BLOODSTOCK OPEN AIR 2011

DATE:

VENUE:

Friday 12th August - Sunday 14th August 2011

Catton Hall in Derbyshire, UK

Morbid Angel on Bloodstock's main stage, 14th August 2011

Photograph copyright © 2011 Mark Holmes - www.metal-discovery.com

Reviews by Mark Holmes & Hannah Sylvester; Photography by Mark Holmes

(The Defiled; Wolf; Forbidden)

(Poisonblack; Triptykon; Coroner)

(Kreator; Devin Townsend Project; W.A.S.P.)

(Skeletonwitch; Grave Digger; Tarot)

(Dripback; Finntroll; Ihsahn; Northern Oak)

(Therion; Rhapsody of Fire; Immortal)

(Hell; 1349; Primordial)

(Napalm Death; Hammerfall; Exodus; At The Gates)

(Amaranthe; Morbid Angel; Motörhead)

Reviews by Mark Holmes & Hannah Sylvester; Photography by Mark Holmes

(The Defiled; Wolf; Forbidden)

(Poisonblack; Triptykon; Coroner)

(Kreator; Devin Townsend Project; W.A.S.P.)

(Skeletonwitch; Grave Digger; Tarot)

(Dripback; Finntroll; Ihsahn; Northern Oak)

(Therion; Rhapsody of Fire; Immortal)

(Hell; 1349; Primordial)

(Napalm Death; Hammerfall; Exodus; At The Gates)

(Amaranthe; Morbid Angel; Motörhead)

AMARANTHE

A few moments after seminal melo-deathsters At the Gates conclude their set with 'Kingdom Gone' on the Ronnie James Dio stage, fellow countrymen Amaranthe, also from Gothenburg, take to the Sophie Lancaster stage in a half-full tent. With no less than three dedicated vocalists - Andreas Solveström providing death growls, Jake E clean singing, and Elize Ryd more angelic tones - my curiosity had been roused how this would translate on the live stage. It works a treat on the band's eponymously titled debut album that was released just four months ago but, without the theatrical approach of a band such as Therion with their polyvocal attack, my expectations were not high. However, Amaranthe excel in the live environment and the trio of singers don't ever look redundant during passages of music over which each of them aren't singing, nor does the stage look overly cluttered. What's unfortunate, however, is the poor sound the band have, incessantly plagued as they are by feedback issues. I know that their regular sound engineer has not travelled with them to the festival so perhaps three vocal mics is a little overwhelming to mix coherently into the layered instrumentation for whoever occupies the desk. Worse still, the left PA speakers seem to cut out entirely during second song, 'Enter the Maze', which strips the music of some of its potency. On the positive side, Amaranthe are a fun band to watch as they move confidently around the stage and, what my ears are able to salvage from the sonic mess of a mix and other sporadic sound problems, the music is competently performed and they sound as if they would be a great live band had they fared better through the PA. Ryd, clad in a skintight full-body catsuit, predominantly occupies centre stage and garners much attention from male members of the audience (and photographers!) as she delivers pitch-perfect vocals while Jake's high-end clean singing also impresses. The twenty five or so minutes I manage to witness of Amaranthe's set before the main stage photopit beckons once again for Morbid Angel is encouraging stuff and their fusion of melo-death, power metal, and catchier than catchy pop-styled choruses is something that I'll certainly aim to check out in the live environment in the near future, hopefully next time with a much better sound. (MH)

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SUNDAY 14th AUGUST - PART 3

MORBID ANGEL

Penultimate band of Bloodstock Open Air 2011 to hit the Ronnie James Dio stage are Floridian death metal legends Morbid Angel. Arriving on stage at 7:30pm, they're greeted by an enormous crowd so their addition to the bill is obviously a very popular choice amongst festival attendees. The band's recently released latest album, 'Illud Divinum Insanus', with its industrial slant on many tracks, has, thus far, dichotomised critics and fans into polarised opinion with many declaring it to be just a bit shit. Such is the nature of the death metal purists' insular listening proclivities, I guess, so you'd think a massive backdrop with the 'Illud Divinum Insanus' artwork hung at the back of Bloodstock's main stage would not be well received by fans. Not so as, from the off, with opening number 'Immortal Rites', the very first track from Morbid Angel's debut album, 'Altars of Madness', the huge audience go crazy with a deluge of crowd surfers plucked out of the masses by hard working members of Showsec Security. The death metallers proceed their wisely retro onslaught with 'Blessed are the Sick' track 'Fall From Grace' before an airing of 'Rapture' from 1993 album 'Covenant', then back to their debut for 'Maze of Torment'. Now that's how to get an audience on your side and those who occupy the grounds of Catton Hall lap it in their thousands. So much so that when a trio of tracks from the controversial new studio effort materialise in the form of 'Existo Vulgoré', 'Nevermore', and 'I Am Morbid', it seems general dislike of the album is put to one side as the songs are equally as well received. Without pushing their luck with the new material too far, Morbid Angel fill the remainder of their hour long show with a series of retro classics including 'Chapel of Ghouls', 'God of Emptiness' and set closer 'World of Shit (The Promised Land)'. David Vincent strikes an imposingly commanding figure as frontman with a fine dual display of bass/vocals while founding member, guitarist Trey Azagthoth shreds and riffs with impressively virtuosic skill in his inimitable manner. And with a stiff breeze in the air, the audience only catch brief glimpses of his face, covered as it is by his substantial mop for the majority of the sixty minutes. Whatever your opinion on the new album, it cannot be denied that Morbid Angel can still cut it on the live stage. Intense and immense. (MH)

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MOTÖRHEAD

The biggest, most important main stage headline band in Bloodstock's history? That's no doubt up for debate and inextricably tied in with people's own listening tastes as, despite Motörhead's "legendary" status, they're obviously not for everyone. The size of the crowd gathered to watch them is indicative of such as, surprisingly, Saturday night headliners, Immortal, attracted a much larger audience. However, it's 9:15pm on the festival's final day and time for Lemmy and co. to wrap up Bloodstock Open Air for another year. And there's a discernible buzz amongst the crowd ahead of Motörhead's appearance. It is, therefore, a disappointment to all that the British stalwarts turn in a performance that is distinctly below par which includes drummer Mikkey Dee disappearing from the stage on more than one occasion, as does Lemmy, as well as the mutton-chopped frontman slurring his words between songs when talking to the audience. All of that coupled with finishing twenty minutes short of their scheduled hour and a half set time leaves punters undoubtedly feeling a little bewildered and short-changed. Music-wise, Motörhead's performance is very average as they plod through a whole array of classic tunes including 'Stay Clean', 'Metropolis', 'Killed by Death' and premature set closer 'Ace of Spades', and what of their much touted, infamous, louder than loud-as-fuck live sound? Volume-wise, just about every other main stage band this weekend has been louder. The latter is not a criticism as such, rather Motörhead fail to live up to their reputation as a still formidable live act on all counts. It was revealed a couple of days after the festival in an official band statement that they "were not feeling well having all picked up some sort of virus" so, with that in mind, it perhaps explains their lacklustre show and the trio of musicians are to be commended for "the show must go on" mentality is spite of their obvious discomfort. However, as a climax to what has been one of the best Bloodstocks in the festival's history, well, it's nothing but an anti-climax. So, to answer my opening question - the biggest, most important main stage headline band in Bloodstock's history? I guess not, but only by default and through no fault of Motörhead's. Incredibly disappointing, nonetheless, though. (MH)

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