Normally I’m not a huge fan of those massive multi-day festivals, such as Neurotic Death Fest. Usually there are too many bands I don’t like and the bands I do like play to short, or have overlapping time schedules. This year I made an exception for tho for this festival, and for a very particular reason: Gorguts. And a few other bands were quite a nice bonus.

I arrived when Origin was still setting up their gear in the main hall and soon they started their set. This is basically ultra fast, brutal death metal, which playing was impressive and very tight, but in the end bored me a bit – basically Nile on steriods with blast beats all around.

Afterwards I was able to see a few songs of the Dutch Dictated on the smallest of the three stages. They sounded okay – a bit generic death metal, but having two women providing for the guitar work was at least a bit special.

Back to the main hall, It was time for Morgoth – and old school death metal band from Germany, that a long time a go split up, but reunited for some festival gigs. I am quite a bit of a fan of their Cursed album, and the EPs before that are cool. And I never had the opportunity to see them live in the 90s. But after some 20 years or so, I wondered how they would still sound like. Somehow the sound became a bit thin and the guitars were hard to hear. But that didn’t hurt the gig that much, most of the songs could be easily recognised and sounded actually quite good. That is with one exception, Marc’s vocals have not really aged too well and don’t sound as deep as they used to be. The set was mostly Cursed material, with some White Gallery and Pits of Utumno from the Eternal Fall, and with Resistance off Odium.

A tour of the other two stages showcased Within the Ruins and Putrid Pile, the latter with just one guy with a guitar and vocals, and a tape taking care of the rest. Quite odd, but both weren’t really my thing.

Back to the main stage, there was Anaal Nathrakh setting up. This is the other band of Dave Hunt, who also sings in Benediction, but in a rather different style. When I heard them on CD I wasn’t much impressed, but live they sounded quite okay. Some interesting guitar work and all. Maybe I ougtha give them another listen sometime

Another round along the other two stages brought Molotov Solution which is shitty deathcore and Carnifex both for which I don’t care

Then in the main hall, it was time to watch Gorguts set up, which was more interesting than watching the other two bands. And right on schedule, the kicked off with “From Wisdom to Hate”. Luc and his new bandmates flew in to this gig from Canada, performing for the first time in Europe after some 19 years – ever since the tour for “The Erosion of Sanity” album. This was excellent tho, and the complex and technical material was played with precision. They set list was varied, playing Obscura, Nostalgia, Carnal State of Obscura, Inverted from From Wisdom to Hate, Orphans of Sickness and the title track of The Erosion of Sanity, and even the old Stiff and Cold from the debut. Plus they played an instrumental song yet to be recorded which sounded a bit different tho, but I can’t wait to hear any new album. So in short this was really worthwhile to go to. Excellent gig and let’s hope we don’t have to wait another 19 years for the next gig.

Disincarneted played the third stage, but after Gorguts, they failed to impress me totally, and so didCold Worker.

Then Suffocation headlined the main stage. And with drummer Mike Smith gone and another Suffo veteran stepping in – Dave Culros, I guess they hadn’t time to learn some of the newer material, since we only got Abomination Reborn of the titleless album. The remainder of the set was comprised of nothing but classic material from all the material up to Despise the Sun. So nothing to complain there with Infecting the Crypts, Jesus Wept, Liege of Inveracity, Pierced From Within, Funeral Inception, Catetonia, Breeding the Spawn, and a few more. Suffocation rarely lets down and they didn’t fail to impress this time. They only complaint was Frank’s chattiness, extending sometimes several minutes (is he studying for preacher or what the fuck) – and I wasn’t the only one being a bit irritated about that considering the “shut the fuck ups” from the audience. But nevertheless a really good gig.

I went to see a few songs from Abysmal Torment from Malta, but I couldn’t really care about them too much, and being tired I quickly got a Gorguts shirt and went home. Had a good time tho despite my reservations towards festivals. And I might go to another one too, Bolt Thrower playing on Into the Grave.