Tired of huge festivals with almost identical line-ups all over Europe, truckloads of Sunday metal warriors wearing their new Iron Maiden t-shirts and having basically nothing to say on the underground scene?? Then Hell’s Pleasure festival, the seventh installment of which was held on 22 – 23 of July, is arguably the best place to go. ZT’s Pawel Palica gives you his trademark ‘both barrels’ outlook on the metal underground’s best-loved fest.
You can almost smell the passion… Located on a craggy motocross circuit nearby Poessneck, Germany (which on it’s own is perhaps the saddest town I’ve ever seen), it truly is the business for fans of true death, doom, black and thrash metal alike. The festival site is small, yet filled with people from all over Europe and beyond with great taste of music. And alcohol, too. It’s great craic all round and so many antics going on you just don’t want to know… But still – the fucking quality metal speaks for itself!
Looking into Hell’s Pleasure’s past, you just have to admit that the organisers knew what they were doing since day one. They certainly didn’t fail with this year’s installment either. Obliteration were just monstrous (and I really mean it, now that’s what you’d call death metal of hideous proportions), Maim… errr… maimed, Root did their job with their blackish sound, and Nifelheim have rounded the metal part of the first day before Year Of No Light take to the stage with their soundtrack-type set. If you were lucky to survive the first night and absolve yourself of the hangover, there were a variety of pleasures waiting for you on Saturday. As Nekromantheon, Gospel Of The Horns and Rotting Christ took the stage the fire grew and Candlemass’ grande finale was just amazing. I think I might have shed a tear or two while Robert Lowe – truly outstanding vocalist – sang “Samarithan”… or was it the fucking beer I spilled on myself again?
All hail to Hell’s Pleasure Metalfest! I’m definitely coming back next year.
PAWEL “BAD BLOOD” PALICA
