Epic Metal Showcase: Highlights from the first day of Jailbreak 2024

The Jailbreak festival in Horsens, Denmark, held last Friday and Saturday, was a haven for heavy metal enthusiasts. This two-day event brought together an impressive lineup of metal bands worldwide, offering everything from classic heavy metal to power and symphonic metal. Fans gathered to experience the electrifying performances, and the festival did not disappoint, with each band bringing its unique sound and stage presence to the fore. The festival celebrated the legacy of metal and showcased its diverse subgenres, making it a must-attend event for metalheads. Below is a recap of some of the standout performances from the festival.

U.D.O

If you’re a fan of the classic 80’s heavy metal sound, U.D.O. was a definite must-see at Jailbreak this year. Their sound has much in common with founder Udo Dirkschneider’s former band, the equally famous Accept. There’s a strong emphasis on the guitar, powerful riffs, and soaring melodic guitar solos. Coupled with Dirkschneider’s coarse, almost gravelly voice, it still works in great tandem on stage. And for a man of 72, who’s been on stage for most of his life, Dirkschneider still has a lot of voice and stage presence left.

The band opened the outdoor stage of the festival on Friday, and while not all guests had arrived by then, those who were there rocked out to the show. The band took the audience on a nostalgic journey through the decades, playing a cavalcade of their old hits from nearly every major album out of the 19 they’ve released, including one as recent as last year. They ended with the song “Animal House,” from the first album of the same name, and by the end, people were singing along to the chorus. If you like the 80’s sound and bands like Accept or even Judas Priest, you’ll probably understand why this band has been around for nearly 40 years.

This was a great way to (anti) christen the big stage, and it got everybody pumped for what was to come.

Firewind

From classic heavy metal, we move on to power metal with the band Firewind, hailing from Greece. An almost ethereal, ceremonial sound emanated from the indoor stage as they entered, and the crowd was already riled up. Having played since the late 90s, they’ve amassed a decent group of fans, even here in Denmark. Once they started playing, it was easy to see why.

Their musical style is classic power metal with a very epic sound, but there’s some influence from heavy and melodic metal mixed in as well, with fast, intricate guitar riffs and energetic, rhythmic melodies. The lead singer, Gus G, has a strong, clean vocal that works well with the music, especially in the high-energy, tempo-filled songs. It’s not hard to see how they’ve managed to distinguish themselves in a genre filled with similar-sounding bands.

DragonForce

Friday continued with more power metal when the well-known British band DragonForce took the stage. It was a little surprising to see them on the smaller stage, but with Testament playing afterwards, it seems they had to make do. They didn’t skimp on the stage props, though, bringing in giant dragon heads and two large retro arcade machines sporting the logos of the classic games Rastan and Double Dragon. All of it was very on point. It left little space on the stage, so it was good that they could stand on the arcade machines and play, which noticeably impressed the crowd.

That’s what’s so likeable about DragonForce, besides their incredible guitar playing—they don’t take themselves too seriously. Known for their insane difficulty level on one of the early Guitar Hero games, they still maintain that level of speed and energy, even with new members. The word “epic” is often used when talking about power metal, but DragonForce truly earns that title. And it’s not just the guitar; the drums are also incredibly high-energy, and the synths and keyboard add a level of grandeur and even a bit of a retro game feel to the sound.

Saying that the band is connected to the world of games isn’t an overstatement. They spent more than five minutes naming Zelda games because they wrote a song about it, “Power of the Triforce,” and then passed around a giant chicken plushie that got thrown around the audience while a compilation of old video game footage played on the arcade machine screens. The vibe of the whole show was fun, and the crowd was excited from start to end, chanting their name after the first song, then singing, clapping, and jumping along to the music. The only downside was that it got as hot as a dragon’s ***hole in that old prison hall.

Testament

Testament was the main attraction for many people on Friday and the hardest-sounding band of the day. I’ve seen them play quite a few times over the years, and I’ve never seen a bad show. Then again, they were one of the pioneers of thrash in the San Francisco Bay Area in the mid-80s, so they’ve had time to practice. The music is technical, the riffs are aggressive, and the vocals are powerful and hard, but still manage to have melody, especially in their newer albums. Many of the tropes associated with thrash metal come from Testament, so they embody all the elements you think of when you think of this genre.

They played the main stage in the prison yard, which is decidedly bigger, yet they had fewer stage props than DragonForce. The stage was instead decorated with what looked like paintings of flying demons, almost like evil-looking cherubs. Gimmicks aren’t their style either; this is a band that takes themselves and their music very seriously, which is reflected in their often dark or socio-political lyrics.

But the Testament isn’t just about darkness. After a few songs, lead singer Chuck Billy asked by a show of hands who hadn’t been to one of their shows before, and a surprising number were newcomers. He welcomed them into the family as new disciples, and the crowd loved it. Even under the blazing sun, they welcomed the chance to finally let loose and run amok, and it wasn’t long before the first circle pit formed. This was the last stop on their European tour, and we were all glad they didn’t phone it in, giving us a show that people will remember, especially those who had never seen them live before.

Avantasia

Now, here was a challenge. How can you make a fitting description of a band like Avantasia when they have such a big production and intricate symphonic sound? In the past, they’ve been called a “metal opera” because of the theatrical nature of the stage show and the number of performers on stage. They’ve been likened to other artists with a flair for the dramatic, like Meatloaf.

The show was like a full theatre production with lots of fire, smoke, props, and scenery. They created an old brick wall with a gothic-looking gate that could as easily be the entrance to a graveyard as a cathedral in a Tim Burton movie, and behind it, they used different graphics that fit the theme of each song. Each projection fit the motif, and a lot of work went into every piece. The art style and décor were spectacles in themselves, but the music wasn’t lacking either. Drawing heavily from classic power metal while fusing it with orchestral and symphonic elements, the sound at times was more like a grandiose musical rather than a rock show. There were a lot of long guitar riffs, and the keyboard and backup singers played a big role in creating their atmospheric sound.

The band had ten people on stage throughout the show, including guest appearances from one of Saturday’s headliners, Pretty Maids, which fit perfectly with the vibe. It was a mix of solos, duets, and even trios, with every artist on stage getting their chance to shine.

They ended the show in the best theatre manner, with all the artists and guests of the night on stage, linking hands and bowing. Truly, Avantasia is a band that must be watched live to get the full experience, and I would recommend everyone who has the chance to see it, whether you’re a fan of the genre or not.

Photo’s (c) Morten Holmsgaard Kristensen