FireWind’s Gus G. After Forever’s Floor Jansen Zak as Paul

The eighth edition of ProgPower USA returned to Atlanta’s Center Stage for another sold-out festival. Besides the traditional 10 bands and pre-party, this year included a special Jon Oliva acoustic show, drum and guitar clinics and an All-Star Jam to end the show.

Showcase
For many, the event started with the Showcase pre-party. Unfortunately, headliner Vanden Plas was stopped in Detroit by Customs Officials and sent back to Germany.

After a bit of reshuffling, Atlanta’s Halcyon Way stepped up and opened the show. Houston’s Krucible, which also features powerhouse vocalist Lance King, played next. They ended a killer set with a mind-blowing cover of Dream Theater’s “Pull Me Under.”

Nebraska’s Cellador played one of the weekend’s most extreme power metal sets. Sweden’s Freak Kitchen topped even last year’s show-stealing performance with a two-and-one-half-hour set to fill in for a no-show. Highlights included “Porno Daddy,” “Razor Flowers” and “Infidelity Ghost.” This is THE most entertaining band on the planet.

Day 1
The day started early, as special guest, drummer John “Mac” Macaluso (ARK) and Freak Kitchen guitarist, Mattias “IA” Eklundh held clinics from 11 AM – 1 PM in The Loft. After Eklundh’s hilarious seminar, they had an amazing improv jam. Inside, metal labels and distributors, including Nightmare Records, CD Inzane, The End Records and others were selling every CD imaginable. Like previous years, fans received goodie bags with free programs and CD samplers. Autograph signings were held during set changes.

Italy’s Raintime kicked off PPVIII with a powerful, aggressive set. Norwegian power trio, Communic followed with their brand of heavy progressive metal. New York metal veterans Virgin Steel, featuring killer front man David DeFeis, made the most of a rare US appearance. Redemption, featuring vocalist Ray Alder (Fates Warning) and talented guitarist Nick Van Dyk, had one of the night’s best performances. Crowd favorites, Norway’s Pagan’s Mind stole the show with their awesome musicianship. Finland’s Sonata Arctica closed the first night with another fantastic set. Tony Kakko is an amazing vocalist. Highlights included “Full Moon,” “Victoria’s Secret” and “Tallulah.”

Day 2
Greece’s FireWind, featuring guitar prodigy Gus G., played an historic set. Stellar vocalist Henning Basse (Metalium) stepped in when their normal vocalist couldn’t make it. Also, Atlanta resident Stephen Fredrick, who sang on the first two FireWind albums, performed with them for the first time. Highlights included “Falling To Pieces,” “Till the End of Time” and “I Am the Anger.”

With the singer of England’s Threshold quitting a few months earlier, original vocalist Damien Wilson stepped in to save the day. Wilson was a fantastic front man for all of the band’s material, including “Slipstream,” “Pressure” and “Mission Profile.” He and charismatic drummer, Johanne James, ended with dual stage dives.

German “Metal Commandos,” Primal Fear reaffirmed why they’re one of the world’s top power metal bands — Ralf Scheepers has one of metal’s most dynamic voices. Highlights included “Iron Fist In A Velvet Glove,” “Fighting the Darkness” and “Metal is Forever.” It doesn’t get any better than this.

Floor Jansen’s powerful vocals make The Netherlands’ After Forever the top female-fronted metal band in the world. The band combines symphonic, gothic, power, death metal and even pop for a style all their own. Highlights included “Energize Me,” “Being Everyone” and the beautiful “Lonely.”

The festival ended with an incredible All-Star Jam. Pagan’s Mind provided the backing band for several guest appearances. Some of the MANY highlights included Floor Jansen’s “The Final Countdown” (Europe) and “Alone” (Heart), special guest, Savatage/Circle II Circle’s Zak Stevens in Paul Stanley makeup singing Kiss’ “Strutter” and later “Desperado” (Eagles) and “Children of the Sea” (Black Sabbath). Other standout’s were Henning Basse’s “You Don’t Remember, I’ll Never Forget” (Yngwie Malmsteen) with Gus G. on guitar, Ralf Scheepers and Matt Sinner’s “In the Fields” (Gary Moore/Phil Lynnott) and Scheepers’ “Metal Gods” (Judas Priest). But THE highlight was Jansen and Scheepers’ unbelievable, jaw-dropping duet on Queen’s “Who Wants To Live Forever.” This had to be the greatest night of metal ever assembled!

Thanks again to promoters Glenn Harveston and Shane DuBoise, the bands, the crew and everyone else who makes ProgPower happen every year, including the greatest fans in the world. See you again next year!