As someone who likes to step out of their comfort zone fairly often, it was only a matter of time before I decided to do something my brother had been wanting me to do for a couple of years: buy a weekend ticket and attend the only metal festival in the United States, Full Terror Assault.
This wouldn’t be my first ever festival, no, but being a raver going to metal concert (let alone a whole weekend of it) was going to be…interesting to say the least. I asked my brother, a novice yet committed metal head, what kinds of clothing he would be wearing. He gave me a short list along the lines of, “Metal shirts, blue jean vest with metal patches, and clothes I’m okay with absolutely destroying”. Okay, I have none of those things besides clothes I don’t mind ruining. So, I had a decision that needed made: what in the hell was I going to wear for an entire weekend of metal? The obvious answer to me was to stand out as much as possible while still being myself, so I planned out a raver-esque outfit for each of the three days.
This wouldn’t be my first ever festival, no, but being a raver going to metal concert (let alone a whole weekend of it) was going to be…interesting to say the least. I asked my brother, a novice yet committed metal head, what kinds of clothing he would be wearing. He gave me a short list along the lines of, “Metal shirts, blue jean vest with metal patches, and clothes I’m okay with absolutely destroying”. Okay, I have none of those things besides clothes I don’t mind ruining. So, I had a decision that needed made: what in the hell was I going to wear for an entire weekend of metal? The obvious answer to me was to stand out as much as possible while still being myself, so I planned out a raver-esque outfit for each of the three days.
Attendees have an option to arrive on the Wednesday prior to the festival for camp set-up, getting to know neighbors, and partying. The group I had planned the weekend with, which included my brother, went with this option, while I decided to stick with arriving on Thursday. The drive was easy, and as soon as I got to the gate of the festival, I was greeted with woo-hoos and hell yeahs, and I knew it was going to be a good weekend.
Inside of the festival grounds, attendees park and camp next to their cars. Once you’re in and settled, it is preferred if you stay where you are. The closest town and gas station, Elizabethtown, is almost 15 miles outside of the campground. The festival is accommodated with bathrooms, showers, a general store, vendors, and even a tattoo/piercing shop.
Since I was new to the genre, this weekend was a big learning experience for me. There are so many subgenres of metal and so little time in three days for me to soak it all up. One of the bands that stood out to me the most was a Kansas City based band called Hammerhedd. Not only was their music and the performance sick, but the three band members are all brothers and are all younger than 18. Their musical talent individually and as a group was mesmerizing. They transitioned well, played in different time signatures, and rocked out. They were hands down my favorite performance of the weekend.
To really drive home the sense of community that this festival has, I reached out to some other FTA fans to see what they had to say about the experience.
My brother has attended for three years and we’re planning on going together again this coming September. “My first year, I was extremely nervous, but there was no reason to be. The community that has grown with this festival over the years is amazingly fun and everyone is extremely inclusive, not to mention the absolute BLASTING BANDS! Don’t hesitate to come to this one-of-a-kind American Open-Air Metal Festival.”
Another FTA expert, Tony C., who also made the Facebook Group “Full Terror Assault Friends”, has been with the festival since day one. “…Besides the awesome bands, it’s the friends I have made, which gave me the idea for the Facebook Group. FTA has become a family in a way. The whole experience of the festival is addictive. I look forward to seeing everyone every year.”
“The weirdo fans obviously make the fest so great,” said Benjamin E., which I completely agree with. “Everyone’s willingness to let go…and just fly their freak flags have kept me coming back.”
Mike L., an audience member, band member (guitarist for Ringworm), self-proclaimed loudmouth, AND Gravy Chug winner (yes, this is a thing that happens at FTA) keeps things fresh and spirits up on his golf cart.
Another day one FTA goer, Bill P., described the festival as “a metal family reunion with no worries at all.”
Bill R., one of the people that took my brother to his first year, reminisced on a specific concert that stood out to him. “Year 2, Belphagor started chanting and the sky went black.” People began stage diving and moshing (as one does at a metal show), which eventually created an entire mud pit.
Chris M. pointed out how self-regulating the community at the festival is. "You start a fight? Gone. You throw things? Gone. While there is security, most of the time it's the fans removing harmful individuals and getting them to the right people. Everyone helps when someone is injured, too."
It's obvious to me that this is more than just a chance to head-bang and drink for a weekend. This festival has created a family-like unit of people, which is amazing.
Tickets are $80-$100, depending on if you purchase a 2, 3, or 4-day pass. Vehicle passes are only $20, but there is an option to park outside of the venue and walk to the campsite. Other add-ons are available, including trailer, golf cart, and RV passes. The dates for this year are September 9th-12th.
If I’m being honest, this was a lot for a non-metal head to take in. The music was awesome in a different way, and I realized that even though metal has a horrible stigma for being angry and evil, it’s just like any other genre. I had a few people take pictures with me, I moshed for the first time (and lost feeling in a majority of my left calf for months after), and had a blast meeting new people and listening to new music. It’s definitely a step out of a lot of people’s comfort zone, but it’s a step I plan to take again.
Quotes have been shortened and/or edited for clarification, length, and writing style. Last names have not been posted for privacy.