After yesterday’s heatwave and incredible sets from Ghost, Evanescence, Godsmack, Steel Panther and many more, we made our way back to Parc Jean Drapeau for the second and final day of Heavy Montreal! We started our afternoon at the main stage with Montreal deathcore band Despised Icon, led by the incredibly energetic vocalists Alexandre Erian and Steve Marois.
Next, we stayed in the shade over at the Scène de la Forêt to catch sets from Icelandic viking metal band Skálmöld, followed by California stoner rock veterans Fu Manchu. While the weather forecast for Sunday looked dreadful, with thunderstorms on the horizon, we only experienced 5 minutes of very light rain, which refreshed a boiling audience and gave us a nice rainbow (a funny element to add to the heavy metal aesthetics)!
Back at the main stage, Tennessee christian rock band Skillet gave an electric performance. Led by singer John Cooper, the band didn’t spare any expenses in stage props, impressing the crowd with pyro, CO2, and platforms that raised the musicians way above the stage.
As soon as the crew started setting up the stage for the next act, we knew we were in for a treat. California goth metal band In This Moment gave a rocking performance full of symbolism, with amazing costumes, masks, and spooky scenery, putting lead singer Maria Brink front and center, as she dazzled the crowd with her angelic looks and not-so-angelic screams.
Over at Apocalypse Stage, American heavy metal band Clutch gave the crowd the energy boost needed to beat the halfway-through-the-day slump, led by the larger than life Neil Fallon.
After Clutch’s set, crowds gathered in masses back to the main stage, to witness the performance of an absolute legend. Accompanied by Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators, Slash left his fans in awe with his undeniable guitar skills, and rocked the crowd to the sounds of new songs and old classics (special mention to Guns N’ Roses’ Nightrain, which started a crowdsurfing frenzy in the pit).
As soon as Slash’s set ended, an alarm could be heard over at the Apocalypse Stage. Without transition, thrash metal powerhouse Anthrax came onstage for a totally different sound. Earlier in the day, the band was inducted into the Hall of Heavy Metal History, which seemed a no-brainer after watching their insane performance, led by crazy lead singer Joey Belladonna.
As we walked around the festival grounds today, it was easy to guess who most of the audience was here to see, just by the number of T-Shirts and people chanting the band’s name hours before their set. Shortly after 9pm, thrash metal legends Slayer arrived on stage, in front of an ecstatic audience. Having been around and killing it since 1981, the band announced last year that they would be retiring, so this set was their last show ever in Quebec! The insane stage pyros, heavy sounds and frontman Tom Araya gave an out-of-this-world performance, giving the audience memories of a lifetime.
