This summer, instead of leaving for Hildesheim as usually done in the last 6 years, I was almost going to cancel evertything and remaining quietly at the seaside, when then I got the news that even Negative (what a pity for you Skunky :P!) and especially Mesh have been included in the bill of the 1° day! It's already passed 2 years from the last show of Mesh at the same fest. and if I don't catch 'em live at the M'Era Luna, just wait and hope they tour Italy so, with renewed enthusiasm, I'll attend the fest. also this time, even because if I don't think myself to bring some healthy Italian folklore during the set of Klimt 1918, unfortunately most of the German crowd wouldn't do anything but standing up there almost impassible, ha, ha, ha... just kiddin' guys! Well, probably they won't neither make so much noise, but unlike a certain part of the Italian audience, at least the Germans practically listen and appreciate everything, without throwing anything to the band who's playing (with the guys from Klimt 1918 infact we remembered what happened during the set of Methods of Mayhem at the Gods of Metal of some years ago, which wasn't properly nice although, effectively, the promoter Live could even spare us the band of Tommy Lee). Among other things, I think that there's only me going 'round with their t-shirt on, proud & powerful of course, and the dark ones look at me with curiosity or better, they would've even thought kinda like 'Who's that hothead girl there under the stage makin' such a noise?!?', ha, ha, ha! Well, if I had to attend a gig to stand there motionless, I'd rather stay at home, hence I make more noise possible...
When I leave the seaside, it's very hot. I stop in Florence, where instead is pouring and unfortunately the rain will keep me company during all the trip, as well as during my stay in Deutschland, included the 2° day of the fest, when the mud will be everywhere :/ I won't tell ya about the night when I returned to the hotel, that is better. Considered the previous times, it really seems that in Hildesheim rains every 2 editions. Rain and some cold apart, everything went pretty good.
Thanks to Klimt 1918, the 1° day I succeed in entering for free (thanx again a lot guyz!). Ten minutes later In Mitri Medusa Inri lead the dances on the main stage, whom I only hear in a hurry, since at 11:20 it's already the turn of Klimt 1918 inside the Hangar, so they're surely makin' the soundcheck and hence I go immediately there and I postpone the usual mini-tour among the many records stalls to the day after. Infact ours are on stage already, checking the sounds (with the help of Giuseppe from the mythical Novembre who accompanied the band for all their German tour of the following days and who proves himself again as a nice and hearty guy, as well as the best drummer on the earth \m/ ... even if he didn't play this time :)!) and I throw myself straight away in the 1° row, at the centre of the stage, even because people has just begun entering and there aren't so many persons gathered yet in the Hangar. The 1° thing I notice is Marco's new haircut, to which he had already mentioned some months before and that really suits him fine (though an acquaintance of mine has told that 'seems like he's wearing one of those wigs who have on the Beastie Boys in the clip of "Sabotage", which makes very 'straw & 70's, or even a mix between Playmobil & Big Jim' :D). Paolo leans behind the drums and asks me if I suceeded in entering for free and Marco & Davide greet me. Alessandro, the same star ever, doesn't even deign to gimme a look, not only: apart that I won't see him around anymore for the rest of the day, the day after, following the request of a fan to take a picture with the whole band, will even ask me to protect him well from the rain with the umbrella, otherwise the water goes down his head and face, spoiling his make-up, hi, hi, hi... These rock-stars... As per program, at 11:20 exactly starts the intro of the new album, immediately followed by the frothy "They were wed by the sea" which, in such a 'grey' day, fills me up of vitality at once: who knows what will have thought all those who didn't know their music when ours have shot straight away in their ears that huge old style riff a la U2! In the beginning, Marco's voice comes and goes, but luckily then it makes more regular and I think that the sound in general is fairly good. Unfortunately, because of one of the sound boxes at Marco's feet, I can't see Paolo blasting drums and shooting him any photo, but I can hear him playin' pretty well and how! They've got just a half-an-hour at disposal for their set, during the which they'll exclusively propose excerpts from the new album. And this time, further to "Lomo", already excluded from the previous set of the gig in Rome of May, even "Because of you, tonight" remains out (and songs taken from the debut "Undressed Momento" can't neither be mentioned): "Snow of '85", "Rachel", "Nightdriver", the title-track "Dopoguerra" & "La Tregua" quickly follow one after the other. The conclusion is worthily up to that musical manifesto of "Sleepwalk in Rome" (great finale, with Marco who falls on his knees for playin' guitar - frenzyyy!!!), during the which I really lose control, singing at the top of my voice and jumping up & down, he, he, he... Meanwhile there's a good number of persons gathered in the Hangar and the impression is that they have liked the set, warmily clapping hands at the end of each song and of the whole performance.
Since I've already lost the 1° band on the main stage, I try to catch up with the 2° band, such Osiris Taurus, but I'm terrorized by the front-women of the presumably Deutsch act: they're one more flashy than the other and when the black-haired one even arms herself of guitar, I immediately disappear and return in the Hangar, where is the turn of Qntal, which I've already had the chance to catch live on the same stage in the previous editions. It's a pity that they start playin' with a huge delay and that from their set onwards good part of the whole program of the exhibitions inside the Hangar will go to blazes. Honestly I wanna listen much more animated stuff and less classical/ethereal sounds and so I decide to place me under the main stage where Limbogott - odd German six-piece which as to the look of the 2 front-men could make the various Marylin Manson, Murderdolls and the likes envy - have just started. They don't propose anything particularly original but at least, showily dressed, with their way of movin' on stage and that mix of  Marylin Manson, Rammstein, Blind Passengers & Ooomph! pleasantly catch the attention and the hearing.
I lose Potentia Animi (even if for that lil' I've heard, I guess I haven't lost so much) and I return again in the first row of the main stage, 'coz this new Finnish sensation called Negative is gonna play (although their debut album's been already released since time by now) and I can't really avoid to make a more detailed report possible to the Skunky grrrl who doesn't know what she's lost, considered how much she likes 'em (quiet Skunky, girlie shirt and other stuff on arrival 666!). Personally I've got their debut album "War of love" only and I'm not such a big fan of this band as I am instead of their other fellow countrymen, but I really need a good deal of (easy) rock and Negative fully satisfies the expectations, because they greatly hold the stage and got plenty of rock'n'roll attitude. Of course, that flashy of the bass-player looked like one from Cradle of Filth and could even stay at home, since he truly clashed with the rest of the band. Luckily that angel of the vocalist Jonne Aaron (no Skunky, he didn't have wings, just some frills hangin' down the mike in pure rock'n'roll style; however you can admire him in all his free & easy beauty here on the right side! Sober boots, isn't it? Remind me of those of a certain guitarist from the capital, without makin' names...), who drives all the girls around me mad (and rightly I'd say, for he's a very handsome guy - looks count for something!) and the two guitarists, one who looks like an adolescent version of Slash and the other, all dressed up in pink, guitar included, who looks like a lil' sugarcoated almond (and with a pair of green & yellow coloured sneakers like the Brasilian flag...), seem like they're born on a stage and catch the crowd's attention. Obviously the female part throws into raptures and accompanies the band during some refrains. It's truly a pleasure seeing them in action and, who knows, maybe with time they'll even get a lil' bit better musically and I'll start takin' their proposal into consideration more seriously. One thing is sure: I also sing some verses of the hit "The moment of our love", kept for the final.
Then I return in the Hangar to enjoy the show of Liv Kristine and her Leaves' Eyes, that practically are nothing but Atrocity, who will play on the same stage right after. Liv Kristine is angelic just like whn eI saw her the 1° and only time with Theatre of Tragedy in summer 1997, and the members of Atrocity seem being greatly devoted to the cause. To be honest, the vocals of the husband Alex Krull here and there, don't drive me crazy, but the set goes on well. Even better Atrocity, who propose almost exclusively new songs from the last "Atlantis", except the old but evergreen "Blut", from the same album, and the final cover of Tears For Fears, the everlasting "Shout", during the which the man with the longest and more enviable hair from the metal scene makes a duet with the wife Liv Kristine. The contribution of the audience for the memorable chorus is huge. It was exactly from 1997 that I hadn't catched 'em both live anymore, when I think that more or less they knew each other, and I remember such a very sexy Liv Kristine all wrapped up in a provocative and very narrow black dress in PVC and Alex Krull dribbling while singin' the song said above, he, he, he... And nowadays, almost 10 years after, it's cool finding both still here, singing and playing, wed and with progeny. Definitely a nice couple!
And so I lose myself in the memories of that unforgettable summer of '97, spent up & down in Germany, during the which my friends and I attended the best summer fests of the period - Wacken, 10 Years' Anniversary of Nuclear Blast, Century Media & Massacre fests. - and I also lose Autumn & Noise For Destruction who meanwhile have played on the main stage :/.
This time I can even do without attending the set of  The Cruxshadows, as I've seen 'em and seen 'em again several times in these last years, even before leaving, and I remain inside the Hangar for the [:SITD:]; I've seen 'em already too, but at least I begin preparing mentally & phisically myself for the sonic attack which is gonna start soon with the following Combichrist (who, from the point of view of the dances surely win these 2 days of fest., together with Amduscia, even if for me the absolutely best act's been Mesh ). But meanwhile the mobile rings and so I join Marco, Paolo & Davide from Klimt 1918 right outside the Hangar, in company of the exhilarant Giuseppe from Novembre, with whom I remain some minutes before going under the main stage for the show of The 69 Eyes: they tell me that unfortunately during the trip to Hildesheim the van broke up and that the date of mid-August, together with The Birthday Massacre (five-piece from Canada who will play the next day on the main stage, all rigorously dressed up in white shirts & black ties - clothes which I adore - with an aggressive girl singing, who also endevours in some growling vox and whom would be worth hearing again), isn't sure anymore. Then we talk about their morning show and how it's gone, about the set of Negative, of the fest. in general and of all the weird people present at the event. Davide gives me a promo card of  Prophecy for the new album that he's found around and which had completely escaped my notice. We also took a couple of pictures together, but 18:00 are close and I try to reach more possible the main stage, even if actually I didn't gain many positions, since The 69 Eyes are very well known everywhere in Germany by now, unlike the 1° time they played here in 2000, in the Hangar, in front of a very small audience and that hardly knew them only by their name. Those were good times, when they still played several songs from "Wasting the dawn": this time instead there is no way to hear neither the gothic title-track taken from the above-mentioned album. And the Finnish are also a bit late and will even cancel their presence at the meet'n'greet of Sonic Seducer, damn! I hoped so much to have again a chat with the guitarist Timo Timo, whom I esteem... After the notes of "The End" of the The Doors who introduce their gig, the HELLsinki Vampires grab the stage, asking sorry for the delay and immediately biting with the title-track from the last record "Devils", from which will be also played the brand-new single "Feel Berlin", that gives me the creeps, "Sister of charity" and that anthem of "Lost Boys" (but let's drop over the lyrix, that's better!). Jyrki69 is truly in a good form! Yeah, perhaps he has skinned some wild animal in the wood next his house and made a wig for the occasion (and that's the reason why of the phantom delay; Skunky plz, don't report him to the competent authorities!), but talks continuously with us from the crowd, quietly defines Timo Timo as half-deaf and with his voice, maybe less dirty & scratching than in the past, gives a good part of the songs performed such an additional quid than on the record, perhaps even mistaking some words here and there or just rolling on the stage: all the highlights from the previous two must are included in the bill, together with some of the new songs aforesaid and so, in about one short hour "The Chair", "Don't turn your back on fear", "Crashing high", "Dance d'amour" and "Framed in blood" follow one after the other. Obviously in such a setting as the M'Era Luna the band's almost forced to play "Gothic Girl", nevertheless the conclusive "Brandon Lee". Goth'n'roll at its best!
I lose Schandmaul, but I've already seen them, and I go immediately in the Hangar, with the intention of gaining the best place possible for the set of Mesh. Meanwhile Combichrist (of the tireless Andy La Plegua from Icon of Coil), one of the most waited acts by the undersigned, have just unleashed their electric charge: apart what's been more or less written by the various specialized magz, the project isn't bad at all, much heavier and evil of the mother band and there is neither one of the bystanders gathered in the Hangar who can't do anything but dancing. When then arrives also Johan Van Roy - aka Suicide Commando - is total chaos: ultraviolence!!! But I don't know who's the other amused guy who jumped together with them...
I succeed in reaching the centre of the stage and I'm in the 2° row for Mesh: I regret only for the unlucky two in front of me, to whom I'll massacre for a good hour the outer ears, singing at the top of my voice every single chorus of the songs performed. Unlike two years ago, this time there's no space neither for a song from their first 2 records: the whole set will be based on the material taken from the following  "The point at which it falls apart", with which I've known them in 1999 ("It scares me", "My saddest day" & "Not prepared") and from the last "Who watches over me" ("Firefly" in the opening, "Little Missile", "Leave you nothing", "Friends like these" and "The trouble we're in", so sweet), as well as some new songs taken from full-lenght on arrival (hopefully) soon. Exciting the one entitled "Waves", with exactly the images of the waves breaking upon the seashore, showed on the screen behind them (and many other have been the images alternated to some of their verses, as a karaoke). And thinking that the 1° time I caught 'em live, practically by chance, since I was waiting for Amoprhis, I took the mickey out of them, saying that they were a much too easy listening act and for teenagers when then, few months after, I found myself to consume by the listenings their record of that period, and that with their synth-pop, certainly owing something to the old Depeche Mode (both musically and for the vocals), have then become one of the absolute fave bands of mine.
Around 21:30 I run outside for trying to catch at least a part of the VNV Nation set, hoping that their performance will be a bit more exciting than the previous in 2003 but, or I start feeling tired or alive I'll just have to keep on remembering them as in 2000, because even this time the gig doesn't drive me crazy... And I must also say that I can't see them playing on such a big stage, it's too dispersive... or maybe it's just me who's too far from the main stage and I can't listen as I should.
So better returning in the Hangar and destroy totally myself with the killer performance of the Mexicans Hocico, a real guarantee alive by now: yeah, I've already seen 'em and seen 'em again many times even here in Hildesheim, but with these two ones here it's truly destruction! Honestly the last "Wrack and ruin" doesn't drive me crazy as the previous works, but I just can't resist their rhythms, especially when ours torture us with their choice cuts taken from "Signos de aberraciòn" & "Sangre Hirviente", not to mention the freezing effect which still possesses the older "Odio en el alma". And thinking that even the 'first time' with the music of Hocico happened almost by chance - always because I was waiting for Amorphis, yezzz: till then, I had never heard stuff like that, of such a fury to take me away! And it was then that I began, in my own small way of course, to take always more interest in similar bands. By the way,  I keep a lil' bit behind voluntarily to enjoy the extreme performance of the suspicious two much more possible and even because as soon as their set is over, I try to get near the main stage to even enjoy the show, visual and musical, of the headliners Skinny Puppy but unfortunately, after having spent almost all the day going from one stage to another, I truly feel very tired and as often happened even during the past editions, while this legend continues to deafen still for some minutes the ears of the survivors of the 1° day, I begin setting out for the bus stop not to miss the last one, considering that there is still a lot of road to make and that tomorrow awaits me another long day. If I had only known more in time that a couple of days after they would've played in Muenich, maybe I'd have changed my plans of return; this time has gone like this.
The rain which had miraculously spared us the day before, falls almost incessantly upon us on Sunday. And then, if there are even Zeraphine raging with a song entitled "Be my rain"... As soon as I arrive, I leave for my tour among all the records stalls and especially I stop at Rage Records, where you can always make good buys, at reasonable prices (Dark Tranquillity "Character", Diabolique "Wedding the grotesque", Muse "Showbiz" e  Placebo "Once more with feelings - Singles 1996/2004"). I hope to be able to visit even another couple of stalls to also buy Combichrist and something by Dive, but for the rest of the day I'll be completely taken up by the bands who will play inside the Hangar, where I could've even set camp. And thinking that I wanted to take the 2° day easy...
While I'm having my stroll, on the main stage Scream Silence start playing, who don't propose anything new, but an old style dark-rock kind Sisters of Mercy.
In the Hangar there are Staubkind instead, which are kinda like a fish out of water - as Klimt 1918 have been the day before - considered that after them will more or less follow all ebm/industrial/electrogoth acts. Musically however they ain't got neither nothing to do with Klimt 1918, but slightly remind of something by Rammstein, and perhaps they're even more catchy.
I've just seen The Vision Bleak one month before at the Evolution Fest. and their atmospheric  death/black-doom once again doesn't seem the ideal proposal for an open air fest. By the way, I can finally hear some killer guitars and seeing some long hair whirling, hell yeah!
Inside the Hangar, though it's just noon, people already dance at the rhythm of Cephalgy. Follow the insane Kiew, definitely to shut in; the frightening Amduscia, very violent Mexicans three-piece grown up with tacos & Hocico, seen the continuous references to the terrorists said above (however authentic revelation of the fest. in my opinion; the vocalist has done one hell of a mess and wore a t-shirt  with a doll all crossed by surgical tools and various tubes to make Carcass and rotten company envious); the more classic Trisomie 21, which have some technical problems; the Americans Flesh Field, which I was every curios to finally hear for the 1° time, even if the female vocal performance of Wendy had disappointed me a lil', while that of the main man Ian (who apologizes for a president as Bush) has been very satisfying and has vaguely reminded me that of  Dennis Ostermann from In Strict Confidence; Melotron, who once again seemed too much pompous with their electro pop (and honestly I can't see the vocalist Andy in that role); the most waited  Diary of Dreams, to whom vocalist Adrian Hates undoubtedly goes the title of best performer of the whole fest. (this is the 1° time I remember him even playing guitar), for the depth of his vocals, the way he moves, talks with his audience and stirs it up warmly in singing the various refrains. In the end is the turn of The Klinik of that great named Dirk Ivens, whom already a couple of years before with Dive literally killed me and I think that he would've done the same even this time, if only I had been a lil' bit less tired. Well, him and his fellows behave more than worthily, it's only me feeling tired...
Meanwhile outside it doesn't stop raining, but I succeed the same in following the shows of Faun, very 'bucolic', of the Norwegian Gaate, of whom I had talkin' about very well, especially of the young female vocalist Gunnhild (which makes very 'Valkyrie', doesn't it?!?... but she's a bit more graceful), even if after all I'm much more hit by the musical proposal of the rest of the band than the folkish and ethereal vocal performance, which sounds very 'alternative' and who really make one hell of a mess. Follow The Birthday Massacre, whom I've already mentioned when I talked about the 1° day and that, I repeat it, I hope to hear again, and the veterans Zeraphine by now of some ex-members from Dreadful Shadows. In spite of the prophetic title of one of their songs previously mentioned ("Be my rain" exactly), it seems that during their set the rain finally gives us some deserved rest, although for a couple of hours only. Then it's the turn of the Italians Lacuna Coil: to tell you the truth, I can't hear 'em anymore playing and playing again live always the same set-list after 3 years, it doesn't matter if lately they're even including a new song, that nothing takes away, but neither adds to their proposal. Of couse, I recognize that they greatly keep the stage, Cristina too, but I'm fed up with them! The problem is that I have a lil' bit in it for them because of a couple of times in  which they played as headliners when were touring with Sentenced in 2002 and with Moonspell in 2004, two bands that, at least in my opinion, are more valid than them (especially Moonspell alive, since I've never been able to catch Sentenced so much often and I won't catch 'em anymore by now) and that for me deserved to play well longer. It's not xenomania absolutely: I'm simply party, he, he! For example: Novembre could even play 2 or 3 hours continuously and as headliners all the times, even if were touring with more well known acts :) Somtimes I can't be fair, I know...
With Subway to Sally it starts raining again; infact their vocalist slips on stage. However I'm not so mad about this style of music mixing rock & folk, using several instruments, even if I have to admit that the Germans said above are very beloved from the bystanders, like famous colleagues such as In Extremo, Merlons or Tanzwut (though probably S2S arrived a bit earlier). It'll be the 3° time that I catch Deine Lakaien in Hildesheim and which I'm not able to hear them, as I'm so much taken up from the sythetic rhythms which are spreading in the Hangar. Next time there won't be any band who will turn me away from he listen of this very elegant act.
The headliners Sisters of Mercy have already started about 20 minutes before I begin to set out for the bus stop. It's a few minutes past 21:00 and I'm sorry to cut and run, but I'm so in pieces that I can't go on any longer: the place is a quagmire by now and I don't neither know where putting the feet. I'll say it again, but this is the bad aspect of festivals like this (and luckily there are only 2 stages!): you can hardly stand for the headliners of the fest. after that however you've practically attended almost the 90% of the remaining bands, continuously moving from one stage to another for two days uninterruptedly. In short, even if I didn't keep particular brilliant memories about the previous performance of the Sisters at the M'Era Luna, I leave the place a bit reluctantly, glad however for having survived even this year and hoping that the next time I won't miss neither one only band (man, I did it last year,  when I lost only Samsas Traum, though it was a really hard chase!).
While I wrote these lines however, I realized I didn't talk so much about the music proposed by all the bands included in the bill, almost as I had taken for granted that you knew what kind of stuff they played, since  I already knew some of them - or perhaps I knew them only by name or for a couple of singles - or better, I think to have rather wandered on other aspects, but I tried to render all the report more playful possible ('best way'; *Jester* docet) and I didn't absolutely want to offend nobody, that would be the limit. I've always and only joked. And maybe I've also made you curios in hearing some of the bands I talked about, just in case you hadn't already heard 'em, of course. I also know I've not been very synthetic, but to the synthesis I prefer synth-pop, definitely.
 

 (by Wildhoney 'Yeah, come on inside da sound')