Hellfest 2024 edition is here on Thursday, June 27! Magnificent weather for the start of the festival, the site is, as always, impeccable. Arriving the day before, the thermometer had dropped slightly and it was better “weather”.
We are quite surprised to see a site already stormed, a lot of people on this Thursday … and not just at the Sanctuary (the official Merch). We take the opportunity to discover the famous Guardian of Darkness by François Delarozière.
We start very very strongly at 4:30 p.m. with the Singaporeans from Wormrot under the Altar with a great atmosphere, almost stifling heat. There are people under the tent for this group whose latest album Hiss released in 2022 met with great critical success. On vocals we find Gabriel Dubko from Implore and weish following the departure of the “historic” singer and this new duo works wonderfully and brings additional singularity to the grinders.
At the same time on Mainstage 1 it is the Danes from Asinhell (Michael Poulsen singer of Volbeat) who play us some good heavy riffs. A lot of people really on this Thursday, the change to 4 days is a great success and this day should really not be considered as a “small” day (whether in terms of quantity or quality of the groups passing by).
The sky clouds over at the end of the afternoon, to bring the thermometer down a little. This will help you avoid sunburn from the first day!
Under the altar the Americans of Immolation get the crowd going 18:40 end, powerful voice.
Horror film fans, you have an appointment at 6:45 p.m. in Mainstage 2 with the Americans fromIce Nine Kills. The concept is simple and super effective: each song pays homage to a great horror film: Freddy Krueger, Evil Dead, American Psycho or Silence of the Lambs, everything is included and gives the group the opportunity to replay the major scenes films on stage. We are therefore treated to the cutting of Paul (“Hey Paul!”) with an ax, a decapitation, arms torn off and all with a hilarious audience asking for more. Spectacular finish on Welcome to Horrorwood where Spencer Charnas the singer throws himself into the pit.
It is 7:30 p.m. when, with great impatience, we discover for the first time live Kerry King (Slayer) with a line-up consisting of himself on guitar, Paul Bostaph (Slayer) on drums, Kyle Sanders (Hellyeah) on bass, Phil Demmel (ex Machine Head) on guitar, and Mark Osegueda ( Death Angel) on vocals. The recipe is really excellent, what a treat.
We are inevitably entitled to a few titles from Slayer (God Hates Us All, and a Reign In Blood which set the pit on fire). The group also put on pyrotechnic effects. Kerry King, who was hiding behind the “Very Special Guest” for many months on the Hellfest poster, held his position perfectly, we want more!
There were people in front of the King, a pillar of thrash for 40 years… but nothing prepared us for the tidal wave of Festival-goers who gathered in front of MainStage 2 for…Baby Metal! THE group that divides metalheads, between purists who follow codes and those who fall for the crazy concept of 3 babies: kawaii and metal. And clearly, after our first experience with this group, we rank among the conquered.
We go back to the great years of Thrash in Mainstage 1 for Megadeth at 9:20 p.m. Our dear Dave Mustaine is a regular guest at the fest and the audience is always there. The group starts with a track from the latest album then offers a best-of of their greatest albums: Skin o’ My Teeth, Tornado of Souls, Peace Sells and the frenchie To everybody that the festival-goers sing at the top of their lungs. We know them by heart and yet there is always so much emotion in hearing them.
We leave the MainStages to go wander around the site a little. Because yes, if Hellfest is unique, it is also and above all because of its decorum and its immense structures installed all year round. We have been regulars at Clisson for many years and the transformation of the small festival into a real metal park is still impressive. Some changes are visible (notably the new statue of François Delarozière) and other improvements are more discreet but just as important. We don’t know if the wastewater disposal system has been improved but in any case no odor problem in the VIP corner this year!
Night has fallen on Clisson, the coolness sets in and we take out our sweaters; The Americans of Avenged Sevenfold take the stage at 11:30 p.m. No more voice problems for M.Shadows (we remember the last Hellfest and the festival goer who went on stage to help him on Nightmare) and the band alternates its classics and tracks from the latest album. The band continues to evolve over the albums, but even if it is commendable, it is on the classics that we will headbang the most.
At midnight, under the Altar, the Germans of Sodom let us enjoy their good thrash, as is often the case, people cannot get into the tent, perhaps an avenue to explore for future editions, very often the Altar and the Temple cannot accommodate all the fans…
See you tomorrow, for a beautiful day, before the (increasingly probable) rain on Saturday…
OlivDuff & LudoG
