By way of preamble, it’s worth noting that this is SonicAbuse’s second time at Hammerfest, a metal extravaganza set near the lovely coastal town of Pwllheli in North Wales. The last time SonicAbuse ventured to Wales, we were blessed with a fair prelude to summer – the land alive with blue skies and warm sunshine. Unfortunately, this year sees us battle the elements of snow, ice and rain not to mention mother nature hurling a refreshing gale in our general direction, just in case the generally plummeting temperatures were not enough to contend with.
And yet… despite the arctic conditions, the one constant at Hammerfest is the warmth of the atmosphere. We noted last year that Hammerfest is one of the friendliest events in the metal calendar, and this has not changed. From the moment we arrive it feels like coming home, and it is a testament to the staff who organise the event that, despite the weather, the stages run like clockwork, the alcohol flows freely and the party goes on far into the early hours – in short, Hammerfest is, once more, a resounding success.
But first we have to get there…
…and, as if caught in some sort of terrible cosmic alignment, it seems that a fresh set of road works are to be found on every single road we take. It’s enough to make one feel a touch paranoid about the interest the almighty takes in the music of the damned, and a three-hour journey that should see us arrive in time for the mighty Ballsdeep (over whom we’ve had a slight man-crush ever since HRH metal), takes over seven hours. If not for the warmth of the greeting and the fact that plenty of metal remains, we’d probably collapse in tears, but we find ourselves welcomed, settled and ready to head to the arena in remarkable time. Hammerfest – we love you!
Friday
So, with apologies to the bands who went before, this review starts with the mighty Blaze Bayley. It’s been a while since we last saw Blaze in action, although reports from his current tour suggest that the man has been on fire of late, and it is a pleasure to see him play to a packed-out main stage with a band who are so perfectly suited to his powerful voice. It’s not the most popular opinion to advance, but the Blaze-era Maiden albums are unfairly maligned, and Blaze brings a power and charisma to songs like ‘man on the edge’ (aired tonight) that deserves a great deal more credit than it gets. Anyhow, I digress. On stage, Blaze is an absolute delight. Part of the reason for this is that Blaze is the ultimate metal fan and you can’t help but feel that he treasures every moment on stage. His huge grin, ferocious vocals (and this is truly the best I’ve heard Blaze sing) and engaging stage raps all come straight from the heart and it seems that Blaze and the band will head off on tour that much more electrifying as a result of their warm reception here. ‘Calling you home’, ‘a thousand years’… these are just a few of the highlights that pepper the set, but as far as it goes, we couldn’t have arrived at a better time or for a better set. 9
Heading over to stage two we catch just a touch of Londoners Limb, who deliver a dark and dirty hybrid that combines the blues-infused metal of Clutch with the sludgy savagery of Raging Speedhorn. We only catch the set-closer, ‘down by the banks’ (from stunning album ‘Terminal’), but it’s enough to know that we need to spend a lot more time in their company in the future. A painful clash, but that’s the problem when the festival line up is so over-stuffed with quality bands. 8
Back over at the mainstage, US blackened death metal act Goatwhore bring the pain with their brutally pared-back death ‘n’ thrash assault. Huge waves of arcing feedback, pounding double kick and a voice ripped from the bowels of hell (funnily enough, with singer Louis balanced on a packing case thanks to a broken leg), all make for an engaging set, only for the band to blow an amp during very first song ‘when steel and bone meet’. You can’t really get much more metal than that and, whilst we wait for a sub to get bought in, Louis chats amiably enough with the crowd, blagging beer from the audience and generally dispelling the hellish aura that cloaked the first song. Tracks like ‘mankind will have no mercy’ and ‘alchemy of the black sun cult’ are gloriously distorted, old-school death metal and it’s a strong performance from the band, even if their singer has to be propped up throughout the otherwise energetic set! 8
However, if Goatwhore are good, OHHMS are a fucking marvel. A band SonicAbuse first caught at HRH Doom Vs Stoner (and whom we’ve loved ever since), OHHMS were great when they started out, only to become outstanding with the release of ‘the fool’. An album that took all the finest qualities demonstrated on the preceding EPs and improved upon them at every level, ‘the fool’ is pretty much an essential addition to any serious music collection. Nonetheless, whilst the band are phenomenal on record, they are even better live and, even with a man down, they deliver a performance that is as emotional as it is visceral. Fronted by Paul, a bare-foot, sweat-drenched man-beast who comes across as the bastard son of Michael Gira and Iggy Pop, he’s the sort of front-man that most bands think they have but, where with most it’s artifice, with Paul, it’s the case that he inhabits the songs from a deeply personal place. By the time we get to ‘bad seeds’, the audience is as fully invested in the performance as the band, and we’re left, once again, in awe of the sheer sonic power of OHHMS. 10
Currently on tour with Sepultura, Obscura deal in a taut, prog-infused death metal complete with baroque instrumental passages and plenty of atmosphere. The band are impressive in their technicality and, between the heavy use of CO2 blasters and the neat tempo changes the band employ to switch things up, Obscura keep the heaving pit busy for the duration of their set. Laying down tracks from 2016’s stunning ‘Akroasis’, stand-out tracks include the opening number from that album, ‘sermon of the seven suns’, and it’s fair to say the band convert a large swathe of the audience to their evil cause by the time the set comes reaches its bloody denouement. 9
If anyone still thinks that Sepultura are a spent force (and it’s hard to imagine after the mesmerising ‘Machine Messiah’), then no one’s told the packed-tight and screaming crowd present at HRH. Drawing easily the largest crowd of the day, the air of anticipation is palpable and it’s fair to say that, from the moment the band hit the stage, they do not disappoint.
At all.
Celebrating twenty years of Derrek Green (one of metal’s most criminally underrated front-men) at the helm, the band demonstrate a newfound confidence that sees them sprinkle Max-era tracks through the set like a fine dust, emphasising Derrek-fronted tracks and, in particular, material from the still-awe-inspiring ‘Machine Messiah’.
I’ve seen Sepultura numerous times over the years, but never have they appeared so utterly at ease with themselves. Perhaps it’s the ferocious power behind the kit that is Eloy Cassagrande, a prodigious talent who takes to Igor Cavalera’s riffs like a duck to water. Perhaps it’s the fact that the band, despite a fantastic run of recent albums, have outdone themselves with ‘Machine Messiah’, their finest work to date and easily the metal album of last year. Whatever it is, Sepultura rule the HRH stage with an iron fist, benefitting from a wildly enthusiastic audience and a crisp, perfectly-weighted sound that maintains the edge the band have on record, whilst allowing the raw, punky energy to pump through in waves.
And then there’s the setlist. If I was feeling churlish, I’d lament the absence of anything from ‘nation’ or ‘Dante XXI’, but considering the scope the band have available to them, it’s inevitable that some favourites will go by the way, and what we get is arguably the very cream of the crop. Whether it’s the syncopated and experimental wonder of ‘Phantom self’ or the mid-paced groove of ‘Kairos’, Sepultura know how to pace a set and, with the audience chanting their name, the band launch into ‘territory’ fully in the knowledge that, despite it’s ‘hit’ status, it’s no longer the moment the audience are waiting for. Indeed, with tracks like ‘sworn oath’ and ‘resistant parasites’ garnering a similarly enthusiastic response to earlier tracks, it’s clear that Sepultura can do no wrong.
A highlight of the set comes when the band celebrate Derreck’s remarkable contribution by dipping into his debut album, the still-crushing ‘against’, airing the title track and ‘choke’ as a one-two punch that threatens to knock the audience senseless.
Oh, but there’s more. The melodic title track of ‘Machine Messiah’ is delivered with suitably crushing weight (only the lovely harmonies absent from an otherwise flawless rendition), the album’s epic instrumental, complete with flamenco breakdown is also here, and then there’s an energy-sapping race to the finale as the band deliver ‘refuse/resist’, ‘Arise’ ‘ratamahatta’ and ‘roots’ to an audience who match them, blow-for-blow right to the very end. Utterly flawless, Sepultura simply and mercilessly restated their credentials and they cannot return soon enough. 10
Playing the second stage at the exact same time as Sepultura is something of a thankless task, but fast-rising heavy metallers Forged in Black are more than up to the challenge of keeping the crowd entertained (and, as their set progresses, they draw a fair few more in) thanks, in no small part, to the song-writing refinement that contributed to the excellent ‘Sinner Sanctorum’ EP (which received an enthusiastic 9/10 here). With Stoz’s soaring vocals and the ferocious riffing of Chris and Andy, Forged in Black make sure that the second stage is drenched in adrenalin and their greatest strength remains their rare ability to draw from across the heavy metal spectrum to create their own take on the genre. Priest, Maiden, Candlemass and Sabbath… all the greats are inherent in the band’s DNA, but there’s more here than just hero worship – Forged in Black are definitely worthy of the hype. 8
For those not ground into dust by a day of metal, there’s still a party to be had and the day wraps up over on stage two with those masters of Mayhem, Donkerkarnuffel. Big top metal is the order of the day for a flagging crowd still sober / awake enough to handle zombie clowns. Led by Haggis, a demonic ringmaster determined to raise the audience from their somnolence, Donkerkarnuffel are a potent blend of grindcore and death metal. Haggis spends much of the show attempting to scarify his larynx until it becomes as scarred and shriveled as Freddy Krueger’s face, his vocals veering between hell-spawned and hellbound. The band, meanwhile, deal out relentless blast beats and churning riffs, making this too extreme a proposition for some. However, for those brave enough to enter the pseudo-circus, the band provide plenty of late-night thrills. 7
Sunday
Utterly and irredeemably foolish, Footprints in the custard are a lot of fun, dealing in goodtime thrash reminiscent of Lawnmower Deth. Tracks like ‘Gail Platter’ are lyrically ridiculous, musically impressive anthems and, just as you thought things couldn’t get any sillier, the band strip down, with the guitarist modelling an impressively tight mankini and the vocalist prancing around in a dayglo tutu. Tracks like ‘party metal’, particularly when delivered by a band whose very appearance makes the eyes water, can never a bad thing be, and honestly, what more would you expect from a band who take to the stage to the theme from Thomas the Tank Engine (we’re reliably informed the law suit will start soon). It’s hard to score Footprints, so utterly silly they are, so, in summation, we can confidently state they are the finest exponents of Kazoo-metal ever. 8
Opening up the main stage, up-and-coming groove metallers Bearfist do a good job of knocking the sleep out of the bleary-eyed audience. The Essex-based fourpiece have (and with some justification) been receiving a great deal of attention and their confident stage presence highlights just why that may be. The arena fills up nicely as the band lay down the bass-heavy assault, and the band do a fine job of snapping necks with tracks from their none-more-brutal EP – ‘foundations (2016). Expect to hear a lot more from the band in the near future. 8
Over on stage two, we come across the wonderful Fallen Arise, a Greek band fronted by singers Fiona Creaby and Vlassis K. The duo form a formidable team and there’s a theatrical flourish to their performance that perfectly suits the ambitious arrangements of the songs which fall somewhere between Within Temptation, Lacuna Coil and Queensryche. Tracks like ‘My last breath’ and finale ‘white crystal angel’ are strong examples of the symphonic genre indeed and there’s no doubting that Fallen Arise offer a classy alternative to the heavier fare that surrounds them on the bill. 8
Hotly-tipped newcomers Codex Alimentarius are a technically-devastating outfit who play to a rapidly swelling audience. A tough act to characterize, Codex infuse groove, prog and classic metal into a beguiling, if somewhat relentless experience that does much to impress the audience. Laying down tracks from epic EP ‘The infinite growth paradigm vs finite resources Mk II’, Codex Alimentarius are part of a ridiculously talented cadre of metal bands emerging from the south of England, and they perfectly suit a festival such as Hard Rock Hell. 7
Back over on the mains stage we get a dayglo explosion amidst the black-clad hordes from Canadian four-piece Sumo Cyco, a band who hark back to the nu-metal explosion of the mid-90s with rap influences, chunky riffs and a party vibe. They draw a big crowd who bounce along convincingly and front-woman Skye ‘Sever’ Sweetnam has a fiery stage presence that sees all eyes riveted on her as she delivers her schizophrenic vocals. With elements of UK crossover act Senser and a whole lot more incorporated into their musical DNA, Sumo Cyco are a refreshingly different act for the main stage. 7
It’s back to the second stage for Wolverhampton-based thrash-groove merchants Obzidian who get down to the violent business of sending the entire audience home with whiplash. With tracks like ‘sins here are purified’ and ‘perish the thought’, the band are comparable to a runaway train – in the sense that they’re a ton of metal heading downhill with no discernible method of applying the brakes on hand. Stopping only to offer thanks to the stage crew and organisers of the festival (a vote of thanks generously given and much deserved), Obzidian come across as a genuine and passionate band over the course of their forty-minute set. 8
Although there’s no doubting that Conan are a great band who have more than earned their place on a main-stage, the band’s leaden riffs would arguably have been better placed as the festival closer on stage two, rather than at a point in the early evening where the exertions of the previous days are starting to take their toll. Nonetheless, there’s no questioning Conan’s utter devotion to the riff and, for those that manage to stay standing against the tidal wave of sound that pours forth from the stage, Conan once again assert their credentials as leaders of the current UK doom scene. Tracks like ‘Total conquest’ and the aptly-titled ‘Gravity chasm’ (the latter appearing to rend a whole in the very fabric of time itself) are earth-shattering in their primal brutality and the band leave Hammerfest drenched in a palpable aura of dread. 8
It’s time, however, for a beer and a break and we head off for a pizza before heading back in to face Corby’s finest noise makers…
When your skull is being steadily raped by an ear-splitting wall of feedback that even the best earplugs can’t defeat, it can only mean one thing: Raging Speedhorn are back in town. The coruscating wall of noise runs on, way beyond the bounds of the Geneva convention (which, we’re given to understand, has much to say on such things), the band waiting for Gordon to stop daydreaming and lead the into the first explosive track of a set that, apparently, lasts for an hour and yet which passes in what feels like twenty minutes. That’s the Speedhorn effect in many ways – time ceases to have meaning when you’ve got dual front-men John Loughlin and Frank Regan vomiting their intestines into their microphones some five meters from your shattered head – and we’d have it no other way.
Still one of the best, most brutally entertaining shows that you can possibly hope to attend, Raging Speedhorn in 2018 are better than they ever were back in the day, their chaotic aggression tempered just enough to allow the deadly groove of tracks like ‘fuck the Voodoo Man’ and the stoner weight of ‘bring out your dead’ to penetrate, and when the band finally leave the stage, it’s hard to believe that an hour has passed so fast. Best band of the day, no fucking question, Raging Speedhorn are currently working on new material with Russ Russell which is enough to put a smile on anybody’s face. 10
Impressively, following on from Raging Speedhorn’s tumultuous outing, Blood Red Throne still manage to sound brutal as hell, not that you’d expect any less from a band that has featured members of Emperor amidst its ranks. The Norwegians deal in a merciless brand of death metal and singer Yngve ‘Bolt’ Christiansen is a menacing frontman, his tortured vocals verging on the animalistic at times. “I wish you were dead” quoth the big man, somewhat ungraciously considering the enthusiastic response the band receive, “I wish you all were fucking dead!” before launching into another pit-devastating groove. The band clearly enjoy the experience and one guitarist takes to the photo pit (much to the concern of our photographer) the better to engage with the ever-growing crowd. Blood Red Throne fucking rule. 9
It’s hard to imagine now, but there was a time when Skindred would go out and play venues like Leicester’s late, lamented Charlotte. Notably, even then the band put on a stadium-sized performance, as if preparing for a stardom that they somehow knew was only just around the corner, and that same confidence and presence has carried them far. They are, without doubt, an exceptional headline act and frontman Benji (happily on home ground) knows exactly how to work a flagging crowd up to new levels of exertion.
Playing to a packed arena, the band run Thin Lizzy and AC/DC as their intro before taking to the stage amidst a blaze of light and sound. Benji still dresses like Elton John’s glam rock cousin and guitarist still looks like he’s on loan from ZZ Top, but the band are out to kill tonight and their bouncy, riff-tastic party metal is exactly what the audience needs right now. 8 Yet, for all that songs like ‘pressure’ and ‘rat trap’ remain firm favorites, we need something more gritty and we head off to stage two…
…Although Skindred are the perfect headline act, I can’t help but feel that Repulsive Vision, a band I’ve not caught live before, are much closer to my heart musically, and so we find ourselves getting battered savagely around the skull once more as the band puts on an astoundingly heavy performance. Touring off the back of 2017’s ‘look past the art and see the gore’, these Cumbrian death metallers are proudly old school, gutterally incomprehensible and utterly brilliant. There’s a gangrenous charm to their brutality that demands attention, and if you’ve not caught up with the album yet, we urge you to resolve the situation as it’s frankly brilliant. Highlights abound, but tracks like ‘fragmentary’, ‘corpse decay’ and a vitriolic ‘social chameleon’ all hit the spot. Repulsive Vision are an unexpected and horrific highlight to a day that already surpassed all expectation. 9
…and that’s it for another year. With the snow clouds looming ominously, it’s time to repair to the bar to compare notes on the weekend’s greatest acts. Objectively, we didn’t see a band that could be classed as bad all weekend (regardless of whether we liked them or not) and that, in itself, is a remarkable indictment of the taste and care with which the bookers choose the line-up. However, as much as the music is fantastic in quality, it’s not (or at least not solely) what makes Hammerfest so special an event. With fantastic organisation, comfortable accommodation (perfect for both sun and snow, as we have now discovered) and the friendliest people (both staff and fans) you’ll come across, Hammerfest truly is like coming home and we can’t wait to see what next year brings.
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