27.07.2004
SUMMER DAY IN HELL
HELLOWEEN
CHILDREN OF BODOM
FEAR FACTORY
DEATH ANGEL
TIAMAT
VISION DIVINE
10th July 2004 - Centrale del Tennis - Foro Italico - ROME - I
review by Sara "Shadow Lady" De Vita and Gino Chiarizia
- all pics © by Gino Chiarizia
The public use of these fotos is strictly prohibited without written permission
A report in a different guise to tell you all of a very special day in which emotions and fun dominated. Me and Gino (Spellcraft), will tell you of this marvelous musical adventure.
SARA
-
…
late afternoon… hot climate that you only find in the deserts and big
cities!!!
People…
a lot of people, ready to restage again, after about one year, the
beginning experience of this one that is becoming one of the most
important summer metal festivals in Italy: the Summer Day In Hell.
From Bologna, where the 2003 edition took place, the location has been moved to Roma, in the heart of the capital: the Foro Italico; a place that has already seen important names in the music, both metal and non-metal: Anthrax, Dream Theatre, Audioslave, Yes, and many others.
SARA
The
exhibition lasted only 20 minutes, yet they were intense and rich in
pathos, even thanks to the great exaltation of the audience that followed
the show with involvement.
The
band proposed some songs that illustrate their productive story: from “New
Eden”, taken from their very first album, to “La Vita Fugge”
and “Colours Of My World”. The audience got hot almost to the
boiling point, thanks to this band that, slowly yet with determination, is
dismissing the parents’ dresses, to wear a more personal armour, that
will lead them to a new adventure… the armour of Vision Divine.
GINO
- Around 18:00 TIAMAT
come on stage but have to wait… Petersson’s ampli wasn’t in the
right mood to play! And yet we go with “Whatever That Hurts”
from Wildhoney with an Edlund already sweating because of his latex black
dress with coif, really opinable. The songs are played in a perfect way
but unfortunately this is not the best stage for Tiamat, given that the
time, the sun, the hot weather and those few idiots throwing bottles from
the audience, cannot support those cold and gothic atmospheres of their
songs. Pleasantly, however, flow “Brighter Than The Sun”, the
b-side “Children Of The Underworld”, “I Am In Love With
Myself”, “Cain”, “Wings of Heaven” and “In
A Dream” the only episode taken from Clouds. The performance is
almost over, clearly demonstrated by the bass player Anders Iwers that
closes in to the tracklist of Edlund and points out with a foot the last
song to play, possibly excluding yet another one. And here it comes the
finishing “Gaia” with a very poetic and melancholic ending.
All
in all the audience reacted very favorably (excluding the poor idiots
previously mentioned), of course without heavy pogo since Tiamat songs are not certainly noted for their auditory
violence.
I could be wrong, but behind the keyboards I saw Martin Brandstrom from Dark Tranquillity as session-man.
SARA
…and then… it’s DEATH
ANGEL time! Maybe
the most awaited performance of the day, even more than Helloween.
It
has been a true delirium in the audience: an inhuman pogo, for a very
acclaimed band that marked important moments in the thrash of the 80s.
GINO
-
The adrenalinic atmosphere unchained by Death Angel follows on as
the mythical symbol of FEAR
FACTORY is risen with camouflage patterns
– and soon it is ovation.
A
short intro (maybe taken by the Depeche Mode) and you have the violent “Slave
Labor” to overtake unchaining the audience singing on the top of
their voices the refrain together with Burton in splendid shape and yet
sometimes under his standards in clean vocals. In succession the various
“Shock”, “Demanufacture”, “Edgecrusher”
with a particularly involved audience, “Self Bias Resistor” unexpected
and bloody heavy, “Archetype”solemn and dark, “Martyr”
which is the only from the first full lenght Soul Of A New Machine, played
more slowly than usual – yet heavy as a boulder!
The
band shows to be fully in the groove and compact, Herrera dominates
masterly his drums showing his impressive technique, visibly motivated
Christian Olde Wolbers perfectly covering the guitar man role and not
allowing regrets for the otherwise missing Dino Cazares.
As
usual the ending is made with “Replica” drawing and evocative
closing a show played with determination and energy with dark and
futuristic tones.
Well done!
SARA
- Yet another quick change of stage (my compliments to the sound
engineers) and here you have the CHILDREN
OF BODOM …
another ovation by the audience!!!
Back
in Rome after a long absence (their last live in the Eternal City was
during the Hatebreeder tour with In Flames and Dark Tranquillity), they
drew the audience with their Nordic sound and a scenic presence without
equals!!!
Most
of the show was about their latest release: Hate Crew Deathrade,
keeping out songs as “Something Wild” and historical tracks
such as “Bed Of Razors” and “Warheart”.
So,
off you go with “Needled 24\7”, “Hate Crew”, “Deathroll”,
“Six Pounder” and the nostalgic “Angels Don’t Kill”.
The
show raises to aulic levels with “Bodom After Midnight”, “Silent
Night Bodom Night”, “Towards Dead End” and the very fast
“Down Fall”. The exalted reply of the audience let understand
how much Metallers are more tied to old hits of the band more than to the
recent works.
Too
short a performance for a band that deserved more attention!!!
SARA
-
The
moment so long waited has arrived!
Lights
down, it’s 10:00 P.M., on the stage, together with the normal technical
dispositions, you see some poles with light beacons on the top and panels
covered with black drapes… CURIOSITY: what are they hiding?
…
the mystery soon unravels: here on the stage you have the legendary
Helloween. Drapes fall and you have a funny scene in full Helloween-style:
wicked pumpkins with evil grin!
Even
though their last album is from a bit less than a year ago, the band
prefers to offer a tracklist based on old hits, such as “Keeper Of
Seven Keys” (almost 15 minutes… basically a quarter of their whole
show) and “How Many Tears”.
We
miss the mythical “I Want Out”, but worthy substitute is “Eagle
Fly Free”, from Keeper Of The Seven Key Part II, “Future World”
e “Power”.
Made
clear the intentions to leave out most of the more recent works, only “Open
Your Life” and “Sun Of The World” from their latest
Rabbit Don’t Come Easy are played, then “Forever And One (Neverland)”
and “Power” from The Time Of The Oath and “If I Could Fly”
from The Dark Ride, while Better Than Raw has been completely missed.
GINO
-
To be marked the very funny intermission for the audience in the
middle of “Power”. Deris starts a
disquisition about his favourite side. He
says that in every Helloween concert the right audience is always the best
to sing, clearly marking out <<no
politics!!>>. 
And
then he calls for a challenge between the two sides of the audience with
the choirs of “Power” that meanwhile the band still plays in the
background. Now happy and satisfied that the right side is again the best
he unveils the real reason of this preference, that is relative to some…
physiological reasons (!!!)
In the end it is clear the experience of a band such as Helloween – how they keep the stage, interact with the audience and grant an excellent shape even after those many years. Bloody well right!
It
has been an unforgettable day, even thanks to the never missing Silvia (Nagyrev)
and Cristiano (3rd), the exploding fun of Michele (Spellcraft) and
Adriano.
We
feel thanks also to Andrea and Federica for technical support and sincere
and loving friendship…and for the car passage as well.
From Sara a particular THANK YOU to Gino (Spellcraft) that shown great professionality, excellently substituting a very good and precious friend of ours, and very active collaborator of Gryphonmetal as well, Marco “Norman Knight” Signore, unfortunately not at the concert. “Marco We Love You”
Sara De Vita - Gino Chiarizia
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