More Ozzfest Reviews, Maiden is Stealing the Show
Warning, the first review contains a spoiler: the name of some songs played by Maiden.God save Ozzy
He's gotten older but heavy metal and Brits rule the day
By JEFF MIERS
NEWS POP MUSIC CRITIC
7/22/2005
REVIEW
WHAT:
Ozzfest, featuring Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Mudvayne and others
WHEN:
Thursday
WHERE:
Six Flags Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
Twenty bands convened on two stages over a 12-hour span in the boiling heat at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center Thursday, all in a tribute to the black sheep of the rock 'n' roll family - heavy metal.
Born of the blues, melted down and repoured into the cauldron of working class Britain, and fueled by the ethic of American garage rock, metal signaled the dawn of the '70s and sounded the death knell for the forward-looking, peace, love and psychedelics stance of the '60s.
By the end of the '70s, the form was ready to explode, having survived punk's attempts to beat it into submission, and ready to feast on the hordes of alienated youths during the Thatcher-Reagan era.
Metal ruled until fancy boys in lipstick co-opted it and turned it into the far less integrity-soaked aberration "hair metal," weakening it so much that it took grunge rockers obsessed with the earliest rumblings from metal to come along and dethrone it.
Ozzfest has sought, since its inception 10 years ago, to marry the post-grunge version to its "classic," more melodic, grandiose and classical-informed nascent stages. It has failed.
On Thursday, it was clear that the reigning kings of classic metal have little in common with today's heavy bands, most of whom have abandoned melody entirely, borrowed from hip-hop, punk and hardcore and created an estuary that is far less daring, exploratory or interesting.
It's not surprising, then, that of Ozzfest's 12 hours, three of them overshadowed the others so completely as to all but obliterate them. The main stage hosted the one-two punch of New Wave of British Heavy Metal stalwarts Iron Maiden, and metal progenitors Black Sabbath, reunited with the festival's namesake, Ozzy Osbourne, for the first time in years.
Beyond argument, Iron Maiden stole the show. Since reuniting with singer Bruce Dickinson for the "Brave New World" album several years back, Maiden has reclaimed its position at the top of the metal heap.
Dickinson is an incredibly powerful, dramatic, neo-operatic singer, and the band's blend of influences - the twin harmony guitars of Thin Lizzy and Wishbone Ash, the sturm und drang of Deep Purple, the progressive, near-epic leanings of Jethro Tull and early Genesis - provides a lush backdrop for his incredibly charismatic, full-throated howl.
This was a hits-heavy set list, but no one seemed to mind, as they tore through timeless bits of math-metal like "The Number Of the Beast," "Phantom of the Opera" and "The Trooper."
It was glorious from start to finish, and watching rhythm section partners Steve Harris (band founder and bassist) and Nicko McBrain (drums) pound out the militant gallop and punk-progressive hybrid assault was nothing short of inspiring.
Black Sabbath fared less well, mainly because Osbourne is a pale shadow of his former self. His voice is heavily processed, which is fine, but he still managed to sing wildly out of tune at times, and his stage moves - once maniacal and menacing - now seem pathetic. Ozzy has done so much for heavy rock music. It seems cruel that we should have to watch him fall apart so publicly.
Not that I'm complaining. Seeing Black Sabbath - Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler, and drummer Bill Ward - together again, laying down bone-crunching versions of pieces like "War Pigs," "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" and "The Wizard" was purely joyful.
Though Ozzy seems a bit out of it, the band has never sounded better. Butler and Ward defined the term "heavy" in the '70s, and they still do today, laying down a dark, subterranean rumble that suggests the end of the world is pretty much nigh.
Black Label Society kicked it hard, too. Bearing the burden of his immaculate predecessor, Randy Rhoads, leader and erstwhile Ozzy guitarist Zak Wylde brought a Southern accent to his modern metal.
More importantly, he and his bandmates reveled in the sort of melodic, though undoubtedly heavy metal that headliners - and mentors - Maiden and Sabbath invented and perfected. He's a wonderful, if a bit busy, guitarist, and his tone is his own.
The night belonged to Maiden, clearly, with Black Sabbath claiming a close second, Black Label Society placing third, and Buffalo's It Dies Today owning the second stage with a blend of punk, hardcore and metal.
So where's metal at today? Same place it was in 1980. The British rule.
Source: Buffnews.com
The Ozzfest tour itinerary featured two instances of consecutive-day shows this week, and Black Sabbath couldn't perform the second date of either.
Ozzy Osbourne, the tour's founder and Black Sabbath's vocalist, called in sick Wednesday in Holmdel, N.J., after performing Tuesday in the same town.
Sunday, after a Saturday concert in Chicago, an illness in the band -- presumably Ozzy's -- kept the headliners off the bill at Verizon Wireless Music Center.
All 19,000 ticket holders were told the situation upon arriving. Anyone who didn't enter was advised to collect a ticket refund at the point of purchase.
On the bright side, 19 bands did perform, and seasoned pros Iron Maiden and Rob Zombie saved the day.
Various bands boasting two guitarists brought the noise on the main and second stages throughout the day, but U.K. treasure Iron Maiden had the final word with its three-man assault of Dave Murray, Adrian Smith and Janick Gers.
When a song called for a solo, all three would shred away. When playing chords, their complementary hands more or less covered a guitar neck from end to end.
Bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris has been with Maiden since it helped spearhead the New Wave of British Heavy Metal in the late 1970s.
Harris believes in speed and melody, traits that defined Sunday's renditions of "The Trooper" and "Run to the Hills." Interaction between the players was so seamless it took a faltering "Revelations" to reveal how great everything else sounded.
Vocalist Bruce Dickinson provided the right amount of theatrics to "Phantom of the Opera" and "Number of the Beast," and he also spoke briefly and sarcastically about police presence and corporate overtones at Ozzfest -- perhaps a speech not given when Ozzy's in the house?
Over at the second stage, Rob Zombie reminded his audience that modern rock radio once played singles that flaunted personality and a sense of style.
The techno-metal trance of 1998's "Dragula" and 1995's "More Human Than Human" has aged surprisingly well.
Maybe the best compliment to pass along to Zombie is that he supplied enough entertainment to displace thoughts of the day's oppressive heat and sun.
Killswitch Engage guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz dealt with the conditions by wearing excessively short pants and a cape. This was amusing enough, but the full scope of the joke was clear when Mudvayne bass player Ryan Martinie arrived on the main stage in a similar (but serious) get-up.
Despite Mudvayne's popularity, the Illinois-based quartet plays overwrought and impenetrable art metal.
Source: Indianapolis Star
7 Comments
A few short comments.
"...militant gallop and punk-progressive hybrid assault" - great description
"Osbourne is a pale shadow of his former self. His voice is heavily processed, which is fine, but he still managed to sing wildly out of tune at times, and his stage moves - once maniacal and menacing - now seem pathetic. Ozzy has done so much for heavy rock music. It seems cruel that we should have to watch him fall apart so publicly."
Maiden news or not, Osbournes or not, this is breaking my heart 
"Bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris has been with Maiden since it helped spearhead the New Wave of British Heavy Metal in the late 1970s." - hmm... 
"faltering Revelations" - this, being one of my most beloved Maiden songs, I particularly enjoyed in Prague. It sounded great there.
he also spoke briefly and sarcastically about police presence and corporate overtones at Ozzfest -- perhaps a speech not given when Ozzy's in the house?
Don't think so. Bruce is known for saying what's on his mind, which I respect him for. Although sometimes with the result of being offensive.
Did anybody notice how virtually every Ozzfest review mentions Maiden stealing the show?
Yep Perun, that's why I chose that title for my news 
Cheers
QUOTE(Perun @ Aug 6 2005, 01:32 AM)
Did anybody notice how virtually every Ozzfest review mentions Maiden stealing the show?
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Sorry to tell you guys, I just came back from the souther california show and Maiden was sabotaged. Right before maiden took the stage, there was a guy in speakers chanting "OZZY, OZZY" and then when the band showed up, they were received by a rain of eggs and water bottles that some idiots threw at them.
Thankfully, it was just a few idiots, most everybody was going crazy about maiden.
Also, when Bruce was waving the Union Jack, an asshole came into the stage with a huge american flag, and with a big sign that said "don't fuck with Ozzy"
Then, "Accidently" all the sound died during PHantom of the OPera and Hallowed be thy name.
Thankfully, Maiden had an awesome show, as always, and they showed the crowd who's boss.
Finally, when Maiden left the stage, the same idiot started coming from the speakers, chanting "Ozzy, Ozzy" It had to be one of the sound board guys, because it came out of the huge speakers and overpowered even Bruce's mike.
Finally Sharon Osbourne came into the stage, after the band left and she said "Bruce Dickinson is afraid"...Thankfully a lot of people started chanting "Maiden, Maiden" and threw some thrash at her, so she quickly left the stage.
What a show....LIke Bruce said "Death before Dishonor!!!"
That is pathetic!!! I can't believe what goes on in some people's minds.
here some rants:
http://www.ironmaiden.org/showthread.php?t...27&page=1&pp=10
Well it makes the story of the anti Maiden message on the official Ozzfest t-shirts less unlikely.