DEATHFEST XI
LONDON UNDERWORLD – 26/6/10
Death, death, wonderful death, is all around us and entering the Underworld we find more has died than we would generally like on this day of annual expiration; namely the power is no more, gone, extinguished and not even pining for the fjords! Luckily as contingency plans are being discussed it comes back on before it was curtains for the curtains and with a brief delay the day swings into action only slightly late. Let’s face it we would all rather be slightly late to our own death, fest or otherwise but I think I have ‘undertaken’ quite enough bad puns for one review so let’s get to the bands without any further grave misdemeanours. (PW)
Take The Pain kick start this eleventh edition of the mighty Deathfest and despite opening track ‘The Ripper’ having a slightly more traditional metal feel than their older material formidable front woman Andrea soon lets us know it’s business as usual. She hoists up her filthy hospital gown, displaying a purple strap-on and demands we all get our cocks out for metal before spitting beer over the front row. To be honest I don’t really go in for the shock tactics but they are the only elements of the show that stick in your mind. Andrea’s intimidating roar and confrontational approach just aren’t enough to compensate for some pretty average material. After the initial interest sparked by ‘The Ripper’ it’s back to the basic bludgeon of ‘Symphonies Of Eternal Hate’, ‘Blood Runs Red’ ( - “about periods!”) and ‘Smell Your Cock’. Not for me I’m afraid. (CK)
Next up it’s Scatorgy and initially at least they impress with their sheer velocity and power. There’s a whole lot going on in their songs but all too often things just descend into an absolutely chaotic racket. The songs on the whole are utterly interchangeable – there’s one about vaginal gristle and one about intestinal tracts but with the vocals being a mixture of subhuman growls and pig squeals and the intricate riffs colliding into each like some sort of hyper speed demolition derby they could have played the same song ten times and I’d never have known. In the end what started off as exhilarating extremity just becomes dull. Sorry, but again this just wasn’t for me. (CK)
I only had one band, Gorebound to cover and wish they had covered themselves a bit better with hindsight. This was a step back in time as the band featured two ex squawkers from Gorerotted namely Nutty Strangeways and Mr Gore. They came on stage covered in gore (can you see a theme here) to the recognisable Texas Chainsaw Massacre theme and guaranteed themselves a good review as one of the band members who was new to me had the hindsight to pass the bottle of vodka they had with them straight to me. That of corpse is a lie as it takes better bribery than that (not much more but…) and I was assaulted by a nice thick and sludgy bass sound cutting through the bowels like a knife through gristle. Vocals varied from Deliverance style squeals, low gruff barks and high pitched yells and it all gelled like bits of animals pushed together on a conveyor belt in an abattoir. The low point of the performance was when Mr Gore turned his back on the audience as his medical smock was backless and his bum made both ladies and gents swoon in horror (he has promised to wear pants next show after many complaints were made). There was a jizz of jazz leading into ‘I Recommend You Amputate’ and this short sharp shocking show was certainly one that any medical deviant would have enjoyed. Debut mini album (with fantastic artwork) ‘The Choppin Time’ is imminent. (PW)
Infestation are no strangers to the stage, and to the London Deathfest in fact and David Samuel and these death metal mainstays prove again what quality tunes they posses. Kaz on bass, battles hard, even if the bass is nearly twice her size, classics like ‘Evil, Evil’ sit with extreme comfort to newer tunes like ‘Bow to None’ (their latest EP’s title track) and ‘Goretopsy’. Dave’s vocals are once again powerful and compared to earlier bands are much more palatable and clear. Featuring new members, this line up is supported well, and even ex-members sing and cheer at stage front. One thing that can be said for these religion haters is that there is not much competition thus far in the day, their live musicianship is strong and gives the afternoon a nice kick up the arse it requires. (PM)
This was my first time experiencing the rotting sweetness of Putrefy live, and the 3-piece from Ballymena in Northern Ireland rapidly get down to business. From the off, Putrefy apply themselves in a workman-like manner. Vocalist/Guitarist Connor Brown’s vocals are of particular note on tonight’s performance, and he comfortably belts out opener ‘The Necropolis.’ ‘The Killing Won’t Stop’ from recent release One Nation Under Gore follows soon after a song that is all about pork abuse (you figure it out!), and has a great breakdown at the end. The songs are bloody heavy, and at times it almost becomes too much. So thank god for these riffs which the song needs to break them up. These boys are certainly good at what they do, and tonight was a solid, professional and tight routine. I would like to see the boys let go a little more on stage to be honest, as I’m sure that with a little more activity and energy, the crowd would have become more drawn into the set. Saying that.....they had been up since an early, early hour! ‘I Wore Her Head as a Hat’ (nice) and ‘Fresh Meat’ are again both brutal excerpts from the underground death metal scene, and Putrefy’s contribution to the Deathfest XI has been a solid one, if at times a little unspectacular. (AD)
Now here is a very disagreeable process I’m guessing, and not something I’d be willing to go through without a struggle. On the contrary to the horrors of de-bagging, I found Kastrated’s contribution leaving me quite spunky (U.S. meaning........) and beaming with a grin. And why the hell not eh? With lyrical delights that would leave Wordsworth green with envy, such as ‘Blinded by Faeces,’ ‘Kiddie Fiddler on the Roof’ and ‘You’ve Been Maimed – Fisted by Beadle’ (I’m hoping with the gammy hand and a lot of KY), Kastrated plough through the half hour or so with glee and a confidence that is both refreshing and energising. The exceptionally affable bunch from Burnley are one of the few bands so far to get some slamming riffs going, and for the first time during the event, there is some semblance of a proper pit forming. “Chronic Irritation” really gets things moving even more, and Kastrated balance the viciousness of their attack perfectly with more lashings of the aforementioned chunky riffs, and some well-placed pinch harmonics (I AM a sucker for these!) Vocalist Chris gets a good relationship going with the crowd, and Kastrated on this performance would be welcome on quite a few billings. Good stuff! I hope to see them in the future some point with more slam death for me to lap up. (AD)
Nottingham bruisers Lordaeron are somewhat of a breath of fresh air and a welcomed sound during the day’s proceedings. This Camden crowd maybe sparse (there is a big screen showing the World Cup in another part of the venue), but those whom are in attendance were getting a real treat. The musicianship and complex time changes and signatures were immense, whilst I did not get any of their track titles (why singers don’t just speak when they introduce songs is another matter all together), there is promise and their place in the line up deserved and responded too with their grinding death force in full attack mode. Mike Ransetta’s guitar work looks effortless, whilst extremely complex in reality; Ransetta is beaming from ear to ear whilst destroying the good folks of London’s hearing. Phil’s vocals are damn fine, aggressive, monstrous, [insert another form a brutality descriptor here], it never subsides from the intensity of Meshuggah to the brutal grind and death of their mind. What a band, what a show and these chaps are ones to watch in the future. (PM)
Tempted by their tunes and their 1996 release (on Nuclear Blast Records) Warlord U.K. are West Midlands bruisers, with a passion for death metal glorified in their area by the likes of Bolt Thrower, Benediction and some elements of the mighty Napalm Death amongst their contemporaries musically. Gaz Thomas on guitars also featured in another one of these great bands Life Denied. When it comes to guitar tone, no form of compression tools are required for Warlord UK’s set. This is earthy, ground to the bone aggressive distortion, a perfect energy ridden explosion of professional song writing and live showmanship. Mark White (Bass/Vocals) powers through the underworlds backline with ‘Never Forgive’ (“never forget” – a great sing a long) and closer ‘Maximum Carnage’ is a death metal fans delight, in fact right from the opener ‘Suffer In Silence’. Airing newer tracks from their forthcoming release later this year, ‘Evil Within’ is a nice taste of things to come. For me, this has been the best band of the day, what a show, what a sound, and to think these guys and girls are currently unsigned, this writer hopes that changes very soon. Warlord UK is back from the dead, but they are defiantly on a higher plateau in terms of musical quality and performance on what was one offer so far today. (PM)
Up next are the experienced and well-supported boys from Wales, Desecration. When they eventually get going (an unfortunate drum kit delay leads to amusing abuse from front-man Ollie toward drummer Mic), Desecration effortlessly glide into a controlled, and effective performance. Tight and ferocious, the set seems all too short considering the back catalogue of quality songs at their disposal. However, it is patently apparent that these boys have been playing for years. With songs off Forensix taking the centre stage tonight, (and sounding very good indeed I may add), the only shame is that the number of people who were there to see them was not exactly awe-inspiring; this being no reflection on the band themselves. Songs such as ‘None of Us are Saints’ off the excellent Pathways to Deviance album go down positively as you would expect, and Desecration maintain the vigour of their act throughout. Confident is certainly another word that I would use to depict the band, and the banter with the crowd is particularly swift, and impressively sardonic at times. Finishing off with three excellent songs off last release Forensix which includes the notable ‘Sadosexual Suicide,’ ‘Formaldehigh’ and ‘Aim, Fire, Kill,’ Desecration disappear backstage far too soon for my liking, leaving me heading to the bar for yet more beer, and wishing they were still abusing me aurally. (AD)
Having seen Deranged a couple of times before, once to about 20 people in Bradford and at Wacken some years ago the band split up in 2008 due to Rikard (drums, spokesman and all business dealings) leaving. The band returned in 2009 with a couple of new guys and “The Redlight Murder Case” album. Yes it was back to obliterating death metal with as much as subtlety as a sledgehammer to the balls. However paranoia set in early on the day as I thought I was the only person at this gig that actually liked and owned CDs by Deranged. Having spent quite a bit of the day selling the bands trademark stab and hack brutal death metal I eventually left it to the serial killer obsessed gore brigade to win them over instead. The meagre crowd was treated to a brutalising set comprising of at least one song from every full length release of their back catalogue, a quick look at their set list revealed, which began with ‘Watch Me When I Kill’ from said return album. It was immediately apparent that this was to be a no frills death demolition as I was thoroughly impressed with the drum sound, a war like battery that had little finesse but masses of power. Equally the assaulting guitar and bass set about slicing and dicing the audience on ‘Cum On Command’ as each song pummelled the crowd with a relentless onslaught of riffs all bolstered by that bulldozing drum sound that typifies the bands studio output. Deranged are not the kind of band to dazzle with technical virtuosity by any means but instead bludgeon the listener to a gory pulp on ‘Razor Divine’ and personal favourite ‘By Knife…’ Admittedly to the non-initiated Deranged material comes across as an annihilating aural cacophony but taking the time to digest and absorb battering tracks like ‘Beaten, Raped, Fuckin’ Left To Die’ are well worth it, just don’t expect any wizardry. As the set progressed so did the attention people gave the band as another favourite of mine was aired in the shape of the catchy!!! ‘Coven Of Death’ with its chop and stab riffing and dare I say a hint of melody in the proceedings. From here the set went backwards, almost chronologically starting with ‘God Is Dead’ as the band increased the savagery by returning to the first album, ‘Rated X,’ with ‘Killing Spree,’ not my preferred choice but certainly enough to show how this band has retained its inhuman death metal over the years. The band ended the set with yet another favourite, the monstrous “(Eroti)kill” from possibly their best album “High On Blood”. As the devastation came to an end I reckon the band won a few more fans on the day and many were damn surprised at the proficiency with which Deranged played, or maybe I’m just “death tripping”? (MH)
Thanks to Arcane Promotions for an excellent day as ever and here is to plenty more Deathfest’s to come.
http://www.arcanepromotions.co.uk
Respewing team Andy Duke, Martin Harris, Chris Kee, Paul Maddison and Pete Woods
Click here for photographs
MTUK HOME
