I am greatly looking forward to the end of this week. Well, more specifically, the end of the workday tomorrow. After many long months of waiting, Chicago Powerfest 2008 is finally upon us. A group of friends and I will be driving out to Mokena, IL Thursday morning to indulge in a 3-night metal feast! For those of you who don’t know about Chicago Powerfest, it’s an annual multi-night concert that has featured some of the best local Chicago metal acts as well as a number of amazing national (and international) acts. The 2008 edition is no exception… 17 bands and nearly 20 hours of brain-splitting metal. In fact, this year features some of the most badass bands that I’m excited to get my very first live taste of…

Thursday night will begin the weekend onslaught with Paganfest! A collection of some of the best acts in the Folk Metal genre will get the Powerfest crowd warmed up for the coming nights. Ensiferum will be rocking the headlining spot, supported by the sword-slinging crews of Turisas, TYR, Eluveitie and local openers Earthen (who, from what I listened to on their website, are quite good). I’m stoked as hell to see Turisas on stage in all of their “battle metal” glory… face paint, battle axes and all. As long as they play “Rasputin”, I will be a happy headbanger. I also really look forward to seeing Eluveitie. I simply can’t get enough of their new album, “Slania”… there’s something about melodeath infused with violin, flute, and a hurdy gurdy that I can’t help but find intriguing.

Night two will begin with lesser-known metal acts, Arise and Ruin, Ion Vein, and Epicurean. I look forward to seeing all of them, though I have the feeling it may take a few drinks before I’ll really be able to loosen up and get my head bobbing. After some metalcore, roundhouse-kicking, mic-screeching nonsense that is A Life Once Lost (yeah, what can I say, I don’t like them), we will be graced with what I can imagine to be nothing less than an absolutely amazing performance. ICED EARTH. No, not just Iced Earth… I’ve seen Iced Earth in concert a few times, and don’t get me wrong, they were outstanding. This show will be very different. We’re going to see something we’ve wanted to see for years. Someone I’ve idolized since I first popped “Alive in Athens” in my CD player and was blown away. Matt -fucking- Barlow. After 7 years out of the spotlight, the one true voice of Iced Earth is back and ready to kick some ass… and we’ll be lucky enough to see his first show back behind the mic with Jon Schaffer fervently picking the 6-string at his side. EPIC.

The third and final night of mosh-inducing aural ecstasy will begin with Chaoswave, Twelfth Gate, and The Autumn Offering. I’m interested to hear what these guys can bring to the table. I haven’t heard much from them aside from a few tunes on MySpace, though I did see a music video for The Autumn Offering’s new single on Headbanger’s Ball this weekend (from the quality and talent of the bands in the other videos I saw, it doesn’t appear to be that hard however). Suidakra will then bring their own krautastic version of Celtic metal to the stage followed by Swedish rockers Darkane. I hope that Jens Broman can do Darkane’s older material justice now that Andreas Sydow has stepped down from behind the mic. Jens was awesome in Construcdead so I’m sure we’re all in for a killer performance. I also hope we get a taste of their upcoming new album…

Rounding out night three will be another band that I have waited years to see in concert: Testament. With a long-awaited new album out this week, Paul Bostaph behind the kit, and Alex Skolnick back on lead guitar, this should truly be something to behold. Testament’s new album is quite the return to form. It amazes me that bands like Metallica can disappoint their fans year after year with new material that sounds like a watered-down, barely-recognizable version of the band we used to love, while Testament can get harder and faster as they mature. There are few Testament fans that don’t like their new material. Why? Because they remember their roots… they remember what thrash is supposed to sound like. Fast. Heavy. Mean.

Expect a full-fledged review once I get back in town next week. I’m sure there will be some interesting stories from the weekend… and more than a few mosh-induced injuries (especially when it comes to my buddy Josh).

BONUS VIDEO!
Eluveitie – “Inis Mona”

Damn, I love that song…