Aura Noir has no interest in reinventing extreme metal. The Norwegian trio proudly embraces the sights, sounds and smells of first-wave black metal and primitive thrash, channeling the spirit of Venom, early Sodom and other architects of organized noise. The riffs are filthy, the tempos relentless and the atmosphere delightfully unrefined. Originality is beside the point. This is an exercise in tradition, performed with conviction and obvious affection. The fact that the set draws heavily from their seminal 1996 debut Black Thrash Attack, played almost in its entirety, only reinforces that impression. Fun, primal and suitably savage, Aura Noir understands that sometimes all you really need is a few evil riffs and a bad attitude.
TesseracT @ Main Stage 2 (Photos, setlist)
Point Mort @ Warzone (Photo)
Queensrÿche @ Main Stage 1 (Photos, review, setlist)
Stoned Jesus @ Valley Stage (Photos, review, setlist)
Bloodywood @ Main Stage 2 (Photos, setlist)
Accept @ Main Stage 1 (Photos, review, setlist)
Sepultura @ Main Stage 2 (Photos, review, setlist)
Helloween @ Main Stage 1 (Photos, review, setlist)
Opeth @ Main Stage 2 (Photos, review, setlist)
Iron Maiden @ Main Stage 1 (Photos, review, setlist)
DAY FOUR
Scour @ Temple Stage (Photos, review, setlist)
Eyehategod @ Valley Stage (Photos, review)
Six Feet Under @ Altar Stage (Photos, review, setlist)
Corrosion Of Conformity @ Valley Stage (Photos, review)
Possessed @ Altar Stage (Photos, setlist)
Agnostic Front @ Warzone - (Photos, setlist)
Acid Bath @Valley Stage (Photos, review, setlist)
Marduk @ Altar Stage (Photos, setlist)
Napalm Death @ Altar Stage (Photos, review, setlist)
Down @ Valley Stage (Photos, review, setlist)