Day Two of the Reaper Weekender in Manchester showcases new blood, as well as seasoned veterans. There are plenty of bands staking their claim as band of the weekend.
Words: Dominic Walsh
Pictures: Andy Pountney
Read our round up and view galleries of Day One, here.
EVIL DUNGEON CRAWLER
A touch of Sabbath’s Iron Man in their first track invites us to come witness Evil Dungeon Crawlers set. If you were to think of what a black metal band looks like, Evil Dungeon Crawler are the epitome of it. Capes, corpse pain, spikes, studs and blood; they tick the boxes. Sonically, it’s very orthodox, evil black metal in every aspect. Hailing from Newcastle Upon Tyne, the young quartet have a good presence and the songs hit the spot to start the day. They get a solid reception and reciprocate horns with the crowd.
As their final offering peaks, the whole venue is fist pumping and fully on board with the band. There are a slew of young fans in attendance who they have clearly made an impression on; the dissemination of setlists and guitar picks to the front row ensures a few are left with glee beaming from their faces. It looks like a moment where the next generation of fan can be seen.
DREICH
Dreich keep up the aesthetic side of proceedings with their get up. They also add in a couple of nooses hanging stage left and right. Hailing from Aberdeen in Scotland, Dreich is Scottish slang for dull or gloomy. The perfect tone for such a festival with this line up. Dreich open with a largely instrumental piece, save for a few grunts and growls. It has a post-black metal DNA and is a nice change in pace. It’s immersive in a different way: the Scots create an oppressive atmosphere.
Whilst oppressive, they include plenty of melody alongside spoken word samples that evoke the misery of a Shane Meadows/Ben Wheatley flick. Elegy from Vestia appears with the band, noose in hand, to add guest vocals. He wastes no time in goading the front rows, to their delight. It gives the whole performance a different energy as the strobe lights work overtime and the energy moves up a notch or two.
OFNUS
From one part of the UK, to another. Wales’ Ofnus offer yet more variety. Their moody, soaring black metal evokes comparison with Winterfylleth and Saor. ‘Manchester… are you with us?’ asks Brendan Coles before they move into their opener. It’s abundantly clear that Ofnus are top class. They shift tempos for drama and vocally, there is a deadly mix of black/death styles. The lead guitar work fits perfectly and the chanted vocals add yet another layer to the mix.
When they launch into Throes of Agony, it’s a proper moment and an absolute highlight of the day so far. You can see new fans gradually being made in the crowd. Beddgelert is a new song; the quintet stand stoic as the song reveals itself. The vocals are completely captivating as the song reaches its crashing crescendo. Zenith Dolour closes out their set in emphatic and epic fashion. A real contender for band of the weekend, so far…
BLOOD COUNTESS
Blood Countess are unapologetic in their devotion to the black metal sound. Named after Countess Bathory, the band arrive on the heels of announcing their new album; Imperatrix Sanguinis will be unleashed on 24th April. Where Ofnus soared and reached for the skies, Blood Countess plunder the dark depths. Singer, The Cuntess, is an imposing presence as she seeks to eke out every ounce of evil from her lungs. It is a sonic onslaught throughout their set as the riffs cascade and the drums pummel. Just when you think you might have seen the band of the weekend, another steps up…Blood Countess absolutely own the time they have with aplomb.
One thing that speaks over the entire weekend, is that there are plenty of high quality new bands picking up the mantle of extreme metal. This Reaper bill allows space for newer bands to play to sizeable crowds they might not have been able to ordinarily access. Hopefully, plenty of them got a bump from merch sales or followers to allow them to continue to create.
HECATE ENTHRONED
Hecate Enthroned are one of the real veteran bands on the weekends bill. They front end the set with an epic in the form of Requiems. Having been around for a good few years, the experience oozes out of the band as they masterfully decimate the stage. Symphonic licks give a little more depth to their sound and feel; some of the veteran punters in the crowd band their heads with vociferous pride. There are fans that have clearly attended just to see Hecate Enthroned.
Ex-singer Dean Seddon joins the band as a special guest for a song the band haven’t played for a long time: Perjurer. An already dastardly mix is amplified with two vocalists giving it both barrels. The pair have their arms around each other as they take it in turns to bludgeon the crowd. As Fire continues a trip down memory lane before the band air a brand new song; Deathless in the Dryad Glade; from their forthcoming new album. Spell of the Winter Forest starts a closing duo that also includes The Pagan Swords of Legends to see things out in style.
ABDUCTION
One of the most anticipated sets of the weekend comes from Abduction. Celebrating 10 years, the ominous black metal outfit are synonymous with Reaper having played a number of their events. The stage is candlelit and A|V is hooded and cloaked with mandatory mask. For the third time over the weekend, Elegy from Vestia adds vocals as a special guest.
Abduction live in the shadows and thrive on the confrontational connection with the crowd. The reverb on the mic is intentionally turned up to an indecipherable level. The lyrics serving as just one dissonant strand of a musical stream of consciousness. A|V puts his hands together in thanks towards the crowd before a rare and clear ‘thank you’. The props are plentiful with swords and skulls onstage. Wielding the sword gives the look of one of Tolkien’s ring wraiths. Sonically and aesthetically, it feels terrifying. Band of the weekend? Possibly.
THE SPIRIT
Arriving to a hush, The Spirit explode in a flurry of cosmic riffs and energy. It’s probably the brightest lit the stage has been all weekend, but headliners need to be illuminated. Hailing from Saarbrücken, the German duo of MS & MT have an audience buoyed by a weekend of great music in the palm of their hand. Augmented live as four piece, from the backdrop, you’d be forgiven for thinking this is not a black/death metal band such is the readability of their logo. Musically, they hit the nail on the head. Huge guitars and furious drumming show why they are the perfect band to close out the weekend. With four albums and an EP since 2015 to go at, the closing hour is a celebration of not just The Spirit, but a great weekend of extreme music with great people, great bands and a great atmosphere.
Props again go to the organisers, the staff and security at Manchester Rebellion, the bands and most importantly, the punters. It is the fans that make these events special. Be sure to check out Reaper’s new event, Tynebound; not forgetting the summer shindig that is Fortress Festival. Extreme metal in the UK is alive, well and thriving. Long may it continue.
Read our round up and view galleries of Day One, here.
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