Too Much Metallica

Sonisphere Festival 04 July 2009 at Hockenheim Ring, Germany

Metallica

Die Toten Hosen

The Prodigy

In Extremo

Down

It was an inferno of beer-guzzling metal fans. The sun beat down on us without mercy. Thousands were gathered as if in worship of the black hole in front. Defenders of the faith took to the stage for the 1000th time. But could they still inspire revelation?

There was only one band people were really here to see. The posses of sun burnt beer guts and jaded biker couples in black were all waiting for one thing.

Sure as clockwork Mesa Boogie amps were racked up and a special stage constructed. Out came Hetfield and Co. and ripped into some ear-bleeding riffage. It was LOUD. It was FAST. It was MONSTROUS.

Have Metallica just become another Great American export? Just like a MacDonalds or a Starbucks they roll up into town and present their wares. Here we are. We are Metal Gods. Jump up and down like monkeys and we'll play Master of Puppets. Job done.

The word is BLOATED. Hammett mashed the solos. Looked like he hadn't picked up the guitar since the last concert. Hetfield spouted shit about 'Lovin' Germany'. Where's the originality? Sorry guys, but your show was a total cheeseburger with fries.

The Prodigy were the highlight of the day. Here was real energy and passion. Keith Flint was jumping around in fluorescent pink pants like a mad jack-in-the-box. The strobe lights they brought in pounded to the sick electronic beats as our rib cages throbbed. This was a show with colour and razzmatazz.

In between The Prodigy and Metallica, all the other bands were pretty uninspired. Die Toten Hosen aren't bad if A. you like radio-friendly punk and B. are German.

Maybe heavy metal and summer just don't belong together... More original bands like The Prodigy and it could have been a real party.