We fired the pistol in the Metal Club Heavies with a warm-up show on wednesday in the evening. The first campingground was already filled and we had to organize a second one in the same night. ETERNAL DARKNESS played first and showed their genuine Power Metal they exclusively presented new material from their next outcome “Valley of Kings”. VANISHING POINT, the australian Progressive Metalheads had some difficulties with their unonventional sound but convinced the audience because of their music being on high standards. About 250 visitors enjoyed a time travel. PAUL DI’ANNO was in top form and gave his best. We were on the verge of tears classics like “Running Free” or “Murders in the Rue Morgue” it was awesome. This gig was definitely one of the highlights and almost everybody got goose-flesh. During the show Di’anno covertex himself that he lost his contact lenses what worries him a lot on the following day. Unfortunately the songs of the new album “Nomad” could not be plyed because one of the guitarists had an accident and came to the hospital the day before. Nonetheless it was a great gig of one of the Metal legends of the history of Metal.

THE ARMADA came punctuallly at 5pm to the big festival stage. Nevertheles the festival ground was not filled the band played with a lot of fun and full commitment 2 former Stormwitch musicians are playing in the Armada now. They played some great songs like “Tribal Dance” of their current maxi “The Scent of Darkness” and got the audience on their side. Then AETERNITAS went on stage and presented their Requiem concept which was universally acclaimed by the press. Sometimes they had 8 people on stage with an own outfit and of course the female singer an eyecatcher of first grade with her red velvet dress and her white cape she and also the others convinced the audience. SYMPHORCE countered this Gothic performance of their predecessors with pure Heavy Metal. Especially singer Andy B. Frank (also being in Brainstorm) was really great.

The South Tyrolean of GRAVEWORM were the first whom were allowed to play 45min hich hey filled with their Gothic Black Metal. The festival ground was well visited at that time and the boys and the one and only girl at the keyboard got frenetic applause. The band played all the classics from their three published albums so it can be called a triumphal march. As a real contrast the next band entered the stage, they were booked short term because Vader cancelled their gig it was STONE THE CROW from Schwäbisch Hall. The band played an impressive gig presented a lot of great songs from their new album “Year of the Crow” but did not forget to play the famous titles of their former albums. They met with great response. The band is to be prophesied a great future. LACUNA COIL had an easy job with the audience. There were obviously a lot of supporters within the audience. The band were dressed in cassocks (the female singer was not) and enganged present their songgs which are bit orientated to The Gathering.

Amorphis

Then the first headliner went on stage: The Finn of AMORPHIS. The gig was well timed the new album was just published by Nuclear Blast and the band had the chance to perform a lot of new songs live for the frist time. Sixty minutes full of a cross-section of their previous work so everybody had a very good time. The second headliner late arived on stage. The metal heroes of RAGE with singer Peavy come with special stage property to Abtsgmünd and apologized for their less gigs in Southern Germany.

Rage

You had to be convinced of the trio whether you are fan or not espacially the exceptional drummer Mike Terrane (he titled himself a machine). Their song “Straight To Hell” can be hear in theatres in the real successful movie “Der Schuh des Manitou” so they had to play it. As the last act PAUL DI’ANNO & THE KILLERS came and gave their best again. Due to the delay it was already 2am as they went on stage but it was worth it the people celebrated his appearance. A dignified end of a special day.

It was not easy for the bands who stated at friday midday. Just 12am most of the visitors celebrated the day befroe and the sun was shining isn’t that true Heavy Metal feeling, is it? KARKADAN entered the stage really brave and as the first band they got the privilege of a soundcheck, they had to put a call for their singer because he still sat on a banana breakfast. Then they punctually started at 12am with their Black Heavy Metal and blowed those people who already crowled out of their tents the sleep out of their ears (including a burning microphone stand out of bones). In spire of the ungodly hour the local died-in-the-wool musicians of FATERED tempted a bit more people to the stage. Probably the people get out of their sleeping bags because of the band did not played live for a long time. Despite some technicl problems and their long absence the band had a real successful gig.

KORODED from Aachen are one of these bands who are publishing very good albums permanently and are always on tour (with Crowbar and Ektomorf
etc.) but nonetheless are deeply rooted in the underground. They had a few problems because of their bassist Falo was ill he was substituted by their 2nd guitarist which worked really good. The band won new fans, surely. Obviously a lot of people looked forward to see ADORNED BROOD due to the fact the audience knowing most of the material. Not only their medieval outfits made them stand out also their unconventional mixture between Metal, Black and folklore but that was not all they reaal managed it to harmonious integrate a transverse flute. CHINCHILLA are playing traditional Power Metal which met with good responses they published a few albums and often were on tour and they showed again Southern Germany being a stronghold of Heavy Metal. As usual really cool the Austrian Doom Rock band JACK FROST played their songs. The brilliant sunshine did not suits to their depressive and dragging songs but the audience did enjoy the gig especially their version of “Lady in Black”. In our latitude they nearly can be called an ubiquitos band. It was once more an awesome gig. CRACK UP belong to one of the most hard-working german bands, on tour permanently. Really inspired by Rock. The band started with “Stallknecht” and the audience enjoyed their great Death’N’Roll.

Also the following EVEREVE did not let a single song and sometimes were surprised how many people were able to sing their songs. They got their album “E-Mania” behind them, a real masterpiece and they were celebrated correspondingly good. Time for THE CROWN. Uncompromising high class Death Metal. The singer is counted as a legend in subculture so it was no surprise them being so celebrated by the people. They really, I mean really enjoyed it and energetic went on towards the audience and stayed there for the rest of the show, apart from the drummer of course. They were followed by the Dutch GOD DETHRONED, they got their own definition of Death Metal but the audience liked it in any way. Since their tour with Immortal, Marduk, Cannibal Corpse and Obituary they are famous and acknowledged at the latest. The people liked their music and showed it but they also liked the hose which was used by the security protecting them from the heat death.

Then it was time for TANKARD. Some Metal Magazines advised them to go (you know crossing at one’s peak) but the people celebrated them from the first to the last minute. The band threw a lot of withbeing beer into the audience and after a while the singer show all of us his pot-belly. At the end we all could listen to the classic “Empty Tankard” which is known by nearly everybody. We could sign the great FARMER BOYS again. The audience was filled with more enthusiasm than with the band before. The band did it without the more slowly songs because of the less time. After that 50 minutes of fireworks not only the band but the audience wanted to have more time.

Before friday we converted about the following band DIE HAPPY fitting in with all these harder bands all doubts were gone shortly. As the first band they could stand to gain from the darkness and were staged great by the light. After their successful tour on supporting bill of Monster Magnet and Stone the Crow the band presented theirselves supremely good. As we started to plan the first Summer Breeze Festival in 1997 nobody thought about signing such famous bands like KREATOR to play as a headliner but the time had come. This legend in Thrash round singer and guitarist Mike Petorzza belongs to the most famous Metal bands had toured a lot of and influenced a lot of bands. In no time during the festival so much musicians were on stage to watch this legend and the audience in front of the stage sticked by the band. They could not make any faults every song the people sing with them. Their chosen songs were almost classics from their four albums: “Flag of hate”, “Extreme Aggression”, “People of the lie”, “Renewal”and newer stuff from their upcoming album – a triumphal march. They will be on tour with Destruction and Sodom soon.

Ladies and gentlemen the Summer Breeze proudly presents: IMMORTAL. Yes, we got them for their one and only gig in Germany this summer while their tour. Of course a lot of Black metal fans appeared to celebrate their heroes. Nevertheless they had some technical problems (giutars and drumtrigger) the whole typical show wih special effects, pyros make-up and them as fire eaters. Due to a thorough technical switch-over, orchestral instrumentation and the own technician missing we had to wait for a long time to see and listen to HAGGARD. Unfortunately the band had to shorten their setlist but the audience rewarded their gig and their unconventional mixture of classical music and traditional Metal.

Saturday morning or midday? Anymway it was early for all of us and the band CAPSIZE from Bremen had the thankless task to start at the last festival day. the doors were opened really late and the audience was few and far between, they played a great gig probably because of a tonic before – Jägermeister – maybe also the reason them taking it calmly that there were not too many people. A good band and there current MCD”One Size Fits All” is worth a try. Capsize were followed by MIRRORED MIND who got some influences by Sentenced with their Dark Heavy Metal. Then the locals of PETTYPEW playing traditional and a little bit faster Heavy Metal. RED AIM contrasted sharply with the other bands but convinced the whole already present audience that was half past one believe that? They dedicated themselves the so called Pigrock whatever that means, sometimes you could hear some influences of Kyuss. Their singer is of course their biggest capital in all cases. They were all dressed in hip shirts with flames on them only one could not close his shirt because of his paunch! The singer is the life and soul of a party the audience rewarded it. Sometimes it was felt, Elvis being alive! Like Crack Up the boys of DEW SCENTED belong to the stronghold of german Death Metal. Nobody understood them being on stage so early. That left them cold and they played a great aggressive gig and then the singer of Night in Gales came to the stage for a duet at the end.

After changing their musical style and some chaning in cast they decided to change the name of the band too so the well known Airfresh are now called BLOODFLOWERZ. They started all new and did not play any older stuff really amazing that the audience was reallly enthusiastic about the set which was more influenced by Gothic. The next band was ASTERIUS who played their cosmic Black/Heavy. The people liked it and especially the singer because of the audience shouting: “Get Naked!” (Ausziehen!) he was dressed in a black skirt. Afterwards it was the turn of IN BLACKEST VELVET do not worry if you had a sort of dejá-vu, some musicians are known from Night In Gales where they were or still are in. They presented their own modern Death Metal sound really abandoned within half an hour.

The time for the Hungarian EKTOMORF. They often played here before. Many people knew them and liked them. Conquering the paradise in 1492 was more difficult than the task to conquer this people with such great music, metal influenced by Soulfly. No excuse for none movers!!! Before the end of their gig they asked Jan of Koroded to come to the stage and sing a song together. Everybody was convinced of Ektomorf. Their performance was amazing. One of the biggest surprises during the festival and the reason for fixing them for the next year. END OF GREEN belong to the most talented bands in the underground for years. Their debut had been published by Nuclear Blast and it seemed their times has come but their second album was not noticed too much. No reason for them to break up they worked hard and have much fans in Southern Germany who celebrated them. The band presented much of their new songs from their upcoming album. Unfortunately their plan to take Dry Rot singer Volker on stage could not be realised out of temporal problems nevertheless this show was a success.

DAWN OF DREAMS had a home game. Not right from Abtsgmünd but on the outskirts of Abtsgmünd so they could rely on their ever increasing number of supporters. Their brutal Death Metal helped them to increase the number again above all as they started the song which had been on the Rock Hard sampler all the people celebrated them. Amon Amarth cancelled their gig a few days before the festival but we were able to present a suitable substitute: FINNTROLL. This is a new band from Century Media. Their debut came as a real bombshell into the Death/Black Metal culture. Besides the familiar elements they put folcloristic elements into the music (accordeon-folclore). The whole audience rewarded it this music played by people who were dressed in traditional suits and their discreet make-up. They really looked like fantasy beings, like trolls. Again a glaring change in style from nordic Death to Southern german HopMetal time for PYOGENESIS they also can look back to a great history in which they turned from Death Metal to Unpop-Rock. They diplomatic started with “Twinaelbood” from the same name album before presenting current songs of their latest albums. Like the times before the glaring change in style was unproblematic and singer Flo had an easy job of it. He called for crowdsurfers and got them promptly. Many people liked to listen to the band after their 40minutes again.

After long technical switch-over and at dusk it was time for MOONSPELL. Meanwhile their new album is available in the shops but the people at the Summer Breeze were allowed to listen to the new stuff live at first, the band also threw promo-cds into the audience, nice, isn’t it? The audience liked their Gothic-Metal both older stuff and the mentioned new ones the charismatic singer and their lightshow did one more thing to an impressive live experience. Afterwards we welcomed the german league leaders in Power Metal PRIMAL FEAR, 50minutes full of riffing thunders. Ralf the singer had a successful audition for the job of the singer of Judas Priest well it is not surprising sometimes were reminiscent of Rob Halford the show was well received and people shouted encore but we had no time.

Again a long time waiting period before IN EXTREMO came to stage they insisted on altering and decorating the stage for their medieval rock but all the people looked forward to see and listen to the performance. The band presented older stuff ut also songs from their upcoming album. With their bagpipe and some other medieval instruments the great guitar playing and the pyros they impressive emphasized their supremcy in the subculture. What the audience did not knew: a part of their pyros did not worked the equipment broke down.

Legend of Sodom “ONKEL TOM” ANGELRIPPER followed this great band as a bouncer virtually. They played their own metal interpretation of songs which are sung in a pub. He called the audience to come to the stage and celebrate with him he also put some boxes of beer. The people rewarded it and celebrated him frenetically.