FESTIVAL REVIEW: UK Tech-Fest 2019 – Saturday

With two days down, two to go, and the infamous ‘festival flu’ definitely close to setting in, Saturday at this year’s UK Tech-Fest brought us our busiest review day of the weekend. Once again, we braved the summer sun and flitted between the festival’s two stages to bring you a comprehensive review, this time with ten talented acts to sink our teeth into.

UNSEEN FAITH – Fireball Stage

Another fresh, Danish act (seriously, there’s something in the water over there right now), deathcore outfit UNSEEN FAITH kicked off Saturday’s second stage antics with their debut UK performance. In short, it would be remiss to brand this as anything less than a blinding success. The four-piece immediately contrived to dispel the morning syndrome amongst the crowd, effortlessly delivering their ultra-heavy, ultra-groovy brand of progressive deathcore, predominantly comprised of material from debut album Waver. For a virtually brand new band and a UK debutante, the performance was tight, confident, and entertaining, with vocalist Alexander Eriksen showcasing a striking talismanic quality with an impressively broad range of screams and arresting stage presence. UK Tech-Fest always delivers a handful of surprise highlights, and UNSEEN FAITH have very much established themselves as one this year.

Rating: 9/10

22 – LINE 6 Stage

One of the weekend’s many Scandinavian acts, Norwegian quartet 22 took to the main stage to present their compelling brand of progressive rock. Clad in beefeater-esq, military attire and plenty of makeup, the outfit proceeded to rattle through their set with energy and a gung-ho attitude, dashing about the stage whilst delivering a delicate, intricate prog-rock sound with epic, grandiose chorus hooks littered throughout. Fredrik Klemp‘s impassioned, falsetto, Einar Solberg-esq vocals fluttered smoothly over the instrumentation, whilst guitarist and backing vocalist Magnus Bormark established himself as the clear centrepiece, practically running laps of the stage and unwaveringly displaying his clear joy for the music. It must be said that overall, the songs tended to lack epic, crescendo points, often meandering along without possessing a clear identity – however the entertainment and musicianship remained glaringly obvious without, making for a broadly successful display.

Rating: 8/10

DEITY’S MUSE – Fireball Stage

A rare South African outfit, DEITY’S MUSE this year made their UK Tech-Fest debut having recently played on UK shores for the first time: main support on MONUMENTS‘ short UK run. This stood them in good stead for their Saturday afternoon set, and it certainly showed, as they blasted through half an hour of their heavy, alternative rock with ease and comfort. Acting like seasoned professionals, their performance was tight and clean, with lead vocalist and guitarist Wayne Boucher very much playing the role of a successful frontman, both disciplines being executed with clear aptitude. What struck us at times, however, is the notion that this may not be the ideal festival act. Whilst a clear display of artistic prowess, this brand’s craft is predominantly a display of patient and often serene songwriting, and one perhaps unlikely to captivate a new audience. This is not a direct criticism, but rather an observation with bittersweet consequences, and one that unfortunately prevented this band’s display from stealing our hearts.

Rating: 7/10

FELIX MARTIN – LINE 6 Stage

Felix Martin is one of the few acts on this lineup whose performance could ever be in question. With few components to the live show, the quality of the performance is scarcely susceptible to being tainted by mixing issues, and thus the overall impact is predominantly based on his talent and musicianship, which is of course very much intact at all times. With this in mind, Martin proceeded to do exactly what was expected of him: namely, dazzle the swathes of spectators with his intricate, culturally diverse array of tapping, drumming and arpeggios on his famed 16-string guitar. With a strong, tight axis of bass and drums supporting him, Martin was able to comfortably rattle through a set of technical, Latin-infused playing, not putting a foot wrong in the process. Completing the portrait was his cool, imperious and almost arrogant stance and stage presence, reiterating the sheer scale of his craftsmanship, and wrapping up a predictably accomplished performance.

Rating: 9/10

TIME, THE VALUATOR – Fireball Stage

German metalcore act TIME, THE VALUATOR made an unprecedented splash in the scene two years ago when When I Meet Death, their second of just two released songs at the time, began to garner considerable traction in the djent and tech communities. Having now unveiled their long-awaited, debut album How Fleeting, How Fragile, the five-piece are performing their craft across Europe, and this year made their UK Tech-Fest debut in the process. As expected the performance was tight, energetic and professional, and comprised of a deft balance of heavy breakdowns, soft choruses, ambient leads and subtle synths. Each member performed with joy and enthusiasm, and lead guitarist Cedric Dreyszas‘ range of styles and disciplines struck as particularly impressive. Ultimately, however, there was a missing piece to the puzzle: whilst new frontman Rafael Andronic displayed an impressive array of clean singing, his range and pitch control wasn’t quite able to match his predecessor, causing him to strain during some of the trickier sections. This said, it’s likely that this issue will be erased once Andronic begins to perform more of his own material with the band, and generally speaking, this was a tight, entertaining performance from another promising up-and-comer.

Rating: 8/10

SHOKRAN – LINE 6 Stage

Voyaging all the way from Russia, SHOKRAN made their long-awaited UK Tech-Fest return with a respectable, evening main stage slot. With new album Ethereal freshly in the arsenal, the eclectic prog-metal outfit took flight, tearing through a varied set of breakdowns, epic choruses and solos, tastefully layered with Egyptian synths. This is a consistently revered, in-demand act, and it reflected considerably in the crowd’s reception, with sing-a-longs and mosh pits ebbing and flowing for the duration. Talisman and guitar whizz Dmitry Demyaneko was on typically sparkling form throughout, flawlessly pulling off every riff and solo with ease and providing a masterclass in technicality. This however, was undoubtedly the crux and highlight of the performance. Whilst energetic in presence and offering an array of brutish screams, frontman Andrew Ivashchenko ultimately failed to provide an accomplished, well-rounded display, often falling short with his attempt to hit some of the higher clean notes. Moreover, the broader live sound failed to offer the requisite impact, with Demyaneko‘s leads obnoxiously dominating the mix, and the crucial, characteristic synth sections flaccidly cowering beneath a mass of reverb and feedback, ultimately appearing benign and almost absent. All things considered, it would have taken a more established lineup to overcome the bulk of these issues, with just a trio (vocals, one guitarist and drums) appearing on stage. All in all, SHOKRAN certainly provided a fun and entertaining spectacle, but one that ultimately failed to meet the expectations created by the band’s status and reputation.

Rating: 6/10

TTNG – LINE 6 Stage

With an evening of blast beasts and breakdowns on the horizon, Oxford math-rock heartthrobs TTNG very much represented the calm before the storm. With an obvious soft spot for the outfit existing amongst the crowd, the quartet proceeded to put smiles on faces throughout the room, delivering a bright, jovial brand of indie rock, tinged with math-rock esq guitar playing. Reminiscent of such scene favourites as CHON and COVET, the sound seemed to strike an ideal balance between happy-go-lucky and technically astute, with guitarist Tim Collis‘ dexterity and musicianship in particular acting as the performance’s main attraction. Having recently been reinstated, original vocalist Stuart Smith also acted as a pleasant edition, immediately establishing a rapport with the crowd and scarcely removing the smile from his face, offering a string of soft, delicate clean vocals to deftly compliment the instrumentation. It can be argued that stylistically, TTNG weren’t particularly well equipped for a third-from-top main stage slot – very much lacking the pace, energy and brutality of the likes of PSYCROPTIC and MONUMENTS – however this was a performance that still offered intrigue and enjoyment nonetheless.

Rating: 8/10

PALM READER – Fireball Stage

A homegrown act who have very much risen through the ranks in recent years, PALM READER deservedly earned themselves a prestigious stage headliner slot at this year’s UK Tech-Fest. Having featured on lineups with the likes of THE CONTORTIONIST and ROLO TOMASSI, this was certainly a slot to match the chaotic hardcore outfit’s current demand and status, and one that they fulfilled whilst barely having to break a sweat. The Nottingham outfit’s expansive, progressive sound translated seamlessly to the live setting, with the chaos and ambience both cutting through the room with equal tenacity, and both frantic energy and contemplative adoration radiating from the crowd. Each song, whilst predominantly being relatively short, seemed to offer a pinch of everything, but with not a single style or approach sounding displaced or ill-fitting. Vocalist Josh Mckeown epitomised this with ease, effortlessly belting out his array of shrill fry screams and gentle clean singing like a true professional, gazing deep into the crowd throughout out asserting himself as an ominous presence at centre-stage. Diverting every now and again from the chaos and brutality, Andy Gillan‘s beautifully serene, ambient leads also added another dimension entirely. Once a run-of-the-mill hardcore act, PALM READER have metamorphosed into something more than worthy of headliner status, and this showed on the the night. Whilst devastating the Fireball Stage and consummately fulfilling their roles, the UK outfit also went one step above, proving themselves to be an enigma worthy of international adoration.

Rating: 9/10

PSYCROPTIC – LINE 6 Stage

A relatively fresh face at the top of the death metal ladder, Aussie outfit Psycroptic this year took on the challenge of a UK Tech-Fest main-support slot, aiming to melt faces with their ultra-fast, riff-laden brand of tech-death. As it happens, they did exactly that, with a crisp and balanced live mix enabling every blast beast and techy riff to mercilessly penetrate the room, sending the crowd into absolute pandemonium. Faced with the daunting task of single-handedly replicating a complex and multi-layered sound, lone guitarist Joe Haley stepped up to the plate and delivered a spellbinding performance, neglecting to miss a single note as he ploughed through riff after riff and solo after solo. Drummer Dave Haley offered a similar level of wizardry, whilst front-man Jason Peppiatt added the finishing touch by arresting the crowd with his looming stage presence and devilishly aggressive delivery. This was a thoroughly accomplished, near-flawless performance from PSYCROPTIC, more than justifying their respectable slot and sufficiently priming the crowd for the day’s main event.

Rating: 9/10

MONUMENTS – LINE 6 Stage

If asked to name the most archetypal UK Tech-Fest band, MONUMENTS would no doubt be a common retort amongst the festival’s fanbase. This is a homegrown outfit that not only helped to shape the worldwide djent scene as we know it today, but also remain as one of the country’s most beloved acts. With this in mind, the band’s announcement as Saturday headliner unsurprisingly provoked a jovial mood around the site, as the quintet prepared to make their long-awaited return. Unfortunately, the mood was dampened just days before the set, as the news of revered frontman Chris Baretto departing the band made its way through the community, leaving many with a newfound apprehension for the quality of the live show. However, this was soon dispelled as rising star Andy Cizek (MAKARI) stepped in and acted as if nothing had changed, delivering a presence, stamina and chilling range of vocals to effortlessly fill the shoes of his predecessor. As if there was any doubt, the rest of the band followed suit with ease and proved themselves to be on sparkling form, with acclaimed duo John Browne and Olly Steele delivering each deftly syncopated riff with precision and impact, whilst bassist Adam Swan and drummer Daniel Lang put not a single foot out of line in forming the robust, full-bodied, spinal low-end. Rattling through a crowd-pleasingly balanced set of material, MONUMENTS did precisely what was expected of them, performing with the same technical aptitude that earned them their reputation, and the same energy and vigour that characterises their music, sending the packed main stage into raptures. MONUMENTS are not only the archetypal UK Tech-Fest band, but they also provided the perfect end to the day.

Rating: 10/10

And that rounds off our coverage of the Saturday of this year’s UK Tech-Fest. If you haven’t already, check out our coverage of the Thursday and Friday, and keep posted to Distorted Sound as we bring you the last day of action soon!