Hellfest Festival 2024. Saturday. Accept are another band well versed at bringing their best to events like this, hitting hard, fast and with an assurance born of decades of being at the leading edge of German Heavy Metal as they mix old-school grit with razor-sharp style.
Wolf Hoffman seems like he was born with a guitar in his hand, and Mark Tornillo’s broken glass gargle makes material that is old and new sound like the dirtiest thing you will hear this year.
With added firepower from guest guitarist Joel Hoekstra, classics like Restless and Wild, Metal Heart, Fast as a Shark and Balls to the Wall absolutely sizzle and smash.
Bruce Dickinson
Following a blistering set by homegrown heroes Mass Hysteria, the rain starts pouring down just in time for Bruce Dickinson to hit the stage. The Iron Maiden frontman is thoroughly enjoying the revitalisation of his hugely successful solo career with the acclaim that greeted The Mandrake Project.
Given the strength of his solo material, there is absolutely no need to dip into anything he has done with the mothership, and the set is rammed full of some of his finest work from across the ages.
Accident At Birth is a powerful start, the big riff conveyed with a grand urgency. Its refrain, “Welcome home”, is a glorious statement of intent. The polymathic singer speaks in French throughout the set, much to the delight of the crowd.
With a superb band behind him, bass player Tanya O’Callaghan particularly impressing, Dickinson has the energy and voice of his much younger self, his frenetic performance unbridled and unaffected by the rain as he happily got soaked in his quest to entertain the crowd.
Dipping into material like the portentous Afterglow Of Ragnarok, a throbbing Chemical Wedding and new smash Rain On The Graves, there was no stopping the outfit. The classy, intelligent, yet forceful set was a definite highlight of the day.
Metallica
With roadcrew members frantically mopping down the stage prior to their set, Metallica were not going to let a little water slow down one of the greatest juggernauts in the industry.
With the massive arena once again full to capacity, the Titans didn’t let down a single soul and from the brutality of opener Creeping Death onwards, the quartet ruled over every heart and mind present. For sheer spectacle, few can come anywhere near them, and their rise from near the bottom of the bill at 1985’s Monsters Of Rock festival to global superstars who have sold out stadiums with ease has been one won by determination, grit and a passion for what they do matched by few.
With For Whom the Bell Tolls and a surprisingly early Enter Sandman, the band showed a fearless attack and with material cherry-picked from across seven albums, there was bound to be something for everyone.
Rightfully highlighting their most recent 72 Seasons release with four songs, the mood was one of supreme confidence that meant that deeper cuts, newer numbers and stone-cold classics were all given a decent airing.
With classics Nothing Else Matters, Sad But True, Seek And Destroy and One ticking fan favourite boxes, it was just down to a furious take on Master Of Puppets to close the night and reiterate that pop acts may fill enormodomes for a while but this band are built to last and stand as giants long after everyone else has crumbled into dust. If American rock had a Mount Rushmore, it would be a good bet that the four members of Metallica would be the faces carved into it.
Julie Christmas
For those seeking something different, though, arguably, the set of the day was happening back at the Valley stage. Coming on like a feral Bjork mixed with Kate Bush as she fronts Nine Inch Nails, Julie Christmas was a jaw-dropping and heart-stopping revelation.
Almost impossible to truly capture in words, the very singular talent of the theatrical vocalist brought both a stunning visual and vocal performance to the midnight hour and provided what was, to this writer, one of the most arresting sets of not just this weekend but for many years.
To try to capture what exactly she does is like trying to lasso smoke and bring it to heal, and it was one of those ‘you had to be there’ moments as to witness an artist in full flight such as this was a truly life-changing experience.
Hyperbole, maybe, but it was really that good as time stood still, and the sound was over and inhabited every fibre of your being. Truly extraordinary.
HELLFEST 2024
Prepare to be consumed by the relentless energy of the most influential bands in Heavy Metal as they ignite the Hellfest stages with blistering performances. The immersive atmosphere of Clisson will immerse you in a dark, captivating experience like no other.
With its unparalleled lineup and unwavering commitment to the spirit of metal, Hellfest 2024 promises an unforgettable journey into the depths of sonic mayhem. Read all the Heavy Metal News at MetalTalk.
MetalTalk Hellfest 2024 coverage can be found at https://www.metaltalk.net/tag/hellfest-2024.
This year’s MetalTalk team is:
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For Hellfest 2023, visit https://www.metaltalk.net/tag/hellfest-2023.
For Hellfest 2022, visit https://www.metaltalk.net/tag/hellfest-2022.
