KEEP IT TRUE FESTIVAL (5 November 2005)
Sporthalle, Dittigheim, Germany
Review by Mario van Dooren
KIT is together with the Headbangers Open Air festival one of the most important festivals to me personally!! I'm not gonna subscribe the great atmosphere and kind hearted audience of this true metal festival because everyone who calls himself a true- metalfan already knows the ambiance of this great festival!
Due to personal circumstances (the birth of my first son 1 week before the festival) I had to miss the warm-up show on Friday and had to drive to the festival on Saturday morning.
When I arrived at the Tauberfrankenhalle, the first band IGNITOR (USA) just finished their gig so I cant review it. According the positive reactions I heard from a lot of people I spoke during the day; this band did a hell of a job and where called the best opening band for KIT ever! Later I had a short conversation with female guitarist Beverley and she told me that they received a lot of positive reactions from the audience also.
First band for me to see was the Maltese doomband FORSAKEN. I already saw this band during the 2004 HOA edition and they impressed me again this time! The band had an untidy sound but showed everything they got. Forsaken plays doommetal in the vein of bands like Candlemass & Solitude Aeturnus and have a good singer in the person of Leo Stivala. They already played a few new songs from their upcoming CD "Dominaeon" Good show!
Next on the bill was the German band STORMWARRIOR who treated us with a portion standard metal. The band also had a very moderate sound but had a very fanatic stage performance. Musically they didnt impress me at all but i'm sure most of the audience loved it!
SKULLVIEW (USA) was the next band and according to a lot of people; this should be THE cultband at this edition of KIT!! Personally i couldnt discover much positive things on their performance; they had a moderate sound, a lot of technical problems and musically a lot of things went wrong. Not to talk about the drunken guitarplayer that smashed his guitar at the end of the show .. Only positive thing to me was their very good singer. Maybe next time better guys!
SLOUGH FEG (USA) had a moderate sound too and the band also have a very standard singer. Musically it all sounds nice and reminds me sometimes to the earlier Iron Maiden days. After half an hour it all began to bore me and it was time for my first diner break .
INTRUDER (USA) already impressed me during their HOA 2004 appearance and I was very curious about them today! Well, again the band played "as tight as a chicken's ass" and they had a very reasonable sound. Their Bay-Area-a like thrash suits me very well and it was to meet these guys again backstage (together with their lovely ladies). Great performance!!
RUFFIANS (USA) already played several times in Germany but for me it was my first acquaintance with this US-metal band. The band played a strong set and they where blessed with a good sound! Most of the songs are mid-tempo but who cares? I was positive surprised by their performance and i hope to see this band again in the future!!
JAG PANZER (USA) The most important band for me and the only reason i came over to KIT this time!! According to the news on the KIT website; the band would play a special "Ample Destruction" show. There was also a possibility they would record the whole show for a live CD or even a DVD .. Well, after the show i was a bit disappointed; not in the band but more in the setlist. Most of Jag Panzer's songs are classics but when you expect a full "Ample Destruction" set and you only get 5 songs out of it; you'll understand I was a bit disappointed! And I was not the only one when you read the reactions on the KIT website-guestbook! Nevertheless, Jag Panzer was, again, superior on stage (as always) and i had a hell of a time with songs like; 'Iron Eagle', 'Black', 'Chain of Command', 'Thane to the Throne', 'Battlezone', 'Hostile', 'License to Kill', 'Warfare', 'The Crucifix' and a few other songs. Singer Harry "The Tyrant" Conklin showed again that he IS the best metalsinger on this earth!! Come back a.s.a.p. guys!!!!!!!!!
RAVEN (UK) I've seen the band several times in the past and personally I prefer to see them ON stage instead of listening to their albums. Raven was the first band that had a real good sound and though the guys are getting older (and fatter), the band is still very fanatic on stage! They played a good set but I have one little complain; on a festival like KIT you should play much more oldies!! Good show from these guys with my personal highlights; 'Rock untill you drop', 'Faster than the speed of light' and 'Dont need your Money'.
VIRGIN STEELE (USA) is a band that never impressed me at all but i have to admit they took their job as headliner of KIT very serious. Nice show, good musicians but also not enough classic evergreens to my opinion.
Conclusion: Most of the bands had a moderate sound and didnt redeem my expectations but there were also, again, some very positive highlights. And personally i think it will be very difficult to overrule KIT II and KIT IV !!!
But in April 2006 i will be there again with bands like: RIOT, EXCITER, SOLITUDE AETURNUS, PARADOX, AXEHAMMER, DARKNESS, SILVER FIST, ROSS THE BOSS (EX-MANOWAR), HIRAX, POWERVICE and a few others.
Thanx again to the organisation (Oliver, Tarek & Jurgen) for inviting me again! See you next time in April!!
Cheers to you;
Mario van Dooren.
Sporthalle, Dittigheim, Germany
Review by Mario van Dooren
KIT is together with the Headbangers Open Air festival one of the most important festivals to me personally!! I'm not gonna subscribe the great atmosphere and kind hearted audience of this true metal festival because everyone who calls himself a true- metalfan already knows the ambiance of this great festival!
Due to personal circumstances (the birth of my first son 1 week before the festival) I had to miss the warm-up show on Friday and had to drive to the festival on Saturday morning.
When I arrived at the Tauberfrankenhalle, the first band IGNITOR (USA) just finished their gig so I cant review it. According the positive reactions I heard from a lot of people I spoke during the day; this band did a hell of a job and where called the best opening band for KIT ever! Later I had a short conversation with female guitarist Beverley and she told me that they received a lot of positive reactions from the audience also.
First band for me to see was the Maltese doomband FORSAKEN. I already saw this band during the 2004 HOA edition and they impressed me again this time! The band had an untidy sound but showed everything they got. Forsaken plays doommetal in the vein of bands like Candlemass & Solitude Aeturnus and have a good singer in the person of Leo Stivala. They already played a few new songs from their upcoming CD "Dominaeon" Good show!
Next on the bill was the German band STORMWARRIOR who treated us with a portion standard metal. The band also had a very moderate sound but had a very fanatic stage performance. Musically they didnt impress me at all but i'm sure most of the audience loved it!
SKULLVIEW (USA) was the next band and according to a lot of people; this should be THE cultband at this edition of KIT!! Personally i couldnt discover much positive things on their performance; they had a moderate sound, a lot of technical problems and musically a lot of things went wrong. Not to talk about the drunken guitarplayer that smashed his guitar at the end of the show .. Only positive thing to me was their very good singer. Maybe next time better guys!
SLOUGH FEG (USA) had a moderate sound too and the band also have a very standard singer. Musically it all sounds nice and reminds me sometimes to the earlier Iron Maiden days. After half an hour it all began to bore me and it was time for my first diner break .
INTRUDER (USA) already impressed me during their HOA 2004 appearance and I was very curious about them today! Well, again the band played "as tight as a chicken's ass" and they had a very reasonable sound. Their Bay-Area-a like thrash suits me very well and it was to meet these guys again backstage (together with their lovely ladies). Great performance!!
RUFFIANS (USA) already played several times in Germany but for me it was my first acquaintance with this US-metal band. The band played a strong set and they where blessed with a good sound! Most of the songs are mid-tempo but who cares? I was positive surprised by their performance and i hope to see this band again in the future!!
JAG PANZER (USA) The most important band for me and the only reason i came over to KIT this time!! According to the news on the KIT website; the band would play a special "Ample Destruction" show. There was also a possibility they would record the whole show for a live CD or even a DVD .. Well, after the show i was a bit disappointed; not in the band but more in the setlist. Most of Jag Panzer's songs are classics but when you expect a full "Ample Destruction" set and you only get 5 songs out of it; you'll understand I was a bit disappointed! And I was not the only one when you read the reactions on the KIT website-guestbook! Nevertheless, Jag Panzer was, again, superior on stage (as always) and i had a hell of a time with songs like; 'Iron Eagle', 'Black', 'Chain of Command', 'Thane to the Throne', 'Battlezone', 'Hostile', 'License to Kill', 'Warfare', 'The Crucifix' and a few other songs. Singer Harry "The Tyrant" Conklin showed again that he IS the best metalsinger on this earth!! Come back a.s.a.p. guys!!!!!!!!!
RAVEN (UK) I've seen the band several times in the past and personally I prefer to see them ON stage instead of listening to their albums. Raven was the first band that had a real good sound and though the guys are getting older (and fatter), the band is still very fanatic on stage! They played a good set but I have one little complain; on a festival like KIT you should play much more oldies!! Good show from these guys with my personal highlights; 'Rock untill you drop', 'Faster than the speed of light' and 'Dont need your Money'.
VIRGIN STEELE (USA) is a band that never impressed me at all but i have to admit they took their job as headliner of KIT very serious. Nice show, good musicians but also not enough classic evergreens to my opinion.
Conclusion: Most of the bands had a moderate sound and didnt redeem my expectations but there were also, again, some very positive highlights. And personally i think it will be very difficult to overrule KIT II and KIT IV !!!
But in April 2006 i will be there again with bands like: RIOT, EXCITER, SOLITUDE AETURNUS, PARADOX, AXEHAMMER, DARKNESS, SILVER FIST, ROSS THE BOSS (EX-MANOWAR), HIRAX, POWERVICE and a few others.
Thanx again to the organisation (Oliver, Tarek & Jurgen) for inviting me again! See you next time in April!!
Cheers to you;
Mario van Dooren.
