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Damnation Festival
2011
@
Leeds University
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Quite a crowd gathered for Scottish grindcore outfit Cerebral Bore. Their reputation as a fierce live act has spread, in no small part down to vocalist Som Pluijmers. So it is surprising that, 20 minutes late, the band emerges minus said vocalist. Putting her absence down to ‘a hair appointment’ the band carry on with possibly the worlds shortest set (three songs to be exact). Whilst many would praise the band for carrying on, one can’t help thinking it would have been better to pull out. Without their main personality on stage with them the crowd thins after ‘Bald Cadaver’ leaving the rest to conduct a half hearted circle pit. Disappointing, as we all know what Cerebral Bore is capable of. SW
As hard as it is to define and pigeon-hole Xerath, all that really needs to be understood is that they’re heavy fuckers that enjoy destroying ears as well as pleasing them. We sadists lap it up. It’s fair to say they are one of today’s more polished acts, but the showmanship of Richard Thomson holds an attentive crowd through tight, savage riffs that leave a wild ringing in the ears of all who then disperse and try to find their way through the maze that is Leeds University. VW
On the Zero Tolerance Stage, we're graced with the unique splendour of A Forest Of Stars. They're a presence unlike any other. With transitions from brazened, blackened sections to eerie ambience, they're soaked in a psychedelic atmosphere that shrouds you in the aura of their Victorian, Gentleman Club-theme. Such is the power of their sonic climaxes, one doesn’t realise whether it’s an astral veil of illusion or spiritual enlightenment taking place. They’re not occult in the overdone, traditional Sabbath-sense – they’re a dark, brooding and at times melancholic energy with a tortured mentality that looks for answers and ponders the expansive. Frontman Curse leads with his exploding presence, excelling into frenzied lyrical genius. And when their beautiful instrumental sections take over on the ending to 'Summertide’s Approach', he stands, unconcerned to rally the crowd with his eyes occasionally shut, as if absorbed by the entrancing mood – intensifying the spine-tingling, hair-raising atmosphere of this unbelievable band. CR
‘Caveman battle doom’ is how Liverpool’s Conan have been described in the past. If an intense barrage of droning, chunky doom performed in an oven-heat humidity was exactly what you had in mind from such a distinctive label, then there’s no disappointment to be had. The three-piece pull in the front rows with the gravitational weight of a black hole, sucking folks into a dark, monotonous, and intimidating mass. A cliché it may be, but they’re a massively marmite band. CR
Want your mind well and truly fucked? Then Damnation has just the band for you! Norwegian nutters Shining take to the stage like pro’s in front of an unsure and bemused looking crowd. However, it only takes until half way through ‘The Madness and the Damage Done’ for the crowd to lose themselves in the sheer insanity. Vocalist Jorgen Munkeby is a delectable front man, playing the saxophone just as brutally as lead guitar. ‘21st Century Schizoid Man’ is the real triumph – the King Crimson cover has been given a Blackjazz remix and sounds utterly deranged. It can be stated quite confidently that there is no other band out there quite like Shining. SW
Astrohenge are next up and it’s clear from their performance on the no longer sweltering Zero Tolerance stage that the London four-piece are masters of tempo. An almost spatial ambience will gradually gather pace, and before you know it they’ve successfully transcended into a wisp of sludgy, instrumental riffs and a void of captivating percussion. In fact, it’s drummer Kieran Iles who proves he’s a percussive filler-king to be reckoned with. Together with the tinges of groove and even jazzy keyboards, his style brings the act that extra technical edge. A surprise package of the day. CR
Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard once said that the ‘crowd is untruth’ and it’s a concept taken to the extreme by Liverpool’s Dragged Into Sunlight. Firstly, a delayed track of dark ambient provokes a number of reactions from those waiting to hear the anonymous act. Over five-minutes of the low drone keeps anticipation and frustration in equal measure, before the abrupt energy of a trouncing black metal beat laces the Terrorizer Stage. The four-piece keep their backs to the audience throughout the set, but still rile a quantity of aggressive pits with a howling, animated performance from their back-to-the-crowd banshee frontman, simply identified as T. CR
With hindsight, it's easy to love Talons for their performance, but in truth it took some time for the sextet to achieve the right levels for their uber-sensitive sound. At first the Hereford act were a tad bass heavy – drowning out both violinists Sam Little and Reuben Brunt. Fortunately they could leave the stage knowing they had made some impact. The second half of their set picked up dramatically, showcasing their fluctuations of instrumental mathy rock with epic peaks and technical flourishes. More than just glimmers of potential, this is a band to keep a keen ear for in future. CR
Bringing a certain filth and violence to Damnation are crust-punk fiends, Doom. Bodies frantically become a whirling mass in front of the stage, fuelled by the ferocious pummels and anarchic twists, the Brummies impinge on them as they attack with scathing tracks like ‘Nazi Die’ and ‘Police Bastard’. With such a presence having an effect on everyone brave enough to see it through – it’s clear to see how Doom remain as influential as they are. VW
We all know musicians are perfectionists but Amplifier take this to a whole new level. Spending the first 10 minutes of their set pointing up and down at the poor sound guy is not a good start. It isn’t until they kick off that the crowd (and band) really wake up, taking us through their critically acclaimed ‘The Octopus’ and mesmerising the audience. The joy of the performance is somewhat overshadowed by the audience being gassed by dry ice, making it difficult to see your hand let alone the band. Despite this, Amplifier put on an enthusiastic and memorable set. SW
The first thing SoundShock notices watching industrial metal titans, Godflesh, is the sheer volume. The ungodly noise emanating from the band is enough to shake your brain free from its skull. It is clear from opener ‘Like Rats’ – Godflesh are at the top of their game, thundering through a set that most bands would only dream of. It is only upon closing song ‘Crush My Soul’ that the relentless energy comes to an end. Spectacular. SW
Considerably less busy at the beginning of their set on the Zero Tolerance Stage, it initially looked as if God Is An Astronaut would suffer in numbers because of clashes with both Ulver and Hevy Devy. It wasn't to be the case. The four-piece delivered strong surges of post rock rhythm, a euphoria of dreamy picking and an ethereal gorge of massive riffs to a bustling, ecstatic crowd. Built from the subtlety of an atmospheric piano intro, 'Remembrance Day' provided one of the great musical crescendos of the day and solidified them as the tightest act thus far. CR
Many were left gutted after the news that Decapitated had pulled out due to an emergency crash landing, and it was a gaping hole to say the least. However, to sweeten this bitter taste, Norwegian abstracts, Ulver were announced as having a 90-minute set and after a soundcheck long enough to create a restless crowd, they take to the stage. Whilst they aren’t exactly known for their jauntiness, Ulver’s approach tonight seems stony and indifferent, which is perhaps due to obvious sound and tech issues. As stirling as Ulver’s material is and as superb it may be to hear the likes of ‘Norwegian Gothic’ and ‘England' live – hearing them tonight just doesn’t seem to outweigh disappointment, which is a real shame. VW
Lastly and certainly not least – the man who fails to be hated by anyone on the planet – Devin Townsend. In his typical charismatic humour, the smartly dressed connoisseur of metal bizarre gave a fantastic performance with his band to crown the festival's end. He wanted a 'quadroheedron pit' before launching into 'Heaven Send' and whilst the impressive track understandably didn't fully grant him his wish, it gained unanimous positive reception from those gawking at his essence on the Jagermeister Stage. Plenty bow to Townsend for his such likeable persona, but musically, he's his own god – he picks how he likes and commands the stage with a pure joy. His hilarious, sarcastic jibes on metal culture are consistently backed with amazing musicianship – 'Supercrush' another mid-set stunner from the Canadian king. Before finishing, Devy admits his love for Enya, lets us know that 75% of his favourite bands are from the UK and in this strange furnace atmosphere, gets everyone to brandish lighters for the beautiful 'Deep Peace'. A headliner lives up to expectations to bring this colourful day to a close. CR
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Reviewed by Reviews by Sarah Worsley, Victoria Walsh and Calum Robson
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Festival Reviews