Review by Gary Spiller for MPM
Hot sticky scenes, you know what I mean
Like a desert sun that burns my skin
I’ve been waiting for her for so long
Open the sky and let her come down
The Cult – ‘Rain’
Awaking, very briefly, to the sound of some light precipitation upon the motorhome roof during the wee hours is a slight shock to the system following the elevated levels of centigrade we had received yesterday. Seemingly bored of further stoking the furnace any further Lucifer has returned to his valiant, but as always in vain, attempts at completing the Teufelsmauer. His lofty dreams of claiming the fertile plains to the North of his metal-rich Harz mountains remain just that.
Ok, so it’s not been a deluge of biblical proportions nor are we in any danger of flooding, but the rain has brought a murmuring of gently restrained ‘excitement’ across the festival’s camping grounds. Mercifully, The temperature has dropped noticeably and there’s some compassionate cloud cover too. With a full fourteen hours of heavy metal feasting lying ahead of us day two has much in hold. From homegrown promise to stellar international offerings there’s much herein to ravenously gormandise upon.
Consult the Rockharz lexicon under ‘local’ and one will discover Quedlinburg melodic death metallers Deliver The Galaxy. Hailing from the most beautiful UNESCO World Heritage listed town, just a 15km. drive from the festival site, this quartet formed back in 2010 about the present-day nucleus of guitarists Matthias Mente and Christian Rockstedt. Bassist Danny Stoye was recruited five years later and current drummer Paul Halle, the most recent recruit early last year.
Last year’s ‘Bury Your Gods’ concept album – the band’s first since signing with Massacre Records at the tail end of 2023 – forms the entirety of their timetabled 30 minutes. Thunder rolls and a deep bass note resounds as the ethereal spacey intro ‘Ancient Alien’ sets an enthralling tone. Rolling headlong into the rasping furore of titular track ‘Bury Your Gods’ heads begin to bang throughout the late morning assembly.
There are touches of Swedish metallers In Flames and Dark Tranquillity on show immediately; another thing that is instantly apparent DTG aren’t here to merely make up the numbers. They’re here firmly on merit and the huge amount of potential within. On stage banners flutter in the breeze as the melodic Maiden-esque vibes of ‘Deathlight’ surge forth speedily. Mente’s vocals ebb from clean to harsh neatly invoking memories of Dimmu Borgir’s set here 12 months’ previous.
Battle-hardened clans regroup ahead of the forthcoming flash of the steel in ‘Path of Existence’ whilst the infernal roar of ‘Serpent’s Lament’ leaves a scorched path in its wake. The Nordics awake with the accelerated ‘Dead Planet’ ahead of a return to the battlefields in the obsidian abyss of the prog metal slab ‘Unsterbilch’.
DTG’s tactic of hook, snare and seduce work well with closing track ‘Live, Die, Repeat’ swelling the moody atmospherics as a stiff breeze blows off the witches’ lair on the Brocken. Outro ‘PE3’ provides the set-ending parentheses as the quartet, grabbing a photo, savour their moment.
Haste ye back to this hallowed turf for a most positive of impressions has been planted. Whilst not able, timewise, to showcase the completeness of ‘Bury Your Gods’ the live showcasing of seven numbers has given sufficient insight for this release to be added to my ‘to purchase’ playlist.
As is Rockharz tradition the day provides twists and turns at every corner and junction. The four face-painted warriors of Swedish gothic horror-metal outfit Mister Misery break out of their subterranean crypt and burst out with rapid pace into the early-afternoon sunlight.
A Scandinavian vortex spins in turmoil in the form of ‘Eye of the Storm’ as frontman Harley torments “My past forever haunts me!” as the high-energy symphonic underpinning captivates. Very much in the vein of fellow shock rockers Wednesday 13 and Alice Cooper there are some comparisons, in part, to ascendent Brits South of Salem. With a do or die attitude there’s no mercy to be given or, indeed, prisoners to be taken.
Afore the melancholic and mournful ‘Ready Aim Fire’, untethered a couple of months ago, Harley instructs “Rockharz bang your fucking heads!” Orders that are heeded in unison amidst the threatening “Execute them all!” Fiery six-strong solos ignite funerial pyres that soar upwards. The madcap harem scarem of ‘My Ghost’ harks of a meld of South of Salem’s hard-edged rocking with the madcap theatrics of Coppelius. Harley crosses his arms across his chest; “My hands are so cold, but your soul is so warm” he imparts.
The boogieman is at large, new bassist (and former crew member) Kammo is welcomed to the fray by Harley; “It’s his first show” notes the affable frontman. The marauding predator ‘Into Oblivion’ – another 2025 single release – opens up an ever-reverent large circle pit. A salivating twin lead between Harley and Alex takes Rockharz firmly by the hand into the well-received ‘Survival of the Sickest’; a legion of multi-coloured onesie-wearing moshers circle.
Rockharz are cordially invited to “Go absolutely crazy with us!” by Harley prior to the unrelenting darkened sepulchre-dwelling metal of ‘Strangeland’. Symphonics abound with an accelerated Mötley Crüe running hither and tither. The set draws to a spiky conclusion with the band’s signature track ‘Ballad of the Headless Horseman’. Ethereal metal at its absolute best the amassed ensemble shows their whole-hearted approval.
Fellow Swedes The Gems follow in the choppy wake left behind by Mister Misery. Arising from the 2023 splintering of Thundermother, one of several that has plagued the band, the quartet bring Rockharz back into the middle ground with their hard-driving freeway friendly rock. As has been stated before there is most certainly room for a slice or five of pretty much everything that dwells beneath the rock umbrella here at Ballenstedt.
Whilst former Thundermother components Guernica Mancini (vocals) and Emlee Johansson (drums) are in action their partner-in-rock Mona “Demona” Lindgren (guitar/bass) is unable to fly due to the impending arrival of her child. With congratulations to Lindgren so the drafting of Art Feldtser and Rasmus Ehrnborn – bass and guitar respectively – ensures the hard rocking continues unabated.
The intro’ing ‘Aurora’ – opening track of their debut lp ‘Phoenix’ – recommends, whilst the storm is raging, dancing in the rain. Oh, the irony given the current heatwave Western Europe is embraced by. Ehrnborn hits the opening riffs of joyous, dirty rocker ‘Queens’ that pay a respectful doff of collective caps, rather aptly, towards Queen’s ‘Tie You’re your Mother Down’ before taking a modern-day perspective more akin to The Amorettes.
Via a swift “Wassup Rockharz?” courtesy of powerhouse Mancini the quadrumvirate continue with the gritty, arenaceous ‘Send Me To The Wolves’ with a harkening of a heavied up The Damn Truth. A bluesy rocker Mancini’s crystalline vocals shine brightly contrasting with Ehrnborn’s gravelly guitaring. Just two tracks in and it’s hugely apparent the emotional cheer that is emanating from the Dark Stage; this is truly a bird released in full flight.
With a ZZ Top blended with AC/DC vibe ‘Domino’ possesses a captivating swagger; there’s even room for Mancini to add some welcome cowbell. Rattlesnake rocking ‘Silver Tongue’ dunks the 21st century Halestorm attitude into a classic rock setting for a tsunamic product. Tumbling into the bourbon soaked ‘Running’ Ehrnborn whittles a conflagrant solo from his LTD Phoenix Firebird for smiles all around. The pugilistic strains of ‘P.S.Y.C.H.O.’ is dedicated to all the haters and raising her bottle of water, at track end, Mancini offers a hearty “Prost!”
Svelte in form ‘Kiss It Goodbye’ effortlessly slinks whilst the slower pace of ‘Fruits Of My Labor’ is a perfect match for this summery afternoon as it effortlessly drifts across the airfield. Mancini, booted right foot up on the frontline, salutes the Rockharz crowd with raised horns as the final notes ebb away. Released at the end of March ‘Live and Let Go’ is the latest in a series of 3-minute stun gun bursts that are already becoming a staple trademark of The Gems.
The first single, the song that sparked this whole circus according to Mancini, ‘Like A Phoenix’ returns the velocity to its highest setting. This is where The Amorettes could have been were it not for them splitting. Hard driving and muscular there’s a daub of Pat Benetar in Mancini’s voice as the Brocken swelters in the heat-haze. In a summer full of festival slots across Sweden and Germany this afternoon will go down as one of many triumphs for this fine band.
Back home in the UK I frequently, in bouts of personal frustration, reflect on how criminally underrated the next band on Rockharz’s bill is. Formed nearly twenty years ago Wiesbaden’s The New Roses have been on our radar for quite some time now having first caught them in action pre-pandemic at Troon’s Winterstorm festival. Enraptured by the infectious aura and equally hooky Midwest highway numbers we’ve seen several times since including a memorable headline slot on the South coast of England at 2023’s Love Rocks festival.
Judging by their chart success in their home country and the massive mid-afternoon crowd the quintet has attracted afront the Rock Stage it’s pretty evident that it’s a vastly different this side of the Channel. This is a homecoming welcome reserved for the upper echelons of rock royalty, and it’s rightfully rolled out here beneath the Harz sun. Blonde-haired axeman Norman Bites, now firmly re-ensconced in the ranks, punches the air in triumphantic pleasure as the band assembles.
The powerhouse AOR of ‘Attracted To Danger’ – the titular track of last October’s studio release – is sweetly coruscant and sparkles vividly in full-on peacock mode. Co-founding member Timmy Rough, right foot up on the front-line and angled mic stand, is every inch a bonafide rockstar; Jon Bon Jovi and Kid Rock all rolled into one well engineered package but minus any visible ego.
One track in and I can assuredly conclude that this much bigger stage is totally where this band belongs. The thunder is well and truly delivered in the highway rocking of ‘Bring The Thunder’ as TNR continue shining the spotlight upon their latest offering. A weightier Bryan Adams infusion this track slots into the set belonging as if it had been there all along. Its anthemic swell deservedly receives the Rockharz adoration.
The stateside rocking of ‘Every Wild Heart’ trucks back to 2017’s ‘One More for the Road’ album with the singalong sun-drenched anthem shaking Kid Rock by the hand and turning him inside out and upside down. Bassist Hardy and Bites playfully jostle as the good times roll out like the never-ending autobahn before Rough knocks an imaginary homerun; the witches atop the Brocken better watch out!
Stiens, in homage, are raised aloft as an uncountably large number of litres of fine German beer – quite literally trucked in utilising specially designed tank trailers; one of many notable Green measures implemented across the festival site – finds itself at a momentarily higher than intended elevation. This is what happens, quite organically, when top drawer quality like the boisterous hook of ‘Forever Never Comes’ is craned in.
Getting ever steeper and upwards the trajectory continues to rocket as The New Roses ratchet up matters even further with the road trip fellowship of ‘Glory Road’ launched into the stratosphere. Think the pinnacle has been reached? Then reconsider as even better is yet to come. The sunniest of dispositions, as Rough films Rockharz bouncing madly along, are unleashed in country-rocking of ‘Thirsty’. Presley, seemingly with reckless abandon, flings his Flying V about his body before going shoulder to shoulder with fellow six-stringer Norman Bites.
The gravelly rasp of ‘The Usual Suspects’ maintains the increasing momentum as The New Roses continue to extract from an incredibly high-grade ore-bearing lode. For the final track Rough invites a special guest vocalist out alongside him; bedecked in a Britney t-shirt the festival’s stage manager (I believe) storms through the Bruce Springsteen/Kid Rock alloy of the rousing ‘Down By The River’. The New Roses’ appearance at the sold-out 6,000 capacity Stonedead Festival cannot come quickly enough!
The woodland horns strike up as pagan British metallers Green Lung stride boldly forwards to take Rockharz in yet another direction. It’s a seismic shift with their blend of doomy, stoner rock melded, in a sorcerous broth, with geological slabs of metalliferous oomph.
Germany has long held an affection for all forms of UK rock; from the 70s when the ilk of Quo and Sabbath were running amok, through to the latter-day incursions of the burgeoning Massive Wagons and Those Damn Crows via the 80s when Maiden and Saxon led the NWOBHM invasion that candle of endearment has always burned brightly.
Outside of their UK homelands Green Lung have played more gigs in Germany than any other country; there seems to be, judging upon this afternoon’s shows, a clear admiration for their Sabbath-infused darkened metallic deliverance. Veering far from the median with their underworldly groove Green Lung hugely impressed me upon first sight at 2022’s Steelhouse Festival amongst the Welsh Valleys. That afternoon I concluded “Steelhouse have well and truly pulled out a humungous rabbit out of their hat here!”
Three years later and following a hypnotic ‘assault’ upon my senses it’s a very safe bet that this is an outfit that has elevated their collective game much, much higher. Last summer’s slot at Bloodstock gave healthy suggestion to this and it’s now reassuring to gather conclusive evidence of this. Further positive behemothic strides await.
Doomy, crepuscular riffs abound courtesy of guitarist Scott Black (a right-handed Iommi if there ever was), following the intro of ‘Initiation’, in the set-opening paganistic vibrancy of ‘Woodland Rites’. Vocalist Tom Templar beats, with clenched fist, his chest. The swirling keys of John Wright provide a progressive edge whilst an unseen dynamic surges powerfully. This abyssal-dwelling quintet is surely the 21st century heir to the Black Sabbath throne.
An ominous, perhaps foreboding, cloud momentarily crosses afront the sun as the demonic kinetics of ‘Mountain Throne’ creates a tornadic outpouring. The midnight owl makes its nocturnal flight unimpeded as Black delivers a razor-sharp solo. The predator stance of ‘Maxine (Witch Queen)’ is dedicated, by Templar, to “All the witches in the crowd”; the solitary ruined forest tower stands upon guardian watch as a cogent incantation is cast in the track’s hammerblow paganistics.
The leviathan bass of Joseph Ghast quakes menacingly to herald ‘Hunters in the Sky’, a phantom cavalcade stampedes. Templar’s piercing vocals illuminate the obsidian darkness that pervades. At complete odds to all onstage a raft of bubbles, tiny glinting rainbows, pass by as Black lays down a fearsome solo.
Harmonies between Ghast and Templar entwine as one with nature itself whilst coruscant keys and guitar embrace within the soulful melodics of ‘Song of the Stones’ – a fourth consecutive inspection of most recent release ‘This Heathen Land’ (the band’s first album upon the renown Nuclear Blast label). The ethereal spirit of Grendel arises from his mossy hollow as invocations of early Marillion take flight.
The undead awake in heathen realms whilst the Rockharz assembly hold utter reverence for the mournful tones of ‘Templar Dawn’. Following on ‘Old Gods’, the solitary tack into ‘Black Harvest’, gets the knowing approval from Rockharz’s antlered guardian before the achingly haunting of ‘The Forest Church’ chimes. The writhing serpent that is ‘Let The Devil In’ makes the closing chapter of an engaging three quarters of an hour that has seen Green Lung now firmly at the forefront of many more German metalheads.
The rallying enquiry is made, bold and clear “Rockharz are you ready for the Kings?” it asks. Armageddon is close but you wouldn’t know it as it’s a very pleasant Harz evening as swords and shields clatter in enterprising fashion. It’s the bombastic call of the factions as the four warlords (Roman, Greek, Viking, and Crusader) that comprise Austrian power metal outfit Warkings gather to hold counsel upon the hallowed environs of the Rockharz stage.
Sent to Earth by Odin, after having met in Valhalla, this imperious quadrumvirate are hellbent upon their mission to spread the gospel of power metal and relentlessly set about it from the first notes of the rapid-fire despatch of ‘The Last Battle’ right through to the very last echoes of the magmatic eruption that is the set-closing ‘Gladiator’. Warriors and shieldmaidens alike are readied with intense purpose.
Through a journey of five albums in the seven years hence formation Warkings have seen their reputation and fanbase both grow. A steady rise through the German charts saw latest release ‘Armageddon’, just a week following this set, reach a most respectable number 6 position on the Official Charts.
There’s high theatrics during the fearsome battle cry of ‘Kings of Ragnarök’. The forge master, son of Hera, appears during engaging ‘Hephaistos’, a heavy metal homage to the higher beings of Greek mythology. Fires are lit across the stage by this legendary blacksmith, an artisan who is celebrated for making the weapons of the gods in Olympus. The quartet’s impressive output is well received.
The pounding resonance of the new album’s title track ‘Armageddon’ storms out of the cataclysm. Super-size beers alongside inflatable swords and battle-axes are raised upon high to the high-energy kinetics. The Tribune asks, “Are you ready to fight with me?”; “Fight, fight, fight!” replies the arena in exemplary acknowledgement.
The majestic ‘Fight’ looms from the shadows and storms into the fray; take heed of the forewarning of zero mercy being exhibited. The Scandic symphonics of ‘Genghis Khan’ is devoured hungrily by the horde. Amidst the fury a crowd surfer in a rubber ring pledges their allegiance.
The ramparts are stormed during ‘We Are The Fire’ harvesting an enthusiastic response. Coupled together the bulldozing ‘Sparta’ and the volcanic ‘Gladiator’ prove an awe-inspiring closing onslaught. “Ahoo!” Rockharz replies when asked “One final question, what is your profession?” Sparta! The alliance of the Tribune (vocals), the Crusader (guitar), the Viking (bass), and the Spartan (drums) have successfully concluded their mission. Their message of power metal has been spread across the lands drawing upon the likes of Hammerfall, Brothers of Metal, and Orden Ogan.
Rockharz’s organisers appear to have a soft spot for the old-school thrash of the 80s; last year it was the legendary Kreator. For 2025 the equally legendary Sodom are the flag-bearers for the Teutonic thrash scene that originated in German-speaking countries some 40 years ago. Nowadays are four-piece (since the return of guitarist Frank “Blackfire” Gosdzik and the fellow axe-wielding Yorck Segatz in spring 2018) about sole remaining founder, and constant presence, Tom Angelripper (bass/vocals). 2020 recruit Toni Merkel (drums) rounds the lineup.
At the beginning of this year Angelripper announced a personal desire to decelerate the band’s live commitments for the foreseeable future citing personal and business reasonings. The release of the bands 17th studio album ‘The Arsonist’ in June and this performance marks the commencement of an indefinite hiatus. It’s befitting then that this revered outfit go out, for the moment, on an organic high with ‘The Arsonist’ notching a truly remarkable number 4 slot, on the Official German charts, just 24 hours after their vanquishing festival curtain call here at Ballenstedt.
After being announced, by a behatted gent, on to the Dark Stage Sodom rip right into a brace from 1994’s ‘Get What You Deserve’; with Angelripper’s showstopping quaking bass bringing in the thrashing fury of ‘Silence Is Consent’ and the short sharp assault of the brutality of ‘Jabba The Hut’ setting a hellbound tone.
The uncompromising force of the super-heavyweight ‘The Crippler’ is craned in off 1992’s number three album ‘Tapping The Vein’ (the band’s highest charting album). The barked despatch of ‘Nuclear Winter’ follows as smoke voluminously drifts across the battlefields. A haunting, chastening cackle, the Rockharz arena soak up every effort of their countrymen, ‘Blasphemer’ rampages unruly. There are crowd surfers aplenty for this 110% octane fuelled thrash metal.
Taking a metaphorical step back the quartet take the briefest of moments to survey the scene and absorb the electrifying atmosphere. Rapacious monster ‘Agent Orange’ keeps the eye on the 20th century before the immovable 21st century hurricane strength force of ‘City of God’ obliterates as the hounds of Hades are unmuzzled and unleashed.
Behind the stages a bold half moon ascends through the evening skies. Drenched in sweat the band launches into the intransigence of ‘The Saw Is The Law’. The rapid stampede of ‘Witchhunter’ – the sole excursion into the very recently released ‘The Arsonist’ – raises the question as to whether this represents the last material in Sodom’s lengthy history or does time remain sufficient?
Those brief ponderings are swept aside as Angelripper’s bass snarls voraciously for one final time in the pulverising ‘Bombenhagel’. With a punky spirit and a touch of melodics it’s a phenomenal ending to this chapter of Sodom. Guitars raised aloft the band salute the Rockharz crowd; dare we think of this as the last goodbye, or do we hope this is a so long until next time?
The sun, much less newsworthy than yesterday, is nearly wholly below the horizon as King Diamond tread the boards. Rockharz readies itself as the festival teeters upon the precipice about to be plunged into the macabre surrealness that is the horror-theatrical world of this renown Danish musician.
Citing the likes of Arthur Brown, Ronnie James Dio, and Alice Cooper as inspirational elements he spoke of the latter, in a 2005 interview with Tartarean Desire Webzine, with a clear passion encapsulating his own performances in a consummate nutshell. “You know, for him it was very much how he could put himself into the situation he was singing about. He was so theatrical in his presentation.”
Another vocalist he spoke highly of is David Byron, the original vocalist of Uriah Heep, and it’s their stellar track ‘The Wizard’ that serves as an emphatic and lofty herald for the set itself. Afront an elaborate stage step with balconies and several levels King Diamond, knife in right hand and creepy figurine in the other, steps forward. What lies in wait is a seismic blast of horror, select hacksawed slices from KD’s first five studio albums plus a couple of later singles.
In addition to the stunning theatrical components there’s clever insertion of taped interludes beginning with the ultra-ghoulish ‘Funeral’ as set-opening lead-in, as per 1987’s sophomore album ‘Abigail’, to the thunderous cathedral-like metal of ‘Arrival’.
There’s a dash of shock-rocker Alice Cooper throughout proceedings and in the wide-ranging vocals of the great Dane himself. Slap bang in the middle of the spooky doings the King still manages to find a spot of time to indulge in a spot of ‘guitaring’ on his crossed-bones mic holder (femur and tibia I’m informed in case you’re wondering).
A ghostly apparition in a long white dress, bearing a lantern, wanders into the midst of ‘A Mansion In Darkness’. The vast powerage generated is genuinely impressed; I’m simultaneously stunned and engrossed. There’s a massive amount of action to follow; in the moment I realise that further listening is required to truly appreciate the depths of the depraved story that is being related herein.
Winged gargoyles watch on; lanterns flicker menacingly as last year’s single ‘Spider Lily’ slots in as if it had been there all along. Its haunting power metal dovetails with the unnerving precision of an assassin’s stiletto dagger to the jugular. Jangling the nerves the taped segue of ‘Two Little Girls’ is completely unhinged; a child picks up the dolls on the stairs, cradling them in her arms. The King, silhouetted in the mist at the bottom of the steps, watches on.
The live action recommences with the quaking resonance of ‘Sleepless Nights’, the midnight hour approaches restlessly. A previously unnoticed door creaks open as the taped ‘Out From The Asylum’ as a wheelchair-bound hag emerges. As with 1988’s ‘Them’ studio release the shrill delivery of the snarling intensity of ‘Welcome Home’ and the detonation of ‘The Invisible Guests’ follow.
The rapid tempo of the funerial ‘The Candle’ continues a marauding scattering, manic keys right out of ecclesiastical cloisters and searing fretwork are gainfully employed. Re-emerging the ghostly figure, in a metal mask, presents a bewitching sight. The epic proportions of ‘Masquerade of Madness’ propel proceedings to 2019, the second and final visit to the King’s 21st century catalogue.
‘Eye of the Witch’ is pure 24 carat metal, surely ahead of the game with its symphonic waltzing and surefire shredding guitars. Its pagan fringes alloyed with keys reminiscent of 1970s Uriah Heep add further depths as darkness descends across the region. Trucking up through the gears ‘Burn’ sends shivers to the core with its shocking intentions.
The band depart the stage environs with the crowd chanting for more, a tank alongside the raised drumkit pulses threateningly King Diamond hasn’t finished with Rockharz quite yet. The expert in control the King returns to the stage, there’s one matter to deal with before the set-closing haunting opus that is ‘Abigail’. Addressing a heckler, somewhere in the midst of the crowd, who has for a considerable percentage of the headliner’s allocated 75 minutes badgered for ‘Halloween’ the King is in an unrepentant and dismissive mood.
“My dear lexicon what did I fuck up?” he mockingly sneers furthering the final statement on the matter “Today we play two less songs!” Pure class from an utterly unique and distinctive metal entity, this evening Rockharz has borne witness to a horror masterclass from the mind beneath the constituent black top hat and behind the black/white make-up. Totally compelling, utterly insane, and completely beyond impressive.
With a career spanning thirty years across four decades, it’s now no longer a hidden secret that powerhouse extreme metal of Heaven Shall Burn is a gem in the locker marked German metal. Just twenty-four hours after this dominant headlining slot they, on the same day as Sodom, crashed into the upper echelons of the Official German Album Charts. Like their previous four studio releases ‘Heimat’ recorded a top 10 pinnacle in reaching number two only behind Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Tracks II: The Lost Albums’.
Just a few weeks ago merely one track into their set at Rock Am Ring HSB vocalist Marcus Bischoff came off stage with what turned out to be a serious throat infection. The set was, most understandably, curtailed, and future options were swiftly assessed. In a matter of three days the announcement was made that Hiraes vocalist, and harsh vocal coach, Britta Görtz was to step in until Bischoff fully recovers. In a sink or swim situation it’s very clear that this singer is swimming at Olympic standard!
Blinding spots reach out across the massed Rockharz assemblage as the booming electronic intro leads into the fire of the ultra-whirlpool of ‘Übermacht’. It’s maelstromic from the very off with Görtz blending in as so well that if you didn’t know the back-story one would assume that she is a permanent fixture within the ranks. Hitting uber-hard in the chest ‘Voice of the Voiceless’ tracks back to 2004’s ‘Antigone’; strangely the breakdown bears a passing resemblance, in terms of structure, to The Police’s massive 1979 hit ‘Message in a Bottle’.
‘My Revocation of Compliance’, the first examination of current release ‘Heimat’, is an absolute gargantuan beast, dust is whipped up by the furore of the circle pit as hell burns. The short, sharp damnation of the instrumental ‘March of Retribution’ rages before heading right into the tempest unleashed that is ‘Thoughts and Prayers’.
Görtz calls for crowd surfers ahead of the atmospheric ‘Godiva’ that swiftly erupts with a force normally reserved for Mother Nature’s geological outbursts. A conveyor belt of surfers responds to the ‘call-to-arms’. “Das ist wunderbar!” observes Görtz. ‘Combat’ induces seismic terrors before Edge of Sanity cover ‘Black Tears’ howls at the midnight moon.
The avalanche thunders in ‘Trespassing The Shores of Your World’ before HSB return to ‘Heimat’ for the strongarm melodics of ‘Empowerment’. There are subtle moments amidst the obsidian that are an absolute treat to behold as a contrasting juxtaposition to the embroiling turmoil. With the strikingly haunting keys the taped interlude of ‘Awoken’ lead seamlessly into the almighty firestorm of ‘Endzeit’.
The terrific overdrive of ‘Tirpitz’ sees guitarist Aleander Dietz take the vocal reins for a track. The baying masses, as one, punch clenched fists skywards. The infield is a seething throng moshing, circling, and surfing with abandon. The brutal affliction of the curtain-closing ‘Hunters Will Be Hunted’ stands tall and proud in the post-midnight airs.
To raucous cheers Bischoff emerges on to the stage to express sincere, heartfelt gratitude to Görtz and to make statement of his imminent return to his vocal duties. Heaven Shall Burn have made Rockharz their very own tonight and surely further successes await. This is an outfit I’d love to see return to Bloodstock before too long. The halfway point of this year’s edition of Rockharz has been reached but there is a further 32 bands before we turn our attention to the 2026 countdown.
Photography by Kelly Spiller for MPM
