DAY 2
Waldkauz (full gallery below)
On the second day we returned to Heidnisches Dorf to follow bands with a more folk-oriented sound.
The first band we started reporting on was Waldkauz, a German folk-rock band that is quite popular in Germany.
That’s why we were a little surprised that they were performing so early.
The venue was half full, half empty, but that was mostly due to the hot afternoon sun beating down on the area. Many people were watching the show under the trees and in shady spots. This didn’t discourage the band. They put on a very vibrant and energetic show, where the sound of flutes, mandolin and hurdy-gurdy, combined with the strong sound of a guitar and drums, could be heard in this open space. They started the set with Konigin and Harvest Moon, which was a good omen for those who were expecting music to dance to. One of the highlights was the cover of the traditional Swedish ballad “Herr mannelig,” demonstrating that the audience knew this song very well. Next came Artemis, Persephone, Puck’s Dream and Inanna, another of their strongest and most upbeat dance songs. They ended the show with the song Vasilissa.
Katerfahrt (full gallery below)
Next up on stage were Katerfahrt, a pirate metal band. The good vibes and folk music for dancing were guaranteed, and that’s exactly what was seen at the venue. As the sun went down and more shade appeared in front of the stage, more people gathered around it. Led by the vocalist, who appeared shirtless and bare-chested, the band put on a very energetic show, as the singer never stopped moving around on stage. Acoustic guitar, electric guitar, flute, violin, and drums were soon heard, and the first great moment of connection between the audience and the band emerged during the third song, “Partyraten,” where there was a lot of movement right in front of the stage and the crowd singing along with the band on the chorus. A veritable juggernaut of good vibes, followed by a barrage of 4 killer songs for dancing: Die Tochter Vom Kapitän, Mein Job, Mit dem Feuer and Karibische Kirsche, this last song with a Caribbean feel transporting us musically to places like Jamaica or the Dominican Republic. There’s still time to listen to Piratenpogo, Ruf der See and Der Grog und Du.
But the big event of the day/night was going to be the celebration of Suicide Command’s 40th anniversary, that legendary Belgian electro-industrial band. So we went to Agra, where the concert was taking place. We arrived just in time for the show of the band preceding Suicide Commando and decided to report on that performance.
Cat Rapes Dog (full gallery below)
This band is called Cat Rapes Dog and it’s a Swedish band that mixes electropunk, EBM and metal from the mid-80s and was very active during the 90s, not only with concerts but also with a cascade of album releases. After a hiatus, they returned in 2019. The show began under the sign of darkness, as the stage lights were minimal. The spotlights, directed laterally, suggest that the concert was intended to be an intimate one, but that was not the case. Despite the low lighting, the show was full of diversity, showcasing over 40 years of their career. It was like a live “best of” compilation. Starting with Heavenly, followed by Eating People Is Fun, Trojan Whores, American Dream, and going through True Mental, God Guns And Gasoline, Where the Fuck Are You, Human Remains and Speeding Jesus, the songs presented were quite eclectic, pleasing both EBM and post-punk fans.
Suicide Commando (full gallery below)
Finally, the band we were most looking forward to seeing today: Suicide Commando.
After an extensive intro where several slides were shown on a screen behind the stage with various photos of the band from 1986 to the present day, the band began hostilities with Blind, Torture, Kill, showing the crowd what to expect from the show. And so it was, from the first to the last song, the iconic “Hellraiser,” many of the band’s hits were played, where the cold sounds and mechanized beats were heard and danced to until exhaustion. In a packed venue, the vocalist and mentor of the band, Johan van Roy, led the band with charisma and encouraged the audience to move.
Some of the songs played were: Hate Me, I’d Die for You, God Is in the Rain, Cause of Death: Suicide, The Devil, Die Motherfucker Die, Love Breeds Suicide. There was even an encore with See You in Hell.
If the crowd thought that after such a massive onslaught of mechanized, repetitive yet danceable sounds it was over and they would take a break to rest, they were mistaken.
Front Line Assembly (full gallery below)
Next up on stage was Front Line Assembly, a Canadian electro-industrial band formed by Bill Leeb after leaving Skinny Puppy back in the 80s.
Another band with over 40 years of history, then. But while Suicide Commando was pure industrial, Front Line Assembly ventures into the realm of EBM, in which, this more commercial and rhythmic approach, diminishes the rawness of the industrial music and the intensity of the beats. No Limit, Resist, Big Money, Bio-Mechanic, Mental Distortion, Body Count, The Blade were some of the songs played.
WALDKAUZ
KATERFAHRT
CAT RAPES DOG
SUICIDE COMMANDO
FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY
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