Thrash 'em All Festival - 10.06.2002. Cracow, Poland
by Perkele
After surfing the homepages of our favourite bands and checking their concert shedules it seemed it would be worth a visit to Cracow in the first days of October and spend a few days there. So we boarded a train, and after 12 hours we arrived in Cracow on the morning of October 6th. During the day, as typical tourists, we walked around this beautiful city, visiting historical places such as the local metal shop, where we even met the owner who spoke Hungarian!
After spending the day doing such typical tourist things, our metal-trip was opened by the Thrash em All Festival, that took place in the Extreme Club in Cracow.
This festival is going around in Poland, crushing 10 cities, providing fine moments to the fans of death metal. There were seven bands playing on the festival this year and though they had only 30-40 minutes long sets, we could expect considerably-long music madness.
At 6pm there were appr. 2-300 people waiting for the club to open its doors, and about half an hour later the first band was on stage.
The festival kicked off with CONTEMPT, a band from Slovakia. They were formed in 1990 and after releasing several demos. their first album The Secret Around Us came out this year. They play fast, technical, brutal death metal; very intense music. Their uncompromising music has some slower parts but even these melodies make it heavier. Extreme music goes along with extreme imagery. The bald guitarists were covered with mud, one of them was even half naked while their singer-guitarist wore a Vader t-shirt.
They started their show with the long 'When Angels Begin to Cry', followed by 'Who I Am?' that was a bit slower with some rhythm changes in the song. Next was 'The Nightwind', and its speed reminded me of a grind song. They also played 'Choke On Your Shame', 'The Secret', 'Death Is Eternal', 'Who Is Untrue?', 'Our Day Of Darkness' and at the end we heard their cover version of SLAYER's 'Necrophobic'. They impressed me very much, I enjoyed their show.
Contempt Homepage
After a few minutes break, DISSENTER entered the stage. For the first listening, their music was so fast and brutal I could only hear the chaotic blasts in it, but during the second song I could finally recognize their melodies. The heavy, extreme melodies combined with these fast rhythms resulted in a bombastic power to their music. Intensive guitar riffs, brutal growlings and the roaring drum beats make their music very solid but also homogeneous. The songs they played were from their second album Apocalypse of the Damned.
Dissenter Homepage
The Polish LOST SOUL continued. Their industrial-like intro turned into pure death metal. The kind of DM they play is a bit dry for m,e but I admit their songs were complex and technical, smuggling melodies into brutality. The first thing that caught my ears were the unusual drum parts, which gave the feeling like there were two men behind the kits. I could see the concentration on their drummer's face while he played the tight, extreme tempos. Kazy, tha blass player, also attracted our eyes as he played on his instrument upright. My favourite track was 'Soul Hunger', a colossal, complex piece. After it they played 'We Want God' that turned into a total chaos and even the three guitarists started a massive headbanging. In short, their performance was overwhelming. Their setlist was: 'No Salvation', 'The Beast Rising', 'My Kingdom', 'Soul Hunger', 'We Want God', 'Tabernaculum Miser', 'Lords of Endeavours', and 'The One You Seek'.
Lost Sould Homepage
The fourth band of the night was SCEPTIC, formed in 1994 under the name of TORMENTOR. Their music is an interesting combination of thrash and progressive death metal, giving a fresh feeling to their music. (I'm sure they were listening to many DEATH and KREATOR albums before) Due to their thrash influences the music they played was the most dynamic music I'd heard that night. Of course, they had some typical death metal song as 'Sadistic Aggression' but it's also ended up into technical music playing. The voice of their singer Micha³ Skotniczny sometimes sounded like master Petrozza's while their bassist Grzegorz Feliks reminded us of the bassist of Dream Theather. They used frestless guitar whose special sound made the whole production more unique. The songs they played: 'Sceptic', 'Ancient Portal', 'Interior of Life', 'Incapable Rulers', 'Sadistic Aggression', and 'Lost Identity'.
Sceptic Homepage
The most awaited moment of the night neared. One of my two favourite bands who played there that night prepared to go on stage. This was the first time I'd seen them live and I was really excited. And this was the time I could hear the voice of their new singer Artur Chudewiak. Yes, the TRAUMA show started with an intro followed by their well-known songs. They played only three songs from their Suffocate in Slumber album, exactly the songs I love so much. Artur's voice might not be as deep as Piotrek's was, but his rattling growlings I found fitting to the music. He was also very energetic as a frontman, living together with every moment of the music.
Their massive, heavy, melodic 'old-school' death metal sounded just like their cd, tensing from energy and aggression and even Artur's voice made this feeling stronger too. The chracteristic, typical TRAUMA riffs make their music recognizable so even their new songs 'The Tyrant Race' and 'Unperfect Like God' sounded familiar. (Unfortunately we have to wait till April 2003 for their new album). The enthusiastic audience went totally crazy when they started to play a cover of 'Silent Scream' from SLAYER. I can only complain about the shortness of their concert: I could have watched and listened to them for two or three times longer.
Their setlist was: 'Intro', 'Unable to React', 'The Tyrant Race', 'Suffocated in Slumber', 'Silent Scream', 'Unperfect Like God', 'A Gruesome Display'.
Trauma Homepage
I mentioned two favourite bands of mine above, so let me tell you about VOMITORY now, whom I was lucky enough to see for the second time this year. Their music always boils my blood and I saw that others felt the same. Even members from the bands who already had played jumped among the headbangers. Most of the time I could see only the flying hair of the viking gods on stage as they headbanged on their own music too. Their melodic, Swedish death metal, full of aggression and energy, and the unstoppable growl vocal of Erik Rundqvist makes them a standout band. Though I'm sorry to say they are very, very underrated.
The songs they played were: 'Chaos Fury', 'Nailed, Quarted, Consumed', 'Blessed And Forsaken', 'Under Clouds Of Blood', 'The Voyage', 'Revelation Nausea', 'Raped In Their Own Blood'.
Vomitory Homepage
MONSTROSITY was the last act of the night, playing hyper-fast, dry, American style death metal. Unfortunately we had to leave after the second song but I'm sure their tireless fans had a great time.
Monstrosity Homepage
For me, it was an amazing evening, had a great time listening to bands who played music I like sooo much. Possibly one of the best concerts of 2002.
Pictures taken at the concert can be viewed here
Thrash 'em All Festival Homepage
by Perkele
After surfing the homepages of our favourite bands and checking their concert shedules it seemed it would be worth a visit to Cracow in the first days of October and spend a few days there. So we boarded a train, and after 12 hours we arrived in Cracow on the morning of October 6th. During the day, as typical tourists, we walked around this beautiful city, visiting historical places such as the local metal shop, where we even met the owner who spoke Hungarian!
After spending the day doing such typical tourist things, our metal-trip was opened by the Thrash em All Festival, that took place in the Extreme Club in Cracow.
This festival is going around in Poland, crushing 10 cities, providing fine moments to the fans of death metal. There were seven bands playing on the festival this year and though they had only 30-40 minutes long sets, we could expect considerably-long music madness.
At 6pm there were appr. 2-300 people waiting for the club to open its doors, and about half an hour later the first band was on stage.
The festival kicked off with CONTEMPT, a band from Slovakia. They were formed in 1990 and after releasing several demos. their first album The Secret Around Us came out this year. They play fast, technical, brutal death metal; very intense music. Their uncompromising music has some slower parts but even these melodies make it heavier. Extreme music goes along with extreme imagery. The bald guitarists were covered with mud, one of them was even half naked while their singer-guitarist wore a Vader t-shirt.
They started their show with the long 'When Angels Begin to Cry', followed by 'Who I Am?' that was a bit slower with some rhythm changes in the song. Next was 'The Nightwind', and its speed reminded me of a grind song. They also played 'Choke On Your Shame', 'The Secret', 'Death Is Eternal', 'Who Is Untrue?', 'Our Day Of Darkness' and at the end we heard their cover version of SLAYER's 'Necrophobic'. They impressed me very much, I enjoyed their show.
Contempt Homepage
After a few minutes break, DISSENTER entered the stage. For the first listening, their music was so fast and brutal I could only hear the chaotic blasts in it, but during the second song I could finally recognize their melodies. The heavy, extreme melodies combined with these fast rhythms resulted in a bombastic power to their music. Intensive guitar riffs, brutal growlings and the roaring drum beats make their music very solid but also homogeneous. The songs they played were from their second album Apocalypse of the Damned.
Dissenter Homepage
The Polish LOST SOUL continued. Their industrial-like intro turned into pure death metal. The kind of DM they play is a bit dry for m,e but I admit their songs were complex and technical, smuggling melodies into brutality. The first thing that caught my ears were the unusual drum parts, which gave the feeling like there were two men behind the kits. I could see the concentration on their drummer's face while he played the tight, extreme tempos. Kazy, tha blass player, also attracted our eyes as he played on his instrument upright. My favourite track was 'Soul Hunger', a colossal, complex piece. After it they played 'We Want God' that turned into a total chaos and even the three guitarists started a massive headbanging. In short, their performance was overwhelming. Their setlist was: 'No Salvation', 'The Beast Rising', 'My Kingdom', 'Soul Hunger', 'We Want God', 'Tabernaculum Miser', 'Lords of Endeavours', and 'The One You Seek'.
Lost Sould Homepage
The fourth band of the night was SCEPTIC, formed in 1994 under the name of TORMENTOR. Their music is an interesting combination of thrash and progressive death metal, giving a fresh feeling to their music. (I'm sure they were listening to many DEATH and KREATOR albums before) Due to their thrash influences the music they played was the most dynamic music I'd heard that night. Of course, they had some typical death metal song as 'Sadistic Aggression' but it's also ended up into technical music playing. The voice of their singer Micha³ Skotniczny sometimes sounded like master Petrozza's while their bassist Grzegorz Feliks reminded us of the bassist of Dream Theather. They used frestless guitar whose special sound made the whole production more unique. The songs they played: 'Sceptic', 'Ancient Portal', 'Interior of Life', 'Incapable Rulers', 'Sadistic Aggression', and 'Lost Identity'.
Sceptic Homepage
The most awaited moment of the night neared. One of my two favourite bands who played there that night prepared to go on stage. This was the first time I'd seen them live and I was really excited. And this was the time I could hear the voice of their new singer Artur Chudewiak. Yes, the TRAUMA show started with an intro followed by their well-known songs. They played only three songs from their Suffocate in Slumber album, exactly the songs I love so much. Artur's voice might not be as deep as Piotrek's was, but his rattling growlings I found fitting to the music. He was also very energetic as a frontman, living together with every moment of the music.
Their massive, heavy, melodic 'old-school' death metal sounded just like their cd, tensing from energy and aggression and even Artur's voice made this feeling stronger too. The chracteristic, typical TRAUMA riffs make their music recognizable so even their new songs 'The Tyrant Race' and 'Unperfect Like God' sounded familiar. (Unfortunately we have to wait till April 2003 for their new album). The enthusiastic audience went totally crazy when they started to play a cover of 'Silent Scream' from SLAYER. I can only complain about the shortness of their concert: I could have watched and listened to them for two or three times longer.
Their setlist was: 'Intro', 'Unable to React', 'The Tyrant Race', 'Suffocated in Slumber', 'Silent Scream', 'Unperfect Like God', 'A Gruesome Display'.
Trauma Homepage
I mentioned two favourite bands of mine above, so let me tell you about VOMITORY now, whom I was lucky enough to see for the second time this year. Their music always boils my blood and I saw that others felt the same. Even members from the bands who already had played jumped among the headbangers. Most of the time I could see only the flying hair of the viking gods on stage as they headbanged on their own music too. Their melodic, Swedish death metal, full of aggression and energy, and the unstoppable growl vocal of Erik Rundqvist makes them a standout band. Though I'm sorry to say they are very, very underrated.
The songs they played were: 'Chaos Fury', 'Nailed, Quarted, Consumed', 'Blessed And Forsaken', 'Under Clouds Of Blood', 'The Voyage', 'Revelation Nausea', 'Raped In Their Own Blood'.
Vomitory Homepage
MONSTROSITY was the last act of the night, playing hyper-fast, dry, American style death metal. Unfortunately we had to leave after the second song but I'm sure their tireless fans had a great time.
Monstrosity Homepage
For me, it was an amazing evening, had a great time listening to bands who played music I like sooo much. Possibly one of the best concerts of 2002.
Pictures taken at the concert can be viewed here
Thrash 'em All Festival Homepage
