Desertfest 2026
“You feel it heavy, why?”
This year’s Desertfest featured a line up that was tailor-made for old-school fans of doom, sludge, and stoner metal, with psych-stoner rock heavyweights Clutch carrying the headliner title. The majority of the bands offered a classic sound, layering psychedelic atmospheres over pure walls of fuzz, produced by endless stacks of Orange cabs. From established names like Elephant Tree to underground acts like Witchsorrow, there was plenty of that signature desert groove to go around. For a change of pace, a few acts offered some sonic variation, including the abrasive intensity of Molloch and the humorous punk attitude from Zig Zags.
Desertfest 2026 also updated the Greenland Place setup (now rightfully dubbed as “Stoner Alley“). It featured a small outdoor stage, filling the gap between the craft beer bar and the tattooist stand, that hosted various Q&As, talks, and an exclusive signing with doom occultists, Green Lung. Whether you took part in the fuzz-filled festivities or melted your ears with hours of pure doom, Desertfest delivered yet another unforgettable weekend that left devoted attendees counting down the days until next year’s stoner showcase.
Words in this piece by Emily Cole, Nathaniel Shelley, and Joe Edwards. Photography by Asha Sitarz (contact prior to any image use) – head to our full gallery of the event on its dedicated page here.
Friday
We kicked off our Desertfest experience this year with Dutch doomers, Bismut. This technical trio opened up The Underworld with their intoxicating blend of progressive patterns, psychedelic soundscapes, and relentless riffs. Even though their music is entirely instrumental, the grooves that they produce are so hypnotic that you never find yourself wishing for traditional vocal melodies. Their guitarist seamlessly shifted from crunchy tones for the heavier, down-beat riffs, to spacey, reverb-drenched textures for the more atmospheric sections. Paired with contemporary drum rhythms and a rock-solid foundation from the bass, Bismut provided the perfect, fuzz-fuelled start to this weekend of distorted doom.
Kicking off the festival at the Electric Ballroom quickly brought in an eager audience oozing with day-one excitement for the riff-omatic weekend ahead. Taking the stage to a sea of eager faces were Bath’s own Sergeant Thunderhoof. As true mainstays of the UK scene, they brought their own devoted legion with them, as chants of “Hoof!” thundered and crackled between tracks. The quintet were quick to show why they were so revered, with a masterclass in contemporary doom. Frontman Dan Flitcroft may wield no instrument, but his charisma and colossal vocal pipes very literally speak for themselves. Performing a fan-favourite “Another Plane”, Flitcroft belted “She’s made of metal, are you entertained?” – and we absolutely were.
Descending back into The Underworld felt entirely literal as we witnessed the demonic craft of Witchsorrow’s set. Enshrouded in thick, suffocating fog and bathed in eerie, sanguineous red light, the stage looked more like a sacrificial altar than a music venue. The Hampshire band delivered a true “Wizard worship” sound, built on disgustingly thick, primitive fuzz tones and cavernous vocals that echoed straight from hell. Every ritualistic riff and satanic slam of the drums vibrated the enclosed venue, like an unholy incantation. Summoning a wide variety of tracks from their demonic discography, Witchsorrow dragged the audience from the blasphemous bindings of Hexenhammer, straight into their sinful singles. Their set was a spellbinding performance that proved that Witchsorrow are still proudly worshipping “The Devil’s Throne“, leaving the crowd completely possessed by the end of their sonic sacrament.
As the evening approached, a cult of fans donning red hats swarmed the Electric Ballroom, as if the Antwerp trio, Gnome, had officially established “Your Empire” within the heart of Camden. Despite the comedic whimsicalness of everyone’s attire, the show that proceeded was indeed no joke. Delivering a punishing blend of stoner rock, which would still appease fans of Orange Goblin, the trio had their vice grip on the venue, so much so that they easily have the force for a future main-stage headliner. The mosh pits progressively opened wider, filled with crowdsurfers who weren’t going to allow the grass to grow under their feet any time soon. Blasting into pulverising riffs with bangers like “The Gods Are Evil”, it became immediately clear that the Gods had actually blessed us when these delightfully wicked gnomes bestowed upon the stage.
Quickly transitioning from the high-octane energy of Gnome made for a massive shift in momentum as Denmark’s psych-rock band Causa Sui took the stage. Offering a much more introverted audience presence, the instrumental band slowed the Electric Ballroom into a captivating realm of entrancing introspection. Some intrigue peaked when synth-work was spotted on the stage, which should have been a unique dynamic for the weekend so far, yet the tone leaned heavily into a singular organ-like patch that unfortunately felt lost and slightly uninspired in the mix, rather than manipulated to its full potential. While the pacing felt misaligned, considering this set followed a party-like atmosphere, the performance remained in an “Eternal Flow” for a dreamy journey that had done well to completely re-centre the atmosphere in the room.
After a brief intermission, we made our way to The Black Heart to catch Moloch, who were by far the most sonically violent act on the entire Desertfest lineup. Self-described as “Nottingham misery”, this mysterious outfit delivered a set of pure, unadulterated auditory assault. Their sound is best defined as pain-infused sludge, blending the suffocating fuzz of Primitive Man with the raw, nihilistic emotion of Thou and Noothgrush. The sheer intensity of their volume and delivery proved too overwhelming for some, driving a small handful of attendees to flee shortly after their set began, escaping the staggering wall of sound that roared from the cabinets. For those who stayed without hearing protection, it was certainly a lesson learned the hard way; but for those equipped to survive the structural damage of Moloch’s aural aggression, it was a wonderful yet physically punishing experience, drenched in feedback, noise, and beautifully disgusting distortion.
After escaping the ear-melting experience of Moloch, we made the trip over to The Dev to catch Meatdripper. However, upon arrival, we found that the venue was completely packed to maximum capacity with a massive queue of desperate attendees lingering outside, eagerly awaiting anyone to exit so that they could claim a spot. The sheer scale of the crowd outside made it clear that Meatdripper rightfully could have commanded a larger stage, such as The Black Heart or even The Underworld. Luckily, we managed to get inside before the band started playing and despite the zero visibility of the stage, Meatdripper’s sonic presence filled the room. Hailing from the very birthplace of Sabbath, the band absolutely delivered on their doom heritage with their own unique take. Their live sound paired classic, headbanger riffs with eerie, alien-like vocal effects that quickly pulled the doom disciples into their “Homegrown” spell. Their setlist bridged the gap between their established singles and an anticipated sneak peek at an upcoming release, featuring unreleased material that was originally tracked with their previous drummer. Despite the claustrophobic conditions, it was impossible to deny the heavy and hypnotic pull of Meatdripper’s set.
Saturday
Charging out of the gates to kick off Saturday’s festivities, London’s own Inhuman Nature had the honour of being the first band to command the Roundhouse stage at this year’s Desertfest. They ignited the afternoon with their whiplash-inducing death-thrash crossover sound. With BPMs faster than you can count and solos sharper than shattered glass, the band powered through their performance, embodying the frantic energy of other modern bands like Wraith and Enforced. They gave the crowd a true “Taste of Steel” with their razor-sharp precision, ensuring the early afternoon audience was completely Beyond The Realms Of Sanity after experiencing their sheer velocity. While this blistering assault of old-school thrash riffs and hardcore-tinged aggression might not fit the traditional, “desert-rock” archetype of Desertfest, it served as a brilliant, adrenaline-fueled palate cleanser. It was exactly the kind of refresher the crowd needed before the festival inevitably descended back into a heavy, haze-filled swamp of slow-churning doom, stoner rock, and sludgy riffs.
Much like the gridlock at The Dev the day prior, catching Smouldering Tomb was unfortunately defined by a packed standing area, zero visibility of the band, and large lines of people spilling out around the block. Smouldering Tomb’s drawing power proved that they had outgrown the venue, and both the fans and the band themselves would have drastically benefited from a promotion to a larger stage. Yet, despite the cramped environment, they delivered a set that was completely unique among the rest of the Desertfest lineup. Weaponizing a hyper-aggressive, sludgy take on modern death metal, the performance was anchored by Marianne Hayes’ devastating guttural growls. Combined with dark reverbs and suffocating, down-tuned vileness, each song presented the crowd with blistering brutality, certainly reviving those who were getting used to the slow pace of stoner and doom. Overall, Smouldering Tomb demonstrated their sound with a punishing performance that cut straight through the dense crowd, proving that their sonic vitriol cannot be contained or minimised.
Arriving with a well-deserved heroes’ welcome at the Roundhouse, London’s own Elephant Tree turned the space into an intimate experience for everyone present. The quartet proved they are the masters of combining gloomy and melodic atmospheres with swaying grooves. This is as we all have come to expect from a band that has been praised with this since their 2016 self-titled album. Amidst the sonic stampede of psych-y riffs, the band kept things humble and lighthearted with plenty of back-and-forth banter in the crowd – even taking a moment to give a shoutout to a familiar face in the audience who was celebrating their birthday. Funnily enough, it was also vocalist/bassist Pete Holland’s birthday, which was celebrated with them performing material which he had written. By the end of the set, everyone was warmly and firmly caught in their tree branches.
The unmatched boisterous bravado of Pigsx7 demanded all attention as they seized the Roundhouse. Hailing from Newcastle, this formidable band delivered one of the most definitive sets of Desertfest 2026. Saying that frontman Matt Baty was amped up is probably an understatement, as he trudged and shadow-boxed in every step across the stage in Muay Thai shorts, sweating profusely alongside his very feral crowd. Security certainly got more than they bargained for, as masses of crowdsurfers flooded the barriers like wild caged animals, fuelled by the band’s tireless energy and fuzzy riffs. Amidst the chaos, quite a wholesome moment emerged as the band humbly recalled playing Desertfest London in 2017, dreaming of one day returning to hit this very stage. Well, their sequel was certainly worth the hype! Bruised, breathless, and utterly ecstatic, the audience gladly took their serving from “Mr Medicine”… bit of a weird one, but we’ll just roll with it.
As twilight fell on Saturday, the Roundhouse became a coven for Green Lung, who were one of the weekend’s ultimate draws. The headliner spot rightfully belonged to them as they summoned a sea of fans that filled the venue, waiting for the bands’ various sermons to commence. Taking the spotlight with devilish confidence, Green Lung unleashed the largest stage production of the weekend, immediately plunging the audience into a deeply immersive, folklore-obsessed experience. Dressed in frilled jackets and flares, the band members demonstrated their sound with complete virtuosity and theatricality, anchored by vocalist Tom Templar’s spellbinding singing performance. Unlike the lacklustre synth tones heard from Causa Sui the day prior, Green Lung absolutely possessed the venue with John Wright’s four synth rig and outstanding playing. Wright conjured a bewitching array of voicings, melodic hooks, and shredding solos, which paired greatly with the rest of the band’s pagan perfection.
The setlist itself was carefully conjured, heavily invoking the spirits with their classic hits from Woodland Rites, undoubtedly inciting to “Let the Devil In” whilst an ominous demon mascot paraded the stage. This entertaining spectacle, as well as the band members’ active stage presence, kept the energy high as the band seamlessly previewed the dark future with a track from their upcoming release, Necropolitan. If this headliner ritual was any indication, Green Lung are ready to drag their fans straight “Into the Wild” with them, and we will all gladly go.
Sunday
The Sunday outing began in The Underworld, Midhaven who have made the journey from Mumbai, India, all the way to the fest. Their blend of psych and sludge, along with their sheer joy to be performing at Desertfest made for a set bristling with energy and spirit. More than technically proficient, Midhaven blended their dense sound with noodling riffs and metal-styled yells to create an engrossing sound. As it was throughout the day, the Underworld was packed in early on, ensuring that Midhaven’s lengthy journey was rewarded by a bustling Desertfest crowd.
Opening the Roundhouse on Sunday is no easy task, but local heavyweights Steak came in and got the job done, along with a hint of dry humour. The band joked about appreciating everyone who had hauled themselves out to battle their day-three hangovers for this set. Churning out a decent no-nonsense set of thick, dusty rock akin to Mr Bison, their performance was nothing crazy, but it might be just what the doctor ordered: a solid, blue-collar rock awakening that shook any unwanted haze off the crowd for this final stretch.
A small foray into Stoner’s Alley to see the sights and taste the Bristolian ale at the bar, oiled the the mind for another low-tuned set, as the sludge of Midhaven was swapped for the stoner doom of Red Eye Cult. A bottle in hand as they entered stage, Red Eye Cult went to work on blasting out their weight tunes and raspy screams. As proceedings sped up, Red Eye Cult even looked to get the Sunday crowd into a circle pit and some movement, which was a brave attempt on the day three of Desertfest. The combination of stoner and doom can make for a set that can feel lethargic, yet Red Eyed Cult’s quirky mannerisms and style gave it an eccentric edge to keep the audience occupied.
For those who liked it warm, The Black Heart offered up a sweltering experience, as for each act it was packed out with a one in and one out policy operating most of the time. Yet while earlier attempts had been futile, space had freed up to allow us to catch the Alphawhores set. A cocktail of sound that brings together metal and fuzz, with broad atmospheric moments, they’re the sort of band you grab the moment to see. Pulling from their impressive You Can Come Out Now and debut I, the duo proved that you don’t need an ensemble to impress on the Desertfest stage. Both Massiel and Juan Carlon on vocal duties, while both commanding the guitar and drums, both performed with a passion and joy. Unfortunately, due to The Black Heart’s setup and a packed crowd, it was virtually impossible to see Massiel on the drums, nullifying the experience somewhat. Yet both Alphawhores and later act Forlorn proved how strong the undercard of Desertfest is.
Back at the Roundhouse, Truckfighters took the stage and delivered one of the most full-throttled sets of the weekend. With such a cult following, it was surprising that they didn’t have a headliner spot but the Roundhouse certainly served them well regardless, with plenty of highway to run wild. Each song was presented with contagious energy, packed with engine-revving riffs and addicting rhythms. Guitarist, Dango, burned rubber across the stage with his Angus Young-style moves and Gibson SG, even when covered in sweat and running on fumes towards the end of their set. Bassist, Ozo, and drummer, Jolo, provided the impenetrable chassis, holding down the rhythm sections that rolled through everything from their latest release, Masterflow, to their classic, diesel-doom anthems. At the end of the road, they closed their set with “Desert Cruiser“, which was instantly recognised by everyone within the first few seconds of its iconic riff. This ignited the audience, with crowd surfers driving across the venue, completely overwhelming the security. It is safe to say that Truckfighters’ set was certainly a high-speed ride, filled with endless “Momentum“.
It has been a short while since we last caught Forlorn down at The Dev, the last time being alongside fakeyourdeath, both of whom we’ve had the pleasure of seeing across multiple venues since. While not wanting to impart too much meaning on their Desertfest set, it felt like a moment to take stock of how far the Forlorn project has come. Last year they further fleshed out their discography with their superb debut LP, Aether, and now in a live setting, it’s difficult not to see Forlorn as an act who have sharpened their blade following years of playing across the country. They are now a sheer force on stage. Megan Jenkins invokes visceral, imposing vocals along with ritualistic melodic singing. Each aspect of the backing instrumentals are tight and regimented, adding potency to the sound that Forlorn are conjuring. The confines of The Dev truly allowed for Forlorn’s sound to strike the ear and hopefully all those new to the band were in the crowd were converted.
Back into the depths of The Underworld, LA’s Zig Zags proved to be the ultimate dark horse of the festival. Sweaty, topless, and wielding some heavily reliced instruments, the trio delivered a pulse-pounding set. As it says on the tin, this was a pure dark roasted blend of “Punk Fucking Metal”. Despite clashing with The Sword at The Roundhouse, they drew a respectable crowd. However, let’s not make any mistakes, as this band are well-travelled veterans, having previously shared lineups with the likes of Pentagram, Fuzz, and Desertfest royalty High on Fire. With brilliant crowd work, before performing their track “My Lighter”, guitarist/vocalist Jed Maheu pinched a lighter from an (un)worthy participant of the crowd and nestled it away in his pocket (don’t worry, he gave it back once the song and bit was done!) Following this, they also dedicated “Why I Carry a Knife” to the London audience’s lack of Second Amendment rights, which gave everyone a good chuckle. Their adrenaline-pumped setlist packed a serious punch that they have coined as “Garage Metal”. This set proved that the Zig Zags can bring a knife to a gun fight, and still win.
Since they dropped the utterly sublime, Not Here Not Gone, earlier this year, we have been itching to see Blackwater Holylight in a live setting. We hoped to discover that their sound is as mesmering as it is on record. As the reverbed guitars filled the walls of The Underworld, the sheer weight and atmosphere of their sound was enchanting. Playing through Not Here Not Gone, the likes of “Bodies” and “Poppyfields” were delivered with a porcelain like quality. The rhythm on “Void To Be” and “Heavy, Why?” added in a gentle energy and allowed Blackwater Holylight to show their riff-work outside of atmospheric chords. Closing out on “Spades”, they demonstrated their true doomgaze weight and breadth. Their ability to pull off their gaze-like sound in an equally grandiose way as they do on record, alongside the captivating stage presence they have, puts down a marker that Blackwater Holylight are one of the best live bands going in this space.
To close out an enthralling weekend, the legendary Clutch stepped up to deliver the ultimate and monumental finale at the Roundhouse. Before they began, it was indisputably the largest crowd of the weekend, and expected no less from the epitome of unifying hard and stoner rock, as they arrived with an effortless swagger only veterans could possess. Admittedly, after the spellbinding sermon that Green Lung had punched in with conviction just the night before, Clutch did feel a gear or two lower in pure smoky danger. Still, that didn’t stop the motorised pits from opening up and putting the pedal to the metal for the full 120-minute runtime! It was quite endearing to see a blend of older heads and younger generations in a sea of non-stop movement and crowdsurfing.
Neil Fallon exuded himself as a magnetic force of nature, as his voice was well punctuated with a steady stream of southern charm “thank you very much” drops that interluded from track to track. A key highlight was the opening of “Electric Worry” – a favourite the Roundhouse erupted for – and continued to demonstrate the exact brand of hook-laden blues-drenched stoner groove everyone so deeply synonymous with the doom DNA of Desertfest. Clutch sure enough proved why they can continue to remain the ultimate gatekeepers of stoner rock.
Were you caught up in the bumpy-ridden ecstasy of Truckfighters’ “Desert Cruiser”, or did you allow yourself to be consumed by the riffs to the extent that you “Let the Devil In” during Green Lung’s Saturday ritual? Or, perhaps did you learn the hard way why even the Zig Zags wield a weapon from the depths of The Underworld? No worries, if that isn’t your style, remember that you can lace up your boxing gloves the next time you jump into the ring with wild Pigsx7! Ultimately, Desertfest 2026 has proven that the UK scene is in ruder health than ever, and yet it is the most eclectic of them all! As the ringing in our ears finally subsides and the hazy aftermath clears from Camden’s streets, the sound of the weekend has truly blasted us all onto “Another Plane” that will stay with us for a long time. For the ultimate playground of riff-worshipping masses, we shall see you next year…
