A welding of metal minds

Now that nu-metal isn’t so new and America’s love affair with the Osbournes seems to be flagging, one might expect Ozzy’s 8-year-old namesake mega tour to begin losing its fire.

But Ozzfest 2003’s L.A. stop Saturday at the Hyundai Pavilion at Glen Helen in Devore once again generated as much heat as the sweltering, 100-plus temps, with some exhilarating performances and a raucous, riff-ripping melt of old-school theatrics and high-tech showmanship.

Though heavy metal may not be as hot as it once was, its over-the-top spirit continues to offer the ultimate visceral concert experience, which helps Ozzfest endure, regardless of trends.

It also doesn’t hurt that the tour attempts to nurture the next generation of heavy-hitting hopefuls (this year, including L.A.’s Depswa and U.K. ghoulish grinders Cradle of Filth) on its second stage.

Of course, only the truly dedicated got there early enough to check out the new breed. Most arrived during main-stage openers Chevelle and Disturbed, two groove-oriented acts that offered taut if not particularly stirring sets before the sun began to set.

It was still light out when Marilyn Manson took the stage, and the singer -- in a dapper black suit-styled outfit and bright-blue eye makeup -- evoked a decadent “Dawn of the Dead”-meets-vaudeville vibe with a prop-filled show inspired by retro burlesque and Mickey Mouse.

During a set that included such hits as “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This),” “Dope Show” and “mOBSCENE” from his latest, “The Golden Age of Grotesque,” Manson brought on uniformed dancers, piano- and drum-playing strippers (wearing prosthetics that made them appear nude) and a giant inflatable head of himself in mouse ears and black face. Unfortunately, this latest slew of stage enhancements distracted from Manson the performer and came off as more cheesy than provocative.

Backed by a giant video screen blasting images of the band and artsy loops and film clips, first-time Ozzfest ragers Korn managed to induce a more ominous atmosphere with less effort. Singer Jonathan Davis’ tortured growls and beat-boxy inflections were spot on, while the rest of the band provided a relentless electro-charged backbone specked with bits of hip-hop, punk and goth rock.

Highlights included Davis’ bagpipe intro to the demented nursery-rhyme rant “Shoots and Ladders,” a brief segue into Metallica’s “One” and a razor-sharp, high-energy version of Korn’s angsty hit “Freak on a Leash,” punctuated by its still-fun-to-watch award-winning video.

The band delved into some new material, which showed a more languid if still somber approach to songwriting, but no surprise -- it was the full-throttle thrash attacks that Ozzfest fans responded to most heartily.

Although Ozzy continues to drench fans with giant water guns and wring out distinctive wails on such classics as “War Pigs” and “Mr. Crowley,” the Prince of Darkness’ closing set proved to be unsteady at times.

Anyone who has watched his TV show can see that the mumbling rocker is starting to show his age. The singer used to run around the stage like a devilish child, but on Saturday, he stayed pretty much in one place, offering a performance that sounded good enough but felt tired at points.

Luckily, his ferocious supergroup -- solo-slamming guitarist Zakk Wylde, Faith No More drummer Mike Bordin and the newest member, former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted (whose group Voivod played the second stage earlier in the day) -- made up for any lack of vim with pulverizing assaults that managed to be ostentatious and precise at the same time.

And ultimately, that’s what metal is all about. As long as there are aggressions to expel and heads to bang, Ozzfest should remain a hot summer happening.

Whether Ozzy himself decides to throw in the towel next year or not, Saturday’s lineup showed there are plenty of younger metal madmen ready to keep the torch burning.