The design of the festival featured \"new talent\" versus \"golden oldies\". Fortunately there was plenty of room for upcoming bands like Still Remains, Mercenary and Trivium. Yet old-timers like Laaz Rockit, Testament and Anthrax, whose claim to fame was founded in the eighties, dominated. It seemed as if Dynamo Open Air 2005 was marked by reunion shows rather than presenting a summery of today\'s metal scene.

Still Remains
Hailing from Grand Rapids, near Detroit Rock City, Still Remains had the honour to open Dynamo 2005. After several EP\'s the band spawned their debut album \"If Love Was Born To Die\" in 2004. It brought them a deal with major label Roadrunner. Still Remains plays a modern, American version of Swedish death/thrash. Think In Flames, Soilwork, Unearth and It Dies Today. The band proved to be more than capable to lay down the opening act for the festival.

It was remarkable to see skinsman AJ Barrette (and the other band members for that matter) play furiously while the drummer plays in a Scottish marching band as well at home.

Mercenary
It won\'t take long before Danish metal outfit Mercenary are famous. Their album \"Eleven Dreams\" was written within three months and has acclaimed nothing but positive reactions since. Drummer Mike Park and his drumming qualities plays a main role. The band has a distinct sound and proved with their show to be ready for the premier league.

3 Inches of Blood
At a young age the guys of 3 Inches of Blood listened to classic bands like Metallica and Megadeth before they tried to discover where those bands got their inspiration from. The musicians halted at the British hard rock history at the late seventies and got inspired as well. This results in retro metal in the vein of Judas Priest, Tygers of Pan Tang, Iron Maiden and Diamond Head - with an modern twist. With two lead vocalists and drum animal Matt Wood, who needs nothing more than two bass drums and a snare. To put it simply: heavy metal as hell.

Masterplan
Initially nothing but a project by drummer Uli Kusch and guitarist Roland Grapow, Masterplan has developed to a real band. Fronted by singer Jorn Lande, Masterplan delivered a surprisingly good performance. Even much more powerful than on their albums, and with a beautiful light show, Kusch built a super solid foundation on which his fellow band members could build freely. An excellent show.

Trivium
Florida\'s Trivium plays metalcore which is not only of a high technical standard, but also very catchy. It makes Trivium a positive exception in the sometimes monotonous genre. These kids (they\'ve hardly passed the age of twenty) already toured with Slipknot, Dillinger Escape Plan and many others. The Orland quartet, with Travis Smith behind the kit, was very convincing on stage. You will hear definitely more from this band. As cream on the cake Trivium not only delivers brutal mosh parts, but also has a vocalist who can really sing. Regrettably the band had to endure a bad sound during their show, most notably harming the lead vocals.

Laaz Rockit
In 1988 Bay Area crunchers Laaz Rockit played at Dynamo after the band had the doubtful honour to be the very first band to cancel its show at Dynamo Open Air. They compensated it with a memorable show.

Victor Agnello was the initial drummer in the San Francisco thrash metal band. He occupied the drum throne when they started in 1982, but was replaced by Dave Chavarri in 1990. Several years later the latter showed up at Pro-Pain and currently hits the skins with Ill Niño.

In 1992 Laaz Rockit disbanded, but on Dynamo 2005 the thrashers showed up in their classic line-up featuring Vic Agnello behind the kit, Mike Coons as lead vocalist, Aaron Jellum and Phil Kettner on guitars, and Willy Langenhuizen as bass player with Dutch roots. This show was memorable as well.

Agnello, nowadays working as a medical physician, still knew the tricks. From the start of the first song, Fire In The Hole, a party started on stage and in front of it. Though his vocal range had shortened during the last sixteen years, Mike Coons\' charisma was still shining brightly. It was Laaz Rockit who created the first mosh pit this day.

Evergrey
Swedish Evergrey played on the small stage but could have well played on the main stage. While outside the tent the sun tried to break through the clouds, created the band inside the tent an intimate atmosphere with their mixture of metal and progressive rock. Behind his Pearl kit drummer Jonas Ekdahl showed to be an excellent successor of Patrick Carlsson who left in 2003.

Gorefest
And then it was time for Gorefest. After the release of the classic album \"False\" the Dutch metal pride hit the stage on the Dynamo Festival in 1993. The crowd went completely nuts during that show, which can be heard on the EP \"The Eindhoven Insanity\". The formation with drummer Ed Warby, reformed in July 2004 - for the first time in six long years.

\"We have not gathered here to play new songs. We are here to play a best of old songs only\", according to frontman De Koeijer. It was pretty much to the taste of most of the audience. The fans responded very enthusiastically to Gorefest classics like Mental Misery, False, Erase, From Ignorance To Oblivion, State of Mind en Confessions Of A Serial Killer. As the first notes of opening song The Glorious Dead filled the tent Gorefest transformed into a heavy groove machine. It seems that Dynamo 2005 marks the start of a glorious comeback for the band.

Obituary
And another reunion in a \"classic\" line-up. You can\'t mention death metal without naming Obituary. The band decided to reform in 2004 and the two years\' break clearly gave the band new energy. Outside the sun shone, inside drummer Donald Tardy and the rest of the band proved to be capable of delivering an aural overdose of dirty death metal like no other band.

Testament
For the first time in eighteen years Testament hit the stage in their classic line-up. Of course the huge grin of Testament frontman Chuck Billy offered a well-known view on stage. More special was the appearance of initial guitarists Eric Peterson and Alex Skolnick (Nowadays leading his own jazz ensemble: The Alex Skolnick Trio). They were supported by bass player Greg Christian, more recently playing with HavocHate.

On top of that the band brought along two drummers. Behind the Tama kit John Tempesta (Helmet, ex-Rob Zombie) traded places with Louie Clemente with an ultra brutal set as a result. The legacy, Souls of Black, Practice What You Preach, one classic song after another was unleashed upon the audience. A very energetic show!

John Oliva\'s Pain
John Oliva\'s Pain was a welcome break. Not only Oliva\'s physical appearance reminds of Meatloaf. Both huge singers share their love for dramatic and theatrical compositions. John Olive, probably best known as the voice of Savatage, was supported by two guitar virtuosos who seemed to hold a competition playing solos.

It was drummer Christopher Kinder\'s great contribution to keep the groove. The German musician used to play in Circle II Circle, but has been part of John Oliva\'s Pain since 2003. Kinder\'s relatively simple yet deep grooving playing kept the instrumental outbursts and shredding art of both guitarists in control. Kinder did a great job.

Anthrax
In 2005 Anthrax commemorated its twentieth anniversary by reforming with its original line-up for the first time in thirteen years. It included the (temporary) return of vocalist Joey Belladonna and guitarist Dan Spitz.

Wanting to do something special in honour of Anthrax\' jubilee, drummer Charlie Benante is the initiator of the reunion. When the guys met each other in their rehearsal room, the holy fire ignited again right away. Anthrax is famous for their enthusiasm on stage, but this marvellous show was the best headliner Dynamo 2005 could wish for.