Here goes nothing...
I shall now attempt to review the entire festival. I'll try to make my biases clear during this, lest people pounce on me for my opinions that are a matter of personal preference and therefore can't be changed.
Let me start by saying that all ten sets were very good. (kudos to glen for assembling a lineup of bands in which not a single live set sucked in the slightest, and obvious congratulations to the bands themselves). When reading any negative comments about the sets, please refer back to this important statement.
I'll seperate this review into 4 areas: first, the 5 power metal bands, then the 3 prog metal bands, then Zero Hour (the technical metal band), and Devin Townsend (the what the hell metal band), whom i don't think it's fair to lump into either category.
Power metal (in order of best set):
1 (tie). Edguy:
These guys just crashed right through everything. they were extremely tight, Tobias was all over the place, the other guys were obviously having an awesome time playing... truly a top notch metal set. I had high hopes for Edguy's set going in, and they exceeded them. They essentially burned the place down with song after song of superbly executed metal fire. I don't really have many specific things to say about this set except that it ruled. my god, it ruled.
1. (tie) Gamma Ray:
Now for the band that i was looking the most forward to. I'm a big Kai Hansen fan, and this was my first time seeing any of the bands he's been involved with live. It could not have been better. I may be slightly biased (other than my aforestated love of the band) because I actually managed to be front and center for this set (through a clever arrangement with my roommate the rabid Devin Townsend fan), and therefore was right in the middle of all the adrenaline and energy that they ignited the crowd with. They were razor sharp; one of the tightest sets i've ever heard. It just completely kicked my ass.
3. Angra:
Angra are an oddity for me. they are the first instance of a band or musician being in a genre that I enjoy listening to (namely power metal), and obviously being excellent at what they are doing, and me being completely unable to get into it. Try as i might, I cannot like this band beyond the occasional song or two. No matter what I do. That being said, I could definitely tell that Angra were playing their songs extremely well, and they were good performers, so i place them third (even though i am a [much] bigger fan of blind guardian and silent force than angra). I personally spent most of their set wondering why i couldn't get into it. (i told you, this is a new experience for me...). It also didn't help that Kai & company had just completely drained me and left me dead after their set. I think i may have enjoyed Angra's set a lot more had it not been following up Gamma Ray. The Iron Maiden cover was obviously fun.
5. (tie) Silent Force:
They weren't quite as tight as I was hoping they would be (mainly as compared to the other bands there; Silent Force were still very together, moreso than several of the bands last year), but their set was still a lot of fun. Judas Priest sing alongs are always fun for everyone, am i wrong? it's also hard not to have stage presence when you're (D.C. Cooper) taller than everyone at the festival except Tom from Evergrey (or is he taller than him too?)
5. (tie) Blind Guardian:
Before everyone rips me a new one for tying them for last out of the power metal, let me say that their set was still very cool to hear. that being said, Gamma Ray, Edguy, and Angra all played their music better than Blind Guardian played theirs. also, for having someone else playing bass live, Hansi wasn't exercising his freedom of movement much. they simply were not as entertaining to watch as the other 4. not being a Blind Guardian die hard, i wasn't as bowled over by the "oh my god, it's Blind Guardian in the flesh" factor, so i noticed this (it's possible that this same argument could be used against my Gamma Ray review; i'll admit to being somewhat of a Kai fanboy, but i also thought Gamma Ray were much more together than Blind Guardian). It also didn't help Blind Guardian that they had to follow Edguy.
anyway, next area:
Prog Metal (in order of best set):
I'm not much of a prog fan, really, so these will be short. I'll also say that these were all very close in the running
1. Threshold:
Their set was very solid. they were also a little heavier than i was expecting, which was a nice surprise. I see why they are regarded so highly in the prog scene, without a doubt. Also, gotta love those flashes of the awesome sense of humor that all brits seem to be born with in the between song banter.
2. Pain of Salvation
Another good set, with the requisite top-notch musicianship one expects from the scene. Their music doesn't click as well with me; it often seems like they never really decided what they wanted the song to do. Daniel's vocals are phenomenal, though. Another small complaint is that while what he was saying was often humorous, Daniel does tend to talk. I was also very tired during this set, after having stood for all 4 other bands the first day.
3. Reading Zero:
Didn't really like any of the available MP3's i found of theirs before the show, but they also played very well and sound better live than in the studio, as was pointed out, so their set was still enjoyable.
and now the random stuff:
Zero Hour:
top-notch technical metal set. these guys were razor-sharp live, unlike last year's technical metal band Spiral Architect, who rather disappointed me since technical metal is my favorite of the genres represented at Progpower, and i really like their studio stuff. no such disappointment this year. Zero Hour were damn cool, and an awesome kickoff to the festival. (and if the Tipton brothers are reading this, i found my sharpie; it was "lost" in my own pocket.)
Devin Townsend:
I was hoping for a few more antics out of a wildman like Devin, but I guess I'll get my fill when I catch SYL in january. This set was quite good, very different from the others at the festival. I'm glad that such a unique project was given a chance to play. I really got into it.
Ryan (jesus that was a lot of typing)
(if you actually read this far, then thanks for caring about my opinion)
I shall now attempt to review the entire festival. I'll try to make my biases clear during this, lest people pounce on me for my opinions that are a matter of personal preference and therefore can't be changed.
Let me start by saying that all ten sets were very good. (kudos to glen for assembling a lineup of bands in which not a single live set sucked in the slightest, and obvious congratulations to the bands themselves). When reading any negative comments about the sets, please refer back to this important statement.
I'll seperate this review into 4 areas: first, the 5 power metal bands, then the 3 prog metal bands, then Zero Hour (the technical metal band), and Devin Townsend (the what the hell metal band), whom i don't think it's fair to lump into either category.
Power metal (in order of best set):
1 (tie). Edguy:
These guys just crashed right through everything. they were extremely tight, Tobias was all over the place, the other guys were obviously having an awesome time playing... truly a top notch metal set. I had high hopes for Edguy's set going in, and they exceeded them. They essentially burned the place down with song after song of superbly executed metal fire. I don't really have many specific things to say about this set except that it ruled. my god, it ruled.
1. (tie) Gamma Ray:
Now for the band that i was looking the most forward to. I'm a big Kai Hansen fan, and this was my first time seeing any of the bands he's been involved with live. It could not have been better. I may be slightly biased (other than my aforestated love of the band) because I actually managed to be front and center for this set (through a clever arrangement with my roommate the rabid Devin Townsend fan), and therefore was right in the middle of all the adrenaline and energy that they ignited the crowd with. They were razor sharp; one of the tightest sets i've ever heard. It just completely kicked my ass.
3. Angra:
Angra are an oddity for me. they are the first instance of a band or musician being in a genre that I enjoy listening to (namely power metal), and obviously being excellent at what they are doing, and me being completely unable to get into it. Try as i might, I cannot like this band beyond the occasional song or two. No matter what I do. That being said, I could definitely tell that Angra were playing their songs extremely well, and they were good performers, so i place them third (even though i am a [much] bigger fan of blind guardian and silent force than angra). I personally spent most of their set wondering why i couldn't get into it. (i told you, this is a new experience for me...). It also didn't help that Kai & company had just completely drained me and left me dead after their set. I think i may have enjoyed Angra's set a lot more had it not been following up Gamma Ray. The Iron Maiden cover was obviously fun.
5. (tie) Silent Force:
They weren't quite as tight as I was hoping they would be (mainly as compared to the other bands there; Silent Force were still very together, moreso than several of the bands last year), but their set was still a lot of fun. Judas Priest sing alongs are always fun for everyone, am i wrong? it's also hard not to have stage presence when you're (D.C. Cooper) taller than everyone at the festival except Tom from Evergrey (or is he taller than him too?)
5. (tie) Blind Guardian:
Before everyone rips me a new one for tying them for last out of the power metal, let me say that their set was still very cool to hear. that being said, Gamma Ray, Edguy, and Angra all played their music better than Blind Guardian played theirs. also, for having someone else playing bass live, Hansi wasn't exercising his freedom of movement much. they simply were not as entertaining to watch as the other 4. not being a Blind Guardian die hard, i wasn't as bowled over by the "oh my god, it's Blind Guardian in the flesh" factor, so i noticed this (it's possible that this same argument could be used against my Gamma Ray review; i'll admit to being somewhat of a Kai fanboy, but i also thought Gamma Ray were much more together than Blind Guardian). It also didn't help Blind Guardian that they had to follow Edguy.
anyway, next area:
Prog Metal (in order of best set):
I'm not much of a prog fan, really, so these will be short. I'll also say that these were all very close in the running
1. Threshold:
Their set was very solid. they were also a little heavier than i was expecting, which was a nice surprise. I see why they are regarded so highly in the prog scene, without a doubt. Also, gotta love those flashes of the awesome sense of humor that all brits seem to be born with in the between song banter.
2. Pain of Salvation
Another good set, with the requisite top-notch musicianship one expects from the scene. Their music doesn't click as well with me; it often seems like they never really decided what they wanted the song to do. Daniel's vocals are phenomenal, though. Another small complaint is that while what he was saying was often humorous, Daniel does tend to talk. I was also very tired during this set, after having stood for all 4 other bands the first day.
3. Reading Zero:
Didn't really like any of the available MP3's i found of theirs before the show, but they also played very well and sound better live than in the studio, as was pointed out, so their set was still enjoyable.
and now the random stuff:
Zero Hour:
top-notch technical metal set. these guys were razor-sharp live, unlike last year's technical metal band Spiral Architect, who rather disappointed me since technical metal is my favorite of the genres represented at Progpower, and i really like their studio stuff. no such disappointment this year. Zero Hour were damn cool, and an awesome kickoff to the festival. (and if the Tipton brothers are reading this, i found my sharpie; it was "lost" in my own pocket.)
Devin Townsend:
I was hoping for a few more antics out of a wildman like Devin, but I guess I'll get my fill when I catch SYL in january. This set was quite good, very different from the others at the festival. I'm glad that such a unique project was given a chance to play. I really got into it.
Ryan (jesus that was a lot of typing)
(if you actually read this far, then thanks for caring about my opinion)
I want to second the comments that THreshold sounded even better live than I thought they would, and that Daniel's (PoS) vocals were indeed phenomenal. Oh, and I think Tom is still about a foot taller than DC. I think he's probably only about 6'1", whereas I think Tom is more like 6'4" or 5".
