25th ANNIVERSARY AUBURN METAL FESTIVAL

Cleveland, December, 12th 2009, Beachland Ballroom, - These are the notes of an Metal – wise historic event which probably only can take place really once in 25 years in this form and compilation of the billling. Where as the absolutely spearhead of Cleveland Metal gathered at this day in order to duly celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Metal label Auburn Records. And this means to celebrate and to pay tribute to a man without whom the nowadays Cleveland Metal hardly likely would be present in its existent scale: BILL PETERS!
Before we dwell on the festival yet some information of the extraordinary life of a Bill Peters. In the early 80-ies Bill started as a radio host at the radio station WJCU. He is with his named after the Anvil song “Metal On Metal“ radio show already 28 years a part and parcel of the radio program in Cleveland every Friday night.Which is meanwhile followed via livestream in the internet week after week by interested Metalheads worldwide. Besides Bill could early on gain experiences as a clerk at WEA Records for whom he worked for over 20 years.
As far back as then Bill followed the tremendously fast development of the NWOBHM scene and due to his radio show increasingly demos ended up in his mailbox. As a result the wish to be able to introduce the best and most talented bands to a wider audience finally arose.- As long ago as the year 1983 yet before the foundation of the Auburn label the compilation sampler “Cleveland Metal“ came out at Clubside Records. Bill Peters was responsible for its cover concept and for the song adaptions. It eternalised bands like Black Death, Sacred Few, Cerberus, Jagged Edge, Mistreater, Sorcerer, Breaker and Shok Paris for the first time on vinyl.
In the year 1984 it was happening. Bill founded his label Auburn Records besides his job at WEA and the radio moderation at WJCU in order to be able to work independent of marketing strategies and selling pressure with “his“ bands. The first release of Auburn Records was right the Metal classic “Go For The Throat“ of Shok Paris who will by the way headline the Headbangers Open Air on Thursday night this summer!
Classics of Breaker, Destructor, Purgatory and other high – quality bands should yet follow and even today Bill Peters is about the music with his label and not about making money. But rather to ensure talented bands necessary basics like management, a sound and well production in the studio and good promotion as well as possibilities for a gig and to be able to work independent himself.
Since 2000 Bill Peters had been also at festivals like Wacken Open Air, Headbangers Open Air, Bang Your Head or Keep It True with his bands and he will even represent Cleveland Metal there in the future.
After now 25 years successful work with his label Auburn Records Bill Peters has planned the jubilee festival step by step over a longer period and mounted it with great bands partly of his own label..

“With this festival I would like to give something back to the great fans and friends of hard music who have kept faith with me till this day“, Bill Peters said in an interview and made the decision to make the admission for free for this event. Which is at the current economic situation even in the USA surely very unusual to pay the costs involved for the most part out of his own pocket.
A further really remarkable fact is that Bill Peters has called in the forefront of the festival that visitors of the festival could submit at the entrance things in the form of food as a contribution for the Cleveland Foodbank, a charity which distributes food and drining to people in need. To say it right beforehand it was a great success and the Metalheads have given 340 pounds of food on charity.

The doors at Beachland Ballroom opened at 15.30 Uhr (3.30 p.m.) and the outstanding sunny and dry weather let early on arrive Metal hungry Headbangers from all parts of the USA, not only from the State of Ohio who could venerate at 16.00 o'clock (4.00 p.m.) with ALTERNATE REALITY the first band of the day. Who accomplished with their first public gig ever fair their baptism by fire. They started a perfect musical entrance with the Slayer cover version “Black Magic“made to measure. They also focused witht he following tracks on popular Metal classics. However they presented with “The King That Never Was“ an own song. Here is the tracklist:

Black Magic (Slayer cover)
United Forces (S.O.D. cover)
Breaking The Law (Judas Priest cover)
The Trooper (Iron Maiden cover)
The King That Never Was (debut of original song)
Beyond The Black (Metal Church cover)
Blinded By Fear (At The Gates cover)
Burning Times (Iced Earth cover)

At 16.50 (4:50 p.m.) H.A.T.E. entered the stage in order to give hell to the people with their powerful Power Metal. They have with Greg „Wags“ Wagner a great vocalist in their own rank who apart from that also rocks the mic for Breaker. It was therfore unusual that Wags also plays guitar for H.A.T.E.. You know him otherwise only armed with the microphone in BREAKER.
Straight away the first song “Bleeder“ was awesome and even demonstrated in which direction the very strong material of the band was geared towards. With “Metal On Metal“ they as well featured the great Anvil classic which was of course conceived as homage for Bill Peters same-titled radio show. Terrific! The following songs were presented live onstage:

Bleeder
Inject The Infection
Packin´ A 9
In Your Eyes
Schizo
Metal On Metal (Anvil cover)
Metal Forever

There will be released soon a brand new cd of this band. You will surely read a review of it here at metal-rules.de.

Due to the nearly trouble – free technical termination on stage no latency occured for the Metal hungry people and after short and concise announcements of the wonderful Chris Emig (female vocalist of the band Cellbound and experienced moderator) and the author of these lines the pure Metal could directly continue. Here is also Indeed mentionable the fact that Tony Alberts and Bill Sims, long – time fellow compaigners of Bill Peters, have done outstanding work concerning the technic on stage.

It continued at 17.40 o'clock (5:40 p.m.) with the whole nine yards. ETERNAL LEGACY which already had been reviewed by us at the cd tips ETERNAL LEGACY demonstrated impressive why they will be present at the Wacken Open Air this summer. Absolutely power and joy of playing with force and precision made the still early evening to a hot case. Even live on stage the split-up from their keyboarder became very positive noticeable at the very hard sound and the bands' live performance. Especially guitarrist Shaun Vanek was in permanent motion and flingered his precise riffs in the audience although he had to go on stage for WRETCH and MANIMALS as well. You will hear quite a lot in the future from this band. They could completely satisfy with these stunners:

Shadow Of Revolution
Souls Of Prey
Abbadon
Realm Of Wind and Ice
Lifeless Alive
Metal Anvil

At 18.30 o'clock (6:30 p.m.) came with ATTAXE the first band of the night on stage which already had their musical roots in the 80-ies. They have with Juan Ricardo an eceptional singer who is probably known to some readers from the band Dark Arena. Musically they offered finest US Metal in the best sense which knew how to shine by the vocal presence and the perfect instrumentation. To crown a strong gig the band certainly presented the underground hit “Pedal To The Metal“ whereby the original drummer Steve Sinur seated behind the drumkit and played the drums like in the olden days. The fans could listen to the following tracks:

Next you could hear at 19.20 o'clock (7:20 p.m.) first – class Powermetal from WRETCH who caused a Metal highlight with their cd “Reborn“ in the year 2006 and were also able to play at the Headbangers Open Air in Germany in 2007.

It's surely no need to mention that all musicians were highly motivated on that evening. And so they displayed a metallic fireworks which descended upon the enthusiastic audience like a shower of sparks.

Front man Colin Watson who reminded time and again vocally of David Wayne (R.I.P.) gave everything and also from the music WRETCH are partly comparable to the good old Metal Church. At that time the capacity of the Beachland Ballroom was completely maxed out. That is to say it was totally crowded and the sound level was corresonding simply great. WRETCH rattled the headbangers completely with this:

A completely different scene was presented to the audience at 20.10 o'clock (8:10 p.m.) with the band FOOSE. Very modern played Crossover which let drift apart the crowd already after the first acrobatic capers of band leader Don Foose. Because it immediately arose a wild moshpit in front of the stage which did not break off during the whole gig . It invited the fans of the band to so - called slamdance. But the majority of the audience eyed up this with proper safe distance and took care that not unwanted an arm, ellbow or fist hit the head....You could go on the rampage with the following songs:

At 20.55 o'clock (8.55 p.m.) the MANIMALS entered with their charismatic front man Larry The Wolf the stage. They are deeply – rooted in the Clevelands 80-ies hard scene and offered with their little short of magic brew of Rock, Metal and Punk an impressive show.

It especially caught my eye that the fair femaleness gathered in front of the stage in order to celebrate excessively the in peakform acting old heroes. To everyone who yet not knows this extraordinary band be herewith entrusted a visit at the bands' myspace site. Magical moments catered the MANIMALS with the following opus:

You surely might have named the event at Beachland Ballroom also “Night Of The Legends“. Because with SHOK PARIS the next Metal legend entered at 21.50 o'clock (9:50 p.m.) the stage and BREAKER and DESTRUCTOR should follow!
SHOK PARIS experience at the moment their second musical spring and will headline quite rightly the Headbangers Open Air on Thursday evening this summer. This also realized no one else than the label boss himself Mr. Bill Peters due to his good contacts.
At that time the Beachland Ballroom seemed literally to be bursting at the seams. Nobody wanted to miss this gig! Rightly, because the band played awesome classics like “American Dream“,„“Caged Tiger“, “Go Down Fighting“, “Go For The Throat“ and of course “Burn It Down“ so heavily tight and full of pressure that you was carried away like of an Metallic wave.There was no escape.
With Vic Hix they probably have one of the best vocalist in the Metal szene anyway who laid on considerable enthusiasm with his powerful and variable voice. Metal cinema at its most! SHOK PARIS provided goosebumps with this set list:

American Dream
Find A Way Out
Caged Tiger
Never Say Why
Hot On Your Heels
Go Down Fighting
On Your Feet
Concrete Killers
Go For The Throat
Steel and Starlight
Burn It Down
Run But Don´t Hide

After that at 23.00 o'clock (11:00 p.m.) Bill Peters and his wife Wendy who cared the whole time about the festival merchandise were finally called on stage to celebrate the man who represents for over 25 years not only Auburn Records. He is surely the most important person in the Metal scene of Ohio. He works off his ass for the fans. Without him the whole US Metal scene would not have been able to take such a development which whatever even the many Metal fans in Europe are very aware of.
Bille Peters is especially among the German fans an underground star who even today envisions and entitles himself as a 100% Metal fan
Every Metalhead knows what this man has accomplished for our favourite music and his pleasant and modest kind has ensured him deep friendships and good contacts worldwide. After the at the beginning of the report mentioned Chris Emig presented him a lavish designed Auburn cake made by herself and the audience serenaded “slightly“ wired for the Metal master before he adressed himself a few words of thanks to the fans. It is surely necessary yet to mention that the great job Bill is doing with Auburn Records is also the gain of his family who always backs and supports him. Besides his wife Wendy and his great parents (his mother Kathryn lended Bill in 1984 the money for the necessary first release in terms of SHOK PARIS “Go For The Throat“ album) also his children Wil and Lily mesh meanwhile more and more in the supporting label work. Just a real family business.

After this solemn break it afterwards continued with BREAKER who released in 1987 with “Get Tough!“ also an Auburn classic and could of course by no means not be missing from this jubilee.- With “Standing In The Light“ they had the entrance in a great gig which awoke on many of the persons present blissful Metal memories and which was simply a great enjoyment. It was also brilliantly that Greg „Wags“ Wagner still had the vocally power to get across classics like “Blood Money“,“Get Tough“, “Ten Seconds In“ or “„Still Life“ convictive after his furious gig with H.A.T.E..
The band was and is best - known well beyond the borders of the USA for a reason. At least at everyone who calls himself a Metal fan BREAKER should be a household name. By the way they had been the first Auburn band who were allowed to rock the big Wacken Open Air in Germany in the year 2001. BREAKER rocked the Beachland Ballroom with this:

Standing In The Light
Manifesto
Black Light Ark
Blood Money
Action
Get Tough
Ten Seconds In
Satellite Dog
Luck And Gasoline
Still Life

The Powerthrasher of DESTRUCTOR should next have a very special gig at 00.10 o'clock (12:10 a.m.).They should bomb along off the amps at this night their in 1985 at Auburn Records released first album “Maximum Destruction” in it´s entire live and they did it in familiar positiv aggressive manner. To mark the occasion or rather in celebration of the night drummer Matt Flammable appeared in his old stage outfit with red dyed hair, kholed eyes and with gummtaped chest, very cool indeed!
Immediately after they entered the stage you notabbly felt the rise of the rush of adrenaline not only at the audience. The apart from that private calm and relaxed Jamie Boulder mutates downright to an animal as soon as he hangs his his bass around his neck. Vocalist and guitarist Dave Overkill gaves ever hell to the people with the pleasant demand “Come on you fucking pussies“. Lead guitarist Pat Rabid fired the beserk fast riffs with instinctive certainty pinpoint in the crowd and Matt Flammable permanently kicked ass. Raw, genuine, pure HEAVY FUCKIN´ METAL !!!
All the classic shells like “Maximum Destruction“, “Take Command“, “Pounding Evil“ and of course “Iron Curtain“shined that night like new and Dave Overkill insisted of changing the chorus of “Iron Curtain“ into “Iron Ingo“ as a manifest of a great friendship (Thanks a lot Dave!).
There were the whole nine yards with the following songs:

Prelude In Sledge Minor, Opus 7, 1st Movement
Maximum Destruction
Destructor
Take Command
Instrumental
Pounding Evil
Overdose
Iron Curtain (the Iron Ingo)
Hot Wet Leather
Bondage

After the fans had already more than nine hours Cleveland Metal in their bones they had to recall the last banger reserves for the hard Thrasher of SOULLESS who stormed on stage at 1.15 o' Clock (1:15 a.m.) and fired their merciless hard Thrash in the audience. Vocalist Jim Lippucci gives the band a distinct Death Metal aspect with his extreme style of singing. SOULLESS remind musically of an intense mixture of ARCH ENEMY, SLAYER and S.O.D.

The already ringing ears were anyhow blown once again of SOULLESS and until 2 o'clock in the morning many were ironed away the tiredness winkles off the face with the brute sound.

Even also in Germany SOULLESS deserve surely more attention of the Death Metal fraction. Therefore get blow-dry your hairs of your PC speakers at www.myspace.com/soulless when you are interested in! At the close of SOULLESS presented us the following tracks:

Then after more than 10 hours Cleveland Metal it was the time to say farewell of a really unique Metal event and we of Metal-Rules.de are proud to be able to say that we were allowed to had a small share at it and that this festival will stay forever in our memories.
A big thanks goes to the operators of the Beachland Ballroom, all bands, all hands in front of the stage and backstage and of course all Metalheads who were there at this nearly complete Metal day and donated so much for the Cleveland Foodbank.
At the end it only remains one thing: Thank you Auburn Records for 25 years honest and down – to – earth Metal and all the best for the next 25 years!
Many thanks to the man who realized it all: BILL PETERS !!!