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| Khosting |
This mini-festival started at 3.30pm, so involved getting out of bed early. Fortunately I live quite close. We began with
Khost, a two piece performing a very slow bass event with occasional taped Arabic wailing, similar to Om but less eventful. Like being sieged in a Crusader castle, with moorish drums of war and chanting from the besiegers outside.
Crypt Lurker seemed relatively upbeat compared to this, with charming candles, but I thought the five piece unutilised and rather ponderous. I preferred
Uncoffined, who had more groove and a growling lady drummer, despite feedback problems. How cool if we had a really ancient granny for the tooth-spitting!
Serpent Venom added to these a lead guitar and more traditional doom vibe.
Witchsorrow started with a surprisingly a fast number and their oeuvre was more varied and rhythmic than last time I saw them.
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| Crypt Lighter |
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| Fen-bass |
Funeralium were indeed funereal, but did seem to pick up some themes in their slowness and I think maybe would flourish in a longer set. Indeed, perhaps every festival should in future have a special "funeral" tent!
Isole were a little out of place, their set punctuated by puzzlingly heroic-sounding vocals. I was impressed by
Fen, producing a magnificent wall of sound in their threesomeness, though I am not convinced the rhythm guitar was plugged in properly as I could not hear it very well. I did not make much of
October Tide, and
Forgotten Tomb sounded to me like a normal guitar band.
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| Martinsphyx |
Wielding their great
Asphyx, the headliners delivered with excellent crunching sound numbers mixing death and crushing doom without a hint of fussy prog. We had not seem them before, and they should visit London more often. The event was well-attended, though far from crowded, and readmission was allowed before 7, preventing starvation.
Yea to nice venues, even with some seats.
Nay to the aesthetics of vigorous headbanging - with backpacks.
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