“Sabbath bloody sabbath.“
In 1970, Iommi and Company objectively invented the concept of being “heavy”. Desertfest is a yearly exploration of where that idea has gotten to. Yes, there’s a lot of fuzz and Sabbath worship, but everyone on the lineup brings something new. It’s a fest whose curation you can really trust – even if you haven’t heard of half the line up, they’re all there for good reason, and you just have to drop by their set to find out why. All the headliners are varying levels of venerable and remain interesting, which you certainly can’t say for some of the larger metal festivals. The rest of the lineup is absolutely cutting edge, so it’s not just your dad’s Sabbath cover band filling out the bill. Additionally, there’s an element of “you get it, or you don’t” to the headliners – even if your own tastes don’t align, you can be sure that there will be diehards for every one of their sets.
Boolin Tunes attended London Desertfest 2024, 17-19th May, with contributions from Emily Cole (EC), Ben Brown (BB) and Dobbin T (DT). Photos are provided by Desertfest and Boolin Tunes and credited to their respective photographers individually.
Grand Atomic
EC: Starting off the festival in the Underworld, we saw the modern doom metal band Grand Atomic who really set the tone and standard for all of the bands who followed that weekend. The hard-hitting Norwegian three-piece effortlessly embraced a straight-ahead, modern doom metal sound, which was filled with all of the fuzzy riffs you could ever want. They go for that droning, one-riff type of song structure – similar to fellow Scandinavian doom metal band, Monolord. The way that they were able to build a song around a rhythm and seamlessly transition between varying sections was truly impressive and was best shown in their live rendition of “Space Train“, which ends with a beautifully heavy, slower version of the main riff that hits incredibly hard. Evidently, Grand Atomic perfectly prepared the crowd for tons of headbanging and a variety of “cheap” fuzz.
Weedsnake
BB: Second on in the Underworld were Sludge-Stoners Weedsnake. Hailing all the way from Mexico City, the band certainly delivered on the front of blow-your-face-off riffs. Guitarist Etziel Mendez, with his Iommi-stache and red Gibson SG, has certainly taken a note from the book of Sabbath; however, not in a straight up Sabbath-worship way. Weedsnake’s sound can more accurately be described as Sabbath-inspired Sludge. From their quieter passages, the band also take inspiration from Sludge lords Dystopia, too. Vocalist Jack Amsler gave off an almost Phil–Anselmo-style stage presence as he paced around the stage like he owned it, though his vocals were very much a snarling growl. With as much fuzz and sludge as you could hope for, there’s a reason the only band I ended up getting a shirt from for the entire festival were Weedsnake.
Wake
EC: Coming back to the UK after seven years and travelling all the way from Canada were extreme metal band, Wake. The best way to describe the band’s sound is abrasive yet intricate. From their lush and light synth soundscapes to their full force grinding drums and vocals, Wake love to express all forms of emotion in vastly contrasting ways. They explore the heaviness of loss and depression with their insanely fast and chuggy riffs, as well as the highs of emotional release with their more breathable aspects of their music. Greatly aligning with the energy of their musical content was their live performance. This was mainly displayed by their vocalist, Kyle Ball, who relentlessly produced ear-crushing screams that supported their blackened metal roots. The band played a great variety of their discography, including their most recent and well-loved album, Thought Form Decent. Despite being a complete change up from previous acts in the Underworld, Wake definitely kept the crowd on their feet and are certainly not a band to miss out on.
Raging Speedhorn
BB: Now, dear reader, please understand this: there is a rough, intense metal show, and then there is what Raging Speedhorn did. This is the gig that keeps your mum awake at night. With two vocalists (one of whom was pouring blood from his hand just minutes into the band’s set,) and a stage flooded with Strongbow Dark Fruit, the band didn’t seem to care about what happened to the venue or the audience, who were all extremely drunk and moshing without a pause. Vocalist Frank Regan twirled his mic around by the cable like he wasn’t in a cramped basement, nearly taking out audience members’ heads and catching it on the ceiling a couple of times. The crowd themselves made me feel a little embarrassed, actually. They transcended being a good-times thrashing bunch of moshers to a confirmation of every negative stereotype of a metal audience – genuinely violent, without a care for any of the morals that metalheads hold dear about taking care for your fellow person in the crowd. It was a shame, but regardless, the audience evidently loved what Raging Speedhorn brought to Desertfest.
Goblinsmoker
EC: After escaping RSH’s set and taking a well-deserved break, we headed over to the Dev to finish our night with Goblinsmoker. Now as I’m sure some readers are aware; the Devonshire Arms is not the most optimised space for a live set – especially not for a well-anticipated band at the end of a music festival. We managed to get a good spot at the front of the “stage” and patiently waited for Goblinsmoker, whilst what seemed like hundreds of people poured into the tiny space. In fact, the place got so full that desperate individuals decided to watch from the windows to avoid the cramped crush that was going on inside. After what felt like hours, Goblinsmoker pushed through the crowd and finally delivered their set. From their mash up of various Sabbath songs heard in “Sweet Paravoid“, to their signature sound featured on songs from their 2018 debut, Toad King; the band played a lengthy line-up of some of their best songs. The amount of fuzz used was extreme and crunchy, which perfectly accompanied their vocalist’s black metal-esque vocal style. The band were full of positive energy and I’m sure that they were flattered by the gig’s explosive turn out. A wonderful band in a not-so-wonderful venue.
Pest Control
BB: Criminally, Pest Control were only given a 30-minute set; however, as the band’s only full-length album to date, Don’t Test the Pest, sports 11 tracks that span just 21 minutes, the band likely don’t have enough material to fill a full hour anyhow. Vocalist Leah Massey-Hay brings a unique vocal to the band’s Exodus-inspired thrashing, with guitarists Joe Kerry and Joe Sam Williams really driving home the Holt and Hunolt-style riffing and whammy bar shred solos straight out of Fabulous Disaster. The group played a couple tracks from their well-loved debut; as well as their currently unreleased “Parasitic Mind Control“ – a track that reflects positively on the band’s future output, retaining all the positives of the band’s work to date with an energy to it that, if the band hadn’t been cursed with being the first on, should have had the crowd going crazy with moshers, crowd-surfers and the like.
Acid King
EC: Acid King’s set was unfortunately cut short by some major technical issues which resulted in their stage time being delayed for over an hour; however, when the band finally took the stage at the Roundhouse, they mesmerized the crowd with their psychedelic and blues inspired take on doom metal. Frontwoman, Lori S., stood in front of her stacked Marshall cabs and delivered some of her finest fuzzy guitar melodies as well as droning yet impactful vocals. This was carried by Bryce Shelton’s carefully articulated bass riffs and Jason Willers’ intricate, hard-hitting drum work. From their biker worship song, “Two Wheel Nation”, to their hallucinogenic track, “Mind’s Eye”; Acid King offered the best of their discography and evidently lifted the spirits of the crowd, who waited an extensive amount of time to see them.
Bongripper
EC: With an absurd amount of amplifier cabinets and an absence of a vocal mic, Bongripper gracefully took the stage at the Roundhouse and made their hour set feel like 20 minutes. The instrumental group truly excel in live situations, with their intensely rehearsed compositions and ques that could only be achieved by such an exceptional band. Bongripper effortlessly powered through their songs, with some extending over fifteen minutes. Their guitar tones were deep and truly the heaviest that the doom metal genre offers. Even if you’re not a fan of instrumentals, I believe that Bongripper offers an entirely different outlook on this type of music.
Cancer Bats
BB: Bringing the headbanging party to Desertfest all the way from the great city of Toronto, Canada, Cancer Bats’ set was preceded by a member of the security team warning some of us down the front “we anticipate crowd surfers from this point onward”. With a style that simultaneously merges hardcore with memorable riffs and choruses that are as sing-along as they come, Cancer Bats utterly rocked the stage in the Roundhouse and marked a joint position for my absolute personal highlight of the whole festival. The band brought a stacked setlist that everyone went mad for – “Hail Destroyer“, “Lucifer’s Rocking Chair“, and their beloved cover of The Beastie Boys’ classic “Sabotage“, to name only the hardest hitters. The great thing about Cancer Bats is how they are a hardcore band through-and-through, and yet, their songs are undeniably catchy and memorable. Truly a fantastic band, who I left delighted to know I would not have to wait long to see again covering heavy metal patient 0 Black Sabbath the next night as hilarious and brilliant tribute act Bat Sabbath.
Suicidal Tendencies
BB: Not long after confused fans, expecting Suicidal Tendencies, stood before a screening of a new music video for Thin Lizzy’s “Whisky in the Jar”, Suicidal took to the stage. The band today are closer to a supergroup if anything – as well as long-time and original members, you also had former member and present-day Metallica bass player Rob Trujillo’s son Tye on bass; former Slipknot drummer and newest addition Jay Weinberg; and former Dillinger Escape Plan founding member and guitarist Ben Weinman.
All members were incredible, but perhaps most memorable of all was Weinman, who threw himself headfirst into the whole performance – or should I say leg-first, with the guitarist at one point being held aloft by the audience as he stood and shredded a solo, all while he bled profusely from his nose. Now THAT is rock n’ roll. As well as the actual music, also entertaining was Muir’s inspirational speeches between the songs – a little shred of skater-wisdom for us all. Muir is an undeniably charismatic guy; in fact, no, the guy is charisma, from his bandana down to his Etnies. Muir still moves around the stage at the age of 61 like he does in the “War Inside My Head” video from 1990, which was an incredible spectacle to witness that impressed us endlessly.
There was not a mild moment for the band’s entire hour-and-fifteen-minute set, but the most intense parts by far occurred when the real fan favourites were played – “Subliminal“, “War Inside My Head“, “Cyco Vision“, and of course, with Muir still after that Pepsi all these decades later, “Institutionalized“. What is so great with a band like Suicidal Tendencies is that they can have an hour-and-a-quarter set and solely fill it with fan favourites – they’re not a band with a song, they’re a band with an endless list of songs, and they sure brought that list with them to Desertfest.
Ashenspire
EC: As someone who had never seen the band live before – both online or in-person – I was certainly blown away by Ashenspire’s set and presence. Being the first band to take on Electric Ballroom, the venue wasn’t entirely filled yet but there was still a warm recognition from the crowd for “Tragic Heroin” and the twists and turns of “Cable Street Again“. Heavily contrasting against their lyrical themes and sonic content, the band’s vocalist and saxophonist were both dressed for comfort in a mini shorts and were all smiles throughout their set. Their music may certainly turn away those who look for the simplistic and unproblematic parts of life; however, Ashenspire’s anarchistic and Avant Garde take on black metal provides a safe space for those willing to experiment with sound and push a strong political message through their art. It was a truly moving experience and I strongly appreciated the messages portrayed through each of their songs.
Ufomammut
EC: From the mind-bending visuals to the vocals drowned in rich time-based effects, Ufomammut definitely lived up to their odd, psychedelic name. Despite consisting of only three members, Ufomammut exhibit a sound that is truly mammothlike. With each and every song that they played; they beautifully displayed their riff-worshiping sound, which felt almost trance inducing. Every guitar riff, drum hit, and vocal line created this immersive sonic space in which you were forced to devote yourself to the fuzz, alongside the band. You could definitely see and hear the 25 years of experience each member of Ufomammut has, and I’m sure that they gained many more riff worshipers after such a solid performance.
Monolord
EC: Monolord were by far one of the most supported bands at Desertfest, with countless crowd members, and casual festival goers, spotted with shirts, patches, and various other merchandise from the band. That being said, I can confidently say that Monolord created a setlist that appealed to the wide variety of their fans, and even to those in the crowd who may be oblivious to the modern doom pioneers. They accurately displayed the contrasting sounds that can be found within their discography, including ear-crushing tracks from their debut, Empress Rising; as well as their more emotional and light-hearted songs from Your Time To Shine. Each band member performed with an amazing sense of musicianship; with frontman, Thomas V. Jager, showing everyone how to deliver a truly flawless performance. However, their bassist, Mika Häkki, was my stand-out member during their set. Throughout each song, he relentlessly tore up his bass guitar and showed no mercy when it came to the level of fuzz and wah that the audience had to endure. Despite this objective sonic destruction, Monolord still remain as a very accessible band to those new to metal whilst offering a perfectly heavy live experience.
Ozric Tentacles
BB: We didn’t think the first mosh we’d see today would be for the 40-year-old Ozric Tentacles, but they managed it. Bettering the frankly hippie-dippy tie-dyed expectations that we held, Ozric Tentacles certainly showed DesertFest why they have been credited with the revival of the UK’s festival scene. With a perhaps paradoxically orchestrated brand of jam-oriented psychedelic rock with an utterly unapologetically prog angle, as well as a stage show that made great use of visuals, Ozric really stuck out at DesertFest; and not only because they were an entirely different universe to the rest of the crushingly heavy acts at the festival! The band also appealed to those of us whose interest lie mostly or entirely with the musical aspect of their… erm, music; boasting a fantastically rather abstract stage setup (certainly for a festival of stripped-back, riff-worship metal bands) that featured two guitarists who also operated between the two of them three synths, a fantastically talented 5-string-wielding bass player and drummer/percussionist, as well as – get this – a flutist, who took to the stage after a few songs! Only remaining original member Ed Wynne, like all his bandmates, is a fantastically sophisticated musician, something that is always a joy to witness for fellow musicians. Overall, a wonderful performance that contained just enough introspective hippie-dippy jamming fused with elements of prog that wouldn’t sound out of place in an old school Japanese racing game.
Godflesh
BB: As the room began to slowly fill with an army of Godflesh shirts, the band proved to be an inevitable crowd-magnet. With strangely hypnotic pummelling programmed drum machine beats and a droning bass whose roaring tone sneered at the crowd, Godflesh demonstrated why all these years later they remain an industrial staple. The odd shouted line from vocalist Justin Broadrick brought an undeniably punk energy to the performance, like snappy punk incantations spat occasionally in angry protest, almost as though the band were leading a protest – a protest with amps, I suppose! Some audience members moshed, others danced, some simply stood and bobbed their head, taking in the huge wall of sound blaring at them. On that wall of sound – for a band composed of just two members, suffice to say that Godflesh sounded huge; perhaps most accurately described as a raw sonic assault, sometimes sludgy (thus how it found its place at DesertFest,) but always aggressive; a pumping drum-machine-driven sonic terror that brought an assault on the senses the packed Electric Ballroom couldn’t get enough of.
DT: Godflesh offer a challenging sound to modern ears, so seeing it done live always helps – you get to see the audience lose it to the churning and dogmatic industrial drums (running through pedals, of course) and the spiteful grind of the chugs. It mustered the sort of mosh that didn’t need a chorus or breakdown keep moving. It was a sort of simplicity-meets-spectacle, clearly industrial music needs to be experienced so you can un-picture the bedroom recording environment from your mind. Unfortunately for Broadrick his monitors were flaky, but no matter – I get it now.
Gozer
DT: First up were Gozer at the Black Heart, playing their blend of abject-misery post-metal. It was loud yet delicate, with lots of singing off mic, and semi harsh vocals – even some somewhat harmonies going on between the bassist and guitarist. A lot of post metal is frigid, but this band makes it ooze with emotion. Their second track soared its way upwards. A really solid set – even small bands like this garnered a buzz and a good crowd late into the festival.
Kulk
DT: Moving from a three piece to a two piece, Kulk lit up Dingwalls with their unrelenting punk energy. Their sound was defined by Thom Longdin’s, guitar, the bassiest Jazzmaster I’ve ever heard. Upon close inspection, it had been viciously hollowed out and modded, perfect for cavernous doom punk. Drummer Jade Ashleigh was lost in the fog of Dingwall’s underbelly, coming out with beats in vicious pulses between the bouts of feedback. Absolutely a band to check out to stay on top of the various compelling two-piece projects knocking around the UK heavy scene right now (Death Goals, Modern Technology, and fakeyourdeath, to name just a few).
Morag Tong
DT: Later on, Dingwalls hosted Morag Tong whose doom metal leans towards a spacious Pink-Floyd-meets-post-rock style. They opened with their epic “No Sun No Moon” (perhaps just a segment, unless time really paused during the 20-minute track), slowly building from volume swells to heartfelt doom. They followed with a somewhat more traditional Desert sound with “At First Light”, still emphasising the patience within their approach to the genre. Morag Tong are a highly compelling band, and I’d argue they’re really ready to break out with the sound and production they’ve achieved on their latest LP Grieve, so there’s never been a better time.
Dvne
DT: Closing the fest were Dvne, again at Dingwalls, where they got a massive welcome, even so late on Sunday night. It was satisfying to see that recognition, as the band have been killing it since Asheran in 2017. My second wind was beyond me at this point but was glad to see them playing a lot of Voidkind such as “Eleonora”, where they’ve perfected the balance of clean and harsh vocals. They’re the ultimate union of ‘core’ Desertfest genres and ‘cutting edge’, so should be welcomed back to an even bigger stage next time.
Bat Sabbath
BB: The humid and rather unpleasant Underworld didn’t take long to reach capacity for the greatest after-party in history. With Cancer Bats… err, I mean, Bat Sabbath donning suitably hilarious 70’s frilly button-up shirts and styles of upper-lip facial hair, as well as a cape over vocalist Liam Cormier’s (also of Cancer Bats, who knew…) shoulders, the sheer ridiculousness was cranked up to 11 and the audience went wild for it – moshes, stage divers (including one guy who had to be politely encouraged off the stage,) and a serial-crowd surfer who donned a latex chicken mask. It was the wild metal show you sit in your boring bedroom dreaming about when you’re 13.
Bat Sabbath played the songs faithfully, and Cormier proved once again his sheer charisma – he took on this ridiculous, over-the-top, Jack–Black-esque character who harked on about the true metal gods, “BLAAAACK….SAAABBAAAATHHH”. It was brilliant. So, if you’re planning a party soon, be sure to contact Cormier and Co., as they clearly know how to throw a good’un. The soundtrack of familiar Black Sabbath songs, when you think about it, is genius – everyone knows the words, everyone loves the songs, so everyone will have a great time. And that ain’t no theorem – “I saw it, I saw it, with my own two eyes”. Oh, lord yeah.