Live Review: Desertfest - Friday
17th May 2023
Featuring: Masters of Reality, Mantar, Raging Speedhorn, Goblinsmoker, Colour Haze, Clouds taste Satanic, Orsak:Oslo, Pijn, Weedsnake, Grand Atomic
Words: Julian Pepper, Jacob Schwar, Matt Noble
Photos: Jacob Schwar
As anticipated, Desertfest 2024 was the only place to be seen in London between the 17th and 19th May! For 3 days the streets of Camden were awash with rocking revellers, who all seemed to have a great time seeing bands and catching up with friends old and new.
The honour of opening Desertfest 2024 proceedings at the Underworld goes to Norwegian three piece Grand Atomic, who take the stage to a packed and expectant crowd. As evidenced on debut album 'Beyond the Realm of Common Sense', Grand Atomic play a great mix of stoner and doom, which is both heavy and groovy. Whilst mainly instrumental, when the vocals do come in they are quite low in the mix and add an additional layer to the bands hypnotic sound. Finishing the set with the lengthy and epic 'King of Hesh', which encapsulates all that’s good about the band (go and give it a listen!), is a superb way to bring matters to a close and the crowd reaction proves that they enjoyed it just as much as the band themselves.
Mexican stoner doom quartet Weedsnake have come all the way to London just to play Desertfest and their energy and enthusiasm on stage is an absolute joy to behold. Their sound sits firmly in the stoner doom world, with the harsh (almost death metal style) vocals sung in Spanish adding an additional menace to the Sabbathian riffs churned out superbly by guitarist Etziel. Lead singer Alex is a livewire throughout, no more so than when the band take a foray into faster hardcore punk territory at times before descending back into the swamp of sludge that is their mainstay. The energy coming off the stage is replicated by the crowd who witness, in my opinion, one of the best sets of the weekend, which is exemplified by the number of Weedsnake tshirts seen adorning festival goers over the next couple of days. Bien hecho Weedsnake and come back soon!
Our first foray to Dingwalls is to see Pijn, who are one of the best and most unique post rock/metal bands around at the moment. The sound in the venue is superb, with the electrical cello clearly audible throughout and adding that additional layer to the sound that makes them stand out. As always with Pijn, the contrast of the quieter more melancholy passages with the full-on heaviness is enthralling throughout as best evidenced on second to last track 'Denial' from latest album 'Loss'. The set is brought to a conclusion in superb fashion with a run through of latest single 'On the Far Side of Morning', which ebbs and flows throughout before reaching a crescendo and then bringing us gently back down to earth again. Seeing Pijn live really is a mesmerising and cathartic experience and their soon to be released new album 'From Low Beams of Hope' (released on June 28th through their own label Floodlit Recordings) really should propel them to the top of the post metal tree. They truly are a special band and should be cherished!
Midway through the day at The Black Heart are the Scandinavian instrumentalists Orsak:Oslo, whose hypnotic melting pot of experimental prog, psych, post-rock and even more gets the room dancing and nodding nicely. With heavy, lysergic guitar effects floating across the room above a grinding rhythm section, the instrumentals flow nicely from section to section, with tasteful shoegaze-inspired guitars taking away the need for vocals. The warm fuzz and reverby echoes make for a gentle listen, but with plenty of interesting details to keep everyone's attention and the room full.
The Electric Ballroom is suitably packed for the set by Munich’s heavy psychedelic rock luminaries Colour Haze, who play one of the sets of the weekend. Colour Haze live sets always seem to have a bit of a jam feeling about them and today is no different as they cooly meander through the songs backed by an attention grabbing, bright and ever-changing psychedelic backdrop. As you’d expect from a band with an extensive catalogue that spans almost 30 years, the songs played cover their entire career, with highlights being 'Tempel' and 'Aquamaria' from 2006 album 'Tempel' and 'Turquoise' from 2022s 'Sacred' album. However, the best is saved until last as we are treated to the full almost twenty minutes in length instrumental piece de resistance that is 'Transformation'. The song really is trance inducing as you close your eyes and let the sounds gently wash over you. Stefan Koglek’s lead guitar work is stunning throughout and really comes to the fore on this set closer that leaves you wanting more from the German four piece.
The Black Heart is absolutely rammed (people are queuing on the stairs to get in!) and sauna like for the arrival of New York’s heavy psych doom instrumentalists Clouds Taste Satanic, who have released one of the albums of the year so far in '79 A.E.' on Majestic Mountain Records. Seeing the band live for the first time in such conditions really is an experience as the fuzzed out riffs and drums pummel your senses. However, it’s not all about the heavy as lengthy songs such as 'Collision' take you on a musical journey of peaks and troughs where lighter moments reside alongside the chunky riffs delivered by guitarists Steve and Brian. Thankfully, Clouds Taste Satanic are playing my local venue (Poco Loco in Chatham) next week so I will get to experience them once again in slightly more bearable conditions!
Friday’s proceedings are brought to a fine close with Durham’s Goblinsmoker at the Dev. Interest in the band and their tales of the Toad King is high as the Dev is absolutely packed to the gills with people even watching the set through the windows from the street outside! Goblinsmokers stoner doom sound is augmented by the more death metal style vocals of singer Adam to produce a dense and all-encompassing heavy experience that severely tests the foundations of the Dev! The Toad King would be proud! Worship him!
Tearing it up at the Underworld were Northamptonshire’s finest Raging Speedhorn who delivered their signature high-energy performance which effortlessly got the crowds moving and bopping along! These lads were on top form as always, knocking back the beers whilst simultaneously pummelling us with crushing breakdowns for which the ravenous fans on the front row went crazy for, especially with old school tracks such a ‘Reedweed’ and ‘Thumper’. Though it was clear to see, Raging Speedhorn were a much needed addition in a dominantly doom/stoner festival allowing folks to go crazy in the pit and to bounce along to, which was to be a rarity at Desertfest overall but without a doubt this was one of the most intense performances of the weekend from the Corby lads!
The last time Mantar were billed to play Desertfest they had to pull out at the last minute as singer/guitarist Hanno was laid up ill in an airport hotel. This may go some way to explain the ferocious nature of this Underworld headlining set but quite frankly, Mantar are always ferocious live! Hanno menacingly stalks the stage all set, leaning into his mic to spit out lyrics and riffs whilst man mountain drummer Erinc provides the thunderous backbeat throughout. Mantar’s sound has evolved over the years and this set covers all periods of the band from 'Death By Burning' material such as 'Spit' and 'White Nights' to more recent material such as 'Egoisto' and 'Hang ‘Em Low (So the Rats Can Get ‘Em)'. As is often the case, the highlight of the set is 'Era Borealis', which gets the crowd involved singing along to the chorus while the band pushes the limits on the stage. This is one set that was definitely worth the wait!
The excellent Masters of Reality close The Electric Ballroom on the Friday night with a smooth masterclass in bluesy fuzz and just a touch of signature weirdness. Most of their setlist takes on a slow blues waltz, prioritising restraint, groove and control, allowing the crowd to sway around gently and coolly take in a rare live appearance from Chris Goss on these shores. With that said, they know when to let rip, particularly on the drums, and Alain Johannes shows everyone how it's done with an exceptional lead guitar performance. A cover of Queens of the Stone Age's Hanging Tree sees him take the vocal mic and if you close your eyes, it's as if Mark Lanegan's in the room. Magical.
All photo credits: Jacob Schwar
