There is an expression stating that you either “Go big, or go home”
Well, Demons & Wizards had already gone big at Copenhell earlier in the summer, so for them it was apparently “Go bigger, or go homer” - or something...
One of these would be chosen, and we were about to find out which one.

“What a glorious Metalday!”
- Hansi Kürsch (vocals)

Demons & Wizards headlined the day, so already there we had an indication of which way they were going, but had there been any doubt, one glance at the stage quickly swept it away!
This was full blown theatricality, in the same vein as King Diamond, at least in the setup (no actors involved here). Where they had had, well, nothing, at Copenhell, here the band had decorated the stage with a beautiful backdrop, large headstones, a wide staircase, and an even wider balustraded balcony with the drums in the middle, the keyboards to one side, and the choir to the other - yes, the band had also brought along a four person choir to sing with them! How’s that for going bigger, I ask you?

If this wasn’t enough, the band had also expanded on their setlist. Love’s Torn Asunder was inexplicably removed, but in its place, we got the lovely acoustic ballad Wicked Witch, as well as Tear Down The Wall, Gallows Pole, and My Last Sunrise.
Now, that’s quite the upgrade, but the band didn’t let it end there - this time we got four covers instead of the previous two, as I Died For You (Iced Earth) and Valhalla (Blind Guardian) were added to the long list of crowd pleasers. With especially the latter one, the audience reacted just like they do to the original band playing it, meaning that the chorus gets repeated ad infinitum towards the end of the song. Heck, long after the song ended even!

In general, the crowd was very happy to sing along to all the songs presented to them, and that as well as raised hands and horns were the thing of the day. I wouldn’t necessarily classify Demons & Wizards as a moshpit band, but there was plenty of crowdsurfing going on as well.
Hansi Kürsch seemed to be doing better with his leg, but luckily for him, this was more a group effort than him having to do all the work. The entire band seemed to be in a good mood for the show, and all were active in their performance and engaging with the spectators and fans.

While Demons & Wizards blew my expectations out of the water at Copenhell, it was still nothing compared to what they did here at Metaldays.
This show was grandiose (in a good way), it was just more of everything, more of all the good stuff, and yet it felt like we just couldn’t get enough. Honestly, this is how you deliver a headlining performance, and how you close a day down in style. Astounding.

Setlist:

Chant
Rites Of Passage
Heaven Denies
Poor Man’s Crusade
Crimson King
Burning Times (Iced Earth cover)
Welcome To Dying (Blind Guardian cover)
Wicked Witch
The Gunslinger
Terror Train
I Died For You (Iced Earth cover)
Valhalla (Blind Guardian cover)
Tear Down The Wall
Gallows Pole
My Last Sunrise
Blood On My Hands
Fiddler On The Green