Brekkie down and recap done, I've got a little time for beer and so before Malignant Tumour go on. After that, it's in and out until General Surgery....and maybe asleep after Immolation. Immortal remain killer, but Ghost Brigade is an iron wall of bad, and that late, leaving the infield means ruthless drinking and no return. We'll see -- hanging out with so many people means little time to score, let alone write, and then longer morning recaps.
223. Early-round flunkyball action, France versus Germany.
224. In action, out of focus.
There are a lot of French folks here. Not sure why, but French this year is the 2nd language of the festival, way behind German but slightly ahead of English.
225. Flyer for a minifest in Görlitz. "EGDM" is not so much a real thing yet, but you gotta start somewhere.
226. Malignant Tumour, a ways out.
Malignant Tumour [5.5/7]
The dudes I was with didn't know what to make of this band from the program; the description was really bad, but you can't really write "crustier Motörhead vs. Entombed" in something for actual publication. Regardless, that feral blend of metal and crust'n'roll is what we got, and it was a pretty damn cool start to the day.
227. Bilos and Robert in his silly wig.
228. Full band, close up.
video4: Real festivals, part 2. A slow pan across the infield as dudes hang out and watch Assaulter.
229. Assaulter from the back.
I spent the first part of this set making connections, and only later went up to the rail.
230. It's not just me who carries New England.
231. Srsly, why do I even bother? If Germany can get Sevared stuff, my work is done, and I can lie my bones down among the rocks and roots.
232. Assaulter nice and close.
Assaulter [5/7]
A good time with a lot of lightly blackened thrash metal, but they're still thoroughly in the shadow of D666. It's a tall wall to climb but hopefully these Aussies will continue to develop and get more separation. Good stuff, but they've definitely got room to grow.
233. Thrashing in close formation.
It's a long break till General Surgery; time enough to crap, hike a bit, unwind my back -- and catch up on these notes. More promo, little by little, but mostly taking it slow.
234. Promo works -- dude with a Rampant Decay sticker pasted to his hat. About half the stickers are also gone, and I have my entire button stockpile in the jacket as well. Shirts will go on Sunday if not sooner.
.....
This was the last chance to write up of the festival; lots of bands, lots of party, and also my pen cap got lost and the pen died. Accordingly, the last half of this section and all of the next one had to be done from memory in Erfurt.
.....
The TerrorBlade crew came by, and so it was back to their camp to drink, then a bit of shopping, at least for folks like Maite and Bernd who weren't obsessing about pack weight due to an impending challenge-mode hike.
235. Skalmöld from a way back.
Skalmöld [5/7]
The sound wasn't so good from the edges, but the band still put in a decent shift; good, but definitely the second-best Icelandic band on the program.
236. Clear views over the stands.
237. Me (left) with Bernd (right) and one of the TerrorBlade gang whose name I didn't get. Picture by Maite.
283. Amazing weather and the back of Jens' head.
239. Dark Fortress kick it up.
240. Closer up.
Dark Fortress [5.5/7]
I'd heard a little of this band before coming, but was not especially inspired; the band on this outing, though, easily impressed with a sharp and aggressive performance of still melodic but also death-tinged black metal. Festivals are not always the truest lenses, but this set gave a strong argument to go take another look at Dark Fortress.
Between in here was a bunch of drinking and, finally, the end of the stickers. I was down to buttons, again; the P.SOA appetite for DIY stuff is not to be underestimated.
This was also a dinner/drinks/crap break...and a "deliberately don't see Ghost Brigade" break. I'd've rather seen Immolation, but that's part of hanging out at festivals. You see bands you might've passed up, you miss bands you'd rather have seen. Things balance out.
Nile [6/7]
Back in and back paying attention, and just in time, as Nile laid out a typically crushing set that cut through not just the occasionally-inconsistent deep-field sound, but also the self-imposed fog of several "Paar inna Fresse". I've seen better from Nile, and remembered more of those, but this was a killer performance at just the right time.
241. Nile in Festivision.
I have a score down for Immortal, but between time -- this was written, as noted above, on Monday -- and an almost unimaginable amount of alcohol over that time, I can't give a true description of what went into that score from the actual set....or, with any great accuracy, what happened between then and the next morning. No biggie; I'm not a journalist, just a bum with a notebook and inflated ideas of what is generally interesting. And this, too, is Festivalbericht -- doing shots of Totenmacher till you can't remember the headliners is also an important part of Party.San.
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