Hellfest 2024: four committed and furious groups on the second day of the festival

Rock has always been a medium of choice for conveying messages of a political or social nature.

This second day of Hellfest 2024 provided some striking examples. Here is a selection (always subjective, in no way exhaustive).

1. Politics and feminism: Loforora

“We are leftist Islamo anarchists and we fuck you! » Suffice to say that the tone was set from the outset. Lophophora has always cultivated a taste for provocation and has remained faithful to his principles. A few days before the legislative elections, Reuno and his troops have, unsurprisingly, tackled the National Rallygoing so far as to write in giant letters “Lofofora nique le R Haine” as a decoration at the end of their concert. The latter was marked by the interpretation of titles from an imminent new album whose theme would be more current than what the group had been able to imagine. Reuno, the singer, called on the public to support small festivals:

The counterculture is going to need you. Don’t be a metalhead just for a weekend.

An energetic concert, sometimes tackling Hellfest, and placed under the sign of feminism: “No frotteurs in the pogos”, called the group who shared the stage with femens, who came to challenge the Hellfest organization on the respect of women’s rights. : “Femen guest star in hell”.

2. Ecology: Savage Lands

The project launched by Sylvain Demercastel and Dirk Verbeuren aims to raise awareness among the metal public to the preservation of ecosystems. A noble project, supported by renowned artists such as Andréas Kisser (Sépultura). “Join the army of trees”, chant the members of the collective. A noble message, but one that is better received with a successful performance. And that was the case!

3. Pacifism : Cannon fever

THE pacifist messages can go through the most brutal of music. The German group Cannon fever gave an example in the Temple by drawing on the horrors of the First World War to denounce the horrors of war via the heaviest death metal. Disturbing.

4. Anti-racism: Body Count

“Fuck Racism.” It’s hard to make it clearer. Every arrival of Body Count is an event. This year was no exception, Ice T and his gang set the War Zone on fire. The opportunity for them to win over the public with their great classics, but also by presenting some new tracks that will be found in the next album. With a title inspired by “American Nightmare”, horror films known for pointing the finger at American politics.

It’s difficult to name all the groups who, in one way or another, wish to put forward a message of a social or political nature, as they are numerous and varied. But some metalheads encountered today evoke the divine surprise of ” Houle“, an emerging French group that highlights the difficulties of seafarers…To be continued.

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