FESTIVAL PREVIEW: UK Tech-Fest 2017
UK Tech-Fest, the extravaganza of all things technical and progressive returns this year with a vast and varied lineup. Covering everything from progressive metal, experimental, tech-death and the downright bizarre, 2017’s edition of UK Tech-Fest is a must attend for those with an ear for the expansive soundscapes. With no clashes between the alternate stages, in theory, you can see every single band performing at this year’s festival. But with a vast array of wonderful and intriguing bands on offer, picking who to watch can be a difficult task indeed. However, Distorted Sound is here to give you the lowdown on this year’s lineup with who we think you should be watching, so sit down and enjoy our preview for this year’s UK Tech-Fest!
Thursday 6th July
For those in attendance of the early bird passes for this year’s Tech-Fest, then a handful of bands are on offer before the main festival starts to kick start the festivities. Whilst they certainly aren’t the most technical band on this year’s bill, Thursday headliners CHELSEA GRIN come to Tech-Fest armed with a barrage of riffs and visceral breakdowns to reign in the first day in sheer musical chaos and the rest of the day’s lineup is a varied package of bands. Featuring several bands that are certainly on the rise, there is plenty on offer at the early bird event. From THE ROYAL‘s fresh approach to metalcore, FRCTRD‘s modern take on deathcore and CORE OF IO‘s expansive soundscape, the early bird day at this year’s Tech-Fest is a prime opportunity to discover truly exciting new talent.
Friday 7th July
Friday’s offering welcomes the introduction of some true heavyweights in the tech metal scene to the fold alongside some of its brightest stars for the future. THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER who will be rounding off the day’s festivities are no strangers to playing high profile events and the unrelenting intensity and unforgiving tempo they bring to their live sets prove why they have been a name synonymous with the death metal movement for more than a decade. Alongside Belgian gore-mongers ABORTED and the rap/grime influenced lyrical barrage of HACKTIVIST the Carillion Guitars Stage at this year’s UK Tech-Fest is stacked with a phenomenal amount of talent.
Friday also features the captivating yet eclectic mathcore arrangements of ROLO TOMASSI, DYSCARNATE’s arsenal of sledgehammer-like brutality and the breakdowns of MARTYR DEFILED which are the musical equivalent of dark matter. Further bolstering the lineup on the Gigantic Stage at this year’s UK Tech-Fest is the bludgeoning riffs of tech death powerhouses VIRVUM and WITHIN DESTRUCTION accompanied by the instrumental wizardry of TOSKA, the wide and varied sonic passages of HIEROGLYPH and soothing progressive elements provided by VALIS ABLAZE. OCEANS ATE ALASKA are provided a big opportunity to seize their foothold in the scene as they close proceedings on the Gigantic Stage, with their newest album on the horizon they will be aiming to make a lasting impression.
Saturday 8th July
Saturday’s events at this year’s UK Tech-Fest will witness the saddening farewell of one of the true greats of the tech metal movement in the visionaries known as TEXTURES. A band that never compromised on their sound and by sticking to their blueprint created some of the most powerful compositions the genre has ever had the pleasure to encounter. Before this the attendees will get to witness the frenetic intricacy of OBSCURA, ambient soundscapes provided by UNEVEN STRUCTURE, the wonderfully eccentric combinations of electronic dance and progressive metal in the form of THE ALGORITHM as well as the elaborate jazz infused orchestrations of EXIVIOUS. Fan favourites EXIST IMMORTAL are also thrown into the mix bringing their huge choruses and powerful guitar work to an already hefty lineup on the Carillion Guitars Stage.
The Gigantic Stage will bear witness to the penultimate show of THE COLOUR LINE‘s farewell tour so be prepared for chaotic antics where no climbable surface will be safe. The stage also provides a wide range of instrumentation in the form instrumental progressive outfit THE PARALLAX METHOD, the punishing beatdowns of HARBINGER alongside the energetic, addictive prowess of RED SEAS FIRE before the huge vocal verses and frantic bursts of PERSEFONE bring the stage to a conclusion.
Sunday 9th July
Aiming to round off the festival with a bang, the closing day of UK Tech-Fest is jam-packed full of bands that will bring the heavy in abundance. From BEYOND CREATION‘s dazzling soundscape of tech-death, CARCER CITY‘s barrage of riffs and the bizarre and expansive IGORRR, the Carillion Guitars Stage is stacked with a diverse and impressive lineup of bands. Canadian progressive metallers ONI and venomous metallers A TRUST UNCLEAN represent an exciting addition of budding talent to the main stage whilst recently announced secret headliners NORTHLANE intend to end UK Tech-Fest on an absolute high.
As impressive as the main stage is, the Gigantic Stage boasts some truly exciting bands to witness too. INGESTED will bring utter chaos to UK Tech-Fest with their relentless brand of death metal, AENIMUS spice of technical elements results in a fresh approach to the deathcore sound and NOVENA are yet another example of the blossoming progressive scene within the UK. GHOST IRIS arrive at UK Tech-Fest on the back of the sensational Blind World, so expect a truly magnificent set, PANZERBALLET‘s brand of ‘jazz-metal’ will be something truly unique and Leeds based PTEROGLYPH have a wonderful opportunity to really make a statement of intent with their opening performance.
Words: James Weaver & Dan McHugh
And that’s it! Let Distorted Sound know who you are most excited for at this year’s festival in the comments below or reach out to us on our official social media channels. UK Tech-Fest takes place from July 6 to 10 2017 at Newark Showground. Weekend tickets are currently priced at £79.99 + £20 Camping and can be purchased here.
For more information on the festival like their official page on Facebook.
