If you don't know what Hellfest is then you probably stumbled upon this site accidentally while searching for bestiality pornography. 2004's Hellfest was held in Elizabeth, New Jersey. A town seemingly dedicated to not much other than mass shipping and malodor. Because I am but one man, some of the coverage of the many experiences and bands will be from the mouth of my friends, whereas others will go completely uncovered.

The Venue
On Friday morning, the building was a proud, boastful and garish display of alternative fun. The RexPlex had it all. It was a leviathan of a venue. A gymnasium (that would be turned into the Hot Topic Stage), an arcade, a skatepark (including a vert ramp), a cafe/restaurant area, an upstairs (that would be thronged with merch tables and tattoo stands) and the most irritating of all; fake grass. There were four stages, three merch areas, and countless places to eat. In the vicinity of the two main stages (Trustkill and Hopeless stage) the ground was a pseudo-soccer field. To add annoyance to tackiness, beneath the fake plastic grass were rubber little beads created to simulate dirt. Although I wear the lightweight official footwear of hardcore, Saucony's, I still tend to drag my feet. At least ten times a day I would have to remove my shoes to dump out hundreds of these little balls! Fortunately, only the two main stages and the two main merch areas were built atop this tragedy of an idea. The Trustkill Stage and the Hopeless Stage were side by side and separated only by a two foot partition. However, the performances were staggered appropriately so that no two bands played at the same time on these stages. One band's music bleeding over another band's was not a problem at this year's Hellfest. The other stages were the Dinosaur Stage (an appropriate name given that a huge model T-Rex was right above the entrance) and the Hot Topic Stage. I, as well as my friends, all preferred the Dinosaur Stage over all other stages because of its smallness and familiar feeling. It was what we were used to as the stage was only ankle high and the room was tiny, providing a better relationship between the band and the audience. As I mentioned before, the Hot Topic Stage was set in a gymnasium so the acoustics left quite a bit to be desired. I was able to procure an early entrance thanks to Lambgoat and I was really surprised at how nice the venue was.

Parking and Security
Parking was ample. The RexPlex had a large enough parking lot that no one struggled to find a place to park. There was no charge and plenty of space. In fact, I saw several tents pitched beside vehicles. Security was tighter than some of the band members' girls jeans, but the power trips and tough guy attitudes that are usually superfluous with security guards didn't seem too bad this weekend. Granted, there were some guards out to prove that their muscles weren't bulging in vain, but most were quite patient and empathetic. Upon entry you were given a wristband. Each day would be a different color, so fashioncore kids found it problematic to not mismatch their shirt with their wristband. Seriously, I heard this complaint.

The Extras
Expensive food ranging from undercooked pizza to room temperature water to surprisingly delicious vegan meals; the food options were not limited in their variety. During the weekend I ate mostly frozen novelties (3 dollars a piece) and drinking water (2 dollars a bottle) and spent post-Hellfest week with stomach cramps due to malnutrition (priceless). The merch area is what I found most impressive. With bands and skateboard companies setting up their tables in the main merch area downstairs, most of the entire upstairs was left to tattoo artists, labels/distros and an array of Straight Edge clothing. I actually saw kids walking around with shopping bags, and while this was somewhat strange to me - I couldn't blame them. Besides Rune's full length (which I searched every table for) there was basically every CD you ever wanted and ever shirt you ever wanted for 8 to 15 dollars. Most of the shirts were 10 dollars and the CDs ranged in price. The bathroom situation was excellent. In the parking lot you had several portable toilets and very clean restrooms (with showers) could be found in the venue. The venue also housed a standard vert ramp, a mini ramp (that Brian Fair of Shadows Fall would skate later in the weekend) and other various ramps and rails.

The Bands
Please keep in mind that manpower was limited, so some of the bands you were curious about might not be featured below. Also, I know very little about photography so I did my best with the picture taking situation. Some bands were just impossible to get pictures of because the crowd was too risky to take a camera into and the stage was too crowded to move around on. I only watched a few sets in their entirety, because I wanted to catch every band I could.

Friday

Trustkill Main Stage

Draw Blood - 12:20 - 12:40
A small but loyal crowd was there to see Draw Blood. Because a large portion of the crowd was still outside the venue in the line, the crowd was smaller. They played well, but moved very little. At one point one of the guitarists went to run across stage and pulled the head right off of his cab. We've all seen it happen a million times, but it's still funny every time.

The AKAs - 1:00 - 1:20
I didn't get a chance to watch the AKAs, but I noticed they had a larger crowd than I had anticipated. Mike Ski has a following though, so that should have been predictable.

Champion - 1:40 - 2:00
One of the main reasons I drove for six hours straight through the night to get in Jersey early. Champion as a band are so fun to watch and they definitely delivered for this year's Hellfest. I loved every minute of their set. From the guitarist's jumps to the in between song preaching.

Every Time I Die - 2:25 - 2:50
Every Time I Die packed 'em in for their set. There was some trouble with the drums after the second song or so and after some useless struggling, Keith said in a very blasé manner “Fuck it, we got a flight to catch.” They played a few songs off of Last Night In Town and the rest of the set consisted of material from Hot Damn! It just upsets me that I'll probably never hear them play “Emperor's New Clothes” in my entire life. The highlights of Every Time I Die's set was Andy's new hair and seeing a really attractive girl get up on stage, kiss Keith and then head stomp. How I long to be a rockstar.

Himsa - 3:10 - 3:35
I watched Himsa from a distance, and I was surprised at what a large pit had formed for them. While I enjoy Himsa greatly, they're not an extremely “danceable” band in the traditional sense of the word. Musically, they sounded great but I had come to notice that the vocals were too loud for every band that had played on both mainstages. This would continue throughout the rest of the weekend.

Remembering Never - 4:00 - 4:25
Remembering Never is a band I've seen enough times that even if I didn't have their latest album, I'd still know all the words to most of the songs. That's not a bad thing, and they definitely brought their A game to Hellfest. This was the best performance I'd ever seen. After the first song, Mean Pete said, “Well it's been five minutes and this is already our best Hellfest ever.” The pit was not a circle, but more of a clover formation. There was a large middle and then other little random additions. During Remembering Never is also when I noticed that kids were stage diving and head stomping more than I had ever seen at any show or fest in my life. I attribute this to the laid-back security guards. Everyone wants to be on the DVD. The atmosphere during Remembering Never was very fun, light and positive.

Mastodon - 4:50 - 5:15
Mastodon is another band I watched from afar. On CD they are enthralling, but seeing them live was boring. I was extremely exhausted during their set and according to my friend, Patrick, at one point I even fell asleep.

Suffocation - 5:45 - 6:15
A great band with an impressive career. I was definitely awake and ready for Suffocation. They played a great set and I'm still astonished at how tight they are live. The singer made some really good points about the resurgence of aggressive music back into mainstream and how it should be embraced and not ridiculed.

Strike Anywhere - 6:45 - 7:15
I didn't get to watch Strike Anywhere's set and I was definitely upset because they're a favorite of mine. I just forget that they were playing altogether.

Spitalfield - 7:45 - 8:15
I stayed to hear the first Spitalfield song and then I went to get something to eat. These guys are another band who I really enjoy on compact disc format but aren't really my thing live.

Shadows Fall - 8:45 - 9:15
It was apparent that the crowd was tired, but Shadows Fall didn't intend on letting people remain somnambulant for their set. Brian Fair led the hordes of people to an awakened state and demanded that they exert what little energy that had left and start moving. They played a song from the new album and it was heavier than whale shit. I can only hope the rest of the album is as good.

The Ataris - 10:00 - 11:00
I didn't watch The Ataris. I was on my way back to my hotel room.

Hopeless Main Stage

All Else Failed - 12:40 - 1:00
A really good set from All Else failed. This was my first time seeing them and my first time actually listening to them intently as well. I only stayed for a few songs, but I liked what I saw. They were very energetic, which was good because there music was too. A band's stage presence shouldn't eclipse the music they play.

The Red Chord - 1:20 - 1:40
My favorite band of the day. I watched them from the stage and this gave me a unique view of the huge pit. The highlight of the set was when Guy told the crowd, “I wanna see this place look like a Pantera concert.” Everything sounded perfect and for a band as musically eclectic as The Red Chord, that's very impressive.

Unearth - 2:00 - 2:25
This was my first time seeing Unearth since they released their latest full length on Metal Blade Records. Not only did they sound great, but they also went off. Again, there was more stage diving, head stomping, finger pointing, moshing and piling on. At this point I was still in awe every time I saw a pit that stretched the entire length of the pseudo-soccer field.

Folly - 2:50 - 3:10
Prior to that afternoon I had only heard of Folly but never actually heard them. I ended up watching them and enjoying them without even actually knowing who they were. During one song the singer climbed on top of one of the PA speakers and then very anti-climactically climbed off. I was disappointed, but it was probably for the best.

Found Dead Hanging - 3:35 - 4:00
I wasn't around to catch Found Dead Hanging, but my friend is a big fan of them and he said they were very entertaining.

Terror - 4:25 - 4:50
Due to injury, Scott Vogel was not able to perform at Hellfest. So bassist Carl (who sings for First Blood) filled in for him and eventually the singer from Blacklisted sang too. Terror wasn't as good as they usually are, but they were still pretty fun to watch. People just genuinely love them and Terror just genuinely loves what they do.

As I Lay Dying - 5:15 - 5:45
With a new lineup since I had seen them last, I was eager to see As I Lay Dying again. Nothing sounded amiss and at certain points it was almost eerie how some of the kids dancing seemed to be under a trance during the call outs. The second the “dun dun”s would start the pit became thronged with kids kicking and swinging.

Halifax - 7:15 - 7:45
I didn't catch Halifax. I believe I was still watching With Honor.

The Juliana Theory - 8:15 - 8:45
I watched The Juliana Theory from upstairs. By this time, I was very exhausted and more than ready to go to the hotel and get the first bit of sleep I had since the night before. The Juliana Theory are from my area, but I never really liked them. I will say that their set was sort of refreshing in a weird way. And the singer smiled a lot. In fact, I think he smiled the whole time, even when he was singing. I don't know what this means. I just know it made me uncomfortable.

Sick Of It All - 9:20 - 10:00
I grew up listening to Sick Of It All and as tired as I may have been, I had to stick around for at least a couple songs if only out of respect. Lots of pile-ons and sing-a-longs and just a plain good time. I ended up staying for their entire set and loving every minute of it.

The Misfits - 11:00 - 12:00
A lot of my friends are very particular about their Misfits and think that if Danzig isn't singing then it's not the Misfits. I don't care either way because I've never liked them. I didn't catch the Misfits, but I heard they were average.

Hot Topic Stage

Broke Neck - 12:00 - 12:20
I didn't see Broke Neck. I have never even heard of them. I assumed they were old school style hardcore, but my friend told me they were “just weird.”

Engineer - 12:35 - 12:55
A really good band that has ex-members of Forever Yours. Engineer were very energetic and fun to watch. They were also a crowd favorite because many kids were singing a long and moshing during all the right parts.

Anterrabae - 1:10 - 1:30
This band must be from the Elizabeth area because that gymnasium was crowded for these guys. I can't pronounce their name, but I can definitely listen to their album from front to back and watch them live. One of the best performances of not just the day, but of the entire weekend. They got loose, the crowd got looser, the band got even looser, etc. I stayed for a few of their songs then hauled ass to go watch The Red Chord.

Adelphi - 1:45 - 2:05
I was watching Champion during Adelphi's set.

Sycamore Dreams - 2:20 - 2:40
This band also had a surprisingly large following. I only saw one song and it was the first I had ever heard from the band and it definitely inspired me to check them out. From what I saw, they were very good and really danceable.

Ensign - 2:55 - 3:15
I was watching 100 Demons during Ensign's set.

Glasseater - 3:30 - 3:50
I only caught a few songs of Glasseater's set but they were entertaining. The one guitarist had a really weird stage presence. I think I was the only one who noticed though.

Hawthorne Heights - 4:05 - 4:25
I was watching Remembering Never during Hawthorne Heights' set.

Burnt By The Sun - 4:40 - 5:00
This band is always so incredible to watch. “You will move!” and people always do. Each member of the band is so talented and for only being a four piece, they still sound so thick and heavy. The sound in the gymnasium was distracting, but BBTS are a visual band as much as they are an aural band.

Premonitions of War - 4:05 - 4:25
With the old singer of Dead Water Drowning now performing the vocal duties in POW there was an undeniable increase in the punch this band packs live. They played a solid set, but didn't move around much. Only the vocalist seemed to really be energetic as he paced back and forth on the stage.

Your Enemies Friends - 5:50 - 6:10
Out of my group of friends, I think I'm the only guy who didn't watch Your Enemies Friends. They all said the band was very good and went nuts. I was watching Suffocation during their set.

Day Of Contempt - 6:25 - 6:45
The Hatebreed down under, as I've heard them referred. The singer gave motivational speeches in between songs that were hard to understand because of his thick accent. I have their album and I love it, but their live performance and the entire experience of seeing them live transcends the CD.

All That Remains - 7:00 - 7:20
I was watching With Honor when All That Remains played, but I regret not catching at least one of their songs.

Today Is The Day - 7:35 - 7:55
I watched Today Is The Day from pretty far back and I couldn't really tell what was going on. I didn't recognize any of the songs so I assumed them to be new. They had a large crowd and plenty of older members of the Hellfest attendees were in the gymnasium to watch.

Pig Destroyer - 8:15 - 8:35
Pig Destroyer were so awesome. I glanced down at my schedule during The Juliana Theory's set and realized they were playing so I hurried over to catch them. I only caught the last couple minutes of their set but that was still like 5 songs. My friend told me they played a good mix of old and new.

BigWig - 8:45 - 9:05
I was watching Shadows Fall during BigWig's set.

Dinosaur Stage

Through The Discipline - 12:00 -12:20
Through The Discipline is a band I wasn't familiar with until Friday afternoon. They were my first Hellfest 2004 band to see and I was not alone. I was itching to dance and again, I was not alone. And Through The Discipline were a perfect band to see in my current state. They played a brand mosh metal that isn't really comparable to any other band I can think of offhand. A lot of the kids there were singing along, so I must really be out of the loop. Check them out if you're looking for some brutal metal.

Walk The Line, Oval Portrait, Starting To Wonder, and The Calico System - 12:35 - 2:30
I didn't see any of the bands. There were just other bands I wanted to see more playing at the same time.

100 Demons - 2:55 - 3:15
100 Demons are such a fun band to watch. I have never seen a band have such a complete disregard for the ears of others. When playing live their only goal seems to being as loud, heavy and mean as possible. The singer is a big guy and while he didn't move around much, he was intimidating and that in itself was a great aspect of their live performance.

Full Blown Chaos - 4:05 - 4:25
Brutal hardcore played by some of the nicest guys on the planet. Younger kids and older guys and girls alike were getting into their set. At one point I thought the small stage would collapse due to the amount of people on it. Before their set, a security guard got up on stage and gave a speech about how if they see anyone damaging the venue the person would be thrown out immediately. The singer of FBC got the mic immediately afterwards and shouted “Tear this fucking place apart!” And everyone did just that.

Nag Hamadi, The Dead Season, Saving Throw and Time In Malta - 4:40 - 6:55
Again, I unfortunately had to miss all of these bands due to conflicting schedules. I heard Saving Throw was really good though.

With Honor - 7:05 - 7:25
With Honor are one of my favorite bands to see live and on Friday, they didn't disappoint. At several times during the weekend I wondered about certain fire safety codes and how they must have been broken, but it wasn't until With Honor's set that I realized just how many people would burn alive if the RexPlex were to catch fire. That's the most macabre way of telling you that the place was busting at the seams with kids. When With Honor started into their first song , the place got even more crowded as a giant pit formed in the middle of the room. Lots of twostepping and finger pointing and fist raising and sing along went on during the songs and in between songs there was an abundance of preaching coming from the speakers. I love positive preaching and few do it better than With Honor.

Saturday

The second day of Hellfest (and said to be the best) started earlier now that most people knew the routine of getting in line, getting frisked and getting in. The majority of people seemed to be better rested and better prepared for an entire day of wholly aggressive and loud music.

Trustkill Main Stage

The Killing - 12:00 - 12:20
I had never heard this band until I saw them on Saturday and I was definitely enthralled. Especially by the eccentric, subtle things that the one guitarist did. It's hard to explain but he was just interesting to watch. Lots of good danceable parts and another band that everyone has heard of except for me because lots of kids knew the words and were singing along.

Scars Of Tomorrow - 12:40 -1:00
Another band I have seen several times but witnessed their best performance at this year's Hellfest. I think it's just the fact that not only am I dancing for them and singing their lyrics, but around 40 other kids are too. When they played “Abandonment” from the new full length, kids went crazy. I think I even heard a song off of “All Things Change” as I was leaving to go see another band.

Roses Are Red - 1:20 - 1:40
This band is newly signed outfit on Trustkill. From what I heard their style is like new Eighteen Visions. They were very energetic and the singer seemed to really enjoy himself on stage. I watched from the Hopeless Stage while waiting for Bury Your Dead to play.

Love Is Red - 2:00 - 2:20
Love Is Red always put on a great show. They're positive, they move around and they have unique outlooks on life. They played some new stuff and some classics and every song got a great response. I also think I heard the singer mention something like, “If you're here to see The Ataris or Fear Factory - you need to open your mind.” To each his own, I say.

The Banner - 2:40 - 3:00
I unfortunately didn't watch the Banner but according to a few of my friends there were various pool toys being thrown around. Whatever that means.

Shattered Realm - 3:20 - 3:40
Shattered Realm played an extremely punishing set and the crowd turned violent. People weren't really moshing, they were just fighting. Things got a little out of hand so I left early.

Evergreen Terrace - 4:00 - 4:20
“Hellfest, this is what happens when you fuck a stranger in the ass!” Andrew Carey wins the award for Hellfest's best call-out. If you're unaware it's an adaptation of a quote from my favorite movie, The Big Lebowski. I only stayed for a few songs, but I can remember nearly every song I saw. I barely remember most of the other bands, but I remember their set vividly. That probably means something. They played their cover of “Zero” and I was out like tight rolled jeans because I hate that cover.

Blood For Blood - 4:50 - 5:10
To the dismay of many, Blood For Blood never showed up. Nora took the stage a little earlier than planned.

Nora - 5:35 - 5:55
It's no secret that Nora are veterans to not only Hellfest but to hardcore/metal in general and they still give a big enough damn to put their hearts into what they play. While I only like Nora on CD, I love them live. Everyone was getting into them and the bummer of Blood For Blood canceling soon faded.

Zao - 6:35 - 6:55
I missed Zao's set. I heard they played really well though.

Underoath - 7:35 - 8:05
Replacing Dallas Taylor is impossible, however Spencer, the new singer, is not bad at all. I have not heard the new CD, but I was happy when Underoath played some material from “The Changing Of Times.” Spencer also addressed the subject of fighting (or not fighting) during bands and at shows in general . I wonder if he realized he was at Hellfest? Fights are inevitable.

E-Town Concrete - 8:35 - 9:15
I didn't watch E-Town Concrete due to conflicting schedules.

Andrew W.K. - 10:00 - 10:45
By the third song, there was not a face in the area that wasn't plastered with a smile. Andrew W.K. live is an uplifting experience of religious proportions. I don't believe my eyes deceived me, but I'm almost positive I saw two drummers and three guitarists. That's partying a little too hard, I think.

Hopeless Main Stage

Odd Project - 12:20 - 12:40
I only saw one song by Odd Project and it wasn't really the persuasion of music I enjoy, but they were talented nevertheless. They play a poppy-ish brand of screamo.

No Hollywood Ending - 1:00 - 1:20
The drummer wore a shirt that read, “Fuck You I'm Gay.” And I wish my shirt would have read, “Your Shirt Needs A Comma.” These guys are a guilty pleasure of mine and after seeing them perform, I don't feel so guilty about liking them.

Bury Your Dead - 1:40 - 2:00
I love it when bands practice what they preach. BYD preach moshing and not really anything but moshing. When I saw the singer dancing during The Judas Cradle's set, I definitely gained a lot of respect for Bury Your Dead as a band. They tore Hellfest a new asshole. Speaking of which, some random girl was standing on stage during their set and got into with a kid. I didn't see the kid make any sort of transgression that was worthy of this girl's fury, but thankfully it was broken up hastily.

Martyr AD - 2:20 - 2:40
I only saw a glimpse of Martyr AD's set and it was from a distance too. One thing that really stuck out was the singer's vocal presence. It was more powerful than any I had heard yet. All of the bands had their vocals turned too high, but he just had some chops.

Until The End - 3:00 - 3:20
One of my favorite straight edge bands. When Mean Pete went to Remembering Never full time, he left some pretty big shoes to fill and the new guy definitely fills them and then some. Kids were singing along for the entire set. Great times were had by all those who brandish Xs on their hands.

The Hope Conspiracy - 3:40 - 4:00
The Hope Conspiracy were a crowd favorite for sure. Everyone was diving from the stage, singing along and shaking the ground. Kids got especially crazy during “Escapist.”

Stretch Arm Strong - 4:25 - 4:50
One of my favorite bands and easily one of my top three favorite bands to see live. This occasion was no different. And of course when they played, “Worst Case Scenario” and “All We've Lost” there was front and center sing alongs the entire time.

Caliban - 5:15 - 5:35
Caliban had the biggest pit of the weekend and they also got kids to do the Wall of Death. I'm glad that people realize Caliban are from Germany and seeing them regularly is not possible. Kids make it a point to make the trip across the Atlantic worthwhile. The singer's English is surprisingly good too. I took five years of French and don't remember anything so that dude's alright with me.

Avail - 6:05 - 6:35
I missed Avail. I think I was looking at that merch tables.

Bane - 7:05 - 7:35
It was a typical Bane set and I mean that in the best way possible. You could cut the positivity with a knife and serve it to a crowd of hate mongers and make their days better. Aaron got the crowd pumped and put his heart and sweat and soul into each song they played. During their set Bane brought out some band from Japan and they played two songs. This was weird and confusing and I'm still not entirely sure what happened. I guess Aaron promised the band a spot on Hellfest one way or another and he fulfilled that promise. Unfortunately, I don't remember the aforementioned band's name.

Agnostic Front - 8:05 - 8:35
I watched Agnostic Front from upstairs and got a good view of a circle pit. I don't see too many circle pits these days, and what better band to do it for than Agnostic Front?

Mest - 9:15 - 10:00
Why did Mest even play Hellfest?

Killswitch Engage - 10:45 - 11:30
Killswitch get cockier every time I see them, and I love it. In between songs Howard Jones would make fun of audience members, use racial slurs and nearly knock his bandmates unconscious. There was a kid who wore a Winnie the Pooh costume for the entire weekend and the highlight of Killswitch's set is when Jones told the kid to wash his costume because “it [looked] like somebody's wet shit.” What a great way to end the second day of Hellfest.

Hot Topic Stage

Drive Without and Let It Die - 12:00 - 12:45
I was unable to view either bands' sets.

Horse The Band - 1:10 - 1:30
My girlfriend loves this band and I think they're pretty good myself, but after seeing them at Hellfest - I now love them too. They were the most fun band there. Everything from their indecently high shorts to their in between songs ramblings, this band is just unadulterated silliness. The keyboardist is especially fun to watch. If you ever see them, take not of how every member (save for the new drummer) looks like Napoleon Dynamite.

Blacklisted - 1:45 - 2:05
I didn't see Blacklisted, but I heard things got violent. The people who chose to sit on the bleachers were targeted by the kids dancing. I don't know if I find this cool or not. I think I do.

Comeback Kid - 2:20 - 2:40
I don't mean to discriminate, but there needs to be a weight limit on stage diving. If you're over a deuce and a half - don't stage dive. People will not catch you. A kid got hurt stage diving during Comeback Kid, but otherwise their set was a blast. I do miss the days when the singer actually sang and didn't just hold the mic out in front of him while people battled for it, but popularity is a double edged sword. Several times the security guards asked for people to get off the stage, but these demands were made in vain.

No Redeeming Social Value - 2:55 - 3:15
I didn't get to watch No Redeeming Social Value's set.

Embrace Today - 3:30 - 3:50
Anytime Embrace Today plays anywhere near where I live, I make sure to see them. I get so pumped when I see all of them X'd up and see Steve jumping around. This was the first time I've ever seen them play on a stage, so sing alongs weren't as easy, but were ultimately more fun. And as usual Steve's in-between song speeches were pissed, yet eloquent.

DRI - 4:05 - 4:25
I didn't watch the Dirty Rotten Imbeciles.

Between The Buried And Me - 4:40 - 5:00
Last time I saw BTBAM was on the MADE Tour with Terror and Stretch Arm Strong. During the last show I was bored to tears because no one else in the audience was feeling them. They're one of my favorite bands, so I wanted to see them at Hellfest again so they could redeem themselves. They most definitely did. When they played “Aesthetic” I thought people were going to die. It was also a treating hearing some songs from their self-titled release as well.

Nothing Left To Mourn - 5:15 - 5:35
I didn't get a chance to see Nothing Left To Mourn.

Beloved - 5:50 - 6:10 I watched some of Beloved's set and I was definitely swayed to reconsider my opinion of this band. I had always written them off as another typical, screamo-wannabe Thursday clone, but I was wrong. They were a very lively band and had a better crowd response than I had expected. Man, I should be more close minded and prejudice in the future.

World Inferno Friendship Society - 6:25 - 6:45
I watched a few songs by this band and the only reason is because I was sitting on the bleachers and I was too tired to move. They were ska only more irritating than usual. They were the anomaly of Hellfest.

Prayer For Cleansing - 7:05 - 7:25
The main reason I went to Hellfest. Since their last reunion was like nine states away from me, I had to make it to this one. Although Prayer For Cleansing had some technical difficulties during the beginning of their set and had to cut it short - they still killed. It was cool to see Tommy from BTBAM on guitar, Jimmy from Undying on Bass and two other original BTBAM members playing drums and second guitar. Lots of skinny kids moshing and singing along. They played some “unreleased” material that I really enjoyed so I picked up the three song CD they were selling with the previously mentioned previously unreleased material. And I seriously think I saw members of Stretch Arm Strong in the pit.

For The Love Of - 7:45 - 8:05
I know it seems like I missed a lot of bands, but seriously like a million bands played each day. I'm not Superman.

Drowningman - 8:30 - 8:50
I was not let down by Drowningman and I even expected a lot. They played some songs that are off of the new record and trust me when I say that you'll want to drop some bills on that. I don't really know what to say about this band is that they were really good. They moved around, kids moshed, kids sang along, the usual only better. This was my first Drowningman show and hopefully not my last.

Dinosaur Stage

Suffocate Faster - 12:00 - 12:20
Suffocate Faster never showed up. I was definitely disappointed.

Reflux - 12:35 - 12:55
Reflux usually have two singers and two guitarists, or so I thought. They only had one singer and one guitarist at this show. This made their sound significantly thinner, but they still hit pretty hard.

To The Grave - 1:10 - 1:30
I didn't get a chance to catch To The Grave.

Undying - 1:45 - 2:05
I have seen Undying at least 300 times in just the past six months, and each time I still pumped. Logan is one of the best singers in the underground metal scene today and I say that because she has a great voice and a great stage presence. It was great seeing the North Carolina family tree at Hellfest with BTBAM, Undying and Prayer For Cleansing all sharing members.

Only Crime - 2:20 - 2:40
I had to miss Only Crime due to conflicting schedules.

The Judas Cradle - 2:55 - 3:15
The only thing thicker than this band's breakdowns are the members' accents. They had a new drummer who could have used a little more practice, but still got the job done well enough. The pit for this band basically consumed the entire room that the Dinosaur Stage was erected in.

Malice Afterthought - 3:30 - 3:50
Sorry, didn't see these guys either.

Misery Index - 4:40 - 5:00
The grind fans came in hordes to the Dinosaur Stage when Misery Index played. I had never seen them before, but had heard them plenty of times and their live show does not pale in comparison to their studio sound. One thing that especially caught my attention was Misery Index's drummer. Now, I'm fully aware that to drum for a death metal/grind outfit you have to posses an abundance of talent, but this guy was like mechanical. I could picture the singer winding him up before the show with a long golden key that went in his back and then the drummer would just start going like mad!

Park and The Minor Times - 5:15 - 6:10
I had to miss both of these bands due to conflicting schedules.

xDeathstarx - 6:25 - 6:45
I made it a point not to listen to these guys until I could see them live. My friend described them as “Throwdown with 4 singers.” The stage they played on was very small, but you could tell they were used to having 8 people in a tiny space and still making it work. Their sound is an aggression that is matched by few and their presence is a wont of punishing intimidation.

Dead To Fall - 7:00 - 7:20
Dead To Fall played some new stuff and it's apparent that they're leaning even more towards the metal now and not the core. I was also told that when they sing “Everything I touch falls to pieces,” for this tour (Hellfest included) they were saying “Everything I eat tastes like pizza.” It's good when bands have a sense of humor about what they do.

Sunday

The final day of Hellfest. I was a little relieved. While I was definitely enjoying myself, I was also looking forward to being in Pennsylvania again and sleeping in my own bed and my own filth, not the filth of a thousand strangers. Standing in line I heard all sorts of colorful rumors as to what was going to happen during Bad Luck 13's set and the anticipation was building. Also, apparently people were making counterfeit Press passes so mine and everyone else's had to be confiscated and we were told that without those passes we wouldn't be granted the same privileges as before (i.e. getting up on stage to take pictures). However, I still managed to get up on stage a few times.

Trustkill Main Stage

If Hope Dies - 12:40 - 1:00
At first I only heard these guys, I didn't get a chance to actually see them. I never listened to them until Hellfest because I thought it was lame that their name was so similar to one of my favorite bands, As Hope Dies (R.I.P.). After hearing their sound and eventually standing up to watch them; I ended up buying their CD.

It Dies Today - 1:20 - 1:40
It Dies Today are one of my favorite bands and at this show they retired my favorite song, “Blood Stained Bedsheet Burden.” I had to mosh for this song out of sheer respect. They were easily one of the best bands that weekend. I saw Nick Brooks, the singer, walking around with a collared shirt with the collar flipped up. I think somebody's been hanging out with Eighteen Visions too much. I'm only saying this because I flip my collar too and my friends made fun of me and they all think Nick is the shit.

Bear Vs Shark - 2:00 - 2:20
I didn't watch Bear Vs Shark.

Death Threat - 2:40 - 3:00
Death Threat were really, really good. One of the best performances of the day. It was one those sets where they play every single song you want to hear and everything just sounds perfect. I had never seen them before and I was surprised by this band's energy when playing live.

Sworn Enemy - 3:30 - 3:55
It had been awhile since I'd seen Sworn Enemy and it was good to see these guys again. On a record, I can only listen to them occasionally but I could see them every weekend. They definitely had a crew there as it seemed like a certain group of people controlled the pit.

Death By Stereo - 4:20 - 4:40
I only heard Death By Stereo from the other mainstage because I was waiting for Shai Hulud to play. I am not extremely familiar with their new disc, but that was fine because they played a lot of songs off their older albums.

Throwdown - 5:15 - 5:45
In all honesty, I have not liked Throwdown since Keith quit singing for them. I'm very particular about my singers and the new guy is decent, but doesn't do it for me. That being said, Throwdown was still a very fun band to watch. I had to sing along during “Raise Your Fist” even if it was the new version.

Converge - 6:20 - 7:00
I have so much respect for Jake Bannon and Converge. They put on a great show, as the almost always do. Jake informed the crowd that they were about to play a song of the new album and he asked how many people had already downloaded the new album and when a bunch of people cheered, he said (jokingly), “Fuck you!” It should also be mentioned that at Converge's merch table they were holding a little contest. I didn't witness it myself, but I was told they had an area of cinnamon a little larger than a fifty cent piece and if someone could get it down without a drink of water then they could win a load of merch from the Deathwish Inc. and Converge tables. I don't think anyone could do it. I could have.

Life Of Agony - 7:45 - 8:45
I know I'm about to lose a lot of scene points, but I actually didn't watch Life Of Agony. I was looking for my friends so we could organize our caravan for the trip back to Pennsylvania.

Hopeless Main Stage

A Thousand Falling Skies - 12:20 - 12:40
I didn't get to see A Thousand Falling Skies, but my friend won a raffle and got their CD and we listened to it on the way home.

The Number 12 Looks Like You - 1:00 - 1:20
These guys were thrown on at the last second because Cannae dropped off. I was disappointed that I didn't get to see Cannae, but I definitely dig the Number 12's CD and I was interested in seeing how they do it live. Their performance at Hellfest would not be an accurate representation of their usual live show because they only had one of two singers. And filling in on vocal duties for the aforementioned absent party was several of the band's friends. While this was fun to watch, I still wish I could have seen the band as a whole.

Fordirelifesake - 1:40 - 2:00
I'm pretty sure Fordirelifesake usually have two guitarists. Only one played this show and that's really somewhat of a pet peeve of mine. Everything sounded fine though, albeit there was a definite decreased in power. I stuck around long enough to hear, “We Burn In Our Comfort” and then went to watch With Dead Hands Rising.

Alexisonfire - 2:20 - 2:40
I didn't watch Alexisonfire's set.

Walls Of Jericho - 3:05 - 3:30
I watched Walls Of Jericho from upstairs and it seemed like they were playing lots of new songs, so I quickly lost interest. Their pit was huge and thronged with girls though.

Most Precious Blood - 3:55 - 4:20
My favorite Hellfest 2004 performance definitely goes to Most Precious Blood. So much happened in what seemed like such a short time span. When they played “The Great Red Shift” people went nuts. When they played “Why Hyenas Laugh” there was a huge pile-on for the line “LIVE THROUGH THIS!” They also played a song that I'm cool enough to know that it was an Earth Crisis cover, but not cool enough to know which song.

Shai Hulud - 4:45 - 5:15
I was so excited to see Shai Hulud, especially because this was their last show. When they started playing my excitement soon turned to sorrow as I realized this last show wouldn't be very good for me. All of the bands at the mainstages had their vocals way too high and Shai Hulud was no different. However, what was even worse about Shai Hulud's set is that they had their guitars turned down significantly. I couldn't even tell which song was which and I know their songs very well. I could only hear drums, Geert and bass lines. I was pretty letdown, but stayed to watch anyway.

Bleeding Through - 5:45 - 6:20
Bleeding Through got most of their merch and a lot of equipment stolen during their stay at Hellfest and Brandan put it bluntly when he said, “I don't even want to be here right now.” They played a phenomenal show despite their bad luck and I've never heard Brandan's voice sound as good as it did that day. Especially in the song “Number Seven With A Bullet” when he says “BITCH!” right before the breakdown.

Dillinger Escape Plan - 7:00 - 7:45
During DEP's first few songs they had the smoke machine running on Ludicrous Speed and that was really annoying, but they played a few older songs like “The Running Board,” “When Good Dogs Do Bad Things” and “43 Percent Burnt” and then they played a bunch of new songs. I was actually more interested in the new songs as I have seen the old songs done before. The new songs are awesome both live and on the CD.

Fear Factory - 8:45 - ?
I don't even know if they played after Bad Luck's set. I was standing outside and eventually left.

Hot Topic Stage

Stars Turn Cold - 12:00 - 12:20
I didn't watch Stars Turn Cold.

Breath Of Silence - 12:35 - 12:55
Breath of Silence is a band I had never even heard of until I watched them at Hellfest. And they actually played my hometown like 4 days after Hellfest. They're a good metalcore band some really interesting parts that are reminiscent of 7 Angels 7 Plagues. The singer also mentioned that they were just signed to Ferret Music, so be on the lookout for their debut.

A Perfect Murder - 1:10 - 1:30
I've always seen this band as Hatebreed's southern cousin with better breakdowns. I love A Perfect Murder and I love dancing for them. When they went into their first song I knew right away it was going to be a good time. They played every song they should have and they played some stuff off their new album which everyone should buy right now.

Zombie Apocalypse - 1:45 - 2:05
I only watched a few Zombie Apocalypse songs, and that accounts for maybe three minutes of my entire life. I enjoyed what I saw, but I am not familiar with the band and so I can't really say if everything sounded good or not. I'm definitely going to check into picking some of their work up though.

Endwell - 2:20 - 2:40
I didn't watch Endwell.

Misery Signals - 2:55 - 3:15
The Misery Signals/It Dies Today tour came to my town two days before Hellfest and I watched Misery Signals then and didn't get to see them at Hellfest. My friends told me they were much better at Hellfest than they were in Johnstown though.

A Life Once Lost - 3:30 - 3:50
A Life Once Lost are one of those bands that I never mosh for. I always want to just watch them to see what the singer will do next. One time I saw him nearly swallow the mic and scream with it in his throat. There set at Hellfest was pretty tame by their standards, but still crazy when compared to other bands'.

Planes Mistaken For Stars - 4:05 - 4:25
I didn't watch Planes Mistaken For Stars.

The Bronx - 4:40 - 5:00
I didn't see the Bronx, but I really wanted to. I heard they were very good.

The Promise - 5:15 - 5:35
The crowd was smaller for the Promise because Throwdown was playing but the energy of all the participants more than made up for it. It was cool though, because it seemed like a small DIY show and not a large fest. They played a new song called “Die Or Fight” which got a really good response for a new song.

Fear Before The March Of Flames - 5:50 - 6:10
Last time I saw these guys was when my band played with them. During that show the singer puked and then mic'd me. I made sure to stay away from the mic this time. Fear Before really get into their music. They were jumping all over their equipment and kicking each other and falling down and the crowd was obviously feeling it too. The way the guitarist axes during breakdowns is one of my favorite things to watch in the world.

From A Second Story Window - 6:25 - 6:45
These guys are sort of locals to my area and I never realized how big they were until I actually got out of my area for a show. Last time I saw them, they had a fill-on doing vocals, so it was good to see the original singer with the band. They put on a great show and it was surprisingly the best I had ever seen from them. It was so weird seeing kids singing along. I had no idea they were that huge. They definitely deserve it.

Merauder - 7:00 - 7:20
Merauder must have finished early or I was just really late because I missed them.

25 Ta Life - 7:35 - 8:05
I didn't get to see 25 Ta Life.

Bad Luck 13 Riot Extravaganza - 8:15 - 8:45
I'm sure you've all heard of what happened by now. A riot broke out and a lot of rumors did too. Things I definitely saw were kids running like someone had lit their asses on fire and big dudes punching each other. The band's name has the word “riot” in it and if you think their last show would be anything but a riot, you're an idiot.

Dinosaur Stage

Last Perfection - 12:00 - 12:20
Another band I really wanted to see, but couldn't due to events beyond my control.

Wings Of Scarlet - 12:35 - 12:55
If you were straight edge and vegan, there are some bands you just have to watch and dance for. Wings Of Scarlet is one of those bands. They play somewhat typical metalcore, but they play it very well. The singer's voice sounds so much better live than it does on CD. In this business, that can be a rarity.

Forever Is Forgotten - 1:10 - 1:30
Forever Is Forgotten play technical metalcore and their songs are usually pretty lengthy. I was impressed to see that they pull it off very well live. I didn't realize, but my friend told me that their current singer is not the original one who can be heard on their CDs. He did a great job though, and can definitely fill the shoes of the old singer perfectly.

With Dead Hands Rising - 1:45 - 2:05
For some reason I've always lumped Wings Of Scarlet, Forever Is Forgotten and With Dead Hands Rising in the same category of: good, new metalcore bands. So it was strange when they simultaneously at Hellfest. With Dead Hands Rising were my favorite of three as they were the energetic and the most demanding of the crowd. Sometimes a singer's callouts just leave you incapable of standing still.

Stabbed By Words - 2:20 - 2:40
I had never heard of this band before, but they played a pretty contrived style of old school hardcore. The singer made a good point about how some of those “bullshit radio stations that just play silence all the time” could be playing hardcore instead. I agree, dude.

Psyopus - 2:55 - 3:15
The last time I saw Psyopus there were five people in the room/venue besides myself and they still put on a phenomenal show. Now with a much larger crowd, they went even crazier. At one point the singer, Adam, wrapped the mic cord around the guitarist's neck and started strangling him. These guys playing musical that's more technical than a NASA flight program and yet they go nuts and never even miss a beat. I really wish more bands shared their attitudes.

Flat Earth Society - 3:30 - 3:50
I didn't get to see Flat Earth Society's set as I was watching Sworn Enemy at the time.

The Autumn Offering - 4:05 - 4:25
I saw these guys last year at Stillborn Fest and was really into them, then they pulled a Pauly Shore and kind of vanished for awhile. It was really good to see from them again and I found out they have a new album out on Stillborn Records. If you like good American Metal, pick it up.

The Acacia Strain - 4:40 - 5:00
I only got to see the Acacia Strain's last song which sucked because I was really looking forward to them. The last song was off of “. . . And Life Is Very Long,” but I forget what the song was. I was dead tired, but I still moved for it.

Dry Kill Logic - 5:15 - 5:35
I didn't watch Dry Kill Logic, I was watching Throwdown and the Promise.