Main Stage
 

The sleaze rock stomp of Million Dollar Reload kicks things into gear with their Skid Row-meets-ACDC swaggering rawk, gaining a surprisingly positive reaction from the more metal partisan audience. Insomnium’s moody melodic death metal is in turn greeted by a small yet interested crowd under the inappropriate sun. Although not exactly headbang-friendly, the Finns’ return to England is appreciated.

The bizarre Die Apokalyptiscien Reiter bring their metallic freakshow to mix power, thrash and heavy metal and sporting a vocalist looking every inch the mischief-making ringmaster and a keyboard-playing gimp that stalks the stage waving a cat o' nine tails. It makes for a fantastic spectacle and they have the tunes to back it up, dishing out powerful riffs and soaring melodies. Singer is truly a showman and when they encourage a female from the audience to come on stage and be serenaded before being set adrift on the sea of fans in a rubber dingy, it's cheerful and good natured fun that's a real break from some of the more serious acts on today's bill.

And speaking of cheerful, Municipal Waste's thrash aggression also stirs the moshpit to fever pitch and during eponymous set closer ‘Municipal Waste’, they set a new Guinness world record for the number of crowd surfers during one song, which can't have been much fun for the security. There’s nothing to grin about during Katatonia's set as Jonas Renske and co. set about seducing us with their anthems of gloom. While there is no denying their talent for melancholy and sorrowful melodies, the Swedish miserablists suffer from a slightly murky sound mix. That said, concentrating on later material means the manifestation of ‘Murder’ is a pleasant change of pace.

Sodom have not played in the UK for over fifteen years, so a classic best-of set with ‘M16’, ‘The Saw is the Law’ and ‘Outbreak of Evil is digested with plenty of mosh pits and headbanging. Of course, Saxon are always emphatically received on these shores. A festival set feels too short for these heavy metal legends but ‘Wheels of Steel’, ‘Heavy Metal Thunder’ and ‘Denim and Leather’ are complete festival anthems that the Derby faithful thoroughly enjoy. Co-headliners Arch Enemy are fantastic musicians but Angela Gossow's stage banter is somewhat less inspiring. When they stick to the last three albums the band sound current and strong, but the reworking of Johan Liiva-era material just sounds tired and lazy.

That just leaves Grind Gods Carcass to send us off in style. Opening with a thunderous ‘Corporal Jig-sore Quandary’ is a visceral statement of intent, with Messrs Amott and Steer shredding like their life depended on it. Jeff Walker is an amiable master of ceremonies; his scouse wit surprisingly sharp on occasion and despite some failed pyrotechnics and some frankly absurd streamers and glitter bombs going off at the wrong time, this is a fine showing featuring the many heart-stoppers in the Liverpudlians’ arsenal. Time will tell if this really is their ‘last hurrah’. [RB] [EF]

Other Stages

Mancunians Bisonhammer impress most on the unsigned stage fronted by Irishman Gary Harkin, whose wit and charm is just as amusing as their savage bluster. They incite the first and biggest moshpit of the day and are definitely an act with a very bright future.

Sophie Lancaster stage band of the day are Croydon titans Godsized, who possess uplifting southern melodies and mountainous grooves reminiscent of Black Label Society. While they wear their influences on their sleeves, it would be hard to call a band that plays with such conviction derivative. [RB]