FESTIVAL REVIEW: Desertfest London 2022
After a two year hiatus thanks to pandemic-induced cancellations, Desertfest London is back with a bang! As the UK’s premier festival for doom, stoner, sludge and everything inbetween, as we descend onto the famous Camden Town, excitement is rife. With a stacked lineup featuring some of the best bands within the doom world, across the festival’s three days and numerous stages, there is numerous musical treats to divulge in. Let us begin.
Friday
BLIND MONARCH – The Underworld
Tasked with being an opening band at any festival is no easy task and for Sheffield’s BLIND MONARCH, they have the audacious task of being the first band to kick off Desertfest London. Given there are no clashes at this point, a densely packed crowd await the band at The Underworld and the band do not disappoint. Thick and pounding riffs obliterate the crowd from the first note to the last whilst vocalist Tom Blyth‘s monstrous roars easily held their own against the monolithic wall of noise. Whilst the sound did stray into one-dimensional territory in the latter stages of the set, as far as BLIND MONARCH are concerned, they did more than amicable job of igniting the festivities of Desertfest.
Rating: 7/10
Words: James Weaver
SHOOTING DAGGERS – Powerhaus
Curious minds filtered into Powerhaus, the reputation of feminist punk upstarts SHOOTING DAGGERS preceding them. The room was abuzz with expectation by the time the trio wandered on stage. What followed was exactly what it says on the SHOOTING DAGGERS tin; unadulterated aggressive punk. Vitriol spiked each of Salomé Salgado Pellegrin‘s tirades against sexism and the patriarchy. Animal rights driven Carnage saw Pellegrin blend seamlessly with Beatrice Simion‘s bassy backing vocals and Raquel J Alves‘ relentless drums for… carnage. With their refreshingly brash energy and infectious attitude, SHOOTING DAGGERS were a must see. The buzz surrounding upcoming EP Athames grew evermore.
Rating: 8/10
Words: Tasha Brown
INHUMAN NATURE – The Black Heart
Given all the doom and sludge on offer at Desertfest, having bands of INHUMAN NATURE‘s ilk proves to be a masterstroke. Trust a band like them to inject some much-needed urgency and adrenaline into proceedings and what transpires is one of the best performances of the entire weekend. The London crossover thrashers have been riding a wave of appreciation as of late, thanks to new EP Under The Boot, and they waste absolutely no time in inciting chaos in the small confines of The Black Heart. The riffs are utterly infectious, keeping the pit bouncing throughout, and in Christopher Barling, INHUMAN NATURE have one hell of a frontman. Commanding the crowd with the utmost ease and leading the charge, INHUMAN NAUTRE are a force to be reckoned with and the experience is simply exhilarating.
Rating: 10/10
Words: James Weaver
SEVEN SISTERS – The Black Heart
While it may have been tough to follow the visceral cacophony of INHUMAN NATURE, SEVEN SISTERS proved themselves well up to the task as they filled The Black Heart with their distinctive brand of good old-fashioned British heavy metal. Powerful vocals and headbangable riffs were the order of the day as they transported the crowd into a world of fantasy with epic lyrics and uplifting melodies which had even unfamiliar punters singing along by the end. The twin guitar attack of duo Graeme Farmer and Kyle McNeill was a highlight as the band effortlessly transitioned from understated and atmospheric clean sections to intricate melodic breaks via searing power chord choruses. The title track from their new album Shadow of a Fallen Star, Part 1 combined IRON MAIDEN-esque galloping riffs with soaring neoclassical harmonies and a chorus to nod your head to. The Artifice started with a ripping solo, with its sinister chug of a verse giving way to a surprisingly catchy chorus. Overall, it was genuinely a treat to see these guys so confidently and unabashedly fly the flag for the old school.
Rating: 9/10
Words: Colette Lewis
ALUNAH – The Devonshire Arms
What is a Friday night at Desertfest without indulging in majestic doom metal? Fitting that exact premise, The Devonshire Arms was packed with disciples of doom before ALUNAH played a single note. Headlining in the iconic venue, the Birmingham quartet sprung onto the stage to a warm reception from fans and casual listeners alike. All too aware they had to compete with the likes of SPIRIT ADRIFT and INTEGRITY for their audience, the band wasted little time in showcasing just why they had been chosen to headline. With a heady blend of doom and psych rock, ALUNAH proved to be an intoxicating watch. Weaving through material from their recent album Strange Machine, Siân Greenaway‘s dreamy vocals were almost enough to transport some patrons to a different astral plane. For patrons who wanted to round out their day at The Dev with chill metal and ethereal vocals, they found that with ALUNAH. As wonderful as Greenaway‘s vocals were, the power came from the huge riffs reverberating through the optics. Small buzzes of feedback infiltrated the set but did little to break the immersion. Live music is all about the raw vocals and buzz of frequencies, ALUNAH had that in spades.
Rating: 7/10
Words: Tasha Brown
SPIRIT ADRIFT – The Black Heart
Despite WITCHCRAFT and ALUNAH performing at the The Electric Ballroom and The Devonshire Arms, the very fact there is a queue snaking down the stairs to The Black Heart proves that SPIRIT ADRIFT are positioned as one of the Desertfest faithful’s favourites. And boy, did they not disappoint. Armed with a wicked arsenal of killer heavy metal riffage, Nate Garrett and company give a commanding and thoroughly enjoyable performance, one in which rewards the packed room aplomb. Ride Into The Light is a sheer anthem in the live environment and one that perfectly captures the very best in heavy metal. SPIRIT ADRIFT‘s appearance at Desertfest London has been a long time coming and it was worth every minute of the wait. Truly joyous.
Rating: 8/10
Words: James Weaver
WITCHCRAFT – The Electric Ballroom
Swedish heavyweights WITCHCRAFT packed The Electric Ballroom on the Friday night of Desertfest to deliver a weighty and emotive punch of psychedelic doom. WITCHCRAFT kicked things off with the ominous Malstroem, its folkish opening melody evoking images of rural dread before giving way to a barrage of venomous sludge. Founder and vocalist Magnus Pelander savoured every word as he crooned his way through the dark lyrics, before switching to a groovier style to invoke the more old-school rock and roll vibe of their self-titled album. Fans expecting to hear songs from The Alchemist and Legend may have been somewhat disappointed as the band centred their setlist on cuts from Witchcraft and Nucleus, before ending with a couple of powerful tracks from Firewood. Nevertheless, the band were in fine form, and The Electric Ballroom rocked back and forth to the sound of anthemic riffs. The huddled masses roared with approval as the first band to headline Desertfest in two years performed with mesmerising artistry.
Rating: 8/10
Words: Colette Lewis
Saturday
KING WITCH – The Underworld
Bleary eyed and somewhat fragile, people flocked to The Underworld looking for the hair of the dog. Enter Scottish brood KING WITCH. Armed with meaty riffs and the almighty Laura Donnelly steering the ship, we were treated to half an hour of hot-blooded heaviness. Rory Lee‘s basslines vibrated through chest cavities as if to take the crowd by the shoulders and give them a good ol’ rattle. KING WITCH ripped through material from Body Of Light (2020) and Under The Mountain (2018) with great ferocity. Surveying the growing perkiness of the crowd around us we found there couldn’t have been a better band to get day two of Desertfest off to a flying start.
Rating: 7/10
Words: Tasha Brown
KONVENT – The Underworld
KONVENT have been one of the breakout names in extreme music over the last few years. Despite the turbulence of the pandemic, the Danish quartet weathered the storm and now, armed with their crushing second record Call Down The Sun, the band hit the stage of The Underworld on Desertfest‘s second day with momentum on their side. And what follows is simply staggering. Wave after wave of crushing riffs proceed to aurally batter the audience whilst frontwoman Rikke Emilie List is as terrifying as she is commanding. Her snarls and growls roar above the enormous wall of noise with the utmost effectiveness and she holds the audience in the palm of her hand from the first note to the last. A powerful and memorable performance from one of extreme metal’s brightest sparks.
Rating: 9/10
Words: James Weaver
FIRE DOWN BELOW – The Black Heart
Belgium’s FIRE DOWN BELOW are the epitome of fun. Letting their bouncy fuzzy riffs do the talking, the quartet power through their set at The Black Heart and the adrenaline rarely dips. Comprised of material from the band’s two studio albums to date, the band intoxicate the crowd as wicked guitar riffage connects with the crowd ever so well and Jeroen Van Troyen‘s vocals maintain a lovely balance of grit and melody. With it being now four years since their last record, based on their slick performance at Desertfest, album number three needs to arrive sooner rather than later.
Rating: 8/10
Words: James Weaver
ELDER – The Roundhouse
Ask anyone on day two of Desertfest who they were planning to see and the answer would come before the question was finished. ELDER walked on to the stage to a rambunctious response. With many sacrificing a chance to see GREEN LUNG in the cruellest of clashes, the anticipation was high. Opening with the epic Sanctuary, we got to experience the magnificence of ELDER in full glory. Effortlessly cruising through an extended version of the 11 minute heavy hitter, Nicholas DiSalvo made light work giving the audience what they wanted. Monolithic riffs and haunting vocals combined in compendium to ensure there wasn’t a dry eye in The Roundhouse. A wonderfully euphoric watch.
Rating: 9/10
Words: Tasha Brown
HANGMAN’S CHAIR – The Underworld
Feet firmly stuck to the floor with beer and other substances, the packed Underworld was rooted in place for HANGMAN’S CHAIR. What came to pass left many overcome with both sonic and emotional heaviness the French foursome have become well-known for with the recent release of A Loner. With themes of drug abuse, mental illness, and alienation; this was a world away from the day’s previous outbound ecstasy. Who Wants To Die Old was the highlight. A full two minutes into the song, many slyly wiped tears away as gargantuan riffs from Cédric Toufouti and Julien Rour Chanut sent us plummeting into a gorgeous soundscape of joyous misery.
Mehdi Birouk Thépegnier’s drums pounded like a sledgehammer, dictating the band’s dalliance with the morose. The drummer was cited as the start of many a choreographed head bob in the crowd. Hearing many a groan of what we hope was appreciation for the music, the longer HANGMAN’S CHAIR played the more well received they became. The set was a delightful oxymoron from beginning to end. Purging patrons of their ills, HANGMAN’S CHAIR reminded many of the power music holds, possibly surprising themselves in the process. Some may believe it was somewhat of a dour note to end the night on but the clean feeling of shared catharsis proved otherwise.
Rating: 10/10
Words: Tasha Brown
Sunday
DVNE – The Roundhouse
Scottish progressive metallers DVNE were one of 2021’s breakout names. The wonderful Etemen Ænka catapulted the band onto the radars as many and their positioning on the lineup to kick off the final day of Desertfest feels very well deserved. And they make good on their breakout year with a performance that is as gripping as it is expansive. Living true to their progressive namesake, their amalgamation of progressive elements, sludge and post-metal works a treat, with the wonderful acoustics of The Roundhouse making their soundscape sound absolutely huge. Victor Vicart and Dan Barter‘s dual vocal exchanges work wonders and the consistent experimental guitar work from the two showcases the expertise within their ranks. A performance that lives up to the hype for sure.
Rating: 9/10
Words: James Weaver
CONAN – The Roundhouse
CONAN are heavy. That much has been set in stone since the Liverpudlians first erupted onto the metal scene 16 years ago. And their performance at Desertfest lives true to their reputation. A cacophony of enormous riffs provided from Jon Davis and bassist Chris Fielding threaten to shake the foundations of The Roundhouse as the band power through the likes of Hawk As Weapon and Battle In The Swamp. It’s a hugely dense sound, one in which does blur as the set draws on, but for the CONAN faithful, it is everything they have come to expect from this UK doom staple.
Rating: 7/10
Words: James Weaver
DESERT STORM – The Underworld
If it’s dirty sludge people were looking for – DESERT STORM were happy to provide. Lyrical content centred on socio-political imbalances combined with battering riffs, we weren’t surprised to see faces contort in confusion. In saying that, this band isn’t purely for those well-versed in current events. The grimy riffs setting the pace for this power hour suggest DESERT STORM are more than political. That didn’t settle in the band’s favour was tuning. Chris Benoist‘s bass tuning between songs would lead to silences. Banter clearly not for vocalist Matt Ryan. While this halted proceedings somewhat, it wasn’t a complete detriment. The crowd were in good spirits, drinking in the remaining sludge-fuelled escapism.
Rating: 7/10
EYEHATEGOD – The Roundhouse
Bringing some Louisiana heat to Camden this afternoon are New Orleans’ EYEHATEGOD. These veterans have a certain composure on the stage, performing a quick soundcheck blues jam before Mike is set loose on the microphone, and the band launch into a one-two hit from Take As Needed For Pain. “We’re a rock ‘n’ roll band,” insists Williams. “Not a ‘sludge’ band – what the fuck is that?” The spirit of rock ‘n’ roll is certainly alive and well in The Roundhouse tonight, with band and audience flicking the bird in grinning unison, and Williams carrying himself like a latter-day IGGY POP. More recent tracks High Risk Trigger, Nobody Told Me and Parish Motel Sickness feature before they turn to the classic duo Sister Fucker and $30 Bag.
They’re no strangers to the big stage, but something about their unhinged, anarchic energy hasn’t translate well here, not helped by the somewhat subdued sound. This is a band you want to see in a sweat-drenched dive-bar. All the same, it’s wall-to-wall smiles of appreciation for the sludge ‘n’ roll legends tonight as they bring their set to a close with Everything Everyday and one last wave of middle fingers.
Rating: 7/10
Words: Jack Moar
YOB – The Roundhouse
As arguably one of the most anticipated performances of the festival, it comes as no surprise that The Roundhouse is absolutely packed for doom heavyweights YOB. And what transpires is simply magical. On the form of their lives, the trio led by the ever admirable Mike Scheidt are simply on another level as they capture the attention of the crowd from set opener Prepare The Ground to epic closer Burning The Altar. Their sound is absolutely enormous as the vocals soar and the riffs come thundering down. Few, if any, bands can match the majesty of YOB and their performance at Desertfest London is one for the history books.
Rating: 10/10
Words: James Weaver
NAXATRAS – The Underworld
Rounding out proceedings at The Underworld were Greek psych rockers NAXATRAS. Coming in to replace SOMALI YACHT CLUB, the buzz of anticipation was high. Armed with stacks of ambience, the fuzzy riffs combined with drawn out vocals made NAXATRAS an easy listen. With the stage shrouded in hazy orange light, the last set for The Underworld was clearly meant to be something to listen to as opposed to watch. This may have made for an odd experience to some, but for those who had indulged in whatever took their fancy it was much needed after a high octane weekend of wall-to-wall riffs.
The Greek trio’s set seemed to float by in its amber (not purple) haze. Though it’s a shame to say they didn’t hold the crowd’s attention for the entire time. Seen as background music for various conversations as opposed to primary activity, we’re conflicted as to whether this should have been the band to headline. While the long wait for NAXATRAS to appear at the festival was over for many, it came to an underwhelming end for some.
Rating: 7/10
Words: Tasha Brown
ELECTRIC WIZARD – The Roundhouse
ELECTRIC WIZARD are an institution for UK doom. For decades, the band have been at the forefront of the conversation for the sub-genre and their placement as the headliner of The Roundhouse on the final day of Desertfest London feels as natural as drawing breath. And whilst their performance falters in the sense of being a truly engrossing and memorable affair, the band do exactly what one has come to expect from ELECTRIC WIZARD; it’s loud, heavy and psychedelic imagery dances on the electric screens behind them. Black Mass still sounds huge in the live environment, Funeralopolis is still a doom metal staple and Satanic Rites Of Drugula showcases a band that know exactly how to please their market. In a routine performance, ELECTRIC WIZARD close Desertfest with what we’ve all come to the capital for; big heavy riffs and you can’t ask for more than that.
Rating: 7/10
Words: James Weaver
And that rounds off our coverage from this year’s tremendous Desertfest London! We at Distorted Sound had an absolute blast covering this year’s festival and we are already counting down the days to Desertfest London 2023!
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