The moment of the day when all black metal fanatics unite! A sinister intro to get you in the mood, announcements in a creepy voice, and a censer to create smoke in an original way. Godskill from Heilbronn, Germany, put on their corpse paint for serious business. By creating a blend of influences from the second era of the black metal genre in the 90s and adding a pinch of eerily calm melodies in between, they put the audience into a trance that is guaranteed to be unforgettable. They even surprised the fans with an unreleased song that cannot be heard anywhere else, with highpitched notes to give it a unique twist. This performance was the moment when the crowd wanted to be there as soon as possible to be sucked into the world of these virtuosos of the dark genre. Grateful for their presence at Tolminator, and a group photo with the audience at the end of the show shows that the band gives something back to everyone who was there. A show that could have lasted even longer!

For people who are tired of the everyday thrash stereotype but still love dirty grunts, hardcore fast-paced riffs, and a touch of melodic macabre with black metal influences, Kobold will open up your world. This Serbian group immediately attracted a large crowd at such an early hour. With a mix of all kinds of influences that are not close to each other in terms of music, they still managed to create a successful sound that is unique and appealing to the audience, who headbanged from song 1. During circle pits, the real madness came to the surface because all the floaties that people used for the river ended up in the audience. Meanwhile, frontman Elio Rigonat came into the audience like a wild barbarian, singing along and blasting solos that we haven’t been used to since the 90s. True showmen, in short, and to already have this level as the second band of the day is a wonderful achievement.

Scalpture has succeeded in setting war themes throughout European history with extraordinary riffs and vocals that you cannot keep calm. Their way of storytelling and making music on stage is so explosive that you feel the adrenaline bursting out of your body every moment of the show. It is rare for a performance where each band member steals the show one by one. And after a three-year wait, the album ‘Landkrieg’ finally arrived on 7 March with more complicated solos, riffs, and vocals that are simply mind-blowing. Frontman Thorsten gave you a history lesson throughout the songs with information that the Tolminator area was also at war in the past, which, combined with humor to keep the mood from becoming completely dark, results in a balanced outcome. ‘Fuck kings and emperors!’ is the message that was drilled into everyone.

Second on the main stage, the solo project of the masked Athenar, called Midnight, marched onto the stage with loud bells ringing in the background to give a
performance full of energy and extreme outlets of hatred. Blackened speed metal is a genre that evokes nostalgia, with many elements from the hardcore punk scene and raunchy licks that set Tolminator ablaze. A style that is accessible to everyone attracted a large audience and very heavy partygoers in terms of mosh pits and crowd surfing that never stopped. To know that this was a side project of Athenar founded in Cleveland that has grown so openly is extremely impressive. People blowing their horns, the bass guitarist hitting himself on the head, and the energy on stage that was quickly passed on to the audience is something wonderful to experience live.

Iconic hardcore punk band, Cro-Mags, took to the main stage in the evening of the second day at Tolminator. The New-York band opened with arguably their most known track; We Gotta Know from their first (and most influential) album, The Age of Quarrel.

Vocalist and bassist Harley Flanagan ironically dedicated the second track, World Peace, to Putin and Trump. Shedding light to the dire political situation of the world is something Cro-Mags have always stood behind, being one of the pioneering hardcore bands, they aren’t afraid to make a statement.

Their show stood out amidst the others at Tolminator, bringing a completely raw punk sound and making a difference for those of us who appreciate hardcore the most.

Regarding the mosh pit… Amazing! Flanagan has this ability to really engage with the crowd and get everyone dancing and moshing. There was a consistent pit the whole show long.

Simply put:  If you get a chance to see Cro-Mags, GO! They are the pioneers (and still  a vital element) in the hardcore scene and any punk/hardcore/metal fan will find something enjoyable about their set. Wether you’re there for the music, the message or just to throw yourself into the moshpit, Cro-Mags are one hundred percent worth seeing.

Starting with the song Black Sabbath by Black Sabbath, Villagers of Loannina City set the tone that this would not be fast-paced like their predecessors. What these Greeks have created is something you will rarely hear at other festivals. The post-stoner/psychedelic rock and heavy tone on the Greek folk sound of Epirus is an experience that hypnotizes you into the history of where they come from. So perfectly balanced with everything in terms of sound that was perfectly audible and bagpipes that amazed everyone, it is a complete switch from the day full of brutal music. It is impossible to explain how they created an atmosphere that had most festival-goers staring in a trance, letting the music crawl through their bodies. With lyrics in Greek to make it even more unique, these top men stand out in terms of originality and professionalism. 100 percent worth going back to see again!

Throughout the day, you saw people everywhere wearing their merchandise, waiting for them to finally take to the stage. British band Cradle of Filth has a huge following among fans from all over the world. The gothic style of their armored costumes and the symphony in their music make it understandable why they are considered masters of their craft. Frontman Dani Filth, who recently proposed to his wife on stage at Download Festival, provides the dark charms and screams that have a distinctive tone, with Zoe M. Federoff providing the transition with beautiful high-tone vocals. The show itself is quite spectacular, but the sound in the microphone was sometimes out of sync with the rest of the musical part. Dani Filth himself announced around midnight that it was his 52nd birthday, which made the audience even crazier throughout their last songs. It was a real shame that their set ended early. Even though we couldn’t enjoy their performance any longer, it was clearly an entertaining experience for fans, with new enthusiasts added to the fanbase. They clearly proved what it means to be a showman.