Hellfest 2009: Rated!

Clisson, France - 19-21 June

France | 03 July 2009

Overall – 9/10

In the last three years Hellfest has delivered the best metal line-up on the European calendar bar none. This year 3,000 British fans flocked to France to join in the party and what a party it was.

Hellfest is well and truly up there on European metal map with Download, Wacken and Graspop and it is showing no signs of slowing up on providing relentlessly good billings with Immortal already confirmed for 2010.

Manowar closed the festival this year with an epic set perfectly apt for the weekend, but it was bands lower down on the bill that stole the show, a New Orleans gathering including Soilent Green, Down and Eyehategod on the Friday alongside a British invasion of Napalm Death, Electric Wizard, Orange Goblin and Cathedral on the Sunday.

For the second year running at Hellfest the sun shone on the metal heads who’d come from all over the world to attend. Hellfest believes that 35% of the crowd were from outside of France, which defines just how good the line-up on offer was.

In among the 20,000 fans was Mark MacQueen from Bedfordshire, England. He had this to say about the festival, “Hellfest is organised, original and raw. What every other festival in the world should be like."

Getting there and back: 9/10

There are several ways to get to Hellfest from the UK, most routes, whether it be Eurostar or flights end up in Nantes. Shuttles buses from the airport were in force at the airport taking groups of seven, 20 minutes down the road to the festival for a reasonable ten euros per person.

The site: 9/10

Hidden in glorious countryside surroundings, the site is clearly thought out and delightful on the eye. Hellfest is not a huge festival and nor is the site, which means there are no problems with navigation and getting to and from stages.

Atmosphere 9/10

Hellfest really is a collection of metal fans from all over the world coming together and celebrating heavy metal music in fantastic surroundings. Due to the size of the festival the atmosphere is relaxed and chilled out, yet it gets as crazy as anywhere else for the bands.

Music: 9/10

Absoloutley flawless. The line-up on offer at Hellfest was so diverse yet it captured the very best bands from across the metal scene. There were no acts that could really be considered filler with a solid bill right across the board. The only complaint I heard all weekend was about how there was gap in between the great bands. Hellfest managed to capture acts that other festivals have not this year: Manowar, Eyehategod, Electric Wizard, Pig Destroyer and Saint Vitus to name a few. Hellfest also provided an opportunity for bands like Hatebreed and Killing Joke to play very impressive headline slots, something we are unlikely to see at the UK festivals.

Manowar 8/10

Manowar are extremely over the top with everything they do, but it makes for a good show. A large crowd turned up at 1am for the loudest experience of the weekend, Manowar played a set that included all the crowd pleasers and received a sterling reception as they closed the festival in style.

Machine Head 9/10

Machine Head played Hellfest on the Saturday night, sub headlining to Marilyn Manson. As they often do, the band delivered a solid set and completely upstaged another lack-lustre Marilyn Manson performance. Machine Head came on stage at 11pm and there was certainly a wave of expectation amongst the huge crowd, the band did not disappoint playing a fast, heavy, fresh set. The crowd in turn responded with huge circle pits and went crazy upon Rob Flynns say so.

Napalm Death 9/10

Easily one of the UK’s finest extreme metal exports, Napalm Death delivered a riot of a set inside the Rock Hard tent on Sunday evening. Hundreds of crowd surfers were flying over the barriers left right and centre making the Hellfest security work for their money. The band provided the perfect soundtrack for such antics with a furious set. They were even joined on stage by Cathedral’s vocalist for two tracks, which were met with a terrific reception. Napalm Death's emphatic set was closed with the packed tent screaming along to "Nazi punks…Fuck Off”. By far the biggest crowd in the tent all weekend and by far the best band.

Electric Wizard 9/10

Electric Wizard played in the considerably smaller Terrorizer tent to another big crowd that went on well outside of the tent. The band’s mesmerizing doom was certainly a highlight of the weekend for many, the smokey atmosphere contributed to heaviness of the music smashing you in the face, making for a truly sublime experience.

Hatebreed 9/10

Hatebreed recently played the Download Festival in a mid afternoon slot. At Hellfest they headlined the second main stage on the closing night of the festival. They attracted a large, dedicated crowd that soon descended into absolute chaos. Most songs saw three separate circle pits, many crowd surfers and everyone else jumping around like maniacs. Hatebreed responded by delivering a set that was worthy of a headline slot with old songs and new songs slipped alongside a Black Flag cover which certainly didn’t seem to leave anyone disappointed. 

On such a good bill it was hard to predict any bands that would disappoint, unfortunately Marilyn Manson did.

Marilyn Manson 4/10

Marilyn Manson came onto the stage late and played a completely lack lustre set, similar to his recent Download performance. He lacks the ability, energy and possibly even the desire to shock the audience anymore with a riotous performance. He seems to just come on play some songs and that’s it, which is a shame because he attracted one of, if not, the biggest crowds of the weekend. Other than Marilyn Manson it was hard to pick major flaws with any other bands, each band seemed to be enjoying every minute of being on stage as much as the dedicated Hellfest fans.

By Daniel Watson

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