Luckily for me, I’d already booked the week off work to indulge in some skateboarding and record crate-digging, so a Tuesday night out wasn’t automatically dismissed. Instead of staying in on a school night, I was free for another evening at The Saddle in Chester for some crushingly heavy Doom Metal.
First up were gig organisers Mark and Lorraine and their band Warlockhunt. The new line-up is gelling really well – those post punk, tribal beats both drier and warmer – laying down a crisp foundation for the twin-bass assault. The contrast between sombre melody and the gloomiest, doomiest of bass guitar lines is working better than ever – Warlockhunt seemed confident and overjoyed to be out playing.
Endure were on next, and despite consisting of another trio, this was a very different approach. They created epic, soundtrack-like pieces with the use of keyboards, though the harsh, growled vocals kept them grounded in Metal. I think there were two songs performed (maybe three?), it was hard to tell as the music blended from one to another like one huge, experimental symphony. Occasional furious guitar riffs punctuated the atmosphere, keeping the audience on their toes. Endure gave us cerebral yet brutal music that was fierce and enlightening.
Confusion Master hail from Germany, and are over in the UK on a short tour, spreading their gospel of fuzzed out, sludgy Doom. With songs ranging from mammoth, occult driven skull crushers to faster, nimble rock-outs, the set impressed with its variety of pace and texture. Featuring vocal samples and psychedelic excursions, Confusion Master’s songs cover a number of styles, resembling a mash up of Electric Wizard and Saint Vitus, but drenched in their own grand character.
That was a real treat for a Tuesday school night – all three bands left us feeling that we’d been very lucky to be in attendance. And I hadn’t even done my homework. Told the teacher Cthulhu ate it.
Have you been good all year? Have you eaten your greens, minded your Ps and Qs, and got your Ever Metal reviews in on time? If yes, then good news: the final North East WalesMetal Productions shindig of the year is here – the annual Christmosh party! A fabulous six bands appearing at Mcleans Pub in Pentre, Deeside, covering a wide variety of Rock/Metal music and all gathered together to celebrate a festive end to 2025.
Warming us up like a welcome open log fire was Victim of Damp, alias N.E.W. Metal Prods ally Frank Williams, here given a seasonal makeover as Christmas of Damp. With Christmas jumper and trusty guitar in hand, COD gave us some choice cuts including new additions such as Therapy?’s ‘Screamager’ along with free shots and a melancholy Pink Floyd cover. The promise of Crimbo tunes wasn’t forgotten, with a rousing version of Slade’s evergreen ‘Merry Xmas Everybody’ – event guru Fozzy (in Santa suit) on vocals.
‘Agro’ by The Raging Mabels is one of the Greatest Songs Ever. Their entire set of high speed, thundering yet melodic Zeke-like Punk Rock was an absolute, total joy from start to finish. I cannot praise this band highly enough, even though they forgot to bring merch (again). There should be a new Raging Mabels album out in the New Year, so be prepared for a cultural explosion of Nirvana ‘Nevermind’ levels. And if that doesn’t happen, every single one of you can suck balls.
Sadly, last time SOOTO (Something Out Of The Ordinary) played Pentre a couple of months back, I failed to write up my review. That cruel oversight is about to be reversed. SOOTO deal in classic Hard Rock/Metal, and with the female vocals they’re like Stevie Nicks singing for Thin Lizzy. Professional but not superficial, SOOTO have a raw energy and love of the riff, combined with dynamic songcraft and expert playing. A fantastic set that was over too soon.
The only band I’d never seen before, Heroes of the Gauntlet were a pleasant surprise indeed. Billed as “Symphonic Power Metal”, I was concerned these guys would be a full-on cheese fest. They have two singers (male and female) with fantastic voices, and a microphone that turns into a sword. Add in some serious Power Metal riffage and super confident stage personas, and you’ve actually got one hell of a show. Heroes of the Gauntlet were gloriously over the top and it’s impossible not to love them! All they need is a live drummer and these Heroes cannot fail.
Bad Earth we have met before, and yes – hands up, I am a bit of a fanboy. But when a band deliver this much power and presence on stage, how can anyone not be? A “Rockcore” trio from the North Wales area, what that genre entails is dishing out filthy Punk/Metal riffs and pummelling, killer rhythms that you can feel as well as hear. They get better and bolder all the time – though the silly buggers are very humble about it – and this night was no exception. New recorded material is due soon, so beware: Bad Earth have never shied away from delivering crushing, groove infused Rock and I don’t think they will.
To say I was excited about the return of the fuzzed out, sludgy sound of Master Charger to Mcleans would be an understatement. Their album “Posthumous Resurrection” was one of the never ending delights of 2025, plus last time they were here, these boys absolutely killed it. Make no mistake, Master Charger can and will deal out a mighty, megalithic slab of Stoner/Doom that will make the earth tremble. And that’s exactly what they did, with every asteroid-heavy riff and mammoth beat ploughing through the audience mercilessly. Another off-the-charts performance and a great finale.
What a night. Quite possibly the strongest line-up at Mcleans that I’ve ever witnessed, featuring many of my personal favourites.
But now it’s down to you. Christmosh was the last North East Wales Metal Productions event of the year, till the return of Pentre Fest in February 2026. These events, these bands need your support. If you’ve ever considered a trip to Mcleans, then you need to be there on 27th and 28th Feb 26. No excuses!
What’s that lumbering out of the murky haze? Why, it’s none other than Bongzilla, trampling everything in their path with gargantuan, sludgy riffs whilst surrounded by billows of smoke. No need to run, citizens – these dudes move too slow to pose any physical threat, you’ll outrun them easily. This music is not about speed. It’s about being refreshed beyond all recognition.
“Dab City” is the sixth album for Bongzilla, and their second for the Heavy Psych Sounds label. They’ve been firmly established as a three piece for some time, comprising of Mike “Muleboy” Makela on bass and vocals, Jeff “Spanky” Schultz on guitar and Mike “Magma” Henry on drums. Unsurprisingly, the album was recorded with the assist of various “mood enhancements”, right onto analogue tape.
There are seven songs here, with several of them hovering around (or over) the ten-minute mark. You’re definitely getting your money’s worth. Title track and opener ‘Dab City’ clocks in at 11.51 of super heavy, psychedelic sludge. ‘Cannonbong (The ballad of Burnt Reynolds as lamented by Dixie Dave Collins)’ rolls in at nearly 14 minutes of slow’n’steady, frazzled doom metal. And what a song title!
Other tracks offer more fried and fuzzed out rock, with ‘Hippie Stick’ and ‘American Pot’ revealing a groove and swing to their sound. Vocals are less smoky and strangled and more like a zombie from The Walking Dead, but it all melts together well. I don’t think there are any shocks on “Dab City”, but who cares? Bongzilla have concocted a ripe batch of stoner, sludgy metal that will satisfy the righteous.
