NAMBIA HOSTS METAL FEST

The NAMBIA ECONOMIST reports on a rare metal fest on the AFRICAN continent. FROM THE NAMBIAN ECONOMIST: Rock bash organisers broaden vision
Friday, 19 June 2009 09:05
[Sven Heussen (left) and his rock metal band subMission enjoy a large local following amongst heavy metal rocksters. The band has also received positive reviews in European publications.] Just to show visitors that Namibia is not only about wildlife and safari, desert and savanna, the Windhoek Metal Fest (WMF) at the end of June also marks the tentative beginning of the increase in tourist arrivals.
Now in its third year, this heavy metal rock band bash provides a sparkle to Windhoek’s nightlife and offers tourists an entirely fresh view of the local culture.
The organisers of the festival said that they are going to use the festival as a vehicle to get Namibia into the spotlight of international rock music.
“We are adamant to put Namibia on the map of the international metal scene and the WMF has generated a lot of interest beyond our borders. This is reflected by the numerous requests we’ve received by bands interested in playing here. We’re bringing in bands that exist beyond the mainstream and the hype, bands that have high technical proficiencies and energetic performances. We’re trying to push the boundaries instead of playing it safe,” said the organisers.
Anchoring the evening is popular local band subMission. Metal veteran and subMission founding member, Sven Heussen, said his five-man band has released two EPs and one video single. It is also one of the very few local acts that have gained international recognition, most recently in Metal Hammer magazine.
Metal Hammer is a leading European rock metal publication.
subMission will blast the audience with songs from their forthcoming album “Blind Sighted”.
Among other artists, people at the festival will enjoy the sounds of Lady Axe, a band in South Africa, fronted by Axe, who entered the metal scene as the first female heavy metal artist in South Africa. The band is the reincarnation of the band from the early 1990s. The Juggernaught, also from South Africa, combine classic rock, southern metal, blues and rock ‘n roll into a single form they call “Man-Rock.”
A local band looking to impress the rocksters is Delusions of Grandeur.
After hosting many extreme bands in the past, the current line-up has a distinctly more melodic flavour, stylistically ranging from Gothic to Southern Rock to Melodic metal.
“This line-up presents a very interesting and potent cocktail of different styles within the context of cutting edge rock music. With the help of Jägermeister we will be able to provide a world-class sound system on the night. As usual, fans will be able to purchase band merchandise and there will be some really cool give-aways,” said Heussen.
The WMF celebrates heavy metal and hard rock music in a multi cultural, open, free-spirited manner, whilst the organisers take care to ensure that all standards of a professionally organized concert will be met. Thus far bands from Angola, Botswana, USA, and South Africa have played at the Festival.
Blitzkrieg Bar will host the festival in Windhoek’s Northern Industrial area on 27 June.
Thanks-Stay Metal, Stay Brutal-\m/ -l-