With a mixture of legendary acts and promising newcomers, the festival offered a weekend full of unforgettable musical moments and a unique atmosphere, which is also a reason why M’era Luna announced it was sold out shortly before the festival. After Friday, the arrival day, ended with a mixture of sun and rain with convivial readings, visits to the medieval market with the convivial live music of Pestilenzia or dancing in the hangar late at night, the start of the festival could hardly have been better.
Saturday 10.8.2024
The day began on the main stage under bright sunshine with a performance by Schwarzer Engel. Powerful melodies and profound lyrics filled the air. For frontman Dave Jason, the presentation of the new album ‘Höhere Gewalt’ and the single ‘Krähenbruder’ was a must. His interpretation of dark metal is strongly influenced by ASP and Rammstein. The dark rockers from Switzerland, Hell Boulevard, followed immediately and thrilled the audience with melodic piano and infernal guitar riffs. As if sent from hell to earth, they brought hits like ‘Weirdos’, ‘Satan in Wonderland’ and ‘In Black We Trust’ to the stage and thus provided the first dance moments of the day.
The atmosphere remained lively with Lacrimas Profundere, one of the best-known and most innovative German bands in the dark goth scene. The M’era Luna audience was invited to become part of the official video clip for ‘Shimmering’ by sending in their own recordings on site. The event continued with the performance of the new “German hardness” band Die Herren Wesselsky. Singer Alexx Wesselsky, better known as “Der Checker” from TV and founder of Eisbrecher and Megaherz, brought a laid-back and rocky atmosphere to the stage with his many years of music experience.
The relaxed afternoon atmosphere ended abruptly when the platinum record winners Oomph! from Braunschweig entered the stage. With Daniel Schulz on the microphone, they presented the album ‘Richter und Henker’ from the previous year. The change of singer did not dampen the enthusiasm – the audience went wild and cheered unstoppably. Lots of flames on the grill and unicorns on the stage – Hämatom created a great atmosphere for the 20th anniversary and presented their upcoming album ‘Für Dich’, which will be released next year. The album is dedicated to the deceased Hämatom member WEST, which gave the performance a particularly emotional touch.
Next came Saltatio Mortis on the main stage. Even without a pyro show, they filled the infield to capacity, almost reaching its limits. Singer Alea showed real commitment and was not put off by a head injury. The audience danced to the beat of the music, while the arms of those present moved like waves in the ocean. For a change, I went to the Club Stage to see London After Midnight (LAM for short). While the diverse audience rocked to the hard rock guitars, the sun retreated and prepared the stage for the last highlight of the day: ASP. Accompanied by the powerful choir of voices and an impressive fire show in the dark, this concert was an unforgettable experience. The M’era Luna continued to dance through the night in the best weather.
Sunday 11.8.2024
Unearthed right at the start of the second day of the festival, the young band Erdling stormed the main stage with full energy. While the audience protected themselves from the sun with umbrellas, they presented their dark side and provided a rousing start. Next door, Eden weint im Grab rocked the club stage with cello and violin. Despite corpse paint and black metal elements, they impressed the audience and kept the mood high. Then Stahlmann took the stage and presented their new album “Phosphor”. Although many consider the previous album “Quarz” to be the measure of all things, the dark melodies and yearning passion for industrial metal were by no means neglected.
After the visit to the steel factory, it was time for pyrotechnics and folk rock with dArtagnan. Despite the heat, the audience cheered and celebrated. The singer of Feuerschwanz ensured a lively atmosphere and together they sang the song ‘The Three Musketeers’ to heaven with enthusiasm. The Swedish glam band Deathstars continued. The presentation of their new album ‘Everything Destroys You’ as well as the powerful guitar riffs and industrial synthesizers rounded off the afternoon perfectly.
Munich’s Schandmaul provided the perfect setting to bring the Middle Ages back to life musically. Singer Thomas Lindner and guest Georgij Alexandrowitsch Makazaria from the band Russkaja impressively demonstrated that Walpurgis Night can also be celebrated during the day. Back on the club stage, the mood remained festive when Andy LaPlegua took the stage with his solo project Combichrist. With an old-school set of the old repertoire, he made sure that our ears were properly challenged by the pulsating beats and powerful sounds.
The Hamburg band Lord of the Lost used the opportunity on the main stage for an impressive pyrotechnic show. The infield was almost bursting with people, some of whom were lying on blankets or using umbrellas to protect themselves from the sun. Singer Simone Simons and former After Forever singer Mark Jansen performed the already mature band Epica at the M’era Luna with their symphonic metal and opera elements. As one of the most important metal bands at the renowned Gothic festival, they caused a lot of headbanging and even provoked a “Wall of Death” in the audience.
Last but not least, the Irish band VNV Nation, with thirty years of experience, took to the stage and put the icing on the cake of the festival with their electronic melodies and drum sounds from the eighties. For many veterans it was a nostalgic trip, while it aroused the curiosity of the younger goths. This wonderful finale of M’era Luna 2024 left everyone delighted. A big thank you to everyone involved – we are already looking forward to next year!
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