OBSCENE EXTREME festival 2000

OBSCENE EXTREME 2000 PROGRAM

FRIDAY 7.7.2000

15.00 - 15.20 LANIENA MENTIS
15.30 - 15.50 INTERVALLE BIZZARRE
16.00 - 16.20 PURULENT SPERMCANAL
16.30 - 16.50 ALIENATION MENTAL
17.00 - 17.20 ...never arrived LYKATHEA AFLAME
17.30 - 17.50 OBLITERATE
18.00 - 18.20 PSYCHOPATHIA
18.30 - 18.50 GODLESS TRUTH
19.00 - 19.20 ABORTION
19.30 - 20.00 FLESHLESS
20.10 - 20.50 VOMIT REMNANTS
21.00 - 21.45 HOUWITSER
22.00 - 22.40 SQUASH BOWELS
22.50 - 23.30 CRIPPLE BASTARDS
23.40 - 00.10 INGROWING
00.20 - 00.50 DEMENTOR
01.00 - 01.30 PROFANITY
01.40 - 02.00 M.A.C. OF MAD
02.10 - 02.30 FEEBLE MINDED
02.40 - 03.00 CONTRASTIC

SATURDAY 8.7.2000

11.00 - 11.20 N.C.C.
11.30 - 11.50 EXPOSED GUTS
12.00 - 12.20 DIN-ADDICT
12.30 - 12.50 CONVENT
13.00 - 13.20 DISINFECT
13.30 - 13.50 SEVERE TORTURE
14.00 - 14.20 BEELCHING BEET
14.30 - 14.50 DISSENTER
15.00 - 15.20 DISFIGURED CORPSE
15.30 - 15.50 AUTORITAR
16.00 - 16.20 GRIDE
16.30 - 16.50 SURGICAL DISSECTION
17.00 - 17.20 ... never arrived COMRADES, disorder of the van
17.30 - 17.50 PLASTIC GRAVE
18.00 - 18.20 BLOODSUCKERS
18.30 - 18.50 COCK AND BALL TORTURE
19.00 - 19.20 HYPNOS
19.30 - 20.00 MUCUPURULENT
20.10 - 20.40 ISACAARUM
20.50 - 21.25 KRABATHOR
21.30 - 22.10 BLOOD
22.15 - 22.35 FLYING MAN SHOW by PIRANHA
22.40 - 23.20 ... never arrived VITAL REMAINS, never explained why...
23.25 - 00.05 ROTTEN SOUND
00.10 - 00.40 ABSTAIN
00.50 - 01.20 ...never arrived LAST DAYS OF HUMANITY
01.25 - 01.55 WOJCZECH
02.00 - 02.20 PANDEMIA
02.30 - 02.50 HARMONY DIES
03.00 - 03.20 MONOLITH
03.30 - 04.00 NUCLEAR DEVASTATION

OBSCENE EXTREME festival 2000 - review

Petr Frinta / SPARK magazine

Thursday

Even though the whole festival was supposed to start on Friday (first band starting at 15:00), lot of people arrived to Trutnov already on Thursday evening. Yet on the railway station there was no doubt where and why all those people (in so characteristic dresses) are going to. The account of such persons was not the only surprise. Many times more exciting was the question where the fans come from. For sure, there was a big amount of Czech fans, but the have been probably outnumbered by those who had to cross borders to get to the festival. Not much surprising was the fact that many of those people came from German or Poland (as these countries adjoin to Czech republic). But there was a big number of fans that have connected the visit of the festival with their holidays in Czech republic. Some of them are really to be admired since they had to undergone not so short trip from their home-countries as Switzerland or even Greece!!! Some three hundreds of people were to be found at the festival area at Thursday evening. Many of them came to meet some of the musicians that also arrived a day sooner, the other arrived a day earlier just to have a rest after long trip, since they wanted to be well-rested before the whole marathon begins. Nothing really important did happen on Thursday. Or better said, nothing which has anything to do with music. People (including some of the present musicians) got drunk, smoked pot, we re doing really crazy and stupid things etc. And almost everyone ate sausages. It was also the last chance to buy them directly in the festival camp - organizers of the festival are radical vegans, so there was forbidden the sale of anything "meat-able" for forthcoming three days (fortunately only in festival area and not in the whole surrounding?).


Friday

Sky was getting darker during the morning, but no real rain appeared. So distributors had free hands and enough time to build their canvas shelters. It was on one side funny, on the other really interesting and instructing, to watch how some of these label managers, presidents or employees are building their homes for forthcoming few days. Some of their artistic creatures really worth a big appreciation. For the future, some of them would not underestimate too much home training, may be next time they won't be laughed by the competitors. Friday morning was also one of the last chances for the other group - carnivores (read: non-vegan majority). I guess never before the butcher (whose shop was close to the area) had to deal with such a big invasion of hungry fans. At his point I could add any bloody fucking details, but who cares about them? But more seriously now. On noon there came first rain showers. By that time I have been wakening up having the second shower that morning. Fuck off hangover, the most stupid invention in the history of mankind! At the same time have been started the marking of visitors and musicians. The number of those who found out any way how to get to the festival and don't have to pay anything, was also at this time not small. But we would keep their ways and manners secret. First surprise of the day came soon. Even the organizers didn't have an expectations that there will come more over two thousand paying people. Really nice surprise, don't you think? Sun rose from the clouds once again as if there would not come to the rain within only one more hour. But it came? First band that appeared on stage was LANIENA MENTIS, Czech band that finished its first regular CD "Shambles Of Mind" just few weeks before this gig. Unfortunately I can not refer on their set, same as for the following Prague's INTERVALLE BIZZARE, since I have been moving all my things from wet to dry place. I have been present only at last few minutes of IB´s gig, so the first band, whose gig I saw whole were north-moravian PURULENT SPERMCANAL. To be honest, I am not fans of their albums at all, but their live performance was something totally different than the average albums. Green dyed head of their guitar player marks that they don't take everything seriously and the play just for fun. Their gig was really funny, so lots of people started to dance and have fun. If I am not wrong, the followers on stage were ALIENATION MENTAL. I am not as much sure about succession of the band - I have been making any marks into my notebook, but day later I lost the notebook, so? But back to ALIENATION MENTAL - this Prague based quintet totally declassed MALIGNANT TUMOUR on their shared split CD, so my expectations were big. But they have been fully satisfied, may be I can even claim that what I have seen was a bit beyond my expectation. Driven by excellent drummer and eccentric singer, having really cool stuff (taken from the named split CD) they we re fist of the highlights of the eve. Time for first foreign guest have come. For many Czech people it still is not so, but Slovakia must be taken as a foreign country, so first band from abroad were OBLITERATE, often also called as Slovakian NAPALM DEATH. From a distance you must admit OBLITERATE really remind the earlier stuff of the British legend. Nice is that unlike the other band OBLITERATE don't feel ashamed that they are influenced by someone else. During the gig you may (same as me and others) start to think if sometimes cool copy isn't better than the olden original. It took me a long time since I found the answer - after I have seen two NAPALM DEATH gigs recently, I found out that OBLITERATE still looses something in comparison with the original. But the gig they played at Trutnov was something unique. OBLITERATE exists almost ten years and it is easy to be recognized from their live show, their instrumental capabilities and unbelievable drive they have disposed. The audience was unsurprisingly conforming to it - OBLITERATE had one of the biggest audience during both days. Stylistically similar, but a bit more original are south moravian grinders PSYCHOPATHIA. In their case you must face the question, why they haven't reach any remarkable success even though they exist almost ten years ad released many hi-fi tapes and CD´s. Not mentioning the fact their first (and best) album had been done in 1992!!!!! During their good, but qualities of OBLITERATE not reaching gig I have been also informed why the band, that was supposedly succeeding on stage - LYKATHEA AFLAME - haven´t come at all. Guys have been recording their new stuff in studio and since there was no chance to change a studio date, they preferred to have the album finished to playing a gig on the fest? Now it finally came! Somewhere from Slovakian countryside came a trio, often called as Slovakian AGATHOCLES. ABORTION played their short funny mince-grind songs from both albums and from the split vinyl they deal with those so famous Belgians, that invented name "mince core" some years ago. Guess everyone could find the similarities between both bands easily, both in musical and ideological levels. But Slovakians often cross genres from mince or grind into classical crust songs. But these variation doesn't help too much and after some time, you might have the felling the songs are too much similar to each other and band sounds a bit stereotypically? GODLESS TRUTH were a bit different cup of tea. Their death metal would probably remind you some more acclaimed American bands - very brutal yet very technical. Sun set during their gig, so many people visited their "homes" to obtain more clothes? FLESHLESS are classical Czech stuff, using drum machine, but with their former drummer Hans it was many times better, you know?. Since FLESHLESS and GODLESS TRUTH were on tour together with Nippon lunatics VOMIT REMNANTS, there was no doubt who comes to the stage after them. Judging by music, you would never say they come from land of rising sun, but from central USA. But their death metal is very well played, vocals are unique. Nice show, if you see the bass player whose instrument is by far longer than its owner?. Well, a bit reminding their land-mates RISE FROM THE DEAD, but cool indeed. Total bliss for all SINISTER fans. What else can you say on HOUWITZER, formed by three ex-SINISTER members and playing almost the same crap. For some people this was the best band of Friday, for the others (including me) nothing else than totally average European death band. What would you choose? SQUASH BOWELS were having problems with almost anything. First with car, so they promised to come later, than with handy, so they could come?. Having seen their performance, I would never judge CRIPPLE BASTARD´ s bass player is making living regularly as a violin maker. In opposite - Music of Italians is quite catchy, simple, but not primitive. As far as I was not present at the first OBSCNE EXTREME, I could not compare Italians gigs on both years, but I have to admit I have been totally caught by what I have heard. Short, catchy songs are coming as an flood. Any other band haven't so big audience and so much stage-diving persons during is gig. Then appeared on stage INGROWING, one of the best Czech genre's band. Guess it was not easy to take over the stage after Italian madmen, but having already seen some eight INGROWING gigs, I can on my full responsibility claim this one was their best ever. By far. They play almost everything, including song from their split tape with town-mates ISACAARUM. Really cool, but may have been even better if guys haven't addressed me some naughty fucking words before last song?. But onwards. DEMENTOR were checking their sound so long that just some twelve minutes remained them to play. Germany's PROFANITY weren't really bad, but compared to some Czech highest they are just better average. But M.A.C. OF MAD surprised almost everyone. Due to big consume of alcohol before the show the show their singer Fido did, was unbelievable. Burning a fan who climbed on a stage during the fire-breathing - have you ever seen anything similar? Nice guys don't play rock and roll and do such things! You know that or not? FEEBLE MINDED was another artist that escaped to my eyes and ears. Exhausted I was searching for some rest and I remained at bar their whole gig. Last but not least! The finishing band were CONTRASTIC and also their gig was a bit chaotic. For instance - at the end of sound-check they found out their singer is present neither on stage nor around or under it. But they soon realized he is still sleeping in the car, having no idea he is about to sing right now?. But in the end I must say these weird guys mixing grind with electronic parts were one of three best artist appearing on the whole action.


Saturday

Saturday morning was at first wet. Everyone was getting wet, everything was getting wet. In connection with down-going temperatures it also caused that many people left festival with cough, sore throat, headache and temperature. Same as on Friday, I was somehow unable to see first two bands. According to the witnesses, in case of Prague's funny grinders N.C.C. I missed much, in case of EXPOSED GUTS I missed nothing?. Hungarian DIN-ADDICT were somelike a soundtrack to my breakfast. Polish CONVENT were about to take a place on stage after them, but never happened. CONVENT were unsatisfied with drums, so during their gig time they were walking through city center admiring its architecture. SEVERE TORTURE are one of the greatest European discoveries in the death metal, but their live show was or me somehow not interesting. Good, but nothing more than average. At the beginning of the nineties DISFIGURED CORPSE belonged to the most acclaimed metal acts in Bohemia, so there was a big question how will be looking their comeback (in almost original line-up), realized after few yours of silence and non-activity. Quite cool, guess I and with this opinion I was not alone. Congratulations, guys! Germoney´s AUTORITAR surprised at first by a bit unusual image (well, would you expect typical rude punk guys on the metal fest?) and thereafter by superb music. Simple, fast., aggressive crust reminding the genre's most important bands like DISCHARGE and so on. Almost the same I could say on the address of next Czech band - GRIDE. Female guest appeared on vocals. FATALITY sucked and just gave me an approval to my idea that many of Czech bands are by far better than foreign guests. PLASTIC GRAVE had their last gig ever here. Song played were taken both from new (comeback) LP "Back From The Grave" and from the almost legendary tape "Tribute to Pennywise". Funny was the end of their gig since half of the band claimed there is a time enough for one more song while the other half claimed the opposite. You see, how important is to have a strong leader? BLOODSUCKERS ver nothing special, but following Germany's COCK & BALL TORTURE were something different. Their music is not anyhow complicated, but well played and composed. But at the same moment, the crowd cared about something else. The question came - would HYPNOS be better than the former home-band of their bass player Bruno (KRABATHOR)? From my point of view better were HYPNOS, despite the fact heir music doesn't bring anything new. But I must admit that there any many better bands here in Czech republic that don't have to be based just on where (or better - from which more known band) their members come from.. MUCUPURULENT is a trio of insane Germans, that reminded me with their rock and grind long gone gory of Austrian legendary PUNGENT STENCH. Both musicwise and lyrically. Now finally came time for those who were flirting too much with organizers. Ladies and gentleman, squashed towels are here! SQUASH BOWELS were probably the most controversial band f both days. Superb songs on one side, but the way they were played, too long rest times between songs. I don't know? Once upon a time was KRABATHOR the best Czech metal band, but these days are probably definitively gone. Just a great amorphous bubble remained and live show doesn't respond with the experiences such a band should have. Same as for me, the majority saw KRABATHOR with Paul Speckman on bass for very first time. I would say he helped to move KRABATHOR´ s music to a bit other dimension - more into eighties direction (which is probably caused by Speckman´s typical bass play). For long time BLOOD belong among the utter genre's classics. For sure, by the genre I mean grind core. Along the new songs guys played all the all classics, so to be heard were such pieces as a title track from "Christbait" and other genre's basic mo(nu)ments. Blast beats changing into slow passages, amazing? Totally extraordinary was the show that followed. Even though it had almost nothing to do with metal. Theatre performance "Flying Man Show" was peculiar piece of art, I had to add. Performed by the guys of Prague tattoo saloon Piranha, the show consisted of different fireworks and the real flying man show. Doesn't mater the man was not flying on his own wings! Guys form studio give him special piercing in his back and then the man "flew up". Oops, hope I won't wake up any day by this way? Supposed headliner of both days - legendary Americans VITAL REMAINS didn't come at all and above all they didn't give any formal explanation. Discussions on this item took place, but really didn't change the fact Americans haven't arrived. Bands positions on Sunday evening once more changed - the headliner of the eve were Finnish Alco's from ROTTEN SOUND (with their crust-grind-death-whatsoever warmachine) and co-headlining was Czech clyster squad ISACAARUM (playing sado-black-grind exclusively) . Interesting was that they made stage-diving some people whom this act (stage-diving) could cause serious health damage. As an example should be named Eddie, the guitar hero of INGROWING (having some 130 kg). ISACAARUM gig was as usual full of peculiar stage show, finish guys than surprised with well done cover from gods of grind - CARCASS. Who haven't seen, wouldn't believe! ABSTAIN drove 24 hours by train just do get to the show since their car failed and surprisingly the weariness was not visible at all. Tired of all the music, noise, alcohol, pot etc I was unable to watch the last three bands - BELCHING BEET, PANDEMIA, NUCLEAR DEVASTATION, but I haven't missed them too much - all important of the eve I have seen, so I prefered to have warm shower and good meal? SUNDAY Leaving earlier than all the others I was not present when mass exodus occurred. As I needed to be in my hometown (Prague) really early in the morning, I traveled by first train coming that day that was leaving at some 4:30 and for sure, it was full of fans?. After some peculiar accidents, changes etc. I have finally reached my home at around 10:00. Tired, swept, dirty, sleepy, hungry, but happy I have seen and heard that all? A story by Petr Frinta Feel free to send me your "Fuck off" or any other product of your senile dementia to: frintosaurus@gmx.fr