Mordkaul was the second artist of the day to serve us some tight melodic death metal. Belgians were out in force in the audience to support their fellow countrymen. Tommy Goffin‘s voice was something that woke everyone up around noon. The festival had already been going on for four days, so you’d expect most people to be taking it easy, but not the Mordkaul fans. They were still giving it their all as if it were their last chance to headbang. This, combined with the monstrous sounds and many chugs from guitarists Vincent Noben and Stefan Segers, made it a great success. With hints here and there about a new album and songs we haven’t heard yet, everyone remained on their feet for what was to come.

With the banner deliberately upside down and the humor exuded by all the band members, you already know what kind of show this is going to be: full of circle pits, funny dancing, and, in general, complete chaos. The Belgian goregrind band Brutal Sphincter, which is fairly well known in the scene for how hard they can party and their support for freedom of speech in this world full of extremists, leaves you feeling good with their satirical humor and brutal songs. They started their set with a random jump scare that was the starting signal for a set full of pure fun. Just like with yesterday’s other goregrind band, Party Cannon, you could see floaties flying through the air left and right. The mosh pits, circle pits, and walls of death were entered at your own risk, as everyone was giving it their all. The band also introduced a circle pit just for the ladies and the ‘walk around the dinosaur’ while they were laughing at Slayer‘s Raining Blood. They gave you a real family feeling and showed their loyalty to the fans who had also travelled from Belgium to Tolmin. From half-naked people everywhere to all the ‘oh yeah’s that Spermain dropped into his mic, the weather cleared up and let a light shine on Brutal Sphincter‘s amazing set.

Throughout the festival, people wondered who the people masked as the Tolminator mascot were. You saw them everywhere, on different stages, in the river, and in the mosh pits. These were the people from TLMNTR who managed to get everyone together on the DIY stage. With a great atmosphere and dancing around the skate ramp, they showed that even the organizers love a good time. The hardcore music and fans from all over are what unite the festival, so seeing this must have been a pleasure for bassist and co-founder/owner Matej Ahlin. The thunderous applause is well deserved for what they have achieved with Tolminator.

The black/speed metal one-man band Hellripper was an act to be respected, because you knew that Scottish James McBain does everything himself in the studio, so it’s quite impressive what he has achieved. With such a unique genre and varied influences, it was a unique experience for people who love experimental metal music. The crowd went wild in many mosh pits, and crowdsurfing seemed unstoppable. With one person climbing a tree for a better view and James McBain jumping into the audience, you knew he was a crowd pleaser. A true multi-artist like this is hard to find these days, and everyone in the crowd knew it.

It grew dark and cloudy on the main stage. Some may have regretted the loss of daylight, but others found it perfectly suited to the atmosphere created by Finnish psychedelic fanatics Oranssi Pazuzu. This is not just psychedelic music, because it amazes you with a touch of black metal and a spiritual, cult-like feel. It’s one of those bands that you experience best live rather than on the radio. The magic that this group performed for the audience left everyone in silence. They draw you into their world and then let you trip out. All this, combined with good vocals reminiscent of black metal influences and impressive lighting and lightning bolts during their set, makes for a performance to remember. Unfortunately, it ended earlier than expected, but the audience remained in a trance even after they left the stage.