FESTIVAL REVIEW: Desertfest London 2023
Having established itself as a premier festival for all things doom, stoner and psychedelic, Desertfest London is always a glorious occasion as thousands of riff worshippers descend upon Camden Town for three days of bedlam. Although the likes of INTER ARMA and SOMALI YACHT CLUB‘s withdrawal from 2023’s lineup is an obvious disappointment, scattered across Camden’s numerous venues, there is a wealth of diverse talent to experience. And despite the Capital being the focus for the Coronation, for those with an ear for the heavy, the focus is all towards Desertfest London!
Friday – May 5th
TERROR COSMICO – The Underworld
For those who couldn’t quite face standing on the dingy narrow staircase of a fit to burst Black Heart, TERROR COSMICO were on hand to ease us into the vibe of Desertfest London 2023 with their set at The Underworld. On the back of their fourth full-length Miasma, the duo popped onto the stage to a rather zealous reception. Saying very little, the pair launched into their brand of heavy psych. What wasn’t expected however was the aggression which sat within the riffs. Small pockets of headbangers made themselves known throughout the floorspace while other patrons simply stood and let their minds wander through the melancholic vibes of anguish. What was truly impressive was the presence of a slow and slow groove despite the lack of a bassist. TERROR COSMICO had The Underworld captivated without saying a single word – something which very few bands are capable of doing. Asking an instrumental band to start proceedings in one of the most prestigious doom metal festivals may have been a bold move on Desertfest London’s part. However it was the right decision as TERROR COSMICO set the tone for what was going to be a water cooler weekend for more than a certain Coronation.
Rating: 7/10
KUROKUMA – The Underworld
Having made a stir in the underground with last year’s stellar Born Of Obsidian, Sheffield’s KUROKUMA are yet another product of the UK’s ever-reliable doom scene. Arriving to a throng of people at The Underworld, it’s clear as day that there’s a buzz about this band before a single note has been struck. Arriving on stage and informing the crowd they are the first people to hear the band’s upcoming as-of-yet unannounced album sends a wave of excitement throughout the venue and a bold move it may be, it’s one that works a treat. Thumping riffs drenched in sludge obliterate the crowd and there’s ample hooks thrown in good measures to encourage heads to bang, and the roaring vocals cut through the mix ever so well. Playing an entire album of material no one has heard before as opposed to last year’s well-received debut could have been a misfire, but if anything, this showpiece for their next body of work has whet the appetite indeed. Based on their performance at Desertfest London, the future is bright for KUROKUMA.
Rating: 8/10
DAWN RAY’D – The Underworld
Liverpool’s DAWN RAY’D have been one of the flagbearers for UK black metal since their arrived on the scene eight years ago. Their fusion of raw black metal and haunting folk, underpinned with a defiant message of anarchism and anti-fascism, has made them a firm favourite in extreme music circles. And although Desertfest London usually caters to the more slow riffing, there are usually several wildcards on the festival lineup and for 2023, DAWN RAY’D are one of them. They take to the stage to the stage at The Underworld on the back of this year’s To Know The Light; the trio’s energy is infectious right from the off as a cacophony of blastbeats, distorted riffing and howling screams from frontman Simon Barr threaten to pierce the ears of those congregated. The balance between raw black metal and solemn folk is dispatched expertly as the band are effective in weaving their soundscapes in the live arena and the pacing is solid enough to keep you engrossed throughout. A fine performance from one of UK black metal’s flagbearers.
Rating: 7/10
CHURCH OF MISERY – Electric Ballroom
A headline slot at a festival is a prestigious spot. So when CHURCH OF MISERY were announced as a Friday sub-headliner, the internet was aflame with the question “why”. The Japanese heavyweights sauntered onto the stage to a boisterous reception. CHURCH OF MISERY are a band worthy of such loyalty as their BLACK SABBATH tones meet the world of true crime. Ripping into El Padrino (Adolfo De Jesus Constanzo), we could hardly hear the band over the crowd. Tatsu Mikami’s bass lines were positively monstrous beneath Kazuhiro Asaeda’s smooth vocals about the darker side of society. What came as a surprise is there are splatterings of new material littered throughout. Though not being familiar, the crowd take to it like Jeffrey Dahmer took to cannibalism. Their heady blend of hazy riffs and sharp beats are simply intoxicating and drive the crowd to fever pitch. CHURCH OF MISERY’s presence is commanding from the get go. Closing with favourites I, Motherfucker (Ted Bundy) and Shotgun Boogie (James Oliver Huberty), it would seem strange that people would be whipped up into a frenzy about some of the world’s most notorious criminals, but the power of CHURCH OF MISERY not only brought the crowd to boiling point but proved just why they should be headlining Desertfest London.
Rating: 10/10
GRAVEYARD – The Electric Ballroom
How do you follow a band like CHURCH OF MISERY? This is something Gothenburg’s GRAVEYARD has to contend with as they close Friday night at The Electric Ballroom. Still feeling the high from the previous band, the crowd were white hot by the time the quartet hit the stage. Hard Times Lovin’ gives everyone a little bit of what they want; riffs oozing sex appeal and velveteen vocals. Footloose and fancy free, the crowd fully lean into GRAVEYARD’s atmosphere and get down with the blues-tinged closers. Randy and Hisingen Blues have the crowd breaking into a sweat, something vocalist/guitarist Joakin Nilsson delights in. Sauntering through their hit filled discography with ease makes this set feel effortless and the party it should always be.
It can be a risk breaking out of a specific genre – especially with a headline act – but GRAVEYARD hold their own in convincing fashion. Despite not having released new material since 2018’s Peace, the crowd simply enjoy the material they know and love, fully embracing the moment. Having a 16 song set list at the end of a day at a festival is a ballsy move but it’s something GRAVEYARD clearly possess a lot of as the energy never drops. Should they have been swapped with CHURCH OF MISERY? In our opinion, yes, but with Please Don’t flowing from Bird Of Paradise, it’s clear to see why the band order was set a certain way. Something else which makes GRAVEYARD a band of the weekend is the fact they aren’t afraid to stick a drum solo in the encore of all places. Many could have seen this as a bathroom place or an opportunity to sneak out before show’s end but Oskar Bergenheim’s command over the kit keeps people rooted to the spot. GRAVEYARD ended The Electric Ballroom’s Friday night in hard rock style and became a talking point as the weekend unfolded.
Rating: 9/10
Saturday – May 6th
WREN – The Underworld
WREN are heavy. Obscenely heavy. So heavy in fact, we assume that the foundations of The Underworld are shaking as the quartet pummel a packed crowd to kick off day two of Desertfest London. The band’s blend of atmospheric sludge is incredibly immersive on record, but live, it’s an altogether different beast. Chris Pickering and Owen Jones‘ dual riffage leads the line as wave after wave of obtusely heavy riffs bombard the crowd, and Jones‘ booming sporadic roars disperses the dense wall of sound with razor-sharp precision. With bassist Robert Letts and drummer Seb Tull keeping the hypnotising rhythm pulsing, WREN capture the hearts and minds of the crowd in an instant and refuse to let go. And with a nice addition of some new material, their first for three years, don’t expect WREN to go quietly into the night anytime soon.
Rating: 9/10
TUSKAR – The Underworld
Having turned many heads with last year’s stellar debut Matriarch, TUSKAR are quickly establishing themselves as one of the UK’s treasures in the doom scene. As such, a packed crowd at The Underworld awaits the duo at Desertfest London and their entrance could not be any more ballsy. Strutting on stage to BEYONCÉ‘s Crazy In Love is an absolute powermove and catches the crowd completely off-guard, but after the silliness subsides, what follows is an absolute monolithic display of hefty doom. The riffs that reverberate from Tom Dimmock‘s guitar threaten to level the venue’s foundations whilst drummer Tyler Hodges pounds his kit into oblivion and dispatches his vocals with the utmost conviction. It’s a really strong performance and with a set at this year’s Damnation Festival on the horizon, where they will perform Matriarch in its entirety, TUSKAR look set to cement their position as one of the best bands in UK doom.
Rating: 8/10
LOWEN – The Dev
Does progressive metal belong at Desertfest London? The crowd overflowing from The Dev for London bred LOWEN seems to prove it does. After some minor delays, Nina Saeidi takes to the mic and unleashed her powerhouse vocals, rendering The Dev almost silent for almost the first time in Desertfest history. We’re transported to a utopia to the soundtrack of doom metal with just a hint of black metal squeals from Shem Lucas’ guitar. Heavy breaths breed goosebump riddled arms aplenty. The rest of the group may be headbanging and feeling the groove they’re putting down, but all eyes and ears settle with Saeidi. We’re taken back to 2018’s A Crypt In The Stars for the majority of the set though there are no complaints from us in this department. It is a simply captivating album which makes for a magnificent set from the London outfit. The crowd only make noise to show their appreciation for the song they’ve just heard which is a pleasant sight to behold. There is a reason The Dev was full to capacity before LOWEN had even soundchecked – after a set as glorious as the one we had witnessed, we are fully convinced they should have been playing a larger venue and much later on the bill.
Rating: 8/10
GRAVE LINES – The Underworld
What is a doom metal festival without some gloom? Exactly, nothing. So it’s a sadistic tendency which brings us to sludge metal band GRAVE LINES in The Underworld. The London brood brings a packed set of misanthropy. They also bring a gun show with axe-wielder Oliver Hill. Straight out the gate, GRAVE LINES give us a little bit of what we want and soothe the itch for dirty riffs. With the set largely comprised of last year’s Communion, Tachnid’s swirling drones engulf the crowd riffs shortly after they take to the stage. Jake Harding’s vocals are laden with misery and hopelessness akin to the likes of HANGMAN’S CHAIR should they ever venture into harsher sounds. Gordian keeps the crowd running on adrenaline as patrons shout with vitriol. The main feeling we are left with after the tandem of debuting Argyraphaga and Corpus is that of catharsis.
Rating: 7/10
CROWBAR – Electric Ballroom
At this point in their career, New Orleans’ CROWBAR are royalty in the sludge metal scene. The band, led by Kirk Windstein, have been ruling the roost of sludge since their explosive inception and at Desertfest London, their performance is utterly emphatic. Over the course of a career-spanning set, with a nice inclusion of material from last year’s Zero And Below, CROWBAR let their riffs do the talking and their sludge-infused heaviness captures the swelling crowd to headbang in unison. Windstein himself is on superb form as he dispatches his trademark riffage consistently, and his crooning, deep vocals cut through the mix with the utmost ease. They may be three decades into their career, but on this type of form, CROWBAR display enough youthful spirit and energy to ensure that adrenaline surges from their first sludge-soaked riff to the last.
Rating: 9/10
CORROSION OF CONFORMITY – Electric Ballroom
Just like CROWBAR, North Carolina’s CORROSION OF CONFORMITY have a certain pedigree within heavy music circles. Their ample grooves and infectious rhythms are set in stone over the course of their lengthy career, and as such, their is a mass crowd awaiting their headlining set at The Electric Ballroom for Desertfest London. And the band do not disappoint, not one bit. What unfolds is a masterclass is groovy heavy metal as Pepper Keenan and co. dispatch anthems for the Desertfest crowd repeatably and those present lap it up with the utmost desire.
Leaning heavily on 1994’s classic Deliverance, CORROSION OF CONFORMITY dispatch grooves at every opportunity. Bottom Feeder (El que come abajo) gets the set off to the best possible start, whilst staples like Vote With A Bullet‘s thick riffing encourages a sea of banging heads, Albatross‘ deep south’s grooves sees many in attendance sway to the sexy rhythm and Wiseblood establishes itself as a mid-set highlight. And then there’s Clean My Wounds. An anthem on its own, live, it’s simply phenomenal as the band display their craft to the utmost perfection, and the medley jam keeps the crowd fixated. Kings of this scene, CORROSION OF CONFORMITY close day two of Desertfest London in the grandest fashion.
Rating: 10/10
Sunday – May 7th
GRAYWAVE – PowerHaus
Birmingham’s GRAYWAVE have been causing a stir in recent months, largely thanks to the backing of Church Road Records, and there’s a nice population of people awaiting them as they kick off the PowerHaus billing on the final day of this year’s Desertfest London. And what a quaint and lovely way to ease us into the final day. Fusing elements of shoegaze and synthwave, GRAYWAVE‘s sonics are pleasing upon the ears as the band ease us into a tranquil environment with moments that soar and plummet. We are engrossed during their brief time on stage and it leaves a lasting impression. A special talent within the UK’s consistently healthy alternative scene.
Rating: 8/10
NEBULA – The Roundhouse
Got space rock? If not, NEBULA has it in spades as they take to The Roundhouse for a psychedelic trip through the stars and everything in between. For those who make the walk up Chalk Farm Road to this iconic venue, they’re rewarded with 12 tracks of the purist metal to smoke some of the Devil’s Lettuce to. Aphrodite becomes one of the highlights with its synths and riffs melding together for a blissful moment where the mind empties and NEBULA takes The Roundhouse to another world. Man’s Best Friend quickly follows and prompts the crowd to embrace this strange new world with a renewed energy. 12 tracks so early into Sunday’s events is surely a test of endurance for those who have been indulging all weekend thus far, though the hair of the dog doesn’t just come in alcoholic form. Hangovers of all sizes melt away like dying stars as NEBULA power through their set. It may not be that typical heaviness many would associate with Desertfest London but it is a wonderful time all the same. Have they done enough to become a talking point of the weekend? With death metallers CELESTIAL SANCTUARY on the bill later on, perhaps not. However NEBULA isn’t a band to be discounted.
Rating: 7/10
ZETRA – PowerHaus
ZETRA are an interesting addition to the Desertfest London bill as they are branded as synth-metal. Surely that would be “too bright” or “whimsical” for a festival such as this, but the crowd come in droves for the enigmatic duo. Donning corpse paint and utilising screens for textual atmospherics, ZETRA make their appearance alongside their Atari sequencer. What we’re then exposed to is gloom-cum-synth-pop. It sounds like an odd combination… because it is… but it’s also something incredibly intoxicating to listen to. Little is known about the duo on stage attempting to snatch us into their realm but the mystery always leaves people wanting more. That is until it doesn’t. Some find this band simply too one-note for them and slip out into the daylight to the sound of their boots sticking to the floor. ZETRA, like many bands at the moment, prove themselves to be a marmite act; we get it or we don’t. While the first couple of tracks ensnared our attention, it melted away shortly thereafter, dulled by the call for something a little more within the comfort zone.
Rating: 6/10
JO QUAIL – PowerHaus
Although Desertfest London is vastly populated by bands that worship the riff, there are secret nuances to be find within the vast lineup. JO QUAIL is one such delight. The exceptional cellist has been a firm favourite in heavy music circles, from appearing at festivals such as ArcTanGent to supporting the likes of WINTERFYLLETH, and at Desertfest London, QUAIL looks calm and relaxed as she graciously takes to the stage in the confines of the PowerHaus. Although the buzz of chatter towards the back of the venue threatens to shatter her captivating soundscape, throughout her performance, JO QUAIL displays a masterclass of both her singular instrument and the ability to invoke a sound that washes over you entirely. The music bends and contorts, twists and turns, and builds to almighty crescendos that lets your emotions run wild. She truly is a gem in our world and must be treasured at all costs.
Rating: 8/10
CELESTIAL SANCTUARY – The Black Heart
CELESTIAL SANCTUARY have been flying the flag for British death metal in recent times, and being on a bill that is predominately dominated by masters of the slow riff might look a bit off on first glance, but their position of headlining The Black Heart on Desertfest London‘s final day proves to be a masterstroke as the band dispatch high-octane death metal with malicious intent. They pulverise their way through a blistering set that leaves little room to breathe as set opener Rid The Gormless kicks off in explosive fashion before a hefty one-two punch of Mass Extinction and Suffer Your Sentience incites sheer bedlam in the pit.
With the bulk of the material coming from 2021’s superb Soul Diminished, CELESTIAL SANCTUARY display their potency for excellent death metal with pure malice and the sheer power the band display on such a small stage at The Black Heart is jaw-dropping. As they close the curtain on Desertfest London, whatever comes next, it’s clear as day that CELESTIAL SANCTUARY will become a driving force in British death metal.
Rating: 9/10
Words: James Weaver, Tasha Brown
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