Krachfest 2024 Report

» November 7, 2024
» Gig reports, News

I thought I’d be able to finish the whole Krachfest 2024 report by the next day, but the slow internet at the hotel trapped me in my room while I tried to edit videos of all the bands and upload them to YouTube.

So let’s cut to the chase while the impressions are still hot.

KRACHFEST 2024 – DAY ONE

Krachfest 2024 took place at Autonomous Center Aachen, part of the A&O hostel where most of the bands stayed, from what I noticed. It’s a proper punk venue with a few rooms and a concert area. What won me over right away was the beer price – 2 euros for a half-liter. I thought, “This is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.” I should mention there was also a 1-euro option, but I wasn’t about to risk my health. 🙂

In the distro and merch room, alongside bands, the already announced Bones Brigade Records, Loner Cult Records, and Rødel Records were set up, with 7 Degrees Records and Halenoise Records joining on the second day.

The first day’s performances started at 7:30 with HUMAN WASTE. A dose of death/grind to warm up the crowd, though the stage seemed small for all five members, and the full room was buzzing. They made good use of their half-hour, well-rehearsed, but the length of their songs might’ve played a role in the crowd’s effort to be louder than the band. By the end, the room had noticeably thinned out. Maybe shorter songs would hit the sweet spot. That’s just my personal view, no offense intended.

Otherwise, the schedule was 99% on time both days, cheerz to the organizers, Mario and Noëlle.

After HUMAN WASTE, it was POSSIBLE DAMAGE’s turn, a German powerviolence trio with a female lead vocalist, supported by a guitarist who doubled as backup vocals, and a drummer. My first impression here was that the sound tech missed the mark – the female lead was almost inaudible, with the backing vocals overpowering hers. A real shame.

Incidentally, this was probably the first show where I didn’t bother to take proper photos of the bands. As I was filming one of the early acts, a guy working at the bar approached and said photography wasn’t allowed. When I asked why, he said we needed to respect the privacy of everyone in the audience. Younger me would’ve argued we’re not at a LAMB OF GOD or TAYLOR SWIFT concert or some political rally, but rather a grindcore festival where I’m here to write a report. I moved on. I’m too old for that shit.

Then, MASSIVE CHARGE took the stage. This French quintet once again showed why their scene is probably in the top 5 right now, with a bassist who also handled backup vocals. It’s a shame the stage wasn’t bigger—this was a treat for both the eyes and ears. Once again, the sound tech slipped up a bit, but that didn’t stop the vocalist from shining like a beacon with all the energy he poured into the performance.

After MASSIVE CHARGE came FACEPALM NATION, evidently crowd favorites, a male-female duo with a female drummer taking charge while the guitarist backed her up. Short breaks between songs kept the audience engaged, and the room was packed for their performance. It was their 100th live show, and at one point, when I stepped out to grab a beer, it sounded like there were ten of them on stage instead of two.

The next-to-last act of the first night was INSISTENT, a Prague quartet that recently replaced their male lead with a female vocalist. They sounded pretty solid, with minimal chatter between songs, which I completely get—you’re here to play and give it your all, 101%. Be sure to check out their INSISTENT/FEASTEM split from last year!

Finally, the French legends INHUMATE took the stage – no need for a lengthy intro for them. With almost 35 years of (mostly) grind under their belt, they recently announced they’ll be disbanding in 2025. A few soundcheck issues delayed their start by about ten minutes. Though the room was half-full, INHUMATE gave a brutally honest 40-minute set, probably the best act of the first night. The best moment was when the singer stopped mid-song and told the drummer he was playing too fast – they had to start over. I laughed so hard I had tears in my eyes.

KRACHFEST 2024 – DAY TWO

Doors opened around 3:00 PM on the second day, with the first band taking the stage by 4:30. Not ideal for those of us who don’t choose our drinking time! By then, there were noticeably more people than on the first day. Understandable, right? Friday is a workday, Saturday is for fun.

The first band at 4:30 was KINSKI, who absolutely tore it up. The room was nearly packed, with several circle pits – rare on the first day. KINSKI wasted no time with talk between songs, focusing instead on delivering a solid mix of death and grind with dual vocals. I found myself wondering, “Why were these guys the first act?” The enthusiastic applause after each song seemed to support my question.

After KINSKI, the French band CHESWICK took the stage. Members of this band would appear in multiple acts throughout the day. They opened with a bit of groove metal, and I wondered if they were at the wrong venue. Luckily, the singer threw himself into the crowd and performed almost entirely from there. Although they started a bit late, their short, brutal songs packed a punch, enhanced by backup vocals adding an extra layer of aggression. Standing behind the sound tech for the best audio quality, there were moments when I thought they were sacrificing the vocalist on stage with all his screams and wails. I almost threw everything down and ran up to help him. Luckily, it was just part of the act. Great show, no complaints.

The same drummer stayed on as MATRAK ATTAKK took the stage. When a petite woman with a sweet voice stepped up to the mic for the soundcheck, I thought, “Did Édith Piaf reincarnate here, and are we about to hear ‘Non, je ne regrette rien’?” However, as the saying in my country goes, “Poison comes in small bottles.” When she grabbed that mic, it was clear there’d be no rest for the next half-hour. Without backup vocals, it sounded like a relentless, lightning-fast attakk (pun intended). The reverb gave her voice an intense effect, and the whole set was a pleasure from start to finish.

Next up was Belgian band HETZE, consisting of three women and a male drummer. Damn, these women crushed it to the point where even the men looked impressed. The vocalist was clearly born for the stage, and the audience felt it too, rewarding them with applause after every song. The rest of the band played everything note-perfect, as if they’d been around for twenty years. Hats off—a real treat.

I had to skip TFB’s performance, unfortunately. I delayed leaving for at least an hour because the bands were just too good, but when you’ve gotta go, you’ve gotta go.

A little after 8:00 PM, German machine NECROMORPH took the stage, blasting through their set like there was no tomorrow. While solos dominate their songs, it’s easy to miss that in such a short time. They were tight, like a well-tuned guitar string. Oddly, the crowd didn’t react as strongly as they did for previous bands. My theory? The singer was wearing a button-up shirt. Still, check them out if they’re playing near you.

What can I say about CYNESS? If you’ve seen them before, you know what’s coming. There’s no messing around – just unfiltered grind, with the singer going wild on stage, in the crowd, and beyond. It was absolute chaos in the room; you can’t stand still when CYNESS is playing. The crowd loved it. Despite having over 20 years behind them and only two albums, CYNESS has made a lasting impact on the scene.

Next up were KEITZER, veterans of the German death/grind scene. Their sound and tightness were as professional as it gets. In my opinion, they might’ve been better suited for a bigger festival with more death metal and less powerviolence and grindcore, but that’s just me – and everyone’s entitled to their opinion, just like they have an ass. 🙂

The penultimate act was the French juggernaut BLOCKHEADS. Right from the start, you could tell the crowd had been waiting to go all-out for them. Whether it was the alcohol or just anticipation, total chaos ensued. BLOCKHEADS came to chew bubble gums and kick ass—but they were out of bubble gums. They used their 45 minutes to debut two new songs from their upcoming release and, just before the last song, called Mario and Noëlle on stage to thank them for the fantastic festival organization. Sadly, I missed filming the moment the singer poured beer into his mouth while singing. If you ever get the chance to see BLOCKHEADS, don’t pass it up – you never know what’s coming.

For the finale, French band FALSE brought the energy with a lively, danceable set, perfect to close two days of incredible fun, music, and camaraderie.