After complaints from fans tired of listening to un-OzzFest (but still good) bands such as P.O.D. and Incubus, OzzFest came with the power and energy of pure metal that fans thought had been missing for years.

The sold out crowd was treated to a mix of new school metal on the second stage and old school metal on the main stage. After years of quasi-metal groups and down right alt-rock bands, OzzFest returned in 2004 with the hardest, most uncompromising lineup to date. And folks, it worked big time. After complaints from fans tired of listening to un-OzzFest (but still good) bands such as P.O.D. and Incubus, OzzFest came with the power and energy of pure metal that fans thought had been missing for years. The sold out crowd was treated to a mix of new school metal on the second stage and old school metal on the main stage. Here at Detroit Buzz, we thought we would give you a rundown band by band (that the reviewer saw), and gives the impression of those bands. Because there are 24 bands, which the first started at 9:30 A.M., we will break down some of the key performances, and the not so key performances of the day.

Second Stage:

After last year’s second stage disaster, headlined by Cradle of Filth, the second stage was subject to some of the best performances of the day.

Atreyu came with the noise, but unfortunately for the band, not much else. Ditto that for Bleeding Through and Darkest Hour.

Otep (that’s the band and lead singer’s name) brought a whole new dimension to women singing hard rock. It sounded evil and dirty during songs like “Warhead” and “Blood Pigs,” but beyond that it was pretty standard metal by numbers fare.

Las Vegas’ Magna-Fi was a throwback to the more mainstream OzzFests of past, which did not excite the crowd at all.

Where the second stage started to redeem itself was with Richmond, Virginia’s Lamb of God. The band ripped through a half hour set with a ferocious style that got the mosh pits in full swing. This may be a band to look out for in the metal scene for a while to come.

If Lamb of God didn’t send anyone to the hospital during their set, Hatebreed’s 40 minute set definitely got the paramedics out. Ripping through old tunes such as “Perservance” and new ones like “This Is Now”, the band showed why mainstream metal is missing out. Note to radio DJ’s everywhere: Play this band, don’t be scared off by the name. Just play them now.

The second best performance of the day went to Slipknot, whose 45 minute set had nearly all 15,000 people crammed into the second stage / parking lot area, which made for a tight squeeze. The band ripped through a ‘best of’ set, which ranged from “Spit it Out” to the current radio hit “Duality.”

This reviewer only wished they could have played about 30 minutes longer, and on the main stage, instead of dealing with the throng of the masses on the second stage.

Main Stage:

Black Label Society, fronted by Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Zakk Wylde, brought the heavy southern rock to the arriving main stage crowd. Beyond the minor radio hit “Stillborn,” nothing really stuck out.

Superjoint Ritual seemed to be a crowd pleaser, but it doesn’t take much to please a crowd of raging drunks, most with neck tattoos. Lead singer Phil Anselmo (yes, Phil from Pantera) rambled on topics; ranging from troops overseas to feeling good. Phil, shut the hell up and play something already. Superjoint may have played six songs in their 30 minute set, due to his ramblings.

Norwegian black metal group Dimmu Borgir (I will give anyone a dollar, if they can pronounce the name of the band right) brought forth the whole dark and eerie feel that pleased the kids in black t-shirts and eyeliner, but not too many people beyond that.

By far, the vote for best performance of the day went to Slayer. During the group’s 55 minute set, the band tore through a set ranging their whole catalog, that showed most of the other bands how to play real metal. “Raining Blood” and “Seasons in the Abyss” had the crowd, and the mosh pits, going ape… on the lawn.

It seemed as if the crowd was tired for Judas Priest after Slayer’s blistering performance. The group, reuniting with original lead singer Rob Halford, put on a strong, 75 minute set, but almost felt like they were upstaged. The crowd reaction was polite, but not overly insane for the hits filled set. Halford proved he still had the swagger, the leather, and the motorcycle for the job.

It would be been great to have Priest headline the show, but….

Black Sabbath came on, did “War Pigs” first, as usual, at which time this reviewer stayed for four more songs, and split.

Listen folks, I don’t care if Ozzy is the namesake of the tour, but either with Sabbath or on his own, he plays the same stuff every year. So it’s not even worth staying for.

OzzFest 2004 brought forth the good, bad, and Dimmu Borgir to the packed crowd yesterday.

Who knows what will happen with OzzFest next year? I am hoping to see it around with a lineup this extreme. But with this year’s tour not selling to the heights of previous tours, we may have to say goodbye to OzzFest. Or, have it come back with someone esteemed in the metal community headlining. You know, someone like Crazy Town… Ready for “Butterfly” again? I didn’t think so.

Art can be contacted at arthatesyou@detroitbuzz.com