UP THE HAMMERS V IMPRESSIONS

[Ieltxumetal]

The Spanish armada is back from the festival already!(the reduced armada this time XD)

It was our first visit to Athens and It's been one of the best festivals we have ever attended (and you know we try to go everywhere)!!! Greece has been most welcoming with us and the Greek fans have impressed me deeply.

They are more metal than most of the Germans, Spanish or Italians! Really good people, 0 idiots, 0 drunk bastards who don't care about the bands... Outstanding fans indeed.

Regarding the festival itself. Everything nearly perfect. The venue is great (despite of all those dangerous steps everywhere), the sound was fairly OK, considering Athens is not Germany, Sweden or the UK. The prices where OK too and the beer is quite good.

Regarding the bands, the highlights for us where:

Macedonian Harriers, Strikelight and Dexter Ward on the Warm Up. We were really looking forward to see Strikelight and they were as good as we expected. I hope we can bring them to Spain someday.

On Friday, we liked Convixion, Mortician, Praying Mantis and Savage Grace. We didn't expect that Savage Grace were going to be such a great show.
Convixion are one of those bands who will be bigger on a short time if they continue that way.
Mortician gave a great show too and they are really nice guys! I hope the chance to bring them to Spain someday happens.
Praying Mantis, as professional as usual.

On Saturday, Atlantean Kodex were great and so they were Dexter Ward.
Enforcer a fucking hurricane. The fastest show of them I have seen. We are waiting anxious to the new album.
Doomsword were the best band of the festival in my opinion. So fucking epic and powerful.

Regarding In Solitude. I didn't have the chance to speak with them but I didn't like their attitude on stage. I don't know if that is the image they want to give but they look too arrogant and distant, which is not the way to show yourself on this kind of festivals and environment. I hope they act better in Madrid, cause people is not so understanding there as in Greece.

So, overall, a fucking great festival. We will come back next year if the line up worth it!

Finally we would really like to thanks Greg, Manolis and everybody at the festival for the treat they gived us!!!

[Volrath]

It was a great festival, indeed.
It was a pleasure to have our friends from Spain in our country and it is nice to hear you had a great time here.
We are awaiting for you next year.
Hails!

[chris]

Thnx Manoli!!!!

Arryan Path ruled the first day and on the second In Solitude, Enforcer, Slauter and Doomsword were great!!!!

And Atlantean Kodex of course!!!!

[WotaN]

It was one more great festival that left even more great memories than the previous ones.UTH festival is getting even better year by year and I think that it has a lot more to give to both Greek and foreign metalheads.
The highlights for me were Arryan Path and Marauder for the first day and Enforcer,Slauter Xstroyes as well as Atlantean Kodex on the second! Enforcer was a real dynamite! I have never felt so deeply the will to do stagediving on a concert.It was an amazing band!I also enjoyed In Solitude's performance even though I didn't like so much their attitude as well.I don't know but I need more music than image.Anyway they played well so that's what matters.
Anyway,we're heading for the next festival and I wish for the time to pass soon! We need more events like this in Greece.Perhaps Manolis should think the idea of making two events in a year
The billing so far is great,Ruthless,While Heaven Wept and Jaguar are the some of the first names already announced so we wait for a hot line up as well!Lets see!

[UTH - Manolis]

Best bands of the festival for me was slauter xstroyes and arryan path. All bands though had a great appearence and they were all very professional not being a pain in the ass for the promoter.Of course there was also the secong highlight of my metal "carreer" ( the first one was to play victorious path with Nick on the manilla road basement in wichita with Mark shelton headbanging). When i listened to sacred metal for the first time i would never belived that one day i would be able to be on stage with doomsword playing it. It was n't even a dream!

[Saxnot]

My highlight was the gig of DOOMSWORD, the best one of this band I've witnessed so far. The epic battle atmosphere was incredible! SLAUTER XSTROYES, ATLANTEAN KODEX, ARRYAN PATH, DEXTER WARD and many more have played great shows as well. To be honest, I have not seen any weak or boring band on that festival!
Thanks, Manolis, for making this happen... it was one more unforgettable week of pure Heavy Metal!

All of my German friends have been impressed by the atmosphere of the festival: fans and and bands have been very open, relaxed and you really feel to be a part of the whole thing. This is true undergroud spirit.



But instead of writing I better post some pictures:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/twos_87/sets/72157623499737411/detail/

(not only from the festival itself but also a lot more impressions from our trip, the city etc...)



from the last years:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/saxnot87/sets/72157623620210448/detail/