METALMANIA, EASTERN EUROPE CONCERT REVIEW ON ROCK N ROLL UNIVERSE

Metalmania is the greatest heavy metal festival in Eastern Europe. Takes place in a very ugly industrial Polish city Katowice every year since 1986. In last few years it also went to Zlin in Czech Republic and Budapest in Hungary.
This year program looked quite strange and I didn't expect to see a good show because of a huge diversity of bands; of course all were heavy but I couldn't imagine classic heavy metal by Turbo mixed with black Cradle Of Filth and instrumental Apocaliptyca between them.
When I arrived The Haunted was on stage. Their show was really crazy and so was the vocalist who was running on stage like a wild animal.
I was told that before them there were couple god shows such us: Polish death metal gods Dies Irae and unknown for many people Russian ANJ which sounded a bit like Tiamat. Next was Amon Amarth. Their show was very heavy. I was told that whole audience went mad, people were shaking their heads and jumping.
Next went Katatonia from Sweden. The band gave a really good show performing their best songs. They sounded very good, tracks were very melodic. And the next was Dark Funeral which didn't get good reviews.

When I got to the venue, Katatonia's equipment was being loaded on their trucks. As always at small backstage of 'Spodek' people rush; there is not too much space for instruments, musicians and promoters. From the stage noise made by The Haunted was heard. Swedish Pain was getting ready for their show which the audience really liked. Pain is a side project of Peter Tagtgren from Hypocrisy. They are very melodic but heavy as well. The vocalist and two sexy female musicians again gained huge interest and love of Polish audience. Those who were not interested in Pain were standing outside in a very long line to meet Cradle Of Filth during his signing session. Danny and co came about 6 p.m. and were not allowed do go away for two hours! Fans had a great opportunity to speak to the band and get their autographs as well.
During that time a very good gig was played by Arcturus. This black metal band was really good and I must say they looked great on stage. I liked the way the vocalist was moving. Although it was black metal it wasn't to heavy and I watched the show with pleasure.
What was coming next was my highlight of the evening. Polish heavy metal legend Turbo. I'm that lucky person who works as an agent for leaders of Turbo: Grzesiek Kupczyk and Wojciech Hoffmann in their side projects. This year we celebrate 25th anniversary of forming Turbo . They played their best songs and gave the audience the best they could give. Wojciech Hoffmann (in Ibanez catalogue for 2005 among Joe Satriani, Steve Vai and many other great musicians) played many terrific guitar solos. Grzesiek, the vocalist, proved that he is the best Polish heavy metal singer and that all honors and awards he had gotten for last years had been given to the right person. The rest of the band was great too and the fact that they are much younger than the leaders doesn't mean that they were worse. They all know who are they working with!

I missed the show of British grind core band Napalm Death. They played many short fast tracks and were warmly welcomed by audience.

Meanwhile at backstage Finnish Apocaliptyca was hanging around. Some musicians who had already performed were having party. We spoke with Turbo about their next gig in the same venue which they are to play as Judas Priest support in April.
It's going to be another awesome performance of that band.
I went to see Apocaliptyca. Unfortunately I was a bit late and I saw only last three songs. But I loved them. Audience was great. Although Apocaliptyca plays in Poland very often people never get sick of them. It's hard to believe what the musicians can do with their instruments! I'm not talking only about great sounds but also the way they move with cellos!
Apocaliptyca played proudly Metallica's 'Master of Puppets' and their last hit from charts 'Bitter and Sweet' Although it was only instrumental version (originally it was recorded featuring Ville Valo from HIM and Lauri from The Rasmus) it sounded awesome!

Danny from Cradle Of Filth was sitting at backstage, he seemed not to be nervous at all. It's hard to believe that such a short guy has such a power! The show was killing everybody!
Great visualizations on screens , dancing monsters on stage and that interesting Danny's voice were terrific. Some people were a bit disappointed that the band didn't play too many old tracks but in my opinion set list was good.
It might have been a bit shorter show for me, I'm not a fan of such music. But people loved it. And that's the thing.

So, in the year 2006 we have an anniversary 20th Metalmania. I wonder whom we are going to see then!