myself that I can’t do three hours of driving back home after that. So, instead I drive my friends from Copenhagen home and head towards west in the dark, which is soon to turn into dawn. Behind me I have my Copenhell debut and a feeling that I just might be coming back a year from now.
Don’t forget to have a look at Tommy’s fine pictures from Copenhell 2018 in our photo section!
W.A.S.P., STEEL PANTHER, SATYRICON, GRAVEYARD and many more have been added to a strong and varied line-up for this summer’s hell.
June’s music party will be kicked into action for good when the COPENHELL 2018 audience gets to experience the great American shock rock band W.A.S.P. and their legendary, mad live show! Already in the early eighties, Blackie Lawless & co. became famous for setting the American music scene on fire with their musical berserk fury and constant provocations – and they continue with unrelenting strength today. This concert will no doubt cause the old B&W shipyard hall next to the festival site to resound for days after the festival ends!
The perfect partner for this highly requested headliner is the music comedians from the glam metal band STEEL PANTHER and their funny rock and metal parodies. The innuendo-laden, testosterone-dripping lyrics circle around everything from gangbangs to gloryholes, and top-class entertainment is absolutely guaranteed. It will be coarse, it will be offensive – and it will, not least, be absolutely hilarious!
In the black and gloomy end of the spectrum, one of the greatest black metal bands from the early nineties’ Norwegian metal scene will visit us – mighty SATYRICON! Their catchy and progressive ’black’n’roll’ is flavoured with both doom, death and heavy metal, and their music constantly challenges the listener with complex technical compositions and surprising elements.
Black metal is also one of Iceland’s finest exports these days, and we are happy to announce AUÐN – a band that breaks free from the mould with their unique, trance-inducing combinations of incredibly beautiful melodies and infernal walls of noise.
The Swedish hard rock band GRAVEYARD joins the line-up with their psychedelic 60s/70s blues rock that is inspired by everything from Led Zeppelin to Jimi Hendrix. All classic rock fans can definitely begin to look forward to a great live experience with this Göteborg band this summer!
With loads of primal energy, devil-may-care attitude and an impressive array of great songs in their back catalogue, we can expect great entertainment from the very first second together with the Canadian hard rockers from DANKO JONES. We look forward to a great reunion with one of the bands that played at the very first COPENHELL festival back in 2010!
The rebel rock band THE LAST INTERNATIONALE grew out of New York’s bubbling rock and punk melting pot, and they are famous for their explosive and involving live performances. With the addition of former Rage Against the Machine drummer Brad Wilk, the band’s special folk-punk has only become even wilder – not least due to lead singer Delila Paz’ colossal voice.
And finally, it is a great pleasure for us to welcome the last two Danish bands at COPENHELL 2018: Groovy, dirty and fast-paced death metal with uncontrollable aggression from LIVLØS and post-hardcore with hip-hop attitude and autotune from the innovative and provocative band NATJAGER!
Read much more and purchase tickets at Copenhell.dk
Without any doubt, only one duo is able to evoke sinister settings like the world of bleak woods lurking behind Norwegian wafts of mist. And that duo is SATYRICON. Formed in Oslo in 1991, the legendary SATYRICON made an immediate and enduring impact when they emerged from the flourishing Norwegian black metal scene. With their latest opus ‘Deep calleth upon Deep‘ released in September 2017 on Napalm Records, the masters Satyr and Frost properly dispense the darkest art of metal: The resulting album is erratic and destructive, in addition to being raw and pure. It plows. It’s progressive. It mounts an unapologetic sonic attack filled with black metal anthems.
‘Deep calleth upon Deep’ is a profound statement about the essence of SATYRICON’s music and the eternal value of art itself. Well-deserved, the band has now for the third time been nominated in the Metal category of the Norwegian Grammys, the Spelleman! Taking place on February 25th 2018 in Oslo and to be aired by NRK1, you will find more info on SATYRICON‘s Grammy nomination on www.spellemann.no.
Visionary and band mastermind Satyr comments:
“We are humbled by the massive international reception of Deep calleth upon Deep, and this nomination is definitely for the fans. They have earned it through showing such dedication to the songs on this record!“
In support of ‘Deep calleth upon Deep’, SATYRICON have just recently announced to return to the US shores for the final time this Spring, with two stops in Canada. While also appearing live in Europe early this year and to continue where the band left off in 2017, SATYRICON have just added many more live dates to their ‘Deep calleth upon Deep’ world tour with an extensive tour schedule in Australia and Japan!
Says Satyr
“Back in the day, Australia was one of the first countries where people were showing a great deal of interest in what we were doing on the other side of earth, in Norway. With “Now, Diabolical” we finally got to experience Australia ourselves, and ever since it has been of our favourite places to come visit. Our fans there get what we do and they usually show up in great numbers. As for Japan, even now, the crowd in Tokyo and their warrior-like approach to watching us play, is something we use as a reference internally. Tokyo is one of the greatest places on earth for Satyricon to play while Osaka has been getting better and better every time. Going to Australia and Japan is bound to be some of the best stops on the World Tour.”
Dive into the dark world of the one & only black metal legend and catch SATYRICON live on stage at the following dates:
EUROPE
08.02.18 NO – Ålesund / Teminalen
09.02.18 NO – Kristiansund / Operaen
06.03.18 NL – Haarlem / Patronaat
07.03.18 FR – Paris / La Machine
09.03.18 UK – Glasgow / Classic Grand
10.03.18 IRE – Dublin / The Tivoli
11.03.18 UK – Birmingham / O2 Academy 2
13.03.18 DE – Köln / Essigfabrik
14.03.18 DE – Frankfurt am Main / Batschkapp
15.03.18 DE – Stuttgart / LKA Longhorn
17.03.18 IT – Rome / Largo
18.03.18 IT – Treviso / New Age
19.03.18 HR – Zagreb / Tvornica Kulture
20.03.18 HU – Budapest / Dürer Kert
22.03.18 CZ – Ostrava / Garaz
23.03.18 DE – Dresden / Beatpol
24.03.18 DE – Hannover / Musikzentrum
25.03.18 SE – Malmö / KB
27.03.18 FI – Tampere / Pakkahuone
28.03.18 FI – Jyvaskyla / Lutakko
29.03.18 FI – Helsinki / Tavastia
31.03.18 NO – Oslo / Inferno Festival
AUSTRALIA
April 24 AU – Perth / Capitol (18+)
April 26 AU – Melbourne / Max Watts (18+)
April 27 AU – Canberra / Transit Bar (18+)
April 28 AU – Sydney / Metro Theatre (18+)
April 29 AU – Brisbane / The Triffid (18+)
JAPAN
May 1 JP – Osaka / Umeda Trad
May 2 JP – Tokyo / Daikanyama
US/Canada
May 13 US – Los Angeles, CA @ Regent Theater
May 14 US – Oakland, CA @ Oakland Metro Operahouse
May 15 US – Portland, OR @ Bossanova Ballroom
May 16 US – Seattle, WA @ El Corazon
May 18 US – Denver, CO @ Marquis Theater
May 19 US – Kansas City, MO @ The Truman
May 20 US – Joliet, IL @The Forge
May 21 US – Columbus, OH @ Alrosa Villa
May 23 CA – Toronto, ON @ The Opera House
May 24 CA – Montreal, QC @ Corona Theatre
May 25 US – New York, NY @ Gramercy Theater
May 26 US – Baltimore, MD @ Maryland Deathfest
May 28 US – Dallas, TX @ Gas Monkey Bar & Grill
May 29 US – Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall
May 30 US – Austin, TX @ Come And Take It Live
