Wow. What a show this year. I regret not getting a hotel room this year as I hear it was a blast after the show.

Highlights were pretty well every band but most impressed with Oakhelm, Metsatoll, Ulveheim, Lunarium and of course Moonsorrow was unbelievable. Ancient Rites was pretty good despite lacking a drummer and a bassist. Inquisition was excellent at first but I had to exit for the bar towards the end of their set and they sounded awful from the bar.

I think I had more fun this year than last year and enjoyed more of the bands but it's hard to say. I was truly disappointed to find out that Nomans Land bailed but the rest of the show was so good it hardly miss them (but doubt I'll ever get a chance to see them).

This was my first Heathen Crusade and it was a hell of a trip getting to St. Paul, but it was a fantastic weekend overall. I wasn't able to stay at the hotel room either, but I was around for long enough after each night that I was able to meet a good number of the band members anyway (including fairly extensive conversations with the vocalists of Ulveheim, Metsatoll, and Moonsorrow).

I thought that all the bands played solid sets, with the exception of Chaos Moon. I'd agree with all of the OP's highlights. I had just recently discovered Oakhelm, so I was thrilled when I found out that they would be playing. I was really looking forward to seeing Velnias, and was disappointed when the crowd wasn't really getting into their set. In retrospect, they did seem like an odd choice, but I really enjoyed their live set.

Seeing Moonsorrow was easily one of the concert highlights of my lifetime, and I hope that if another one of these Crusades happens in the future, it won't be a similar logistical nightmare getting out there.