In the Beginning
Well, here we go, DOWNLOAD JAPAN 2022!
It’s been about three years since I’ve been to one of these large festivals.
I had my hotel near Makuhari Messe, and everything was ready to go.
I went to bed early the night before and was in good physical condition. (Though my stamina ran out later in the day…)
The first thing that surprised me was the length of the line at the VIP ticket entrance.
There seemed to be a lot of people who bought VIP tickets this time.
I guess normal ticket holders could have entered the venue earlier.
The preferential treatment of VIPs at the last DOWNLOAD JAPAN was amazing, so it was not surprising to see this happen.
After a long queue, we entered the venue.
There was already a long line for the merchandise sales.
I couldn’t see the stage if I stood in line.
So I gave up on merchandising, bought a beer, and went to the stage.
The show seemed to have already started.
Band-Maid
I had to see the show from the middle, but it was quite impressive.
I had listened to the new album “Conqueror” to prepare for the show, but I hadn’t studied it enough.
Still, I got the impression that they played more intense songs than the album.
The maid’s costume was cute.
The Halo Effect
It was a pity that Jesper Strömblad couldn’t make it, but they had a different aura from the moment they appeared.
They played so well!
Well, all the bands that came after them were good.
The album was released just before the festival, so I had to listen to it without much preparation, but I guess the music was an extension of “In Flames”.
I was hoping that they would play some of the early “In Flames” songs, but alas, it was not to be.
Code Orange
This was the first time I heard this band at a festival, and they seemed like a new fusion of noise and metal.
They were one of the bands I was most excited about.
As expected from such a young band, all the members were moving.
I like that.
This is how young people should be.
It was a very powerful stage.
At the Gates
Unfortunately, I had already run out of energy and had to sit in the back to watch the show.
I had never heard their masterpiece “Slaughter of the Soul” before, and it was a true deathrash.
It was cool to see how they ran through it.
The new album “The Nightmare of Being”, which I had previewed beforehand, emphasized a calmer atmosphere rather than a fast pace, and I was pleasantly surprised by the calmness of the music.
I’d like to hear more of the new songs next time.
Soulfly
I have been listening to Sepultura since I was in middle school.
It is no exaggeration to say that they were the first metal band I became a fan of.
On the mugs that the whole class would put a stroke on (we used to have that kind of culture), I wrote “MAX Banzai!” was written on it.
I lost the cup before I knew it, though.
I was able to see Max Cavalera for the first time this time.
I am very happy that my wish of about 30 years has come true.
Max is getting older and putting on some weight, but his voice is still the same.
Don’t all growls in bands these days sound the same?
Am I just too old to tell the difference?
Max, of course, has a unique voice, and he doesn’t sound like anyone else, like John Tardy in “Obituary” or Mark Greenway in “Napalm Death”, for example.
I remember being surprised when I saw them singing together for the first time at a Trivium concert, because they had the same voice.
Returning to Soulfly, it was a really good show.
The Brazilian style of swaying is very unique.
Also, Max’s son, Zyon Cavalera’s drumming is good.
He is not a precise drummer.
But as we can see from Dave Lombardo and Lars Ulrich, hitting it exactly and being attractive are two different things.
Zyon’s drumming had that charm.
There are places where the drumming is not quite as fast as it should be, perhaps because they are not using clicks, but that is a big part of the appeal.
I wonder where that kind of power comes from in that thin body of his.
It was a wonderful stage.
Steel Panther
These guys are the winners.
By far the most enjoyable party metal I’ve ever seen live.
I’ve never seen them live before, but they played and sang well.
All four of them had the bandana look, the formations, and the four pole dancers who came out in the middle of the show moved perfectly.
I think the most complete show of the day was “Steel Panther”.
The bassist has changed recently, and the bassist is still not used to “Steel Panther”‘s moves, so it may take some time.
The band was in full swing, even biting off bat and such, but the performance was so respectful that Ozzy fans can’t complain.
I’ve become a fan, you win.
Mastodon
The line for the merchandise line had shortened, so I went to the merchandise line while listening to Mastdon.
I didn’t get the shirt I was looking for, but I had no choice.
My legs were already tired, so I sat in the back and watched Mastodon.
I can only curse my lack of stamina for not being able to listen to the music more carefully, since I liked it so much.
Bullet For My Valentine
My legs were still tired and I wanted to sit there, but I went to the front area to prepare for “Dream Theater”.
I guess there were a lot of fans who wanted to see them.
Compared to other bands, they were cool, gorgeous, and catchy.
No wonder they are so popular.
I also enjoyed swaying and headbanging to their music.
The last song “Scream Aim Fire” was a lot of fun.
Dream Theater
I’ll put them in a separate section.
To be continued.
August 29,2022 Freakz
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