Since its inception in 1996, Ozzfest has become the quintessential summer metal festival. Besides bearing the name of legendary heavy metal frontman, Ozzy Osbourne—who has also headlined the show every year (until this one) with his solo act or with Black Sabbath—the festival has included the industry’s hottest acts of today and the bands that paved the wave for this eclectic branch of rock. Some of these acts include such industry titans as Slayer, Pantera, Disturbed, Korn, System of a Down, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Marilyn Manson and Rob Zombie.
The aforementioned acts represented the platinum brand of groups comprising the main stage. The side stage(s) has literally jumped started bands into stardom through exposing these bands to a massive audience that could not be achieved through the club circuit. The side stage has become a sort of coming out party for bands such as Unearth, The Black Dahlia Murder, Taproot, Lacuna Coil, Cradle of Filth, and Coal Chamber.
Sometimes Ozzfest has received criticism from die hard metal fans for obvious trend hoping. From the first couple festivals that featured mosh worthy groups such as Pantera, Machine Head and Sepultura to the late nineties nu metal craze and all the way up to the festival promoter’s current affinity toward metal core, Ozzfest has always been about bringing the type of metal that appeals to the masses. However, the last four Ozzfests have showcased more extreme acts, in particular European groups, creeping into the green-colored foray. 2005 was the year Sweden invaded the fest with four of their most popular acts: In Flames, The Haunted, Arch Enemy, and Soilwork—thus pushing this style into the forefront of modern metal (even though it was about a decade overdue). 2004 included the first Norwegian black metal group, Dimmu Borgir, and last year’s lineup death metal marauders—Behemoth and Nile.
Ozzfest may be on its leg due to the age and health of Ozzy. Rumors have it that the Ozzman may be preparing to pass on the reigns to one or a group of current megastars. An Ozzfest without Ozzy just seems strange and may not go over too well. Whatever the case, Ozzy, Sharon, Jack and the rest of the festival’s masterminds are willing to try new things to keep a fresh perspective. Last year, the high cost of the fest was reduced to zero, which caused mixed results due to confusion of how to get a ticket (or if you could even get one).
This year’s festival brought so many new ideas to the table it proved to be nothing short of historic. Some of the changes in festival include three stages with one focusing on Texas-area bands and in the tradition of European festivals such as Wacken and Dynamo, it happened in only one location—Frisco, Texas. A bonus aspect to seeing a wide array of great bands was the guest appearances. After HellYeah’s performance, metal icons such as Kerry King, Scott Ian, Bobzilla, King Diamond and Max Cavalera descended upon the stage to pay homage to fallen guitar great, Dimebag Darrell. King Diamond later joined Metallica in a presentation of the Mercyful Fate medley Metallica released on the Garage Inc. album.
The lineup was also the most diverse. Local bands grinded it out in a battle of the bands, the side stage presented a diverse showing of styles including stoner doom (Witchcraft—a band like this was long overdue!), grind (Soilent Green), black metal (Goatwhore), thrash (Rigor Mortis) and popular acts such as Drowning Pool and Sevendust. On the mainstage, in a reversal of the Master of Puppets tour, Metallica headlined with Ozzy preceding. Jonathan Davis and Serj Tankian represented the main stage with bands like In This Moment and Apocalyptica, who are on the edge of celebrity-status, coming earlier in the day.
This year’s event definitely had a special air about it. Because this was such a momentous day for metal, Blistering.com felt it only proper hear the opinions of the artists representing Metal Blade Records. We felt this only fitting because Metal Blade founder and owner, Brian Slagel was instrumental in kick starting the American metal scene. His label was not only one of the first great American metal labels, it was the first one to release a Metallica track, “Hit the Lights,” which came via Metal Massacre I. Blistering spoke to members of Goatwhore, Soilent Green, The Destro and King Diamond (in part 2) about their experience in this year’s fest.
Making an appearance on Ozzfest can symbolize so many things to a group. It can mean finally breaking through to a successful career, making new friends and rekindling old friendships, having the chance to watch other great bands or to hear thousands of fans chant your name. Sammy Duet, guitarist of Goatwhore and spokesperson seemed more focused on completing the group’s next record.
“It was a very long, long, long drive for us to get here; it was like a ten hour drive,” he explains. “We are in the middle of writing our new album, which will kill everyone. The new Metal Blade album will destroy everyone! We were in the mind set of writing stuff in our practice room, and we had to get out of that and rehearse old stuff to come play this shit. It is what it is, I guess you could say. It was worth it, though, because the fans were there. It was good, it was awesome. It was way better than anything I have ever done before. The stage is our little ritual chamber. It completely binds us to Satan. Instead of being rehearsing new songs, I come and play the same songs to that our fans have heard many times before. Whatever…I don’t give a fuck about anything. I would rather be our practice room finishing up, we are about to achieve the apocalypse.”
However, Duet did express how pleased he was to extol the virtues of Satan. We were reciting the words to Satan—our lord and master, which is always a good thing. I should spread my disease as much as I possibly can amongst all these weak-minded mother fuckers here that don’t know what direction they are going in. They are bred from a bunch of alcoholic, drug addict, meth-head-mother-fucking parents. They are looking for something. They are looking for someone to lead them and that someone is Satan! Not a lot of people look at it like this, but Satan is a very positive thing. He gives you power, he instills power. Not like a Christian where you have to bow down before Jesus Christ with the blood hanging down from his hands. No, Satan is not about bowing down before anyone. It is about them bowing down before you!”
Metal Blade Invades Ozzfest Interview Page One << you are here
