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Depravation Fest 2024: Day 2
This year, Depravation Festival in Swindon marked its first run as a three day event and following a successful and fun filled opening, the Saturday promised to be every bit as good. Things began a little earlier than I'd anticipated, with Dog Tired, who were originally scheduled to perform the previous day getting proceedings underway. Unfortunately, this meant that I missed what was no doubt a solid set, however I did arrive just in time for a taste of rave in the form of Nox Pulso.
Just reading about them before the show grabbed my interest, as the Manchester duo combine industrial metal with the dance culture of their home city that helped make Manchester the home of British cool in the nineties. It's a combination that sounds good on paper and works even better on stage. The two perform with the energy of The Prodigy and the ferocity of Sepultura and it really helps bring out the exciting music that they've created. It does seem rare to see new industrial metal these days, especially in the UK, but with tunes that one can just as easily dance to as mosh, Nox Pulso possesses both crossover appeal and raw talent and appeal just as much to people seeking fresh new music as those nostalgic for the pulsating rhythms of electronic music's heyday. Don't miss them.
Up next, we move south, with Essex alternative metal outfit Chemiqueen. The band has been touring in the country as one of the support acts for Project Renegade (who we'll discuss later,) and today marked the last day of the trek. Appropriately given their moniker, singer Victoria Walker shone very brightly throughout the set, showcasing an impressive vocal range which was unafraid to become mean in addition to being melodic. The same can be said of the music itself, which is heavy for the most part and definitely falls into the "modern metal" category which has been used in recent years. Walker's vocals fit the music very well, though to be honest, I found the harsher singing from guitarist Gareth Brimley to be distracting, even unnecessary at times. He's not bad at them, they just didn't seem to compliment the songs themselves. Aside from that, a very good band who have real potential. More...
Brutal Assault's First Day Was Almost Perfection
Brutal Assault. Have you heard of it? It’s one of the largest summer metal festivals in all of Europe. There are upwards of 150 bands that play touching on just about every heavy genre imaginable. It normally takes place during the first weekend of August and it always occurs on the grounds of an 18th century Czech military fortress located in Jaromer, Czech Republic.
Similar to Wacken, Hellfest and Graspop Metal Meeting, Brutal Assault has a very loyal contingent of fans that attend year after year from all over the globe. This was my fourth Brutal Assault and I don’t foresee myself taking a break from it anytime soon. This year’s line-up was fucking incredible. All my favorite genres were represented well and there were plenty of bands that I’ve never seen before that I was finally going to get to “check that box.”
I had nine bands marked for the first day of the four-day marathon and it began with the grindcore OGs, Terrorizer. I’ve seen them a couple of times before in different line-up variations but today’s with Pete Sandoval and David Vincent making up half of the original lineup was the best one yet. What made this set even better was they only played material from their classic masterpiece, “World Downfall.” If you were to ask me to describe what grindcore is with a single album, this would be it. Peering over at David Vincent from time to time, it’s apparent that he loves playing these songs. He just grooved to them the whole time I was there. I loved this current version of the band and I hope it continues to be a thing (R.I.P. Jesse Pintado).
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David Vincent of Terrorizer
Next up was legendary Los Angeles thrashers, Hirax. I’ll preface this next part with that I’m kind of old. Not AARP old, but I think older than most of you that will read this report. There’s probably been no less than fifteen or so times that I could have seen Hirax during a span of 30 years and for whatever reason, I just never got around to it. That was embarrassing to write.
Today, I hated myself even more for taking that long. They were everything that I thought they would be, but so much better. Vocalist Katon De Pena truly enjoys being on stage and he is constantly engaging the audience. The crowd that was there during their set were hardcore fans and already knew their songs by heart. This was one of several “Wow!” moments for me during the entire festival. I’m so glad I got to finally experience Hirax and it won’t be thirty years before I see them next time!
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Hirax
The next band on my list would play on the same stage after Hirax, but first it was time to refuel. Brutal Assault probably has the largest variety of victuals to choose from of any festival I’ve ever attended. There is something for everyone. Every dietary restriction imaginable is not an issue at Brutal Assault, you are covered. For my meal, I chose to go with what I call “Greek Lo Mein” but in actuality, it was gyro meat and noodles. However I describe it, it was carbs and meat. Just what I needed to get through the rest of the day/night.
The band Finntroll is an acquired taste. Their quirky take on blackened folk metal sets them apart from other bands that side on black or folk metal exclusively. Maybe it’s the prosthetic troll ears? Or, maybe it’s the upbeat, happy sounding riffing paired with scowling vocals? Finntroll’s sound skirts right down the middle of the two genres and it’s awesome. I’ve seen them twice before but this was my favorite set out of all of them. This stage (Obscure Stage) was too small for them in my opinion. There were people stretched out all the way to the where the festival grounds open up for the vending, portable bathrooms, and merch tents.
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Mathias Lillmåns of Finntroll More...
Depravation Fest 2024: Day 1
When you live in a town where not much happens, you often have to travel outside to see the bands you love. Fortunately for metal fans in Swindon, we're not far away from London, Bristol or Cardiff, so it's not as much of a problem as for fans in say Grimsby or the Scottish Highlands. Still though, one dreams of something special happening in their hometown and this past weekend, that's exactly what happened, as the team behind Depravation Promotions put in a hell of a lot of work to give Swindon something to be proud of, Depravation Fest.
The first edition occured last year as a one day event, but this year it expanded across the whole weekend, including Friday evening, taking place at a club named Levels, which has previously gone by such names as Level 3, The Furnace and Underground and is now a drum and bass club, though the new owners were gracious enough to allow the already booked metal festival to take place this year.
As one might expect from a small festival taking place in a club and the pub next door, many of the bands performing this weekend either had a small but loyal fan base or were complete unknowns to the local audience, but that's part of the fun, being exposed to new bands. First to bat at this exciting venture was Atarka, from Birmingham. Though not as busy as it would become later in the evening, the band still put in a hell of a shift to entertain those who had arrived early, treating them to their groovy brand of death metal. Unfortunately, Atarka also had to contend with some sound issues, including a lot of feedback and a microphone which broke, so it's a little hard to judge their music, but they should definitely be commended for working through the problems.
It will become apparent when reading these reports that for a lot of the bands, there won't be a huge amount of detail, and that's because the average set time was half an hour. Thirty minutes was all that was needed for the next band however, as Scotland founded, Worcester based technical death metal outfit Desecrator took to the stage. Despite having a few issues with the sound themselves, their music really shined during their set, offering attendees a clever, but catchy approach to the genre where one could just as easily mosh as stand back and respect the stellar musicianship on display. Frontman Mark Dubanowski, who started Desecrator as a solo project in 2007, has a natural talent for chatting away to the crowd and it helps make the band all the more endearing. Definitely seek out this band if you're a fan of technical death metal, or songs about video games, because they have real talent. More...
Armored Saint Reigns Supreme In London
One of the most commonly used phrases among metal fans is, "They should have been bigger." Despite metal fans' contradictory attitude towards commercial success, Armored Saint always had the tunes and the talent to go far and while they never reached the heights they deserved, their legacy is undisputed as one of the greatest exponents of American heavy metal. "Symbol Of Salvation" is a bona fide classic and there are several other albums that could be considered legendary too. Forty two years on from their formation, Armored Saint were back in London to perform at The Dome in Tufnell Park and fans were eager to welcome them back to The Old Smoke.
The evening kicked off in tremendous fashion thanks to English traditional heavy metal flag bearers Tailgunner. Since the release of their debut album, "Guns For Hire" last July, the quintet has received a lot of praise and rightfully so. Traditional heavy metal is a hard thing to pull off in the modern day, but Tailgunner is bloody superb at it. It was a surprise, albeit a fun one to see them walk on stage the classic Mikis Theodorakis composition, "Zorba The Greek," but it set the tone for the fun that was to come, which soon arrived via opening number, "Guns For Hire." The title track is a great representation of what to expect from the band; Maiden and Priest worship at its finest.
Guitarists Zach Salvini and Rhea Thompson were on fire throughout the whole set, particularly during the guitar battle mid-way through their performance. Like Thompson, there's another recent addition to the lineup in the form of ex Asomvel drummer Jani Pasanen, who was just as exciting to watch, while vocalist Craig Cairns (also of Induction and Titan Blood) was in excellent voice. In addition to excellent originals like "White Death," "Warhead" and "Revolution Scream," there was a couple of covers thrown in like "Beast In The Night" by Randy, and the closing song, "Painkiller," which of course is a Judas Priest classic. It's easy to see what the hype around Tailgunner is all about because they're so energetic and so much fun. Fans of classic heavy metal need to add them to their listening rotation because they'll restore your faith in the music you love. More...
Sigh Haunts The Oslo In Hackney
Black metal is a genre whose reputation precedes it. Most metal historians will tell you that it started in the eighties with Venom, Hellhammer, Bathory and Mercyful Fate, but the notorious Norwegian scene of the early nineties built not only a legacy, but tropes which continue to nip at the genre's heels to this day. A little bit of digging will prove that it's so much more than what people think it is however, it's a global phenomenon. Case in point, shortly before his death, Mayhem founder Euronymous was in the process of signing a band to his Deathlike Silence label from Japan, one who has gone on to become one of the greatest and most experimental groups from their homeland; Sigh. Having released their first album, "Scorn Defeat" in 1993 through said label, they've been able to channel their influences into something original and highly respectable ever since. Thirty one years on from their debut, the band are as strong as ever and spending a Summer in Europe, including four nights in the United Kingdom, beginning with a show in London at a rather pleasant bar named Oslo, located in Hackney.
Opening festivities tonight was English black metal outfit The Infernal Sea, and "outfit" is definitely a key word. Clad in robes, masks and hoods, the band are immediately very striking via their appearance, not unlike Batushka. Fortunately for those in the crowd who had never actually listened to them before, their clothing is only a part of their performance and the music is really good. While many black metal bands tend to take themselves a bit too seriously, The Infernal Sea understands that they're putting on a show, not a ritual or a black mass or whatever other pretentious name such bands like to use for their gigs, and they put on a damn good show.
The Infernal Sea kicked off their set with, "Lord Abhorrent," the first track from their latest album, "Hellfenlic," which was released at the beginning of the year through Candlelight Records. As one might expect from a band with a new record to promote, it featured quite prominently in the setlist, with "Shadow Of the Beast" and "Witchfinder" also given an airing, as was "Bastard Of The East," which was saved for the finale. They got through six songs in total, with "Agents Of Satan" and "Way Of The Wolf" being the other two numbers blasted towards the crowd, who were up for every second of it. The Infernal Sea gets mentioned a lot in the British underground and based on tonight's showing, I can see why. They're like a good roller coaster, in that they're so thrilling you immediately want to experience them again. A great representation of British black metal. More...
Exodus, Exumer & Hirax Invade Islington
When it comes to metal's many sub-genres, thrash metal may well be the most exciting. Inspired by punk, it took the speed and aggression of the genre and mixed it with the intricacies of metal, becoming something which could switch between serious and fun easily, and with the energy contained in the music, it's almost a sonic fountain of youth. If ever there was a band that took the aggression and fun of thrash to the extreme, it was the Bay Area's own Exodus. Founded back in 1979 by guitarist Kirk Hammett and drummer Tom Hunting, along with Keith Stewart and Tim Agnello, the band became legendary in the iconic California thrash scene and their debut, "Bonded By Blood," is an unquestionable classic. They've released a further ten albums since then, along with live releases and lineup shake ups but in 2024, they're as strong as ever. With the release of their new live record, "British Disaster: The Battle of '89 (Live at the Astoria)," it seemed like the perfect time to see them once more in London, this time with some very special guests.
Opening the show tonight was fellow Bay Area thrashers Hirax. On a personal note, I've waited literally half of my life to see Hirax, so expectations were high. I'm glad to report that expectations weren't just met, they were exceeded. Still led by vocalist Katon de Pena (although fans of both bands will know that there was a brief period where former Exodus vocalist Paul Baloff fronted the group,) the singer is still in magnificent form, belting out old favourites such as "The Plague" and "Warlords Command" with sheer ferocity. The rest of the band are playing to their fullest too, keeping the songs sounding fresh and fierce and the crowd were into every minute of it.
Katon endeared himself to the London faithful, continuously engaging with them, while also trying to get as many songs in as possible since the doors opened later than scheduled. New songs "Drill Into The Brain," "Drowned Bodies" and "Faster Than Death" all sounded excellent and easily on par with the best tracks of their career. Hirax promised to come back to London with a longer set and I can't wait for them to do so, because this was so much fun from start to finish and maybe if I'm really lucky, they'll play "Unleash The Dogs Of War" then too. More...
Deicide Decimates The Dome In Tufnell Park
Sometimes, to understand what makes something so beloved, you need to go back to the roots. Nowadays, death metal bands are ten a penny, very few of which offer anything worth listening to, much less anything original. There's definitely some good younger bands out there like Baest and Frozen Soul, but few will disagree; You can't beat the classics. In the grip of sunshine and hot weather, two things Britain is very unfamiliar with, London welcomed a band who was born in the heat and became one of death metal's true icons; Deicide. Having just released their latest album, "Banished By Sin," the Florida quartet were in town, fresh off of their performance at Bloodstock to bring their rabid fan base a healthy dose of blasphemy, antitheism and crushing tunes.
Unfortunately, a myriad of transport problems prevented me from getting to the venue when doors opened and checking out the first band Corpsing. I've no idea what they sound like, but it would have been nice to find out in person. However I did arrive shortly before the second band of the night, Burner, took to the stage, which was an interesting set in a way. Like a lot of bands in the modern scene, they're billed as "death metal/hardcore" but honestly, they're a deathcore band, like many other groups who use the double genre tag.
It has to be said that they do have a bit more going on than the standard deathcore fare however, with some cool grooves and riffs and there was certainly an audience for them at this show, enough to generate a decent mosh pit anyway. Sadly, there was also more than a few people in attendance who just took the piss out of them, sarcastically mimicking the vocalist's mannerisms throughout the set, while the rest of the crowd seemed pretty nonplussed. They're worth checking out if you're into deathcore and they probably would have gone down better supporting a different legend like Suffocation or Broken Hope, but when life gives you an opportunity you take it, so fair play to them. More...
The Final Day Of Mystic 2024, Satyricon Was KING
Sadly, the final day of the 25th edition of Mystic Festival had arrived. It was to be the busiest day of the festival but we were rested and ready to take on whatever the day may bring. Earlier, the day featured many “Core” and screamo type bands but the late afternoon and evening schedule would consist of mostly of Black, Doom and Death Metal.
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There’s always plenty of seating at Mystic Festival
I was talked into checking out Lord of the Lost by a fellow photographer friend a few weeks ago. I didn’t really know much about them and I didn’t bother to preview them before the festival like I normally do. When I arrived at the photo pit area, it sounded like a Ghost concert was getting ready to begin with all the mostly teen-aged crowd screaming at the top of their lungs. Well, I can say that are definitely not my cup of tea. I was impressed with their stage look and energy level, but they were a shoot my three obligatory songs and on to the next stage sort of band for me.
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Chris "The Lord" Harms of Lord of the Lost
Next up was Greece’s 1000mods. They are unequivocally the Kyuss of Greece and perhaps all of Europe. There was a lot of excitement brewing around the Desert Stage when I arrived. How could I tell? I lost count of how many times I heard the word “Malaka” being shouted while waiting for them to take to the sun-drenched stage. The band was prepared on this bright and sunny day, sporting sunglasses when began their set with “Electric Carve.” This was my 2nd time seeing them and their formula is a simple one. Keep it simple and keep it grooving. It’s a simple yet effective formula, but it works for them. Maybe that’s why they’ve been a Stoner Metal fan favorite at every show they play since their formation in 2006.
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1000mods
When Kerry King released his first solo band album earlier this year, there were a lot of mixed reviews about it. The most prevalent opinion that I read was that it sounded like leftover Slayer material that never made it onto their last recorded album. I felt that was a fair assessment. I only listened to about half of the album and what I heard wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t exciting either. The question now was, how would it his solo material translate to a live performance?
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Kerry King
Overall, I was impressed with the set. Kerry King has a star laden backing band so that helped. Mark Osegueda’s vocal stylings for this band definitely have a Tom Araya-ish tone to them and personally, I like that. There was plenty of Slayer like pyrotechnics happening throughout the set and of course there were not one…not two…but THREE Slayer songs included in the setlist! I can’t tell you how impressed I was that they played “Black Magic.” I guess subconsciously, I really do miss Slayer. I’ll bet at some point they’ll reform and play a few special, one-off shows. I can almost guarantee it.
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Phil Demmel and Mark Osegueda
Dark Funeral was next on the Park Stage. It was already late afternoon so a Black Metal band wearing corpse paint in daylight hours outdoors just appears a little strange visually. Dark Funeral has always been a little dramatic live so it wasn’t too much of a surprise that vocalist Heljarmadr was playing the part of Nosferatu throughout the band’s intro music. Dark Funeral are very good live, but they are known to use a lot of pyro. Today, there was none of that but they were still one of the better bands that I saw for the entire day.
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Heljarmadr of Dark Funeral More...
Mystic Festival Day Two Was All About Megadeth
The second day of Mystic Festival 2024 featured the festival’s main attraction band, Thrash Metal’s Big Four legends, Megadeth. There were already more people here than the previous two days and Megadeth wouldn’t take the stage for another eight hours. There was a slight chance for rain later on, but I would bet that even if the forecast called for torrential tsunami rain, that it wouldn’t deter any “Droogie” today.
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Mystic Festival Cthulhu Skull
Lousiana’s sludge titans, Crowbar, was the first band on my list today. The sky was little dark when they took the stage but that only added some realistic atmosphere to their New Orleans laden vibe. This was their first show in Poland ever so the crowd was a little fervid to say the least. Kirk Windstein was his usual southern gentleman self, but I think his accent might have been a little too much for the Polish heavy crowd to understand at times. Either way, it was a great start to the day.
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Kirk Windstein of Crowbar
The Shits were probably the only true punk band on the Mystic Festival billing. Their songs didn’t consist of your typical punk rock formula, they’re longer and slower, but the punk attitude is front and center. For example, vocalist Callum Howe stole at least two beers from the crowd and then spat those said beers onto them. At one point, he reached into his pants, appeared to pull some hair from a specific area of his groin and then put those hairs into his mouth. HE THEN SWALLOWED THEM. Ehhh…. I guess he wanted to make a statement that punk is more about attitude than song formula? I don’t get why you have to be disgusting to be punk.
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The Shits
After The Shits, another British band (this one not so gross) took to the same DNA laden stage. Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs AKA Pigsx7. I saw them open up for the Melvins last summer and loved their show. I became an instant fan right away. Their set at this year’s Mystic Festival was absolute fire. Their energy level was through the roof and was reciprocated tenfold by the crowd throughout their 45-minute-long set. The barefooted Muay Thai gear sporting vocalist, Matthew Baty, is a fucking inferno onstage. In my opinion, his live show energy level is only second to Barney Greenway of Napalm Death.
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Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs
At some point during their set, a pair of some very used looking tennis shoes ended up on stage. When the band attempted to return them to the now presumed barefooted owner, no one claimed them. Maybe it was a gesture of gratitude by the shoeless fan? Maybe they evaporated by spontaneous combustion? We’ll never know what actually happened. But one thing is for certain…when a band creates a fever pitch anything is possible and that’s exactly what Pigsx7 did that day.
German heavy metal legends Accept’s set started at sunset on the large outdoor Park Stage. I was a little surprised by this since I’ve seen Accept command much larger stages in the past. The crowd didn’t seem to notice the smaller stage at all with fan favorites such as “Restless and Wild,” “Fast as a Shark,” and “Balls to the Wall” being included in their setlist. Accept looked spry and genuinely happy to still be playing the summer metal festival circuit. I think in every photo that I took of lead guitarist Wolf Hoffmann; he’s grinning from ear to ear. I’m pretty sure the same look was planted on every face within the crowd behind me.
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Mark Tornillo and Wolf Hoffmann of Accept
I had to make a difficult decision for my next band to see due to another schedule conflict. Do I see grind metal gods Terrorizer? Or, Swedish stoner rock legends, Graveyard? Ultimately, I picked Graveyard just because they don’t tour the United States often. Unfortunately, I ended up regretting that decision afterwards.
As I drew closer towards the smallish outdoor Desert Stage, I could see everyone waiting for Graveyard were squished together like sardines near the stage. I managed to worm my way through that mess to an already crowded photo pit. I’ve seen Graveyard before, but it’s been a while. I can honestly say I was a bit bored during the time I was there. Unless you’re a superfan and you love all their material, you might understand my critique. There wasn’t a whole lot happening on stage neither. I’ll just leave it at this. Graveyard are super talented and play well live but compared to the majority of the bands at the festival, their set was a snoozer for me.
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Graveyard More...
Saor Brings A Unique Aura To London
Black metal is an interesting genre, and not just for the stories and incidents. For many metal fans who weren't around in the eighties, their introduction to the genre is almost certainly the infamous Norwegian scene of the early nineties, which had some great music, but can be a little off putting due to its "necro sound" philosophy. Once one digs a little deeper though, they find all kinds of different approaches to black metal, with atmosphere playing a huge part in the appeal to people all across the world. In recent years, Scotland's Saor has been a highlight of the atmospheric black metal sub-genre and this Summer, the band marked an important anniversary heading to London and Manchester where they would play the "Aura" album in full, with the first of these shows occurring in Camden's Underworld.
Fans in attendance had something of a special treat to begin with, as they were able to witness the London debut of Northern Irish post-black metal band Domhain. Last year, the band released their debut EP, "Nimue," and so it was no surprise that their set contained all three songs from the effort, "The Mourning Star," "A Pile Of Stones Upon Her Grave" and "A Silent Frequency," in addition to a brand new number named "Feather From A Raven's Breast." Immediately, Domhain is able to set the mood perfectly, creating a wonderfully moody atmosphere without it becoming depressing. Instead, they remained focused, steadfast in their music, which already demonstrates enormous talent and promise. Keep an eye on Domhain, they could be making waves very soon. More...
Cradle Of Filth Live In Germany
I have been a Cradle of Filth fan for a long time now—25 years or so. However, I had never seen them live. I thought I was going to see them a time or two in 2020, but of course that didn’t happen.
I didn’t think I was going to Europe this summer, but a trip to Saarbrücken, Germany fell into my lap on short notice. Who should be playing while I was there? None other…
Get the Shot started the night off. Hardcore isn’t really my thing, and they seemed like a strange band to tour with Cradle of Filth, but somehow they were on the same bill.
I once had the chance to see Get the Shot, at 2019 Brutal Assault, but they were playing at the same time as Destruction so that didn’t happen.
Even though Get the Shot isn’t my cup of tea musically, they did put on an energized performance to say the least.
I don’t think I have ever seen more energy come out of a frontman before. Jean-Philippe Lagacé showed the crowd what an extreme workout for 30 minutes or so really looks like.
Between bands, I got some air. Garage is a decent venue in mild weather, but it was a hot and humid day, and there were no fans or AC in the place.
Cradle of Filth was well worth the wait.
Abbath Brings Out Immortal Classics In Camden
It must be a fine line when embarking on a solo career, or at least launching an eponymous band. While as an artist one strives to explore their talent, or simply write music they themselves want to hear, there will always be fans who want to hear material from your previous endeavours. Abbath Doom Occulta, is a prime example of this quandary. On one hand, his three albums under the Abbath name have all been excellent, with plenty to get excited about and new songs that have thrilled fans old and new, but on the other, he made his name, and indeed his image, as the iconic frontman of black metal legends Immortal. This Summer, Abbath launched a tour of Europe with something a little different in mind; "Return To The Raven Realm," sets which consisted entirely of Immortal songs and Metal Underground was there in London to catch this interesting presentation.
Taking place in the Electric Ballroom, probably my favourite of the venues located right near the tube station, fans were queuing up for quite a while in anticipation, swapping stories of other gigs they'd been to and so forth. When the doors opened, the black metal horde poured in where they were soon greeted by perhaps one of the best suited support acts I've ever seen. Much has been made about Hellripper, the blackened speed metal band masterminded by Scottish musician James McBain, but to my shame, this would be my first time really listening to them. Abbath has never shied away from his influences, particularly Motorhead, and so it was very apt that opening the evening there was a band which took as much from the punk aggression of Discharge as they did the blackness of Bathory.
There were plenty of Hellripper fans in attendance, and plenty more after only a song or two, because they were absolutely superb! Kicking off with "All Hail The Goat," (which a latecomer would repeatedly scream for them to play later,) it was clear immediately that they were going to be a lot of fun. The enjoyment continued with songs like "Nekroslut," "Goat Vomit Nightmare" and "From Hell," which all cut through the crowd like a knife through butter. The band are often compared to Midnight for a few reasons and hearing these songs, it's definitely easy to spot their similarities, although both travel similar roads, each arrives at their destination. This was an absolutely exhilarating performance helped all the more by tracks such as "Nunfucking Armageddon 666" and "Bastard Of Hades," before they closed with "Headless Angels," and I can't wait to see them again! More...
High On Fire Sets Islington Alight
Often when it comes to metal gigs in London, we hop on the Northern line and head to Camden for a show at The Underworld, The Black Heart, The Electric Ballroom or if we're being fancy, The Roundhouse. There are other areas in capital's north which frequently host heavier acts though, such as Tufnell Park, Kentish Town or more commonly, Islington, which is where we find ourselves tonight. Only a day after an excellent performance from Crypta in Bristol, it was off to the Smoke to catch another bucket list band of mine, High On Fire, who were set to bring their European tour to the Islington Assembly Hall.
It's a fairly grand venue, with balcony seats, clean hallways and a large stage, which emanates a degree of class, so of course this reporter fit right in with his "Fuck the Tories" badge displayed proudly after being gifted it from the socialists outside the tube station. Following the traditional scramble at the merch booth, it was through to the hall to catch tonight's support, Silverburn, a project from Hark and Taint frontman Jimbob Isaac. Their debut release, "Self Induced Transcendental Annihilation" was unleashed last August and immediately garnered praise, leading to a spot at this year's Desertfest London. It was clear to see that most of the crowd were in agreement. Silverburn offers a meaty sound, very modern metal in its approach and performs with a strong presence, delivering their music in powerful fashion. They're certainly not for everyone, but overall this was a solid performance which would have won them some new fans. More...
Crypta Takes Bristol Under Their Black Wings
Good things come to those who wait, so they say. Ever since Crypta announced their formation in 2019, British fans of Fernanda Lira and Luana Dametto's work in Nervosa could hardly wait for them to make their way over to our grey and miserable island. Having been there for Nervosa's first UK show in 2015, when they supported Cryptopsy and Brujeria, as well doing my first in person interview with Ms. Lira, it's been a joy to see her and her former band go from strength to strength because they really do deserve every success that comes their way. Finally, five years after their formation, Crypta were embarking on their first headlining run of eight English cities and towns and the anticipation couldn't be greater, especially when I noticed that they were heading to the intimate and inclusive Exchange in Bristol.
The show kicked off with some local flavour, courtesy of Moon Reaper. Describing themselves as "blackened hardcore doom," it is a little hard to pin down their sound, so let's sum it up with this... They were great! Bristol has long been home to many excellent musicians and it's great to see enough like minded ones come together and pool their talents into creating something exciting and enjoyable. Fronted by the charismatic Sirin Bozkurt, who also possesses an outstanding voice, Moon Reaper connects with the audience in a powerful way, far beyond that of a local band with friends in the audience. They've been going for a little while now and had just put out their latest EP, "Black Sun Sorcery," which was of course represented well tonight. Moon Reaper delivers their music with tremendous precision and has a natural stage presence, both of which will help them climb the ranks of the British metal scene. They've already had some high profile support slots, but it won't be long until they're nationwide favourites. More...
The First Full Day Of Mystic Festival Was Fire!
You couldn’t have asked for better weather on the first full day of this year’s Mystic Festival. The forecast called for zero chance of rain and the temperature was in the middle 60’s Fahrenheit. There was a noticeable increase in the number of attendees at the festival today and there was a reason for it. Today’s lineup was stacked from top to bottom. I had already penciled in eight bands to catch today and there could have been more. There were other bands I wanted to check out, but due to conflicts, the schedule made it all but impossible to do so.
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Mystic Festival’s Entrance
I’ve been wanting to see Gutalax ever since I missed them at their infamous Brutal Assault set in 2019. Just do a search on YouTube for that specific show and you’ll be enlightened., Although there was no Toi Toi crowd surfing (the festival organizers moved the portable toilets farther away from the stages this year, a smart move on their part I must say…), today’s show at Mystic Festival did not disappoint. There were plenty of rolls of toilet paper, inflatable pool toys and balloons flying all over the place throughout their set.
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Gutalax
Gutalax’s sound may not be everyone’s jam, but the atmosphere at their shows can be likened to a circus on crack. I haven’t laughed so much at a concert in years. My wife and I brought some blow-up pool toys from home for the show, and at one point, our giant pink donut with sprinkles ended up on stage with the band. They had some fun with it for a minute before “singer” Martin Matoušek threw it back into the crowd. Gutalax took a crowd photo at the end of their set and you can see our donut clearly within the elated crowd. That donut did us proud.
Can you find the donut???
The next band Nakkeknaekker is so young that I’m pretty sure they’re still in high school. There’s not a lot of information available online about this teenaged Death Metal band, but I can tell you that they’re going to be a force to be reckoned with in the near future. They play brutal, old school death metal similar to the early Earache Records roster (think Entombed/Morbid Angel) of Death Metal bands. Their energy level was off the charts and they played like they had a chip on their shoulder. If they stick together, they’ll be destined for remarkable things. Check them out.
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NAKKEKNAEKKER
The next band on my list was a last minute, fill in the gap type band before my actual next penciled in band. Black Gold is a Nu Metal band that wasn’t as popular as their contemporaries during the height of the genre’s popularity. I’ll be honest here. I can’t stand Nu Metal and Black Gold didn’t change anything in that regard, but I thought the costuming and their stage look was cool. At least it made for some great photos.
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Black Gold
Sodom was next on the list and even though I’ve seen them three times within a year’s span not including today’s set, I’m still not burned out on them. They played a different set-list for Mystic Festival from the last time I saw them on 70,000 Tons Of Metal, a deeper dig into their forty years’ worth of thrash classics.
What else can I say about Tom Angelripper and Frank “Blackfire” Gosdzik? These two have been keeping Sodom afloat for over forty years. Sodom are at the pinnacle of the German Big Four and only Destruction can rival them in my opinion. If you’ve never seen them live, need I write more to convince you to catch them before it’s too late and they call it a day?
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Tom Angelripper and Frank “Blackfire” Gosdzik of Sodom
The next band, LIK, was slated to play at the smallest indoor venue at the festival (Sabbath Stage) and by the time I arrived, I had to shove my way through the already packed venue towards the photo pit. When this happens, it’s usually a good sign that the band is going to be good. Like Nakkeknaekker, LIK play an old school Death Metal style. LIK are several years older, so there was a certain “battle hardened” feel to them.
This was my first time seeing LIK and I have to say I was impressed. They have a very Swedish Death Metal sound to them and that should come as no surprise due to the fact they’re actually from there. I’ve been listening to Death Metal since its inception, so the fact that I’m impressed by any “newish” band within the genre, is a rarity. I immediately downloaded a couple of their albums after their set.
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LIK More...
Desertfest London 2024: Day 3
Once again, we come to the finale. The last day of a festival is always bittersweet. A time of sadness because you know things go back to normal tomorrow, but also of joy because there's another day full of great music ahead. While attendees didn't have The Roundhouse to enjoy on the last day, the Electric Ballroom was open to us again and boasted a wealth of talent ready to perform. As always though, The Underworld was open for business and that's where we begin today's report.
Heading down the staircase and into the venue, the crowd were welcomed by Noisepicker. The duo, comprised of Orange Goblin bassist Harry Armstrong on guitar & vocals and drummer Kieran Murphy, emit the vibe of a local band one might see down the pub, but the kind that you have to tell your friends about right away. They mix a healthy variety of music, including doom and punk to create something fun and lively, enticing the crowd with a good time. While the music itself is solid and very enjoyable, the tongue does seem to be placed firmly in cheek with Armstrong's delivery and banter with the audience. Honestly speaking, there may not be a huge legacy ahead for Noisepicker itself, despite the brilliant moniker, but they can definitely craft out a good reputation as a live band, one which perfectly opens a show and gets everyone in the right frame of mind. More...
Mystic Festival's Warm Up Day Stayed High And Dry
Mystic Festival celebrated its 25th anniversary during this year’s edition of the Poland based, summer metal festival. This was my third year in a row attending this under the radar metal fest. Just like the beloved Polish dish of pierogi, each one has been slightly different and even better than the previous year’s.
The festival added some bigger names to this year’s warm up day and even though mother nature was threatening to make it a soggy occasion, it didn’t stop it from being the busiest warm up day I’ve been to during the past three years. Mystic Festival is definitely more equipped to handle a rainy day. There is plenty of seating inside the food court area and there are some large, tented merch areas where you can also keep your battle vests dry.
The first band of the day and Mystic Festival was Poland based thrashers, Hellfuck. Hellfuck is fronted by Azarath’s Marcin Sienkiel and I subconsciously expected them to sound like a thrash version of that band. I was pleasantly mistaken. They have their own unique sound with some homage to 1980’s era thrash. There was a nice size crowd there for them I noticed several Hellfuck shirts speckled throughout their audience. It was nice seeing the hometown crowd supporting one of their own.
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Marcin Sienkiel of Hellfuck
Next up was one of the bands I was most looking forward to all of the festival, Fear Factory. I hadn’t seen them since their “Soul of a New Machine” tour in the early 1990’s, so it’s been a minute. This was obviously my first-time seeing Milo Silvestro as the vocalist and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. His vocals had a lot of effects on them, but in my opinion, he has a vocal range very similar to Burton C. Bell. I only got to watch a few songs, but during “Edgecrusher,” I saw an unlucky fan get soaked by their own beer once the chorus kicked in. Pro tip: If you have a full beer, never stand that close to the pit! It’s a good thing that beers are inexpensive at Mystic Festival.
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Milo Silvestro of Fear Factory More...
Desertfest London 2024: Day 2
Fridays are always a good time at Desertfest. Everyone's excited and eager to check bands out, enjoy some of their cult favourites and get the vibe going, but Saturday is often when the real meat and potatoes are served. Last year alone fans were treated to the likes of Corrosion Of Conformity, Crowbar, Weedeater and Slomatics and this year saw some heavy hitters on board, even if they were some surprising ones.
Just like yesterday, things began in the Underworld with a Norwegian band, this time in the form of Kal-El. While I was disappointed that a band named after Superman didn't walk on to the classic John Williams theme, but that was the only thing even close to a low point from this set. Kal-El started really well, but somehow got better and better as the show went on. Fuzzy and furious, the quartet performed both tracks from their latest EP, "Moon People," (namely the title track and "Universe,) in a set which was a perfect blend of crushing metal and fun hard rock. The band gelled together so well and the chemistry was plain to see for all in attendance as they continued to tear through their slot. A fantastic way to get things underway and I can't wait to see them again. More...
Sabertooth Portland 2024 – Night One
Sabertooth Portland 2024 – Night One
The 2024 edition of Sabertooth saw a movement back to more psychedelic offerings (and less metal like last year). Night two certainly had a more metal flavor than Friday night. One thing that remained the same from 2023 was the high percentage of bands that were either all female or had at least one female member.
First up was Fluid Druid, a band I was not familiar with. I should have done more to get to know them beforehand. They were not bad, and I can see myself possibly getting into them at some point.
Death Valley Girls were next, and I really enjoyed their performance. Alana Asha Amram filled in on bass, which was a bit odd given that their former bassist was also in the building.
Black Mountain (from Canada--not the black metal band from Australia) was the most metal band of the evening. I wasn’t familiar with them before the Sabertooth band announcement came out but have been listening to them regularly for the past few months. Their recorded material is great and they didn’t disappoint live.
Black Mountain in the Crystal Ballroom
Friday night’s headliner was Frankie and the Witch Fingers. This was another band that I was unfamiliar with until recently. Influenced by Osees and King Gizzard and the Wizard Lizard, FATWF was lots of fun.
Nikki Pickle and Dylan Sizemore of Frankie and the Witch Fingers @ 2024 Sabertooth PDX
After the music of night one was over, I got to chatting with the couple sitting next to me. Turns out they are FATWF's drummer's parents so here is one of Nick Aguilar for them.
Frankie and the Witch Fingers setlist (May 31, 2024)
Desertfest London 2024: Day 1
London, one of the most famous cities in the world, as well as one of the busiest. It has a rich history of everything from engineering to finance, language and of course, music. It may be the furthest thing from a desert one can get without going to Scandinavia or the South Pole, but the Desertfest event has become an essential trip for fans of doom, sludge and stoner metal, as well as heavy blues and naturally, desert rock. It attracts some of the biggest and best names in these fields and makes the busy streets of Camden bearable for a few days. This year, the festival was celebrating its eleventh edition and raised a few eyebrows for hosting some bands that may not spring to mind when one thinks of Desertfest, but nonetheless promised to bang some heads after turning them.
Those lucky enough to attend the first day had some special treats in store for them. Just down the road from Camden tube station lies Raven Records, a small but very cool store dedicated to metal music and today they had none other than Orange Goblin visiting, who were giving fans a first listen of their brand new album, "Science, Not Fiction" (spoiler alert: it rules!) as well as taking photos and signing posters. While not officially part of the Desertfest schedule, the band has played at the event three times, including the very first in 2012, so it was right up attendees' street.
Speaking of which, Desertfest welcomed a very special guest for a Q&A session on Denmark Street, in the Black Heart, one of several venues in use over the weekend; former Black Sabbath singer Tony Martin. Promoting the remasters of the Sabbath records he sang on (with the exception of "The Eternal Idol,") the singer was warm and humble, explaining to eager fans how he joined the band, the surrealism of the band's first show in Moscow and the confusion caused by the involvement of Body Count's Ernie C on the "Forbidden" album. After a thoroughly entertaining talk, he hung around to sign autographs and take pictures with fans, making time for everyone who wanted to speak with him. A phenomenal voice and a lovely person, let's hope he's finally going to get the recognition he deserves with the re-release of these albums. More...