MU Goes To Hell: Incinceration Fest 2024

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Metallic Underground Goes To Hell: Incinceration Fest 2024

One of many fantastic issues about Camden, a really busy space of north London, is the quantity of venues there are. London basically has loads of dwell music hosts, however it appears if one has to go to Camden, or a neaby space like Tufnell Park or Kentish City, in the event that they wish to expertise some dwell metallic. That is precisely why many flocked to the likes of the Electrical Ballroom and The Underworld this previous Saturday, as Incinceration Fest returned for its ninth version to have fun black and dying metallic, in addition to another examples of the acute, from the UK and overseas.

Whereas Ante-Inferno kicked issues off in The Underworld, this overview begins a short while later on the Electrical Ballroom across the nook, the place east English veterans Fen took to the stage rapidly after the doorways opened. Closely impressed by their house space from the place they draw their identify, Fen channels the wonder and fury of the pure world via their music, which is epic in scope and presents a lot to be enthralled by. Guitarist, The Watcher howled and screamed his method via 5 numbers, two of which had been taken from their newest album, “Monuments To Absence,” and those that made their approach to the Ballroom for this efficiency all appeared very impressed, myself included. The trio possess an imposing stage presence which makes the supply of this positively fascinating music all of the extra highly effective. A superb approach to start the competition!

Appropriately for the subsequent band, it concerned a visit to the depths of The Underworld. Shaped by ex Rotting Christ bassist Jim Mutilator and initially that includes Necromantia vocalist The Magus, Yoth Iria are each a loving tribute to the basic days of Greek black metallic and an thrilling, recent group by themselves. This was one of many names I used to be most enthusiastic about and I am pleased to report that the quintet exceeded all expectations by placing on a completely blistering set, which started with the title monitor from their debut EP, “Below His Sway.” Instantly, dwell vocalist Merkaal jumped into the gang, leaving no room for informal onlookers, whereas the remainder of the band, which included On Thorns I Lay guitarist Nick Perlepe, fellow axe man Naberius of Karma Violens and Disembowell drummer Vongaar, carried out with unimaginable talent and self-discipline.

As one would anticipate, the remainder of the set targeted virtually totally on their album, “As The Flame Withers,” together with the wonderful “The Purple Crown Turns Black” and “The Nice Hunter,” which each went down a deal with. Mutilator took the time to thank the gang for turning as much as see them and talked about that it had been twenty 9 years since he’d final performed in London, earlier than introducing a brand new tune, “Mornings of the One Thousand Golds,” which is able to seem on their sophomore full size, then lastly ending the efficiency with “Tyrants.” This was a completely wonderful show of black metallic, which reminded these in attendance why we adore it. Thrilling, entertaining and above all, true to their artistry, Yoth Iria are welcome again anytime!

On my earlier go to to Incineration Fest, I arrived simply after Winterfylleth completed their set and like anybody who likes good black metallic could be, I used to be furious. No method was I making that mistake this yr and so it was a race from the Underworld again to the Electrical Ballroom to see the Northern powerhouse storm the stage. Like Fen, Winterfylleth drews inspiration from English heritage and historical past and this may be heard on such songs as “A Valley Thick With Oaks,” from their 2010 album, “The Mercian Sphere,” in addition to more moderen tunes like “Absolved In Hearth” and “The Reckoning Daybreak.” Followers had been additionally handled to not one, however two new songs named “To The Edge Of Tyranny” and “Dishonour Enthroned,” which had been each acquired very effectively, earlier than the set got here to a detailed with “Whisper Of The Parts.” For over fifteen years now, Winterfylleth has been constantly glorious in relation to their music and their plain expertise is obvious to see within the dwell setting. Truthfully talking, they might even be the very best black metallic band to ever come from the nation the place the time period was first coined.

London has among the most interesting delicacies from everywhere in the world, so after benefiting from that and going to Wendy’s, it was time to return to the Electrical Ballroom for some Norwegian black metallic, represented this yr by Carpathian Forest. Hailing from Sandnes, the sextet obtained issues going rather well with “Vi åpner porten til helvete…,” from their most up-to-date album, “Fuck You All!!!” (which itself is eighteen years outdated now!) There was super power from the band, which was reciprocated by the viewers as frontman Nattefrost tossed Norwegian flags into the gang earlier than launching into their eponymous tune. Norwegian black metallic has a effectively earned popularity for not being significantly enjoyable, however that wasn’t the case right here, with extra classics like “Submit To Devil” and “He is Turning Blue” introduced out, in the end concluding with “Bloody Fucking Nekro Hell.” This was an amazing instance of the variation that may be present in black metallic and lots of enjoyable from starting to finish.

Crossing over to The Underworld as soon as extra, it was there that “blackened hardcore” band Hexis had been plying their commerce. Witnessing them, one is straight away struck by the presentation, the place the band largely performs in darkness, save for flashes of sunshine, making it look like the sort of band performances that was frequent in nineties films. Hexis was positively one thing completely different for the competition, with some folks getting actually into them, whereas others struggled to resolve what to make of it. Breakdowns and barked vocals will not be what you’d anticipate at what’s ostensibly a black metallic competition, however it was a change from corpsepaint and Devil, so in that regard it was fairly refreshing. They are not for everybody and should even have been misplaced right here, however they’re value a glance when you’re a hardcore fan who likes their music on the darker facet.

Are Belphegor the very best metallic band from Austria? That every one relies on private preferences and opinion in fact, however it’s arduous to argue after they’re on type within the dwell setting. Opening their set within the Ballroom with “The Procession,” the acute battalion instantly obtained the place shifting, maybe even somewhat an excessive amount of. Mosh pits are all effectively and good, however when you see a scared younger individual, with their dad and mom arms round them, attempting to get out, and your intuition is to maintain pushing them again in so that they get harm, you are scum. Pit etiquette basically appeared fairly poor at this time and the evening earlier than at The Black Coronary heart and it is one thing that must be addressed. Festivals and gigs are the place we come collectively to have fun a band and our shared love of music, not for meat headed twats to cowardly stick a boot in or purposefully injure somebody. Do higher.

As for Belphegor themselves, they continued to placed on a hell of a efficiency, making nice use of the lighting to strike some actually eerie poses and expressions, all whereas such songs as “Sanctus Diaboli Confidimus” and “Lucifer Incestus” burned into the ears of everybody in attendance. Nonetheless supporting their 2022 launch “The Devils,” the four-piece weren’t shy about selling it, bringing out the title monitor in addition to “Virtus Asinaria – Prayer” and shutting quantity “Totentanz – Dance Macabre,” which had been all acquired very warmly. Belphegor has at all times been an fascinating band, with a picture and supply that some could really feel borders on parody, however the music is de facto good and comes throughout even higher when every little thing is about up the way in which they need it.

As soon as once more, The Underworld provided one thing somewhat completely different from the black and dying metallic which dominated the day, as Liverpool doom metallic favourites Conan walked on to crush their enemies. There’s little or no in the way in which of showmanship in relation to Conan, preferring as a substitute to let their devastatingly heavy music do the speaking, which it does very effectively. Maybe essentially the most thrilling information to return from this set was the announcement that they will be returning to the studio later this yr to report a brand new album and followers had been handled to a model new monitor which is scheduled to look on the report. Jon Davis has a voice that grabs you by your very soul and it was in superb type at this occasion, bellowing throughout the venue because the devices wailed and pounded away. The sound of Conan dwell is totally cranium crushing they usually proceed to stake their place as one of many most interesting energetic doom bands within the nation due to performances like this. To not be missed for anybody who loves their music slower and meatier.

Returning to the Electrical Ballroom, it was time for one of the vital excessive acts on the invoice; Anaal Nathrakh. I used to be lucky sufficient to see them in London a couple of years in the past the place they had been supported by Sigh and on the time, there have been questions as as to if that might be their closing gig. Fortunately for excessive metallic followers, that turned out to not be the case and so Dave Hunt continues to ship the band’s signature mixture of black metallic, grindcore and industrial to dwell audiences. Followers had been delighted to welcome them again to the capital at this time and the group paid them again with a completely exhilarating efficiency that thrilled all in attendance. They obtained the ball rolling with “Acheronta Movebimus” and “Unleash,” which reworked the venue to a scene of whole chaos and dipped into their newest album, “Endarkenment” with “The Age Of Starlight Ends.” “Between Shit And Piss We Are Born” was an actual spotlight, as was “In The Constellation Of The Black Widow,” all performed with a livid power in between Hunt humbly thanking everybody for turning up and coming throughout as one of the vital likable folks in excessive metallic. The set was dropped at a detailed with the title monitor of “Endarkenment” earlier than they left the stage, protected within the information that that they had simply achieved an unimaginable job.

To the depths of the Underworld we descend one final time at this time, as Greek dying metallic veterans Useless Congregation had been the ultimate band to carry out within the underground venue. Truthfully, they don’t seem to be a band I am conversant in in any respect, however I really like Greek metallic and was instructed that they are very influential so I used to be wanting ahead to seeing them. One will get the impression that they have been copied lots, as a result of whereas good, they did not come throughout as significantly floor breaking. Their music is extraordinarily low, from the tone to the vocals, which creates a punishing sound that bores its method into your abdomen. Frontman Anastasis Valtsanis can be a notable presence, standing proudly as he growls with extreme menace into the microphone, whereas the group as an entire had been tight knit and really exact. Useless Congregation will not provide a lot to those that aren’t eager on this model of dying metallic, however they’re actually good at what they do and can absolutely have made some new followers tonight.

Lastly, it was time to convey the curtain down on what had been a really pleasing occasion. The Electrical Ballroom welcomed metallic followers for the final time this weekend as they flocked in to witness considered one of Finland’s most revered bands, Amorphis. Amorphis has a really fascinating and eclectic again catalogue, from which they will draw quite a lot of atmospheres and types and that is precisely what they did tonight. Two years on from the discharge of their newest album, “Halo,” the band are nonetheless eager to advertise, and rightly so, because the report’s opening quantity “Northwards” additionally kicked off the present at Incineration Fest. There have been a few different “Halo” demonstrations, which got here within the types of “The Moon” and “The Wolf,” with the previous happening particularly effectively.

Naturally, Amorphis needed to re-visit their basic album, “Tales From The Thousand Lakes,” which they did first with “The Castaway” and afterward by way of the wonderful “Black Winter Day.” The band themselves seemed to be having as a lot enjoyable because the followers and it is good to see a band who will be so heavy not have any pretenses about being too darkish for enjoyable by smiling away because the music unfold throughout the room. More moderen favourites equivalent to “Mistaken Path,” “The 4 Clever Ones” and finale “The Bee” had been additionally carried out a lot to the viewers’s delight, as was the seminal tune, “Home Of Sleep.” Amorphis can entertain dying metallic followers whereas fascinating progressive metallic stalwarts, all whereas placing on an thrilling present the place the music takes on a lifetime of its personal. I might say they’re important viewing for metallic followers of any sub-genre they usually had been the proper finish to a completely fantastic competition.