The Saddle is the number one – and surely only – Rock based pub in the City of Chester. A town more famed for drunken shenanigans and expensive outfits for the Races, this is the playground of the Cheshire Set and the wannabes. A home of Metal it is not. Not usually, anyway – except for the welcoming haven of The Saddle.
And for one weekend in April, the tiny G21 venue at the back of the pub hosted the second North West Doom Fest: two days of the heaviest, doomiest metal in the land. Absolutely fan-fucking-tabulous!
The evening began with Druid’s Cross, from not far away at all Liverpool. I’ve seen this band before, and knew they would be ideal to commence the festivities. Harsh vocals lead relentless, dynamic riffs with a traditional metal feel as well as a slow, doomy pace. There’s a dark, gothic edge to the music as well, resulting in a compelling sound that grabbed everyone’s attention from the start..
Festival organisers Lorraine and Mark were up next, with their amazing three-piece band, Warlockhunt. I’d also seen this band before, and I’m always amazed by the complexity of their dual bass and tribal drums sound. The other worldly female vocals have led to this band being described as Doom Pop (I coined that phrase, actually, thank you very much) and it’s easy to see why. Always different and always captivating.
Grim skeletal figures flanking the stage, inverted crosses and a duo wearing dark cloaks: Tumanduumband aren’t exactly shy of revelling in their ominous personas. What they are, is a West Midlands based Satanic Doom band, and their music is both atmospheric and heavy as hell itself. Fuzzed out, crushing riffs mean that the visuals aren’t inappropriate – this band is growing a cult based on their own dark riff-tuals.
Headlining tonight, and admittedly one of my favourite bands out there these days, the mighty Son of Boar rightfully took their place at the top of the bill. I became a big fan after seeing them play Pentre Fest some years ago. Bass wrangler Gaz is also an Ever Metal scribe, not that I’m biased at all, honest! Son of Boar played a set that was tight and forceful, with ear-worm riffs and thundering rhythms. Tusks up! The boys brought the HEH-VEEE, then slept the night on the floor of the venue, ‘cos they rock that hard.
Here we go with another Pentre Fest, the absolute highlight of my musical calendar! This is the crowning glory of North East Wales Metal Productions‘ festivals – and a huge deal to both the bands and the fans. I couldn’t wait to get to Mclean’s in Deeside and enjoy the music!
This year, another stellar line-up of bands from both near and far, with a good spread of genres. Ever Metal was in full force, with Beth and Mare joining myself for the festivities. With all of us in attendance, we split reporting duties to cover as much as possible as easily as we could.
And so, here are the reviews I composed all by my lonesome, concentrating on musicians that I wanted to contribute to (rather than all of them).
If you want to read the full review, try this here link to Ever Metal.
Friday
Mother Thunder
I saw Mother Thunder play in Pentre a few months back, they were superb. This time around, they were even better. MT play a hard hitting, groove laden take on classic rock/metal – think Thin Lizzy twin guitars with a bit of Maiden chug – and sublime female vocals. Heavy rock with irresistible riffs, Mother Thunder lit up the room and could’ve (should’ve) been higher up the bill.
Apollyon Rising
Filling in last minute, Apollyon Rising were a man down as their bass player was on holiday in Morocco. The selfish git. But with a bit of soundboard wizardry, the remainder of the band confidently gave us a set of prime thrash metal that didn’t shame their reputation one iota. I knew they could pull it off. As a wise man once said, never doubt a band with a killer logo (and the talent to match).
Saturday
DXRK Winter
Thankfully, I managed to catch the latter half of DXRK Winter’s set and I glad I did. They were on first on the main stage in the afternoon, their brutal metal attack was brilliantly performed and went down really well with a crowd that could’ve been chilling, but didn’t. A worthy act to play higher up the bill.
Cry for Mercy
You can’t go wrong with the blues based classic rock swagger of Cry for Mercy. Great tunes, all built around the majesty of the riff and a persuasive groove. I loved every second, it’s a shame they were on so early. Never miss a chance to see Cry For Mercy if you get it. Their new songs were just as good as old, new album is out soon!
Victim of Damp
Frank Williams, aka Victim of Damp, is becoming a popular mainstay of Pentre gigs. His bipolar set comprises one half of mellow, hangover curing melody followed by a series of playful, Pythonesque parodies. And he gets more confident every time.
Bad Earth
It just wouldn’t be Pentre Fest without these guys! Bad Earth delivered a reliably ferocious set of raucous biker rock and despite sound hiccups on the first couple of songs, soldiered on admirably. This was take-no-prisoners rock’n’roll to make Lemmy proud. Their acoustic set was also a blinder, cooking up some awesome sing-a-long responses from the crowd outside.
Mike West & the Missing Links
It’s been a good few years since I saw Mike West play a solo acoustic show at Pentre. Mike’s brand of dark country and bluegrass is now augmented by a band of drums and fiddle, adding a certain folky, Levellers feel to the tracks. A brilliant diversion under the surprisingly blue skies of the late afternoon, this set was further proof that a metal festival can experiment with genres.
The Raging Mables
Now I was really looking forward to seeing this band. I’d enjoyed viewing their Pentre Fest pre-event interview with Beany, plus they have one of the best band names ever. No arguments. The Raging Mables were like the Ramones playing ZZ Top, a 200mph Zeke-like melodic explosion of punk’n’roll. One of the most perfect bands ever.
Toranaga
Back to some welcome thrash metal, it was indeed a huge bonus to get to witness the power of Toranaga at Pentre. These guys are exceptional musicians, their shredding guitars creating a sound akin to classic Bay Area Thrash from the likes of Exodus and Testament. And that is very, very good. Their cover of ‘Mad House’ by Anthrax warmed my ancient heart, too.
Stuntface
Stuntface hail from just up the road in Wrexham, and it was great to see them finally bring their brand of flat-out, relentless hardcore punk to Pentre Fest. Their songs are furious yet melodic, played super-fast and with a huge grin on bass player/vocalist Wayne’s face. An absolute treat – Stuntface must play here again!
What a blast that was! The guys at NEW Metal Productions always put on a heck of a show and this was no exception. Didn’t get tickets for the Black Sabbath gig this summer? Get yourselves out there and support underground metal, you’ll feel better.
My favourite Pentre Fest so far? Only time will tell…
Two years ago, the album “This Sceptred Veil” by Sergeant Thunderhoof made such an impression on me that it topped my end of year Top 10 for Ever Metal. So this latest release has some pretty big boots to fill. The pressure is on, for the band and also for your friendly scribe: I’m gonna need some new adjectives in my arsenal to do this work justice.
A mellow guitar and whistle intro brings the listener into the world of “The Ghost of Badon Hill”. First track ‘Badon’ opens with an almost Folky feel, and in true Thunderhoof style, takes it’s time to grow and breathe. We’re nearly halfway through before the delicate, introspective section explodes into something epic, and the hairs on the back of your neck reach for the sky.
‘Blood Moon’ tricks the listener with a melodic intro, before a truly classic mega-riff gets the heart pounding. The guitars of Mark Sayer and new member Josh Gallup (who also recorded the album with the band) are multi textured throughout the album, expertly ranging from the mighty to the fragile. A pseudo-Blues introduces ‘The Orb of Octavia’, before settling on a melancholy, gentle feel. Augmented by Daniel Flitcroft’s soaring vocals (surely amongst the best in the UK), it’s not long before the heavy is unleashed.
‘Salvation for the Soul’ is the most immediate and Stoner/Doom related of this collection, and it quickly became a personal favourite. “For tonight, we ride!” – trust me, kids: THAT is a chorus!
I’ve favourably compared Sergeant Thunderhoof to Soundgarden previously – which holds true with ‘Sentinel’ – and there’s also a strong Floydian feel here too. The changes of pace on all the tracks ably demonstrate the expertise of the rhythm section, Jim Camp on bass and Darren Ashman on drums. Both are confident and play with finesse. All good things come to an end though, and our final song here, ‘Beyond the Hill’, is a ten-minute plus opus that builds through several stages on a monumental journey.
One element of this recording that’s obvious from the start, is the length of the album. The band made a conscious decision to lay down some boundaries and write a record that would fit on a single, rather than double, vinyl album. Whereas I could lament the shorter running time, it does make sense to condense what the band do best. And there’s still a cornucopia of sonic delights to enjoy regardless. I mean, I haven’t even discussed the lyric content of the record yet! There’s plenty enough folklore, legend and mystery to keep the audience engaged and coming back for more and more.
“The Ghost of Badon Hill” is mission accomplished for Sergeant Thunderhoof. A great new album, reigned in a little timewise, but sonically still delivering a cerebral and visceral punch. Another Top 10 contender, no problem.
Friday night. I’ve just been down to the local video shop, had a scan of the horror section, took my time deciding which film to rent. If it’s good I’ll watch it at least three times before I bring it back tomorrow. Go for the one with the craziest sounding name and the most gonzoid image on the cover. Doesn’t matter who’s in it, I just want to know which offers the most brain destroying, off the wall, lurid descent into madness.. Pay up and leg it home, video tape in hand. Urgently load the clunky VHS player and wait for the image on screen to stop crackling and reveal its gory beauty…
‘Brain Cells’ by horror metal deviants Torso bursts forth with a frantic commotion. This is album number two from ex-Possessor frontman/guitarist Graham Bywater in his new guise as the Dark Lord of Grindhouse Schlock Terror. APF records haven’t so much released this album, as unlocked the gates, stood well back and unleashed it upon the world in a tidal wave of bloody fury.
Starting with the intense thrash of ‘You Belong in Hell’, the lo-fi atmosphere is captured perfectly. Not that the production is poor, but this whole album has the vibe of an ancient cassette that’s been used and re-used many times. Probably starting with Huey Lewis, then taped over with some early Maiden, then repeatedly re-recorded on again until it features Carcass and Entombed.
As before, songs are peppered with random movie samples (good luck tracking the sources down, I’m stumped already), though there’s noticeably less of the John Carpenter-inspired keyboard instrumentals this time around. No matter, the drive-in B-movie atmosphere is ever present here – both ‘Savage Magic’ and ‘Brain Cells’, in particular, help see to that.
Key highlights you won’t want to miss include ‘Deep Space Death Trap’ with its unforgiving, virulent chorus and raw, fuzzed up riffs; and ‘Hex Pest’, which roars along as if possessed by a filthy, NWOBHM-obsessed demon biker.
“Brain Cells” is an underground garage-metal thrill ride from opening act to final curtain. It’s glorious, murderous fun for all – you’ll want to rewind and go from the start again, as soon as it’s finished. A nasty, blood splattered triumph for Torso and a Top Ten of 2024 album for me.
For the first time of 2025, let’s indulge in another Singles Night. A night of spinning records, having a few drinks and enjoying the vibes.
The “singles” in the event title refers to vinyl singles: the 7 inch, 45 rpm discs that were once the pocket money swallowing masters of the weekly music chart. Now I have a massive stack of said singles, and on some nights I dig a load of ’em out, and play ’em. Both sides – A then B – and onto the next.
There are many wonders to be found amongst the hefty pile of 7″ records. And a few oddities. But the randomness and variety always an entertaining night.
Grab a drink and settle in with my latest playlist:
Generation X – “King Rocker” / “Gimme Some Truth”
David Bowie – “Modern Love” / “Modern Love (Live Version)”
The Alarm – “Presence of Love (Laugharne)” / “Knife Edge”
Depeche Mode – “See You” / “Now, This Is Fun”
Dana – “All Kinds of Everything” / “Channel Breeze”
The Steve Gibbons Band – “Eddy Vortex” / “Little Suzie”
Shirley Bassey – “So In Love” / “As Long As He Needs Me”
Darts – “Don’t Let It Fade Away” / “Early In The Morning”
Elvis Costello & The Attractions – “Oliver’s Army” / “My Funny Valentine”
David Bowie – “Blue Jean” / “Dancing With The Big Boys”
AC/DC – “Guns For Hire” / “Landslide”
ABC – “The Look of Love” / “The Look of Love (Part 2)”
The Jam – “Start” / “Liza Radley”
Jimmy Cliff – “Reggae Night” / “Love Heights”
The Sweet – “Little Willy” / “Man From Mecca”
Propaganda – “Duel” / “Jewel”
Patrick MacNee & Honor Blackman – “Kinky Boots” / “Let’s Keep It Friendly”
A-Ha – “Hunting High and Low (Remix)” / “The Blue Sky (Demo Version)”
The Creatures – “Miss The Girl” / “Hot Springs in The Snow”
Queen – “Somebody To Love” / “White Man”
Ike & Tina Turner – “Nutbush City Limits” / “Help Him”
Twenty two records this week, and a few strange ones are still creeping in – some are the remains of a bundle of singles I bought at a car boot sale for a fiver. I kept Dana in the collection due to the Eurovision connection, but Shirley is a superstar.
Punk and New Wave genres are nicely represented in this selection, with great songs from Generation X, The Jam and Elvis Costello. A-Ha, Depeche Mode and ABC bring in some pop classics, while good old rock’n’roll is delivered by AC/DC, Motorhead and Girlschool.
Two great 1980s Bowie discs made the playlist and there’s a favourite from Queen (though it’s one of my least favourite songs of theirs). Adding to the 70s vintage is a cheeky number from Sweet, which never fails to raise a smile!
Another successful night spinning vinyl. More to come soon.
Pointless review of the month time! But why, pray tell, is this review of the new Orange Goblin album “pointless”? Because, old pal, literally everyone knows that Orange Goblin are a BIG THING. And they haven’t released an album for seven years. So this release, surely, will be near the top of everyone’s wish list for 2024. Especially in the case of our esteemed Ever Metal readers, who as we all know, are a cut above the rest of the uncultured rabble out there.
Without patronising our dear readership in anyway, a new release from these London doom/stoner/heavy metal scoundrels is, and should be, a BIG THING.
Anyone who’s already a fan of Orange Goblin can expect more of what has come before, but it’s safe to say, “Science, Not Fiction” is amped up a little more than usual. The same killer riffs, powerful delivery, ace musicianship, clever style variations are all in place as expected, but tweaked just a little higher. Right from first listen, it’s obvious that quality control has been merciless on this recording, resulting in a collection of peak songcraft.
‘The Fire at the Center of the Earth is Mine’ opens the engines in fine form. After a cacophonous intro marked by belching bass, the riff kicks in and the ride begins. A furious “death boogie” with a super catchy, uplifting chord structure for the chorus, this is prime Goblin.
There’s no room for a breather, with second track ‘(Not) Rocket science’ bolting out next – a relentless hell ride that features a killer lead bass break (courtesy of new four stringer Harry Armstrong). It’s probably my favourite song on the album: Ben Ward’s voice booming and Joe Hoare’s guitar threatening to jump the gate and roar off into the night on its own.
An epic, mid-seventies Sabbath-doom vibe pervades ‘False Hope Diet’, with its bouncing groove and changes. ‘Cemetary Rats’ starts with a gloomy, gothic vibe before exploding into something akin to old school thrash a la Testament. Through all tracks, Chris Turner’s drums are dependably solid and thunderous.
‘The Justice Knife’ is another fast rocker that benefits from some outer space wah-wah guitar, though generally speaking, the latter half of the album doesn’t quite have the heights of invention that earlier tracks possess. The last song, ‘End of Transmission’, fields a suitably epic and raucous finale, however – soaring through sections with determined power.
My only slight gripe with “Science, Not Fiction” is that the bonus track ‘Eye of the Minotaur’ appears to be CD only – which means vinyl fanatics like yours truly will miss out. Nevermind, this album is a devastating power house of modern metal. Orange Goblin have created a record that demonstrates all we love them for, and ladled on a good-sized helping of extra sauce to sweeten the deal. One of THE albums of 2024, “Science, Not Fiction” will be guaranteed a place in my annual Top10.
“Ritual” is the debut album of Occult Doom Metal band Goat Major. The band, comprising Jammie Arnold (guitar), Simon Bonwick (drums) and Tom Shortt (bass and vocals) came together as a three piece during the pandemic and the frustration of lockdown. They hail from Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire in Wales, which makes a lot of sense. Wales is steeped in ancient legends, historic monuments and plenty of castles, druids, standing stones, devil dogs and faerie folk – a rich landscape for inspiration.
Musically, we have here eight songs that follow the classic doom/stoner template of fuzzy guitars, rumbling bass and crashing drums. The first track, ‘Snakes (Goddess of the Serpent)’ offers up a burning, slow riff before launching into a dirtier, groovy rhythm. The title track has a driving pace with a hypnotic feel, induced by backing vocals and a relentless grind.
The songs aren’t all just freaked out, fuzztastic trips though. There’s a palpable air of Dennis Wheatley and Hammer horror permeating the whole affair, best demonstrated by ‘Mountains of Madness’, with its slow, atmospheric start. Goat Major bring the gloom to the doom with a touch of malevolence.
Rounding off the album is a short, melodic track called ‘Lay Me Down’, which reminds me of the sort of mellow insert that Budgie (or Sabbath, for that matter) would employ. Appearing last, it’s a lovely oasis of calm after the preceding murkiness. It’s easy to compare the album to Electric Wizard, Uncle Acid and Cathedral, but the foreboding feel Goat Major have created shows they have ideas of their own.
Bubbling away in Goat Major’s coffin is a recipe for some classic Occult Doom Metal. They’ve taken the original sources, added some sinister seasoning of their own, and delivered a hell of a debut album. “Ritual” is easily qualified to make my end of year Top Ten.
PS: in no way has the fact that this band is from Wales influenced my high opinion of this excellent album. Diolch yn fawr, Goat major!
Following in the wake of Pentre Fest earlier this year, McLean’s Pub in Pentre, Deeside North Wales was again the home of a bunch of raging metal/rock bands for a day. The good chaps at North East Wales Metal Productions held one of their fantastic alldayers, featuring several bands from all over, gracing up with their magnificent music.
Sadly, a couple of bands couldn’t make it on the day. I was gutted that Master Charger dropped out (great band), and also The Human Condition have sadly decided to call it a day. But never mind, we soldier on, and there was plenty of music still to enjoy.
Kicking things off in good style was Victim of Damp, aka Frank – a long-time supporter at NEW Metal Prods events. VOD opened with some lovely Pink Floyd acoustic guitar, before launching into a rousing set consisting of amusing anecdotes, shots of booze for the crowd, and sing-a-long humour. And yes, Bean’s car is still full of shit.
Any Given Reason were on stage next, a six headed monster of a band with two (two! Count ’em!) vocalists. Neither vocalist stayed on stage for long, preferring to take their brand of in your face metalcore right out into the audience. Great musicians too, giving us prime chunky riffs with dynamic skills. One to watch for, AGR are very entertaining with a super confident delivery all round.
All the way from Belfast, Northern Ireland, to good ol’ Deeside were Nomadus – on the last date of their tour before returning home. If they were tired, it didn’t show at all – these guys are a devastating live band that left us all exhausted. A powerful combination of groove and thrash metal, with songs that are mature and progressive, make sure you see Nomadus live whenever you can.
Surprise of the day was Crisis, who I was embarrassingly oblivious of. I was tipped off that Crisis were a NWOBHM band, which was true but doesn’t explain enough. The bands playing was razor sharp, and the songs varied from aggressive rockers to more epic, expansive numbers. This ability to let the songs breathe and grow, explore ideas and still remain in musical control set Crisis apart. If Iron Maiden were a Rush covers band, they would be Crisis.
There’s been a bit of a buzz about Warlockhunt recently, so I was very happy to finally get to see them. This band are unlike anything else: a three-piece consisting of two bass players (one singing) and drums. It’s the gloomiest of treacly doom metal decorated with beautiful, ethereal female vocals, like a dark fairy tale that may not end happy ever after. Doom pop, anyone? It’s enthralling stuff: I loved it and you need to check them out asap.
Finally, our headliners for tonight, the mighty Scarfoot were back, and justly bumped to top of the bill. These guys were not fazed at all, powering through another set of intense stoner rock with a hint of grunge (at least to my ears!). The electric steel and 12 string guitars lend Scarfoot a characteristic edge, but the whole band pounding away is like Godzilla knocking at the front door. As well as being joyously heavy, Scarfoot’s songs are also epic and engrossing. Scarfoot did a superb job and closed the evening with conviction.
Variety was the secret spice for tonight’s event at McLean’s. Each band offered something unique and each played their hearts out. A thoroughly enjoyable event, thanks to all involved. If you couldn’t make it, readers – please try next time: nights like this need your support.
The Sound of Origin – Man in the Arena Self-released Release date: 27/10/2023 Running time: 44 minutes (approx.) Review by: Alun Jones 9/10
Right, let’s get down to business and get this review out into the world asap. This album has already been released, and as it’s pretty bloody good, let’s shout it from the rooftops as loudly as possible.
The Sound of Origin are from Huddersfield, and this is their sophomore album. I’d previously encountered the band thanks to their cover of ‘Sick Things’ on the quite bloody brilliant “Killer: 50 Years Later” Alice Cooper tribute album, released by Pale Wizard Records. I was keen to hear a full album from these Yorkshire Doom merchants and I wasn’t disappointed.
‘This Ain’t Free’ bursts from the speakers with a booming, catchy riff and a mix of screamy versus melodic vocals. It grinds, it rolls, it grooves: and that’s a fairly good summary of the whole album. Doom metal with a welcome varying pace, it’s brutal but hypnotic. First single ‘Birthright’ is an infectious bruiser and one of many tracks that remind me of the glory days of titans like Alice in Chains. Relentless, but still melodic.
‘Crown of the Cynic’ gives The Sound of Origin the chance to flex their progressive, doomy muscle with its longer run time and thudding power. I air guitarred along to this unashamedly! There’s some mighty passion here, notably in the anguished vocals.
Kyle Thomas of Exhorder and Trouble fame crops on two tunes, ‘Frail Old Bones’ and the title track. On the former, the band rock out in a fuzzy style not too dissimilar to Thomas’ day job or even good ol’ COC. The latter finds the band in a slower, pummelling pace and KT pushes the dramatics to hair raising levels.
The Sounds of Origin can throw together elements of Stoner, Doom and Sludge with great style and enthusiasm. One welcome surprise though, was hearing final track ‘Lightbringer’ which reminded me of Angel Witch – head down, old school NWOBHM vibes all the way!
My preconceived ideas may always skew any observations I make on a band’s influences. The Sound of Origin’s “Man in the Arena” is a great album that is bigger than the sum of its parts, and builds on the classic inspirations. A solid effort, this album will no doubt be a contender to make my Top 10 of the year. Just a shame it’s not available on vinyl.
Pentre Fest is a big deal to me. And I’ll bet it means a lot to plenty of other people too, who are just as keen to enjoy this festival of underground – but not unloved – metal bands. I look forward to this event every year. I mean, after the Christmas festivities, how else are you gonna survive the misery of January?
Yours truly was the lone representative for Ever Metal at Pentre this year, so all the reviews were my responsibility. I tried to see as many acts as I could, but it wasn’t always possible. And so I can cover as much ground as poss, the summaries will be short and sweet this year. But trust me, I’ll keep you on the straight and narrow.
The festival began on Friday evening, Edd Case and his acoustic set on the new outdoor Keymo stage being my introduction. It’s a proper stage this year, with steps and everything. Edd played a great set of acoustic tracks, including some Maiden, Neil Young (nice Soundgarden segue/tribute) and plenty more. Most impressive.
Heading inside, Omega Throne was on next. Their set was an exciting blend of Death/Black Metal, with some intriguingly dark, gothic elements peppered through the songs. A great set that combined power and fury with a little mystique.
That was followed by the lunatic genius of Mad Spanner. Now a one-man band of crazed thrash metal with a backing track, Mike aka Mad Spanner offers brilliant musicianship, wry humour and furious energy. I’m still recovering from this set, God know how he does it.
Back inside and Bloodmores were up next. This was a great set of pounding, heavy Thrash/Death metal, excellently played and with a surprising amount of foot stomping groove.
Tonight’s original headliners, I Saw The World Burn, were sadly unable to play. We sincerely hope all is well in that camp. At the final hour, however, Cadence Noir were able to fill the headline spot with their gothic tinged folk punk’n’roll. Cadence can always be counted on to get everyone jumping and jigging around, and they did a fine job of finishing Day the First of Pentre Fest.
Saturday’s wake-up call was DAM.G, alias Rob from Thrashatouille’s “grown up band” (not my observation, but one overheard on the day!). A melting pot of progressive metal with Rob’s growl augmented by phenomenal female co-lead vocals, it was certainly a powerful and memorable set.
Outside was a pleasant surprise: the disco funk of Mrs Gizlo. Who’d have expected that? Not me, but it was great fun to hear something different and it certainly got the crowd moving.
In Which It Burns took to the indoor stage next, and gave as a relentless set of thrash metal. It was only mid-afternoon and these Pembrokeshire ragers delivered the goods with super-fast, aggressive tracks. Nice work.
Liverpool’s Ogun were on the main stage next, with some meaty thrash metal of their own. Fast and brutal, I really enjoyed these guys and their total take-no-prisoners approach. Wish I’d bought a t-shirt.
It was freezing outside, so deep apologies from me to the various artists I missed outside, whilst huddled inside with a pint. North Wales Deathcore deviants Dystopian Sun kept the fires burning with some intense yet bouncy metal that roared by like a Sasquatch driving a stolen pick-up truck.
Rule of Six had an early start on Saturday morning. Whilst most of us were still hiding from encroaching hangovers, these lads set off at 4am to get from Northern Ireland to North East Wales for this gig. I’ve never seen so many guitars on stage (four plus a bass!) but all Rule of Six’s instruments were well employed, with their melodic metal proving an uplifting and thrilling experience. Maiden comparisons are a bit obvious, but apt. Great show and nice contrast to much of the bands so far.
From one band who crowded out the main stage, to another band who spent little time on it: Broken Jaw refused to be restrained and preferred to wander around the room! Their blend of punk energy and attitude with metal riffery made sure no-one in the audience was allowed to put their feet up.
Afterward, I dared to make a rare venture outside to witness Skinflick, who I’d heard very good things about. This two-piece outfit gave us some filthy Industrial EDM dripping with sleazy beats – another very cool divergence from the expected.
Beyond Salvation made their way to Pentre from Manchester, and pretty much laid waste to all with a blistering set of thrash metal. The band were both brutal and energetic, with superb playing, that kept the gig going on full steam. There was no chance for the audience to flag here!
I’m actually gutted that I missed SOOTO out on the Keymo Stage. Blame the cold, blame the drink, blame me for being useless: I should’ve been there, sorry. Can we get SOOTO back please? I promise I’ll pay attention this time.
Every year at Pentre Fest, there’s at least one band that I go full-on Fan Boy for. This year’s recipients of the accolade were the amazing Struck/Down, who played huge sounding groove metal riffs that immediately had me hooked like a fish. For me, Struck/Down were the best band of the weekend by a distance. T-shirt purchase? Tick. CD purchase? Tick.
Finally, our last band of a fantastic event were Extreme Metal leviathans Krysthla. The foot was down on the pedal as Krysthla hurtled us through the last set of the weekend with a rapid fire, unrelenting batch of songs.
And that was it, Pentre Fest was over for another year. I’ve been downhearted ever since, missing the camaraderie and fell-good vibes of the event – not to mention the out of this world music. Thanks and huge respect to Fozzy and Beany, North East Wales Metal Productions, McClean’s, and all the bands and crew who made this happen.
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