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01 introFortress Josefov, Jaromer, Czech Republic
10th to 13th August 2016
Brutal Assault Festival Day 1: Jagermeister stage: Abbath (NO), Dying Fetus (US) / Metalshop stage: Chelsea Wolfe (US), Mastodon (US) / Metalgate stage: Slagmaur (NO), Shining (SE) / Oriental stage: Mutoid Man (US), King Dude (US)

Four days, four stages and 110 bands are waiting! I just landed to Prague airport, and tested how to squeeze tent, two sleeping bags, camera equipment and personal stuff into the hand luggage. In order to proof that Brutal Assault Festival is the best European money/ value festival, here are some numbers to consider: From Prague to Jaromer (including metro, bus and train, one direction) total cost is 150 CZK (6 EUR). Four-day festival pass is 80 EUR (first limited edition 64 EUR), and Czech beer is only 1 EUR! Compare it with the number of great bands performing at brutally beautiful Fortress Josefov, and you will agree, one of the best events of the year can start!

02 impression

The train from Hradec Kralove is fully packed with cheerful festival goers. Brutal Assault Festival here we come! More precise too many of us at the same time... causing huge four hours waiting queue in front of the entrance. In addition, there is cold and rainy weather, which makes it all much harder. Organisers are apologizing for the queue, but I would not risk it next time. Important advice for everyone - come much earlier if you do not want to miss half of the first day concerts. Except the entrance queue everything else is smoothly organised and cashless system with chip wristbands works perfectly well.

03 impression


King Dude (US)

Lucifer, sex and fear - in three words TJ Cowgill's (KING DUDE) vision of the most horrifying music is breaking through the dark and rain inside the misty walls labyrinth of the Josefov Fortress. Dark Neofolk from Seattle is making me forget queuing and missing the day concerts with a perfect match of the time-space-music moment. Oriental stage, hidden inside wet and cold “torturing” passages, difficult to find for the very first time, is bringing together only the biggest fans and creating personal touch band/ audience. I am secretly hoping if there might be a chance to see amazing KING DUDE & CHELSEA WOLFE ‘Be Free’ duet, as she is performing today as well at Brutal Assault Festival. Even though it didn't happen (at least not while I am present) still uniqueness of TJ Cowgill's voice itself is enough to raise goose bumps on my skin. KING DUDE’s bizarre mind is searching for more blood, so check the new album ‘Sex’ which is due out on October 28 this year! // https://www.facebook.com/kingdudemusic / http://kingdude.bandcamp.com // Setlist (*partial): 01. Rosemary / 02. A Little Bit of Baby Gonna Make Me Wanna Live Again / 03. The Heavy Curtain / 04. Desolate Hour / 05. Fear Is All You Know / 06. Jesus in the Courtyard

04 kingdude


Dying Fetus (US)

Main stage ground is packed with raincoats and wet audience while one of the premiere extreme Death Metal / Grindcore acts DYING FETUS is making it as brutal as possible. Now the waiting queues are gone, all festival goers are inside, and depth of the mud is bigger with every new jump. DYING FETUS didn't change line-up for several years now, which is visible through good synergy on the stage, and it is a great sign. Innovative mix of technical virtuosity and catchy song structures, blend of Death Metal, Hardcore and Grind from Maryland, spiced with driving force of John Gallagher, is setting high expectations on the new upcoming album. There will be surprises, so follow the latest news at: https://www.facebook.com/DyingFetus // Setlist: 01. Schematics / 02. One Shot, One Kill / 03. Your Treachery Will Die With You / 04. Grotesque Impalement / 05. From Womb to Waste / 06. Induce Terror / 07. Subjected to a Beating / 08. Homicidal Retribution / 09. In the Trenches / 10. Praise the Lord (Opium of the Masses) / 11. Killing on Adrenaline

05 dyingfetus


Mastodon (US)

The unique colourfulness of vocals and visuals not typical for the genre, movie style lyrical themes and eerie spooky sounds of MASTODON are bringing the evening full of great concerts to the new higher level. It is very special opportunity to see MASTODON playing in Europe, and even though band members don't like metal band title, I would dare to say that MASTODON is one of the best acts of the current metal scene. MASTODON tonight's setlist choice is multiple cross experiment of genres such as sludge, progressive, groove and alternative metal overlapped with stoner rock. Each MASTODON album is different step into the fearless experimenting, but in the same time sure step into highest level of performance, with multiple Grammy Award nominations, collaboration with the Film and TV industry, and top positions on the charts. Latest full-length ‘Once More 'Round the Sun’ is no exception. Album peaked as number 6 on the Billboard 200 chart, while ‘High Road’ song brought band's third Grammy-nomination. // http://www.mastodonrocks.com / https://www.facebook.com/Mastodon // Setlist: 01. Tread Lightly / 02. Feast Your Eyes / 03. Blasteroid / 04. Oblivion / 05. The Motherload / 06. High Road / 07. Aqua Dementia / 08. Bladecatcher / 09. Black Tongue / 10. The Wolf Is Loose / 11. Crystal Skull / 12. Ember City / 13. Divinations / 14. Blood and Thunder

06 mastodon


Shining (SE)

While SHINING  is playing on the Metalgate stage, MASTODON is playing on the Metalshop stage, it is hard choice for the ones liking both bands. I manage to catch last songs of SHINING, but band was almost not visible at all from the wall of smoke. Metalgate stage is a bit remote compared to the main stage, and very low with a roof in front of it, what might be the reason that smoke is collecting. Anyway, atmosphere is good, hands are in the air, and SHINING maturity of 20 years of the band existence is 'visible'. :) SHINING is starting tomorrow their doom metal North American tour , so special thanks to the band managing to come here today. Check their 9th studio-album ‘IX / Everyone, Everything, Everywhere, Ends’ at Soundcloud. // https://www.facebook.com/shiningofficial / http://www.shiningasylum.com // Setlist: 01. Vilja & Dröm / 02. Framtidsutsikter / 03. Människa o'avskyvärda människa / 04. Låt oss ta allt från varandra / 05. Submit to Self-Destruction / 06. Han som hatar människan / 07. For the God Below

07 shining


Mutoid Man (US)

Steve Brodsky, Ben Koller and Nick Cageao are getting ready to jump in front of the audience while teasing each other in the backstage. Really cool guys with a great energy! MUTOID MAN is definitely one of the positive surprises that Brutal Assault is bringing. If you are into metal, rock and punk I recommend to check MUTOID MAN music at Bandcamp. Today's setlist is formed mostly out of their latest album 'Bleeder' songs, being a right choice to set the fire! The highest rated songs of the 'Bleeder' album - 'Bridgeburner' and 'Sweet Ivy' are catching my ear easily, while covers played between MUTOID MAN own songs are funny and entertaining match with band members stage interaction. I simply love their performance, and definitely it would be awesome to see them more often around Europe. // http://mutoidman.com / https://www.facebook.com/mutoidman // Setlist: 01. Purple Rain (Prince cover) / 02. Bridgeburner / 03. Reptilian Soul / 04. Sweet Ivy / 05. 1000 Mile Stare / 06. Friday the 13/8 / 07. Beast / 08. Dead Dreams / 09. The Muppets Theme (Tease) / 10. Micro-Aggression / 11. Scrape the Walls / 12. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood (Nina Simone cover) / 13. Jam / 14. Bloody Tears (Castlevania) - Title Theme (Castlevania) - Boss Theme (Contra) / 15. Scavengers / 16. Gnarcissist

08 mutoidman


Abbath (NO)

There is no need to say much about ABBATH. The main black metal act of the first festival day is starting and it seems like everyone is here in the audience. Rain has stopped and festival ground is fully packed from one till the other side of the fortress walls. During the Meet & Greet session ABBATH had the longest queue as well. Today is interesting to listen mostly songs which are IMMORTAL covers, while ABBATH has its own new full length album which came out in the beginning of 2016, and in the moment when IMMORTAL is finishing new ninth album and blaming ABBATH  for stealing their materials. It is definitely a huge legal mess between Olve Eikemo (Abbath Doom Occulta) and IMMORTAL, which started with separation in 2015 and seems like it is culminating exactly now. Until new IMMORTAL album is ready, it is hard to tell if fans will be united or divided with ABBATH and IMMORTAL parallel presence. // http://www.abbath.net / https://www.facebook.com/abbathband // Setlist: 01. To War! / 02. Winterbane / 03. In My Kingdom Cold (Immortal cover) / 04. Nebular Ravens Winter (Immortal cover) / 05. Warriors (Immortal cover) / 06. Solarfall (Immortal cover) / 07. Tyrants (Immortal cover) / 08. One by One (Immortal cover) / 09. All Shall Fall (Immortal cover)

09 abbath


Chelsea Wolfe (US)

Legend of the underground music scene CHELSEA WOLFE is starting her European tour today with Brutal Assault Festival, as a main act on the Metalshop stage. Again I am hoping there might be a chance for a duet with KING DUDE, unfortunately it is not going to happen. Tonight setlist is a combination of three albums: Elements of Neofolk, electronic and metal mostly from 'Abyss' (2015) and 'Pain Is Beauty' (2013) with incorporated gothic and folk sounds of older 'Apokalypsis' album (2011). Lighting, smoke and simply visuals, in the perfect balance with hazy vocals and surreal soundscapes, are making the whole experience being a hypnotising peak of the festival first day. CHELSEA WOLFE loves Prague and I would say she is really enjoying the rest of Czech and Josefov Fortress today as well, which is making pleasant atmosphere even more cosy and mesmerizing. // http://www.chelseawolfe.net / https://www.facebook.com/cchelseawwolfe // Setlist: 01. Carrion Flowers / 02. Dragged Out / 03. After the Fall / 04. Demons / 05. Movie Screen / 06. Feral Love / 07. House of Metal / 08. Simple Death / 09. Iron Moon / 10. Pale on Pale

10 chelseawolfe


Slagmaur (NO)

Scary, dark, heavy and creepy Norwegian black metal band SLAGMAUR is the last act before saying good night to the first day of the festival. It is definitely a nightmare not a sweet dream. I am wondering how to describe SLAGMAUR music and with whom to compare them, and it is hard to say. Norwegian metal scene is always hiding new extreme experimental cross-genre acts, and SLAGMAUR is one of them, but in the same time much different. A big part of perception is brought through visuals, stage performance and costumes, so just to listen them or to watch them live might bring two different opinions of their music. That's why I like what they wrote on their band page: 'What you hear depends on your mood. What you understand depends on your ability to understand and to explore. What you fear... Well, that will be revealed in the music.'  There are some technical problems on the stage so we are waiting for a long before band starts playing, it is a bit annoying, but afterwards everything goes smooth. // https://www.facebook.com/slagmaurofficial // Setlist: 01. The Drummer of Tedworth / 02. Werewolf / 03. Bestemor Sang Djevelord / 04. Draco Gigante

11 slagmaur

All photos by Jelena Jakovljevic, full galleries check at: https://www.facebook.com/JelenaJakovljevicPhotography / http://www.jelenajakovljevic.com

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