Desertfest delivers an absolutely top class line up of stoner rock, doom and desert rock across three stacked days in the capital. Here is our day two round up.
You can view our day one review, here.
EARLY HEAT
Having been around for close to fifteen years, Isak are clearly a safe pair of hands for starting day two of Desertfest. The Black Heart is once again bursting at the seems ready for more, after a brilliant first day. Isak amble onstage under red light and immediately take flight into a long, jammy tune. During their set they play new material as well as selections from their LP, The Great Expanse. Ablaze is a highlight as Joe McGarrity on guitar and vocals, Kristaps Baumanis on bass and Robert “Twigs” McLean on drums, go cinematic early doors. A stellar start.
Then, onto Molten Slag. Again, this is one in The Black Heart. If it was full for Isak, Molten Slag push the capacity limit to its fullest. There are queues down the stairs and out of the pub well before the band take the stage, hoping to get into the snug venue. When the Southeast London quartet hit the stage, you get the sense that you are in for something special. Taking position towards the back of the venue, and being of a height a mite less than six feet, my view was encumbered.
What I could see were plenty of heads banging, Laura Normango’s blonde locks bobbing up and down onstage, and plenty of punters absolutely lost in the heat of the moment. Sickening Churn sounds absolutely huge as they set about destroying The Black Heart. Blood Spear has a truly sinister edge, all wrapped up in a stoner heavy, glammy stomp. Later in the day, I hear plenty of people talking about their performance and plenty of people bemoaning not being able to get into the venue. As far as successes go, Molten Slag are right up there.
Photo: Tim Bugbee
THE ROUNDHOUSE
Inhuman Nature raise the metaphorical curtain on The Roundhouse; a truly iconic venue. On day two, it takes over from The Electric Ballroom as the larger venue. The London five piece immediately lay down their intent. Their set is a breakneck onslaught of thrash metal with wild solos. Raising the BPM certainly destroys any cobwebs left in the area from day one. For the first time, at least with the bands I see, a full pit breaks out. Singer Chris Barling prowls the stage inciting mayhem from the crowd and encouraging more headbanging. Ride The Apocalypse is smasher of a track, and when they head to the end of their set, Dead and Buried serves as a brilliant bookend to an excellent opening set. Throughout, the band have a great energy with Daragh Markham being particularly vociferous on bass.
Photo: Sam Huddlestone
WYTCH HAZEL
From the brashness of Inhuman Nature, Wytch Hazel, from Lancaster, offer far more refinement. Decked out in all white and flanked by a couple of makeshift altars, the NWOBHM inspired hard rockers are clearly buzzing to be here. The twin guitars sound superb and each song that passes has a real fist-pumpingly good feel.
With five albums under their collective cingulum, the Lancastrians are in great form. Their set is split into essentially two sides with a short taped break in the middle. Still We Fight sees the crowd helping along brilliantly and Dry Bones is a highlight from their third album. In taking on refreshments, singer Colin Hendra, naturally, drinks from a chalice. His manner with the crowd is jovial; ‘Being from the North, you need a weather themed song…this is Elements!’ he announces in tongue in cheek fashion. When their time ends, the ovation in The Roundhouse is huge; they are genuinely appreciative and it caps a brilliant hour of music.
Photo: Tim Bugbee
PIGS, PIGS & MORE PIGS
Having had to cancel a show the night before, there was an air of worry that Newcastle’s Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs (Pigsx7) might not make. Luckily, for London, the group power through and they make it. AC/DC’s For Those About To Rock sets the scene as the band enter.
Matthew Baty is the ring leader as frontman of the band. He’s dressed in boxers shorts and a Bret ‘The Hitman’ Hart vest. He introduces the band in Bruce Buffer style with a ‘combined weight of 833lb, the reigning, defending champions, Pigs, Pigs Pigs…’ The crowd join in with the announcement. By now, the mood in the room at The Roundhouse is at fever pitch. Pigsx7 are an intense prospect live. Most of the set is culled from their latest LP, Death Hilarious. Toecurler, Detroit and opener, The Wyrm, are all brilliant.
More and more mosh pits break out and the count of crowd surfers increases. Ultimate Hammer, from Land Of Sleeper is this writers favourite, so to hear it live is a real treat. Baty hovers like a fighter jet ready to attack watching the crowd tie themselves in knots. He eventually ends up in the crowd. No surprise really. A sure fire contender for set of the weekend.
Photo: Sam Huddlestone
DOOM HEROES
And so, to Green Lung. There is a sense of the Iron Maiden’s walking around Camden…nearly everyone is wearing a Green Lung shirt. They have countless designs and plenty of people are here to represent the hometown heroes play one of their biggest shows to date.
Tom Templar comes onstage and heads straight off the stage at the front. He delivers the ominous The Harrowing under a single spot light before the band head into Old Gods. There is an immediate connection and if The Roundhouse was at fever pitch after Pigsx7, then Green Lung take it one further.
New single, Evil In This House, sounds massive. If it is a sign of things to come on the album, Necropolitan will be one of the albums of the year.
THIS HEATHEN LAND
2023’s This Heathen Land LP felt like a huge step up for a band that were already blessed with quality and confidence. A large selection of songs are pulled from this album; Maxine (Witch Queen), Hunters In The Sky and Mountain Throne are all top class cuts. With added visuals, the show Green Lung put on is bigger and you can see the band ready to take another step up. It bodes well for their album tour later in the year.
Song Of The Stones offers a little repose with a slower pace. It is arguably a darker song with its ominous and chilling aesthetic. A note should be made of the vocal harmonies here too. Graveyard Sun dovetails it as the band head into the second half of their set.
Photo: Jessi Lotti
COME JOIN OUR RITES
With an ever increasing atmosphere and response, Green Lung head through a set of their ‘hits’ to make The Roundhouse come absolutely unglued. Woodland Rites and The Forest Church bring into focus how much great material Green Lung already have. However, they go one further with a stonkingly heavy version of One For Sorrow.
A nice full circle moment comes when original bassist, Andrew Cave, joins the band for an emphatic closer in Let The Devil In. Green Lung are only going to get bigger and better. Although they have been around for a decade or so, it feels like they have a lot more in them, and will only start playing bigger and bigger venues. This is no bad thing, but people will be saying ‘I was at The Roundhouse for Desertfest’ in years to come such is the brilliance of their appearance. Green Lung’s show is a complete and utter triumph.
