Lung capacity back to normal and I can breathe again as the Hammer Hounds venue empties, unfortunately for Waylander. The band were decorated in beautiful blue paint to echo the woad decoration of the Celts and, after a few technical difficulties, they play to the remaining crowd. Not a bad performance but, after the energy of Alestorm and Tyr, Waylander didn’t quite cut it and so, for me, it was off for refuelling and a quick trip to the 4 stall ‘metal market’ before Sepultura hit the main stage.

You know when sometimes music enters more than just your ears; it reverberates through your whole body? Well, Sepultura’s music is most certainly characterised by the ability of the drums to do just that. It bounces off the core of your soul and leaves you mesmerised. Derrick Green’s vocals were on top form and the percussion interludes offered a welcome visual on stage, particularly with the silhouetted form and masses of dreadlocks. The set was to everyone’s satisfaction with songs spanning the history of Sepultura’s musical exploits & included the classics Refuse/Resist and Roots Bloody Roots. Thank Odin or somebody that Bullet for My Valentine dropped out of the Hammerfest line-up leaving a space for Sepultura’s exclusive UK show! Really good to see them live again. Metal at it’s finest!

Now for metal legends Saxon.  Even if you don’t like their music, they provide a gentle reminder of the origins of Metal as we know it, in the same way that Motorhead, Maiden, Priest and Sabbath do. It’s the sheer longevity in the business and the dedication to British Heavy Metal that make Saxon one of the greatest bands ever (and I’m not a fan of the music particularly.) That said, after seeing their show I could easily become a convert. They are professional in every way and Biff Byford, a brilliant front man, even without the spandex pants from the past. I was a bit gutted that they didn’t include that over played ‘Power Hour’ song, ‘ Ride Like the Wind’…I could have sung along to that one after all those years of repetition. Musically, you can’t fault them and their performance was outstanding. Even the female metal legend, Doro Pesch, herself was enjoying the show with the crowd! So, with an awesome legend at stage left, what ever happened to the tradition of calling a fellow performer on stage to join the band for a sing along? She was awesome at HRH II last year. Ah well, at least Tyr and Alestorm kept the tradition alive.

It’s 1am and time for another clash, Wolf and Cathedral. Do we support the guys who’ve travelled from Sweden or the crusading UK mentalists? I decide to watch Wolf for a couple of songs but really should have gone straight to stage 2, yes, that’s right Cathedral were on miniscule stage 2. The last band on the Hammer Hounds stage. Good grief, just a tad insulting to the developmental mind of front man Lee Dorrian. Anybody recall the BBC’s ‘Arena’ documentary about British Metal? Well, might be time to dig out the VHS tape and force matchsticks under the eyelids of the people who billed Cathedral as the last band on the Hammer Hounds stage, as a gentle reminder of the legends they are, Lee Dorrian in particular. Regardless, the set was superb, the band doomy and his worshipful front man, an absolute nutter, standing spaced with microphone in mouth. Cool as! Before launching into the classics Ride and Hopkins (The Witchfinder General) which ended with Dorrian, recreating the demise of an unfortunate witch at the hand of Hopkins, as he slowly wrapped the microphone cord around and around his neck and held it up. Hanging. Then he smiled at the crowd and Hammerfest concluded.

By Emma