Linkin Park and Pure Sunshine Fired Up Nova Rock Visitors: That Was Day 2

It was a long wait: On the second day of this year's Nova Rock, crowds gathered in front of the Blue Stage to catch a glimpse of Linkin Park. The American rock band is on the road with a new singer and fresh material, which was absorbed on the Pannonia Fields.

Linkin Park thrilled fans at Nova Rock

After the death of lead singer Chester Bennington in 2017, the future of Linkin Park was uncertain for a long time until last year when Emily Armstrong was introduced as his successor and the comeback album "From Zero" was finally released in November. Live, the motto was: Better safe than sorry. The band, which grew up in the nu-metal hype around creative head Mike Shinoda, relied on the proven mix of catchy choruses, staccato riffs, and occasional hardness to drive the audience into ecstasy.

However, it wasn't entirely satisfying. On one hand, the sound was mixed a bit too quietly overall to really build pressure. On the other hand, Armstrong struggled considerably with Bennington's legacy. The technically skilled singer clung to the microphone stand most of the time and exuded more insecurity than filling the shoes of her charismatic predecessor. This was particularly evident in the melodic masterpiece "In The End," where Armstrong let the audience sing almost all of her parts.

Nevertheless, Linkin Park offered a thoroughly captivating set at the start of their European tour, from quieter numbers like "Somewhere I Belong" to the punchy "One Step Closer" to new songs like "Up From The Bottom," where Armstrong audibly felt more comfortable. Despite the oversized cubes hovering above the musicians' heads, the production was rather minimalist. It remains to be seen how the group will perform at the Happel Stadium next year.

Cradle of Filth delivered a horror show at the witching hour

Almost parallel to Linkin Park, Cradle of Filth's performance was scheduled on the Red Stage. The headliner offered a horror show at the witching hour, with creepy outfits being a staple for the extreme metal band from England, especially for singer Dani Filth. The formation embedded their brutal yet melodic high-speed metal in perfect sound, managing to combine melodrama with brutality live. However, the audience turnout was quite limited. "The next song is dedicated to the people in the front row. But you're all in the damn front row," the frontman took it with humor. The theatrical approach still brings him much joy even at 51, Dani Filth told the APA. "I'm a kind of Peter Pan who never grows up." When asked if anyone can still be shocked, the singer said: "The world is completely messed up, it seems like nothing matters anymore."

Iggy Pop at 78 Full of Energy

Already in the early evening, Iggy Pop impressively demonstrated how to rock unrestrainedly at almost 80 years old. It was an iconic festival moment when the punk veteran stood on the catwalk of the Blue Stage amidst the crowd and sang his hit "The Passenger" with them. Alongside "Raw Power," the 78-year-old and his grandly performing band (including a brass section) brought numerous Stooges classics: "Gimme Danger" was the motto. Not only did the tireless US singer impress vocally, but as a charismatic showman, he also kept the audience firmly in his grip. Energetic and at the same time virtuosic, the punk godfather and his musicians swept through "Search and Destroy." The "Lust for Life" (as a song title in the set) is something you can easily believe from the "Real Wild Child."

Variety from Kittie to Jinjer

The day certainly offered variety: Anna-Sophie, known from mainstream radio, made a good impression as the opener on the Blue Stage, and the Canadian LØLØ won new fans with her cheeky mix of pop, punk, and rock. For well-groomed, somewhat depressively tinged old-school rock, Jerry Cantrell was on the Red Stage with his band, where Apocalyptica gave Metallica songs a classical touch with their cellos.

Unbridled hardness was served by Kittie, Jinjer were uncompromising and well-rehearsed. While their singer Tatiana Shmayluk set different nuances even when growling, Poppy screamed her soul out on the Blue Stage in a shrill pitch to the industrial sound of her band masked with balaclavas.

Shoegaze Black Metal and Melancholic Industrial Sounds

That size isn't everything was evident on the Red Bull Stage. In front of a small but select audience, there were varied concerts in an appealing setting, culminating in the final double act of Deafheaven and Health. Thus, there was shoegaze black metal and melancholic industrial sounds, which convinced with their own beauty and once again made it clear: rock music is anything but dead, but rather shines in various colors. The next two days can come.

(By Wolfgang Hauptmann and Christoph Griessner/APA)

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