Tag Archives: drone metal

North West Doom Fest – Part 2

Posted on by
Reply

North West Doom Fest 

4th – 5th April 2025 

The Saddle, Chester 

Saturday 5th April 

Following a blinder of an evening’s entertainment for Day the First of North West Doom Fest, I was rested and ready to go for Saturday.  Beginning at an earlier time in the afternoon, I unfortunately missed the first band of the bill, Hand of Omega, who played while I was still travelling into town.  Sincere apolgies for this to all, I must catch them again sometime. 

Arriving at the Saddle, the festivities were well and truly underway already.  A decent sized crowd were in attendance in the rear courtyard, cradling beers and nursing themselves back to full health.  There was no downer atmos that I could discern at all  however, everyone seemed amped for the music ahead. 

Moss Valley were the first band of the day that I actually got to see, and they were pretty damn good.  This three piece straddled a retro seventies vibe with added desert rock Kyuss stylings.  Great riffs and warm female vocals adding to the melodies, Moss Valley really made a huge impression.  It’s tough to pick favourites at an event like this, but MV were definitely contenders. 

https://www.facebook.com/mossvalleyband/

Up next we had a visit from the Pagan lords of the north, Sabbat Wolf.  This Leeds based band featured exemplary musicianship, again with a commanding female vocalist.  What I enjoyed here were the Sabbath worshipping riffs augmented by beautifully tuneful, mellow passages that reminded me of Pink Floyd.  Sabbat Wolf really stood out with these psychedelic flourishes and their unashamed occult theme – their song ‘Pagan Bloody Pagan’ tells you all you need to know! 

https://www.facebook.com/sabbatwolf/

Warpstormer had travelled up from Londonium to the ancient, walled city of Chester. These guys mix full throttle Metal with their Doom, think Orange Goblin rocking out at their trippiest.  It’s a Stoner Metal attack that could have been related somewhere to Entombed or Motorhead, but had enough power and groove to fit in perfectly at this gig. Warpstomer were real crowd pleasers and also really nice guys. 

https://www.facebook.com/Warpstormer/

Get your flat caps on and forget your fear of heights, it’s time for Shred Dibnah!  The world’s premier Steeple Jack Rock band graced the stage of NW Doom Fest, amid clouds of smoke and a pummelling performance.  With a portable chimney on stage belching out clouds, Shred Dibnah demolished the audience with roaming riffs and contrasting mellow sections that added to the hypnotic drill. 

https://www.facebook.com/shreddibnah/?locale=en_GB

Borehead were the next band of the day, and again a different take on the Doom template.  In contrast to other bands, these Londoners were largely instrumental – except for some weird and wonderful samples – with slow, fuzzy riffs more spaced out than Buck Rogers on a Venusian hookah pipe.  Cerebral stuff that you’d assume would be better appreciated on headphones with some refreshment, but it went over very well. 

https://www.facebook.com/boreheadofficial/

I was already familiar with the mighty Deathfiend – I caught them live a while back, and was happily smashed to pieces with their ferocious onslaught.  With elements of Death Metal and even Hardcore Punk in the Deathfiend sound, I wasn’t sure if they’d be too damn nasty for this festival, but they slotted right in neatly.  Outrageously heavy Doom riffs delivered with a fiery intensity, this band are a force to be reckoned with. 

https://www.facebook.com/DeathFiend1/?locale=en_GB

You know how sometimes you see a band that looks so cool, you want to join up?  Kill The Witch were that band at NW Doom Fest.  These guys meld together the Sludgiest of Stoner and Doom Metal, traversing varying tempos and styles but always remaining true to The Riff.  Roaring vocals top off a faster, more furious Sabbath sound that’s not without its clever invention and serpent-like surprises, throwing in some brutal hardcore along the way. 

https://www.facebook.com/killthewitchband/

Finishing off NW Doom Fest 2025 were the mighty Amon Acid. Another Yorkshire based band, their distorted Doom Metal was part Electric Wizard style occult Metal, with hypnotic, psychedelic passages added for kicks.  Yet again a different take on Doom with Hawkwind Space Rock and amazing Middle Eastern sounding passages seeping through the acid drenched fuzzy guitar, Amon Acid were a thoroughly entertaining musical experience, finishing the event in style. 

https://www.facebook.com/amonacidband/?locale=en_GB

And that, kids, was your lot.  Everything was wrapped up in a timely fashion so that the punters could make buses and trains home, all of us with beaming, happy faces – gorged on the joy of The Riff.  North West Doom Fest was a resounding success and I have to say I enjoyed every band I saw.  All of them had their own unique identities, whichever winding track they took from the original concept of Doom.  Cool venue, too.  Now I feel really stupid for not going last year.            

https://www.facebook.com/Thesaddleinnchester/?locale=en_GB

North West Doom Fest – Part 1

Posted on by
Reply

North West Doom Fest 

4th – 5th April 2025 

The Saddle, Chester 

Friday 4th April 

Friday 4th April 

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.. 

https://www.facebook.com/druidscrossband/?locale=en_GB

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. 

https://www.facebook.com/warlockhunt/

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. 

https://www.facebook.com/tumanduumband/

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.      

https://www.facebook.com/SonOBoar/

That’s it for Day One. Stay tuned for Day 2 – which will follow very soon!

The Saddle is on Facebook.

Ungraven/Slomatics – EP Review

Posted on by
Reply

Ungraven/Slomatics – Split EP

Blackbow Records

Release date: 05/03/2021

Running time: 31 minutes

Review by: Alun Jones

8/10

How did you spend your time during the pandemic?  Did you learn a new language or a musical instrument?  Did you get out there running, hammering marathons and getting super fit?  Or, like most of us, did you hang on there by your finger nails, just about keeping it together and escaping the monotony?  Well luckily for us, these two bands – Ungraven and Slomatics – decided to put their talents to creative use and deliver some music to keep us all sane in these bizarre times.

This is one EP, two bands and six songs in total.  First off, we have Ungraven, who despite only being formed in 2019 feature musicians of fine pedigree: Jon Davis (Conan), David Ryley (Fudge Tunnel) and Tyler Hodges (Tuskar).   “Defeat the Object”, their first offering, features a reliably sturdy riff to nod your head to.  Next track, “Onwards She Rides to a Certain Death” comes galloping out of the gates like an armour covered battle horse – it’s no nimble dressage, more like a cavalry charge into a frenzied battle.  Ungraven’s final song, “Blackened Gates of Eternity”, has a grinding intensity that has an industrial feel.

Slomatics pick up the baton and start off with the brutally heavy, atmospheric “Kaan”, which seems to move sideways rather than forwards.  Slow and hefty, I’ve seen ox bow lakes form quicker than the pace of this monster.  “Proto Hag” follows a similar style, but you’ll be glad to learn that it’s even more intense.  Slomatics have been building their reputation for some years now, and these tracks confirm their prominence.  Their final song, “Monitors” – probably my favourite on the whole EP, though I feel bad singling out one track – only pushes their reputation further.  The music is almost trancelike, with a magnetic melodic element.

This split EP is dense and compelling.  Both Ungraven and Slomatics impress with their conviction and integrity.  The only down side is that 31 minutes just isn’t enough.  This is a very enjoyable starter, but it just makes me hunger for a full plate of whatever these two immense bands can serve up.  Please sir, can I have some more?

Check out Ungraven on Facebook and Bandcamp.

You can find Slomatics on the interweb, Bandcamp, Facebook and Twitter.

Visit Blackbow Records here or on Bandcamp.

This review was presented to you by Platinum Al in association with Ever Metal.

Platinum Al’s Top 10 Rock/Metal Albums of 2019

Posted on by
Reply

2019 has been an exceptional year for new music.  It started off slowly, but by the end of the year I was struggling to keep up.

As per last year, Ever Metal asked me to produce a Top Ten of my favourite rock and metal albums of the year.  So here we go:

  1. Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard – Yn Ol I Annwn
  2. Speedealer – Blue Days Black Nights
  3. Obey – Swallow The Sun
  4. Acid Reign – The Age of Entitlement
  5. Sunn O))) – Life Metal
  6. Earth – Full Upon Her Burning Lips
  7. Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovel – Very Uncertain Times
  8. Giant Dwarf – Giant Dwarf
  9. Monolord – No Comfort
  10. Crobot – Motherbrain

All fantastic records.  Honorable mentions this time to Kadavar, Firebreather, L7, Wizard Rifle and Duel.

For more rock reviews, interviews and top tens, head over to Ever Metal.

Happy New Year everybody – wishing you a very healthy and prosperous 2020!

And thanks for vising Platinum Al’s Virtual Hot Tub!  Make sure you come back next year, and if you’ve got any requests or suggestions, please get in touch.