June 4, 2010

Maryland Death Festival 8 - 2010

Not wanting to leave, but not caring about any of the closing bands, we fumbled around, drinking and hanging around till they had to kick us out.  After the last band and the crowd cleared out, we were sitting inside the Sonar and watched the staff sweep up the cups and cans.  It was weird seeing the club completely empty.  It looked very small for some reason and again was that sad moment when we realized that it was all over for another year.

Maryland Deathfest has come a long way and has also made some huge changes during its eight year run.  I think this year really highlighted a few major flaws only because of the volume of people who attend now.  It really is just getting too crowded for that club and little stretch of asphalt outside to hold everyone.  The bathrooms inside flooded every day and the port-a-potties were overflowing by night’s end.  Trash would build up and certain areas smelled like a landfill and they again came ridiculously close to running out of beer.  That just seems inexcusable to me when they should have a massive stock considering the sort of profit they make from beer sales.  Granted, they did have a refrigerated semi trailer outside full of food and beer, but it clearly wasn’t enough and someone should have been able to recognize that by the end of Saturday.  Don’t get me wrong, they didn’t run out, but when the choices are Michelob Ultra, Bud and Guinness with four hours of the fest still left, someone didn’t plan very well and like it or not, that reflects negatively on the fest.  Also, three stages might have been necessary, but it’s forcing too many people to make choices that they don’t want to have make.  They’re either going to have to scrap all of these lesser bands or move the fest.  I heard from a multitude of newcomers this year who thought the whole thing was poorly planned and were very disappointed.  I’m not in their court as I think it’s still an amazing feat to pull off from the organizer’s perspective, but some tweaks need to be made.

Of course, the last night in our hotel room was probably identical to most others… who could they get to up the ante for next year?  It becomes the seminal question amongst the fans at MDF.  I still don’t think that it’s too far-fetched to get Darkthrone, but probably not at the current venue.  Maybe an Immortal and I tag-team with Enslaved?  There aren’t too many more defunct bands with living members who could feasibly reunite.  Again, the questions are numerous and the speculation rampant, but this is the first time that I will be expecting some major adjustments to the venue.  I’ve had faith in the organizers for years now and still do and I hope they continue to make Maryland Deathfest the premiere metal fest in North America.

See you all next year.

After that, we went back to the hotel for an hour or so as it would be our last chance to do so and we were all a little tired of the food being sold at the fest, so it was also our last chance for something sort of decent.  When we got back, I went inside to catch the last of the Aussie bands, Captain Cleanoff who in typical Aussie fashion, ruled.  Very intense.  Then it was outside for Entombed who seriously delivered and the crowd loved them which is exactly how I would describe Obituary immediately afterward.  Again though, it was on that side stage, so it wasn’t loud at all down at the bottom.  They rocked it though.

Captain Cleanoff

Sinister

Empty Sonar Room

Obituary

Obituary

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Rompeprop

Sunday, day four.  Weary, injured, dehydrated, disoriented and battered, we headed down for the fourth and final day of Maryland Deathfest VIII.  Our endurance was being pushed to its limits and Sunday would be more of a day of seeing only the bands we really wanted to see rather than just wandering around to check out anyone.  It would be a day of extended breaks in the shade as the sun finally made its presence known and beat down on everyone mercilessly.  The first band we saw and was the reason we got there when we did was Rompeprop and to anyone who was there and missed them, shame on you.  Probably the most fun band of the whole weekend, they came out with some sing-song intro where everyone would yell “HEY!!” in unison only to morph into the disgusting porn-grind band that they are.  The bassist’s guitar was the most awesome thing I’ve ever seen.  Rompeprop uses a vocal harmonizer that makes the singer’s vocals a ridiculously low, gurgly growl that fits them perfectly.  They announce each song with a little story that everyone loves.  “I am the Dolphin Spray-Hole Fucker” and “Embryoyo” for example.

When that was over, it was outside for Sinister and after about four songs, I left, for a few reasons.  One, it was massively hot standing in the sun with no shade and two, Aad is just not the vocalist that Mike was.  Coming from an old Sinister fan, Mike is the voice of Sinister and it just doesn’t sound right with Aad barking the growls like he does.  From what I saw, they played a few from the new album, “Sadistic Intent,” “Awaiting the Absu” and “Embodiment of Chaos” which are two of the weaker songs from Hate.  They might have played more classics, but I had had enough of the heat and went over the side stage and stood in the shade waiting for Necrophobic.  I’m not familiar with anything other than their newest album, but I really liked their set.  They were very good and played everything flawlessly, but I wasn’t very close to the stage, so it wasn’t loud at all.  I didn’t need my earplugs and was talking to someone right by me without having to really raise my voice.

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Report & Photos by Jesse

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Rompeprop

Rompeprop

Sinister

BANDS AND SHOW TIMES:

Friday, May 28, 2010
MAIN ROOM STAGE
3:30 - 3:55 - The Communion
4:10 - 4:35 - Putrescence
4:50 - 5:20 - Defeatist
5:35 - 6:05 - Tombs
6:20 - 6:50 - Jesus Crost
7:05 - 7:35 - Birds of Prey
7:50 - 8:20 - Trap Them
8:35 - 9:35 - Watain
10:45 - 11:20 - Gride
11:35 - 12:15 - Coffins
12: 30 - to end of night - D.R.I.

OUTDOOR STAGE 1
5:50 - 6:30 - Nazxul
9:40 - 10:40 - Gorguts

OUTDOOR STAGE 2
6:45 - 7:20 - Malignancy

Saturday, May 29, 2010
MAIN ROOM STAGE
11:45 - 12:10 - Howl
12:25 - 12:55 - Sulaco
1:10 - 1:40 - Fuck the Facts
1:55 - 2:25 -Ingrowing
2:40 - 3:10 - Obliteration
3:25 - 3:55- Jucifer
4:10 - 4:45 - Impaled
5:00 - 5:45 - Blood Duster
6:10 - 6:40 - Verbal Abuse
10:45 - 11:20 - Deceased
11:35 - 12:15 - Wolfbrigade
12:30 - to end of night - Portal

OUTDOOR STAGE 1
2:50 - 3:25 - Total Fucking Destruction
4:10 - 4:55 - Sadistic Intent
5;55 - 6:40 - Melechesh
7:40 - 8:30 - Repulsion
9:40 - 10:40 - Autopsy

OUTDOOR STAGE 2
2:15 - 2:45 - Fang
3:25 - 4:10 - The Chasm
5:10 - 5:55 - Incantation
6:40 - 7:35 - Asphyx
8:35 - 9:35 - Sodom

Sunday, May 30, 2010
MAIN ROOM STAGE
11:45 - 12:00 - Honkey Kong
12:15 - 12:45 - Rottenness
1:00 - 1:25 - Surroundings
1:40 - 2:10 -Massgrave
2:25 - 3:00 - Rompeprop
3:35 - 4:05 - Crucifist
4:40 - 5:10 - Gridlink
6:20 - 6:50 - Black Breath
8:00 - 8:30 - Captain Cleanoff
10:00 - 10:25 - Magrudergrind
10:40 - 11:10 - Capitalist Casualties
11:25 - 12:05 - From Ashes Rise
12:20 - to end of night - Converge

OUTDOOR STAGE 1
3:00 - 3:35 - Gorod
4:20- 5:05 - Necrophobic
6:00 - 6:45 - Pestilence
7:35 - 8:30 - Pentagram
9:40 - 10:40 - Obituary

OUTDOOR STAGE 2
2:00 - 2:30 - Krallice
3:35 - 4:20 - Sinister
5:10 - 6:00 - Eyehategod
6:55 - 7:30 - N2002
8:35 - 9:35 - Entombed