Bonnaroo has historically been perceived as a hippie festival, bringing all the jams bands together for one gigantic marijuana cloud and hacky sack convention. Over time, however, the landscape has changed and all genres are showcased alongside bands like String Cheese and Phish. This year, the darker side of heavy metal is coming from all angles, and is also paced one-after-another on a heavy metal Friday!
Kylesa (1:45pm-3:00pm on Friday):
With five albums under their collective belts, Georgia's Kylesa combines a form of sludge and psych metal unseen in today's musical landscape. Sure, the comparisons to Neurosis or Mastodon are slightly warranted, but this band has their own unique blend of the secret metal herbs and spices. If anyone doubt's their metal prowess, then they haven't been reading or listening to anybody that as seen the band live, as most in attendance become Kylesa fans just a small taste.
The Sword (3:30pm-4:45pm on Friday):
Hailing from Austin, Texas, the weird capital of the world, The Sword are Bonnaroo veterans that play a no-nonsense sort of hard rock. If new-fangled metal is not for you and you wish everyone took a cue from Black Sabbath, then The Sword is a must-see. Their blistering speed, heavy attention to detail, and rousing chorus' all add up to a classic heavy metal concert filled with headbanging and "oh my god that was awesome" moments. Anyone that caught their 2008 set will be ready at 3:30 on Friday for another rousing performance.
Opeth (5:15pm-6:30pm on Friday)
Opeth is probably the most exciting line-up announcement for those that love metal. The Swedish death-metalers are in a class of their own, combining exceptional songwriting, howling vocals, and brilliant guitar work. With a new album set this year (entitled Heritage) and a back catalog that includes plenty of 12-minute epics and crowd-stirring anthems. Those unfamiliar with Opeth will find everything they enjoy about heavy metal amplified, as their speed is remarkable and the sheer power of their songs will make their 75-minute set fly right by. This might be the show of the night!
If these five hours of metal doesn’t give you your fix, go see a doctor as something must be wrong.
Stay tuned to Examiner.com for more coverage and check out our Top Electronic Acts right here!
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