Mastodon:
The weather was a bit drowsy and it looked like it was going to rain that was the type of weather that suited Mastodon.
When they hit the stage it was really calm at the stage where they played, but when they kicked off they drew everybody's attention with their pounding beats and heavy guitar riffs.
It was a great performance by these gentlemen, and the way the guitar parts and weird rhythms where used was really cool to listen to although the sound wasn't that good.
Altogether the aggressive performance of Mastodon was really cool to see.
Reviewed by Dinges
Deicide:
When I looked around in the audience, I saw not just elder metalheads but also many 14-16 year old nu-metalfans. Probably because of the video which is shown very often at 'The BOX' on Wednesday nights. And all of them were very enthusiastic, the old ones and the young ones.
I just know their first record ('Deicide') and their last one ('Scars of the crucifix'), so I can't tell you from which albums they played any songs, but I know they played some new ones a couple of their first one and some songs I never heard. But most of the audience did know them, and they transferred in savage beasts in the pit near the stage. They sure got what they came for: A super blasphemic raging show. And we, the audience, may call our selves very lucky, because this was their last show before they canceled their tour.
Next to that I am a lucky man, because I was the one who did get the plectrum of Glen Benton which he had thrown in the audience before their gig. Lucky me!
Altough I'm not the biggest Deicide fan, and don't know all their cd's, I really enjoyed the show!
reviewed by Arcane
Ill Ni�o:
This was the third time that I saw this band and I always enjoy seeing them play. Ill Ni�o is one of the better live bands in my book, they always amuse me and the people I'm with. They are still opening their show with �If U Still Hate Me�, the hardest track of their first album. Other tracks from that album that I witnessed and remember were �God Save Us�, �Unreal� and �What Comes Around�. Tracks that I witnessed and remember from the new album were �Te Amo'I Hate You�, �How Can I Live� and �Unframed�. The last song I saw that also is the best one of their last album Confession was �Lifeless..Life�, which has a very cool metalcore riff in it.
I was a bit disappointed that they didn't bring a DJ along this time, but you can't have everything now can you. And the vocals were a slight off-tone, but it must be a monstrous effort to sing and scream like mister Christian Machado like he does on record. He's definitely one of my favourite nu-metal vocalists.
The drums and percussion were sounding great too, especially when playing different things at the same time. It was just that the drummer kept doing the same trick with his drumstick over and over again, he took all the fun out of it. Great band on a great day!
reviewed by Demondust
Children Of Bodom:
Having gathered a massive amount of loyal followers the last few years, mostly younger ones, Children Of Bodom had a lot of fans standing on the field that day. The crowd even cheered when the flag with their logo flag was raised. Ridiculous. And it wasn't long until one of the biggest show-offs in metal entered the stage with his music making friends. And if he couldn't play, I would hate his guts. But he can play I tell ya!!! The intro song I find very amusing, it's that �They're coming to take me away ha-ha� stuff. Really old.
Opening with �Hate Me!� from their third album Follow The Reaper they blasted of quite nicely. Other technical metal tracks like �Bodom After Midnight�, �Silent Night, Bodom Night� and �Every Time I Die�. A lot of tracks from their last album were played too, namely the single �Needled 24/7�, the slow track �Angels Don't Kill�, �Six Pounder�, �Chokehold�, �Hatecrew Deathroll� and "Downfall" which was the last song of the show.
And after that we had witnessed really fast drums, a million show-off guitar and keyboard solo's, tons of screams and lots-of-flying hair. METAL!!!!! For the kids, one might say.
reviewed by Demondust
Soulfly:
As soon as the words �greetings in the name of the most high, Soulfly!!! This is the Prophecy!!� were spoken a massive jumping moshpit emerged. �Prophecy was the first track that was played, and it wouldn't be the last one of this album. �Living Sacrifice�, �Mars�, �Porrada�, �Defeat U� and even �Moses� were played. Cool to see that track live, lots of percussion, and even a trombone. There also was a part where everybody, including Max, played the percussion, tribal metal rules!!
Max brought with him a lot of guest musicians, including Richie Cavalera, who did �Bleed� and a part of �Tree Of Pain�. Other tracks that were played were: �Jumpdafuckup/Bring It�, �Seek 'n Strike� and a couple that I can't recall. Max, being an oldtimer on the stage of Dynamo (this was the fourth time) decided to get really heavy by playing �Mass Hypnosis�, screaming �hey Dynamo, remember seven years ago!!!�. Other Sepultura tracks were, of course, �Roots Bloody Roots� and �Chaos A.D.�.
Although they didn't play �Eye For An Eye� and Max changed his shirt four times, (!) even wearing one of the football club from Nijmegen this was the best performance for me, right after Slayer!
reviewed by Demondust
Life Of Agony:
Hot it was indeed during the performance of Life Of Agony. Everybody knows this heavy rock band so they don't need further introduction. The lead singer Keith Caputo was extremely energetic on stage and he was twisting and turning around his own axes like he usually does, singing with all his emotion and soul in it they played very well known songs like River Runs Red. As enthusiastic the band was on stage as well was the music picked up by the crowd who were loudly singing along and jumping up and down. The new songs they've played did not came over on the crowd (only the die hard fans off course) that well if you ask me, but it was a great performance with the sun in our back.
Reviewed by Dinges
Agent Steel
As soon as I arrived on the festival terrain of Dynamo Open Air, I was looking forward to seeing two bands. One of these was Agent Steel.
It was for the first time these veteran Speed Metallers blasted away the stage on Dynamo Open Air. With a bit theatrical beginning and some (very) high vocals, Agent Steel didn't make a very good impression on me and my colleague. But a song or two later, I caught myself nodding on the rythm of an energetic and powerful song, brought with true enthusiasm by these Americans. It was on that very moment that vocalist Bruce Hall produced some very decent grunts into his microphone. Instead of a constant squeaking, Bruce started to use more and more 'power' in his vocals.
All the doubt had washed away from my mind. Guitarists Juan Garcia and Bernie Versailles truly connected on stage, the interaction between the individual bandmembers was great and their sound was superb!
I can say that Agent Steel, although relatively unknown for the Dynamo audience, made a very good impression on the people present at that time. I can only hope these Speedmetal veterans from Los Angeles decide to visit the Netherlands more often!
reviewed by BlackRain
Dimmu Borgir
Well, the other band was Dimmu Borgir. Before I start my analysis, I think it is only fair to you, dear readers, to let you know that these Norwegians have been my heroes for a long time already. I had never seen them live before, so you might be able to imagine how I felt when I saw them appear on stage in front of me.
They kicked off with an intro that was a bit on the long side but after that, the Blackmetal violence began with Spellbound. Immediately I felt the adrenaline flowing through my veins and after a minute I had already lost myself in the music. To make it even better, they promptly continued with In Death's Embrace, another one of my favourite songs.
After a very solid set of songs, Dimmu Borgir closed their performance with the sublimely brought Mourning Palace.
Reviewed by BlackRain
Despite the fact some sound problems occurred with Vortex' bass and microphone, this was one of the performances I enjoyed most. Two thumbs up, for Dimmu Borgir definitely proved their professionalism and quality to me!
Reviewed by Blackrain
Nightwish:
Nightwish was the headliner for me this festival for the fact that I had the privilege to interview Marco and I am a huge fan.
Nightwish had just launched their new album �Once� and so they had to play some songs of their new album, and indeed they did, Nemo, Planet Hell and Dead Chest of Wonders.
All of the songs were so well performed like you were listening to the cd.
Other songs they played were off course Whishmaster, Bless the Child, Phantom of the Opera and much more. This band is so cool to see on stage but it was to bad that the sun was there and ruined the fireworks and explosions. But all songs were so well performed and it was like nothing in the rest of the world mattered for the durance of this excellent show.
The performance seemed to be shorter than expected and during �Over the Hills and Far Away� the band left the stage but it looked like they came back for some more songs which didn't happen, too bad.
Reviewed by Dinges
Slayer:
Finally, after a day of pounding metal, clouds and beer the sun came through. It was time for Slayer. As usual they started fifteen minutes later than scheduled, but that couldn't spoil the fun. Ten thousand faces were aimed at the main stage as �Darkness Of Christ�, the intro for the God Hates Us All album started. Of course that was being followed by �Disciple�. They didn't seem highly energetic, but lazy is definitely not the right word to describe the headbanging performance. The uncrowned kings of thrash metal continued with another track from their last album, �God Send Death�.
Then mister Tom Araya decided it was time to provoke the audience by saying some stuff about D-Day. That we shouldn't forget that people gave their lives for our freedom, blablabla. Angry reactions from the crowd was the (probably anticipated) consequence. Then he screamed; �are you ready for war?!� with a dirty grin on his face. The crowd reacted enthusiastic. He answered with �you weren't ready for war 50 years ago!!!! � And then he screamed �War Ensemble�, which they played. Another funny announcement was that for �Necrofiliac�. �This song is about loving older women, the kinds that you dig from the grave�. And then he went into details that most people don't want to read about, involving maggots and genitals.
Other tracks that were played were �Payback�, �Fight Till Death�, �Mandatory Suicide�, �Dead Skin Mask�, �Dittohead�, �South Of Heaven� and of course my all-time favourite thrash metal songs �Angel Of Death� and �Raining Blood�.
Even though Tom can't do the high scream in the beginning of �Angel Of Death� anymore and I had a hell of a headache, this was for me the perfect end to a fantastic metal day. Dynamo, see you next year! Slayer, see you in October with Slipknot!!! My two all-time favorite bands playing together, my life is good!
reviewed by Demondust