If you just think OzzFest is been pillaged by mainstream rock radio crap, and the goth crowds don’t do it for you, then you would have probably had a good time at the second installment of the Sounds of the Underground Tour. After a snafu, the venue shifted from Freedom Hill to the always not-so-cozy parking lot at DTE Energy Music Theatre for the 8 hour festival.

Unlike OzzFest, where the sun beat the hell out of the concert-goers, Sounds of the Underground was a wet and rainy affair for the 4,000 or so in attendance. Many of the early bands, such as the Chariot and Through the Eyes of the Dead mostly screamed and tried to show off their musical proficiency. The crowd in attendance really didn’t seem to care too much about anybody early on however.

The Scandinavian death metal crowd was in all their glory as Behemoth hit the stage, in white face paint and spikes and all. Their 20 minute set was laughable, and proved that American audiences either aren’t ready, or just don’t care about the violent form of music bands like Behemoth play.

Detroit’s own Black Dahlia Murder elicited the first signs of life from the audience, who moshed and ran around in the circle pits to songs like “A Vulgar Picture”. The band is still honing their chops, but at least for this day, they had a crowd who was on their side.

If Black Dahlia didn’t do it for some of the crowd, everyone in attendance waited for the Sounds return of the schlock-rockers Gwar. The band came out in full gear, and much like last year, doused the crowd in red and green tinged water. The set from last year and this year’s set weren’t that much different either. Even though their cover of Alice Cooper’s “School’s Out”, and other songs are a lyrical explosion of all things terrible, the band’s entertainment value saves them time and time again.

The death metal grandfather’s, Cannibal Corpse, hit the stage when the rain was at its worst. The nasty weather combined with the Cookie Monster style voice of the lead singer on songs like the closer “Hammer Smashed Face”, didn’t make any new fans for the group.

Florida metal upstarts Trivium seemed to be working on their showmanship vigorously over the past year or so. Led by rock guitar prodigy Matt Heafy, Trivium lead the crowd through tracks like “A Gunshot to the Head of Trepidation”, and new tracks from their upcoming album, “The Crusade” (out October 10th). The new material, such as “Detonation” began to show the potential that Heafy and the rest of the band promised we would see eventually. With their set, Trivium walked away as the most improved, hands down.

Old school hard rock heroes Machine Head battled through the drizzle, and devoted a set of a few fan favorites, as well as new material from their upcoming 2007 album. The band opened with the pounding “Imperium”, and dove into tracks like “Bay of Pigs”, and “Davidian”. Lead by guitarist/lead singer Rob Flynn, the band still comes off as menacing as they did ten years ago and sound just as tight as they did then.

Sweden’s In Flames had the first set with sunshine in it all day, just as the sun was starting to set. In their 45 minute set, the band went through underground tunes, as well as material from their current stomper “Come Clarity”. The fans screamed out for older material, which the band would do, but on the condition that the fans screaming out the songs jumped in the pit as well. In Flames is better in a close environment like this; versus the cavernous stage the band played on as part of the main stage at OzzFest.

The religious metal wannabes As I Lay Dying headlined the show, but after sitting through numerous sets by the band, this reviewer was in no mood to suffer through a very overrated band.

Sounds of the Underground may not have been the great counter-culture metal showcase that it was last year, with Lamb of God and Clutch. But it still had some great bands and moments that should carry forward into next year, giving OzzFest and others a run for their money.