Hellfest promoters are very consistent in maintaining their status as one of the biggest festivals in Europe, having fast become an institution, with this year’s event taking place over June 15th-28th, 2023. After the double 2022 edition, promoters had big shoes to fill in order to top the previous year’s special edition. Fortunately, they didn’t desperately try to jump over the bar they set for themselves; instead, they invited an eclectic bunch of artists to their lineup in Clisson. The final day of Hellfest included bands like HOLY MOSES, AMON AMARTH, BENEDICTION, LORD OF THE LOST, DARK ANGEL, MELVINS, and TESTAMENT.
The last day of Hellfest was pestered by heavy rainfall, which meant that photography became a strategic game of sorts. We did manage to get out in time for HOLY MOSES, because let’s be real, thrash metal is always an excellent way to start the day. One wouldn’t expect a thrash metal legend to pop up on stage right after “Careless Whisper” started playing on tape, but hey, there’s always a first time. It’s great to know the band has a sense of humor! The generally very sunny and happy Sabina Classen was like a spark on stage with great energy. The band is currently on their farewell tour promoting their last album, “Invisible Queen,” which was released in April 2023, so we’re glad to have caught them one last time!
Since Vikings had gathered in front of the main stage, we knew that could only mean one thing: melodic death metal act AMON AMARTH was set to play! The band were mostly dedicated their set to songs from their 2022 release, “The Great Heathen Army.” AMON AMARTH shows are always a pleasant spectacle to watch with all the pyros and whistles, row-pits, and the many great tracks. We couldn’t help ourselves from humming their absolute earworms along.
The death metal machine from United Kingdom led by David Ingram was set to play next. BENEDICTION is the type of band where you just know they are having fun while performing on stage, which isn’t always common among death metal bands. The band was mostly playing songs from their 2020 release, “Scriptures,” but filled up the rest of their dynamic set with compositions from their other albums, making it a true classic show for fans of the band!
German Goth rockers LORD OF THE LOST participated in this year’s Eurovision Song Content and could finally perform in their natural habitat, while being received warmly by a very welcoming audience. While they may have not won Eurovision, they surely won over our hearts with material from their latest album, “Blood and Glitter.” They are as upbeat, sparkly, and over the top as their music is, which made for a very entertaining show.
The Californian thrash metal act DARK ANGEL haven’t released new material since 1991. There’s no need for that though, as their classics are fantastic and in a league of their own. The band is intending to release their first studio album in more than 3 decades in 2023-2024, but we were perfectly happy to listen to their cult-status classic songs at Hellfest. Because of their hiatuses, DARK ANGEL have lost a bit of their momentum; had they continued, they would have perhaps ended up a true thrash metal staple, like SLAYER, yet the future remains bright! Their show was fast and merciless, definitely a must-see for those who would like to get into more thrash metal.
Led by Buzz Osborne, the American rock band MELVINS was definitely a well-deserved break in between what seem to be a thrash metal day for us thus far. While their music is pretty hard to classify, as they play whatever they feel like playing, one could say it’s a unique blend of grunge and doom metal, complemented by out-of-this-world attire and high energy performances. The show at Hellfest, which included songs from their latest surprise release, “Bad Moon Rising,” was no difference. The band’s discography is so rich that no one can be surprised that Buzz and co. inspired generations of musicians. This also means that they had an all killer, no filler -kind of setlist!
Since we started out the day with some thrash metal, it was only logical to have the last band continue in those steps. We opted for TESTAMENT and the Bay Area thrash metal act doesn’t need any introduction here. As expected, their show was grand to watch, but then again, we weren’t exactly surprised, as they’re the kind of band that never disappoints. I don’t think there’s anyone in the crowd who doesn’t smile whenever a cheerful Chuck Billy pops up on stage. The band was playing material from their newest release, “Titans of Creation,” which was released in 2020. Despite the weather, Hellfest‘s final day was a definite success, mostly dedicated to thrash metal, but we’re not complaining!
Notes by Maria Sawicka, text by Laureline Tilkin
Photos by Maria Sawicka
