It is after a restless night at the Bar Metal and in the campsite that we wake up with our feet in the slush. Because we do not want to miss a single crumb of this third and last day of Download we hurry to see THE SHRINE. On Stage 3 we hear the Californian trio from Venice start playing their second album "Bless Off" which mixes Punk-Rock influences with Heavy-Thrashy. The performance we attend is eventful with a supercharged singer-guitarist as well as the bassist and drummer who demonstrate their presence on stage through solos and well-dosed riffs. An energy that will be highlighted by the presence of the singer of SOGGY, a hard rock Punk band, not hesitating to unleash on his flagship title "Waiting For The War". This last day of Download has only just begun…
LOFOFORA
LOFOFORA mixes Neo-Metal with Rapcore in committed and sharp lyrics. The band sets fire on stage, with Reuno, its inexhaustible singer who does not hesitate to play with the audience between and during hysterical songs and choruses. The pit is very agitated, it is not a show of any rest that offers us the French group. Of course, it's nice to see all these compositions sung in French with so much enthusiasm, a passage to the Download that will not have left us marble.
SKINDRED
On one side SKINDRED on Stage 3 and on the other RIVAL SONS on Stage 2! The decision is difficult but because of a slight penchant for reggae – memory of high school – the choice stops on the Welsh band that invented, 18 years ago, Ragga-Metal. While fans wait impatiently by crowding under the pre-top of Stage 3 to avoid the rain (which has already soaked them), Benji Webbe, the band's inevitable singer arrives on stage, a British flag in hand.
A few hard-hitting songs later, the singer appropriates the stage and the audience, owning it without him realizing it, going so far as to literally stop a song because of an inert spectator. Webbe will also pay tribute to Lemmy Kilmister, Prince and David Bowie during this energetic performance that showed us that SKINDRED deserves to be part of the great Metal family.
RIVAL SOUNDS
Speaking of RIVAL SONS, it could be qualified as one of the most accessible formations of this festival. This small band from California comes back with its little varnished shoes, to swing us a little shot of Hard-Rock well felt. And it must be said that between SABATON and VOLBEAT, RIVAL SONS fell to groove the audience as during a live of the 80s. Yes, the 80s, because to say that this band has very little inspiration from it would be an understatement. Indeed, the band reconciles a famous mix between Vintage Blues-Rock and Modern Alternative which frankly works very well.
With "Electric Man" in the opening, which does not bear his name by chance, followed by "Secret" and "Pressure In Time" whose riff tilts: – very inspired by Led Zep! – we even have the right to an acoustic session during which we will not take out the lighters given the time, on "Where I've Been". In short, a beautiful discovery that this group, which finally made us fall back to the time when we enjoyed our classics one after the other, "Deep Purple", "AC / DC" "The Animals" and so on.
MEGADETH
Metal news had often mentioned MEGADETH lately. A new line-up, a new album and sadly, the death of Nick Menza, the drummer of the band's most prolific period. The famous Californian Thrash band, offered a very pleasant "Dystopia".For all these reasons, half of VOLBEAT could be neglected to position ourselves well in front of our favorite redhead! The stage is decorated with the futuristic style of this new album on a big MEGADETH logo very referenced Metal.
It is with the monument "Hangar 18" that hostilities begin. The thrash monument sets the bar very high, because there is no other way to launch such an electric live. This was followed by a relatively disappointing setlist.Nevertheless do not spit in the soup, it is then other classics that fall on the corner of the nose like "Peace Sells" or "Symphony of Destruction", to finally finish with the phenomenal "Holy Wars" which as usual explodes everything.
What can surprise with this group is its ability to set a crazy atmosphere without even having to interact particularly with its audience: the quality of their music is everything. As usual the interpretations are insane, even if from time to time Mustaine 's voice seems to lack breath (coupled with technical problems moreover…). Kiko Loreiro perfectly appropriates the band's wild solos. The drummer, who is not Chris Adler, who probably went to tour with his band LAMB OF GOD, follows very well the team which often goes peanut. In short, we saw MEGADETH and like their music, it's exquisite.
RAMMSTEIN
The Download Festival is a very good experience but if we had to submit the biggest flaw to you, it would be the huge space between the two Mainstages. Because yes, when you enjoy "Holy Wars" from MEGADETH and you see the colorful fumes of RAMMSTEIN explode far behind, you say – slim -.In short, you have to run, no pints, no food, it's about not being positioned behind the control room:
"RAMMSTEIN live > all".
It is not without an effort that we manage to move forward for "Reise Reise", the second piece of Rammstein. The leader of German Industrial Metal still seems to have the intention to impress us and we must admit that the festival has adapted well to the band with all along superb pyrotechnic effects. Effects, which adapt perfectly to the unique style of the group. Level songs the team plays its classics with a big priority for the sumptuous "Mutter", enough to sing all in heart with Till on "Feuer Frei! " (BANG BANG). The group even allows itself small follies by releasing "Frühling in Paris" not played since 2012.In short, you will have understood, an end of festival on RAMMSTEIN seemed obvious, what other group could have closed our festoche in such a grandiose way.
This is how our 3-part postponement of these 3 three days ends with the newborn Download, which despite all the criticism comes out with flying colors. We perhaps regretted a lack of sets and staging like Hellfest. But let's pass on this detail, (the Hellfest is the Hellfest) and that's why the Download Festival seems to be a very good competitor which, let's not doubt will undoubtedly offer us a very nice poster next year!
It was the Alexandre²
