Category: Festivals Reviews (Page 1 of 2)

SURVIVING HELLFEST XV

I’m not going to write a classic review like everyone always does, and certainly like we do here too.
Instead, I’m gonna write you a short story, probably me talking gibberish but… this is what you get.

I’m writing you a brief description of another dimension where you can have the time of your life. The goal is for these words to move you and make you join us next year in HELL.

The Imagination

Have you ever felt like you need to break out of this world? Your daily routine and all the horrible things that are happening around you.

Have you ever wished to have the portal gun of Rick and the liberty to teleport away from all of this?

This is me and my portal is the gates of Hellfest…

This is the place where people from around the globe gather to break out, be ourselves and forget about whatever is outside the gates of music. We gather for the same passion… MUSIC.

We forget where we came from, our differences, and our colors with everything else that divides us. None of that matters because we are in another dimension, remember! A dimension where hate doesn’t exist. Doesn’t that make Music the only God that should be worshiped?

The Imagination: Existence

As soon as you’re inside the gates of Hell, you realise that this recurring dream actually exists, and you’re just in it.

As it is your first visit, you start wandering around like someone completely lost, but in fact, it’s quite the opposite, you’re observing what’s going around you.

It’d take you a few moments before you stop, you smile and you’re awake to this reality and it is happening.

Freak Show

One show after another, running from one stage to another, trying to catch the train of photographers. 

So many childhood heroes are now in front of your lens, such a heavy pressure to make sure the shot will kick-fucking-ass.

Crossing paths with all the beautiful freaks who are exactly just like you, you feel that we belong but not only that, we should be ruling too!

One stage and you’re in the fame, the huge set-up, the rock stars’ presence, the place where the huge acts play.

Then you move to another stage and you’re in a completely different atmosphere, you’re a Viking fighter, fighting to keep the music alive, swimming on the backs of your fellow fighters.

Your next adventure is more intimate, up close, and personal with your favorite artists, under the tents of HELL.

When The Crowds Are Gone

When we used to pass three days in (let’s call it) dimension Hellfest, we enter the phase of so many officially calls today: “post-Hellfest depression”

This year that phase was longer. The seven days of Hellest were just incredible, we are lucky to be part of such an EPIC event that’d never be forgotten. We did survive seven days in Hellfest but not only that, I’m sure that so many of us wished for Hellfest to go on.

Now we cannot wait for the news to come and what kind of surprise the team of Hellfest is preparing for us, we are used to BIG FAT HEAVY news so… Bring It On

I hope those experiences will encourage you to join me, join us next year, and if you do, don’t hesitate to contact me, I promise we will share a beer together 

I’ll leave you now with some bad-ass shots taken by the team of Metal Bell Magazine.

And don’t hesitate to share if you liked what you read

© Photography by Sharbel

© Photography by Mayaz

Hellfest XV Part One

Now that Hellfest Open Air part one is done, It was time to take a small break, edit some photos and reflect on how it all went down.

Hellfest never really fails to surprise the fans, both intentionally and unintentionally and this edition was a true demonstration on how does it feel to be in Hell…

The festival opened its doors on Friday with a level of Heat Wave that is really rare in this part of the world. But this didn’t stop all the Hellbangers from having the time of their life.

Over two years without live music and being locked down in our rooms, a tiny heat wave won’t stop us from doing what we love the most, MUSIC.

Friday and Saturday felt like HELL… literally, the peak passed over 40° during both days and we all struggled, cause at the end, we all know that we would say: It was all worth it.

Fireworks were canceled in the first day, the organizers decided that because of the extreme heat and they feared for starting a fire, smart decision, this shows how much they value safety.

Here are some images taken by me, this is just a sneak peak, we will publish a full story after Part Two, where we will talk more about this historical edition and publish more photos to try and give you a small taste of Hellfest.

Next, are photos taken by Mayaz, great shots to have any idea what to expect in Hellfest and maybe, makes you go like, Fuck, I wanna be there too, next year.

 

A huge shoutout to everyone at Hellfest Headquarters, the management of this first edition was epic, safety was greatly prioritized and first aid teams were all over the site, a job well done on keeping everyone safe.

Keep an eye here and throughout our social accounts for Live Photos of Part Two.

Stay Heavy

Hellfest 2019 (Reviewed)

Here we go, it’s that time of the year where all Metal enthusiasts from France and all over the world gathers in the beautiful Clisson, to visit their own version of Disney Land for a full weekend, HELLFEST.

The special bonus this year was a fourth day, the weekend kicked of on Thursday this year with Knotfest embracing the French meal world.

I personally stopped talking about how big Hellfest is each year, Ben and his team got enough creativity to surprise us each year.

Come Hellfest 2020, I can only guarantee you, it’ll be your best Metal experience.

The lineup this year was massive, maybe too massive.

This edition of Hellfest was probably the 1969 Woodstock of our time.

It had everything, legends bidding farewell to their fans, old school rock stars, new emerging bands, Tool after 13 years away from their fans.

So many highlights that would go down in the history,

Only this year there were stories to tell, on a positive notes and a negative one.

The opening day of Hellfest was busy, really busy, Hellfest dedicated a main stage just for French bands which was really awesome.

Imagine, in one day, you have the chance to see, Gojira, King Diamond, Mass Hysteria, Dagoba, SUM41, Godsmack, Demons & Wizards, and Dream Theater… etc.

And finally, to close out the day, the almighty Manowar was set to headline.

Remember our story from last year? Where after the last band on the third day, Hellfest came up with a huge surprise, Lights were out for few minutes, then Joey from MANOWAR was live on stage to announce the return of MANOWAR to Hellfest after 10 years, their last performance was back in 2009. I was there.

People were looking forward to this, but don’t get too attached, this story does not have a happy ending.

In the afternoon of Friday, around 80,000 people were notified that MANOWAR wouldn’t be playing tonight anymore, no further explanations.

Few hours later, the story started to go out, MANOWAR were on site the night before, as per Hellfest, they just decided to leave the site and not to play the show.

Then an official statement from MANOWAR blaming Hellfest for this cancelation, I mean it’s MANOWAR, of course they’re gonna blame Hellfest.

The fans were really disappointed and furious, a band like MANOWAR should care and respect their fans.

No matter the reason that led to an argument between the band and the organizer, your MANOWAR, you were on site and ready to play, you deliver to your fans, the show must go on, you perform, then you go to solve your issues with the promoter.

Let’s not give MANOWAR too much attention here, they let down their fans, Hellfest were proactive and on the spot, replaced them by Sabaton.

Long story short, it was a dramatic day, but nobody cared, Hellfest ruled and people had a blast.

Day tow was no less, it was the day where you go on a trip back in time, the real legends of rock and metal ruled, not MANOWAR!

The biggest act that everyone was waiting for was KISS, another legends bidding farewell to the world.

We also had, Whitesnake, Def Leppard, ZZ Top, Within Temptation and many others.

But for me, the highlight of this year was without a doubt KISS.

These guys, after all this years, they put on a show that bands in there twenties wouldn’t have the stamina to do.

They gave it all, a rock show on the highest level, they had raisers on the stage for each musician, at some point, Paul surfed over the crowd with a zip-line and plaid two songs in the middle of the ground, not to mention the flames, the smoke, the explosions and finally the fireworks.

KISS presents the real meaning of the term ROCK STARS.

Days three is usually sad, because you come to realize that it is almost the end for this year, but was way more emotional as SLAYER were also bidding farewell to the world, Tom said few touching words at the end and had tears in his eyes.

On the bill were also, Lamb Of God, Slash, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Anthrax, Trivium, Testament, Death Angel and Philip Anselmo who plaid so many Pantera hits and many other bands.

I will leave with our photo gallery so you can live or re-live some of the best moments of Hellfest 14

Keep an eye on our page and also Hellfest pages, as tickets will go out on sale very soon.

Next year Hellfest celebrates 15 years of greatness, be ready to get blasted as I guess something really extraordinary is in the works…

Until then… Stay Metal \m/

Hellfest 2018 (Reviewed)

Three hours from Paris in my car, it’s probably the longest ride as I drive, I can’t wait to be on site, I count every minute while my car player is shuffling a playlist that I create each year based on the bands playing Hellfest.

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Fall Of Summer Festival 2017 Review

Fall Of Summer Festival 2017 Review!

This was my first time attending Fall of Summer fest in the Parisian region, it is located in a city called Torcy, which is 30 minutes away from Paris, by car. Continue reading

Hellfest 2017 Review | Europe’s Biggest Rock And Metal Festival

Another Hellfest and another unforgettable experience! It’s interesting how the moment you leave Hellfest on Sunday night, you start thinking about what to expect next year. Read below my Hellfest 2017 Review! Continue reading

HellFest 2016 Review – Clisson France

Every year in June Clisson becomes the destination for all metalheads around the globe, located in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France. Since its last year’s 10th anniversary celebration Hellfest started with a blast and all the credit goes to the incredible team behind the festival. the line-up of bands and the variety of the program was outstanding as always, over the three days over 150,000 fans gathered for Hellfest 2016. Continue reading

70000 Tons Of Metal 2016 – REVIEWED

The 6th edition of “70000 Tons” cruise (Royal Caribbean – Independence of the Seas) and our 3rd year in a row cover of the sea festival! This year, the ship sailed with around 3000 metal heads from 72 countries and 60 international bands on February 4th from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale – Florida to Falmouth, Jamaica  and returned on February 8th.

The ship is so big that it definitely still carries the well-deserved title: “World’s Biggest Heavy Metal Cruise”.  (Scroll Down For Photo Gallery)

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%100 Metal Fest HEADBANGERS’ WEEKEND Reviewed

After being frozen in time and space for an hour and a half between clouds of Earth’s humanized land, I have finally arrived late at midnight to ATATURK airport and took the HAVAS shuttle to TAKSIM square, where by then I was so tired and totally drowsy. I could not help but notice that most of the buildings there were wrapped with huge despotic Turkish flags that reflectedan immense patriotic society; also TAKSIM is filled with shops, pubs, and myriad restaurants. Continue reading

M’era Luna – Hildesheim, Germany 2015|Review

M’era Luna is considered to be one of the biggest Goth festivals in the world. It’s held annually by mid of August every year, in Hildesheim, Germany. Continue reading

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