Hammerfest 13 – The O2, Birmingham, 12-13/02/2022
Hammerfest 13
The O2, Birmingham
12-13/02/2022
Live Review by Rob Sutton
Day 1
I had not been to Birmingham for many years and this was the first time I was even legal to drink, so I was very excited to explore the city – although I didn’t get much chance with Hammerfest taking up pretty much the entire day. The O2 is a cracking venue, boasting 3 stages and as I always have to mention, many toilets! Most of which were well maintained. Especially those at the second stage. My first gripe about the weekend comes in the form of the app, which had the stage times on. While I like this idea and it is modern, I would have also liked the stage times to be on the doors of each stage.
Master Charger
Now I turned up a little late but hastily made my way to the second stage to catch Master Charger, who unfortunately I only caught one song of. From what I saw and heard they had a fantastic reception with the entire crowd merrily bobbing away. The bass tone also stood out for me as it had a cracking rumble about it. Sadly that’s pretty much all I can write for them, as I didn’t catch enough, however I will be seeing them at this year’s Pentrefest so should be able to write more then.
https://www.facebook.com/mastercharger
Chapfallen
The first full band I caught was Stoke’s Chapfallen, their sound reminding me of a mix of Stray from the Path and Caliban. So, Metalcore! From the beginning of their set it did feel like these guys lacked a bit of confidence, possibly due to being on so early, but once they kicked in with the beautiful ‘Liminal Presence’ the show really took a step in the right direction. This song in particular was very heartfelt and you could really feel the passion in the vocal delivery for it. Both guitars also stepped up after and during this song with the solo’s really becoming more powerful and the riffs seemed to carry so much more weight with them. These guys were a solid opener for me and with a bit more confidence I’m sure I will enjoy them even more.
https://www.facebook.com/Chapfallenband
Tableau Mort
Staying on the third stage, Tableau Mort seemed to turn the whole place much darker. Their mix of synths and sheer presence with their stage attire really brought the whole Black Metal / cult feel to the afternoon. This was really engaging to watch, with their commanding stances on stage with all members wearing what looked like religious robes and the usual Black Metal corpse paint. Vocally this was also very strong, using the now familiar Black Metal shrieks, but musically this all got a bit lost and ended up sounding muddy. I honestly was struggling to pick out each instrument individually, this was a shame as using many strings on both guitars and bass had me really intrigued, as well as hearing them on recording and really enjoying it. Sadly for me, live, this didn’t work on this occasion.
https://www.facebook.com/tableaumort
Master’s Call
In keeping with the darkened theme that was previously on, Master’s Call were not originally on my list of bands to see, however when I was walking past my ears pricked up and had to wander in to see. Now I have heard the name many a time but never actually went to watch them. I am glad I did! Their blend of Black and Thrash Metal really hit the spot. Adding to this some fantastic crowd engagement and riffs to bang your head to your hearts contempt and Master’s Call are a winner. For me, these guys were one of the surprises of the weekend. On listening online I thought they were OK, but live I was blown away! These guys kicked off the festival for me.
https://www.facebook.com/MastersCallOfficial
Absolva
My first venture onto the main stage was for Absolva. Another band I wasn’t expecting to watch this weekend, as I was seeing them at Pentrefest but I am so glad I did. I watched these guys a few years ago and while I did enjoy them, it wasn’t to my taste. Even now NWOBHM doesn’t really do much for me but with Absolva, I felt like they brought something fresh. They were by far and away one of the most professional looking bands on stage and the way they had the entire crowd in the palm of their hand throughout their set was simply outstanding. This also didn’t come with a lack of oomph from the music either, each song was laden with cracking riffs and insane solos, also I really appreciate a guitarist who shows off while doing a solo, I love the almost arrogance that comes with it. One other thing worth mentioning was his voice; it felt so clean and crisp throughout their set. Absolva again surprised me, a genre I am not a fan of but done so magnificently I find myself raving over this performance!
https://www.facebook.com/absolva
Solitary
Solitary are a band I know well having shared the stage with them a few times in my past and they never disappoint me, their Kreator / Testament style of Thrash is just cracking. Solitary have been going for a fair while now, but they show no signs of letting up, even if the crowd for them was maybe less than they deserved, they continue to race through songs with pure thrash speed and competence. Not only that, but they take the time between the songs to have a good bit of banter with the audience and this all leads to the first pit I see of the day, albeit with about 5 people – but that’s not the point. Solitary always put on a brilliant show, no matter what the venue or the size of the crowd, and this was another example of how fantastic these guys are.
https://www.facebook.com/Official.Solitary
Ashen Crown
Another band I have seen, reviewed and shared the stage with on numerous occasions is Ashen Crown. After their simply fantastic set at the ‘festival that shall not be named’, I was eagerly awaiting more of the same. Boy was I not disappointed. Ashen Crown owned the third stage, pits throughout, whole crowd moshing and even me in the pit. Put simply, Ashen Crown were on the wrong stage, they packed this stage easily and for me should have been on one of the bigger stages with a longer set. This was absolute carnage and decimation by one of the hottest bands in the underground Death Metal scene!
https://www.facebook.com/ashencrown.uk
Raging Speedhorn
Raging Speedhorn… Why aren’t they headlining this festival? This was the first time I have watched them from start to finish and I properly get the buzz with them. They are packed with aggression and this is pure in your face fun! Across the whole venue there are signs advising no crowd surfing… these must have been stolen for this set as there were a good number of people flying over the barriers, me included. Throw this with pits throughout and the crowd constantly bouncing. This is a heavy metal party band and they own this festival. I don’t think I have had this much fun in a long time!
https://www.facebook.com/ragingspeedhorn
Day 1 was fantastic, it had been so long since I had been crowd surfing as well as had the joys of floating to a random stage to watch a band I had never seen. I can’t complain, this was a fantastic day, roll on day 2.
Day 2
Day 2 rolled around and I began to get more frustrated with this app. I knew bands had dropped out and other bands were being replaced or moving stages, but it didn’t seem to update quick enough, as I previously mentioned having stage times printed around the venue would have really helped this!
Lullaby for a Unicorn
The first band of the day was North Wales based Lullaby for a Unicorn, a band well renowned for being completely off the wall, silly and for making an absolute mess of a stage. With them being such a late announcement, it did seem the stage show had been stripped back a lot, but that didn’t stop the bassist wearing his usual unicorn onesie. The thing is, I know this band are funny and entertaining to watch and even without the props the frontman is normally really funny, but this set just felt like it was severely lacking in the humour department – and this for me is their unique selling point. Don’t get me wrong, the riffs and grooves these guys had sounded massive on this stage – which was enough to make the crowd bob along, but I expected more.
https://www.facebook.com/rockmyunicorn
Pythia
Something a bit different for me was Pythia, a band going for the Goth / Opera Metal style Nightwish became famous for. It has been so long since I had seen a band of this genre so, this gave me a bit of excitement. Her voice truly was that of a siren echoing throughout the mainstage. This on top of some chunky riffs and a present keytar just worked brilliantly for me. For me however the set length was a bit too long. A good 30 minute set would have worked wonders, don’t get me wrong I really enjoyed Pythia and thought they did deserve more of a crowd than they got.
https://www.facebook.com/PythiaBand
Incursion
Sunday seems to be the day of interesting bands, Incursion from South Wales certainly were as mad as a box of frogs! Coated in green paint and with themes relating to the end of the world was again different to the rest of the day. Now I will mention that the bassist did learn this set in 2 days and this was really noticeable, as there were many occasions where he would fall out of time or miss a beat. With more time for him to integrate into the band this should be ironed out. Aside from that, Incursion seem to mix just about every subgenre with an Industrial edge; there was everything from Grindcore to Nu-Metal. This meant I was never bored and each song, while a different subgenre, still sounded like it belonged in the set. Incursion were by far the most entertaining band of the weekend, even including the last packet of Hobnobs given to Eddie and the rest of the audience had to fight him for them. This was a genius bit of crowd engagement and for me summed this band up, cracking music and oh so much fun to watch!
https://www.facebook.com/IncursionMetal
King Kraken
King Kraken were up next and although their genre is not my usual taste, I found myself really enjoying them! Their riffs were simply brilliant and properly got the old noggin bobbing, this was also replicated with just about everyone in the audience. Speaking of the crowd, they were lapping up every note these guys were playing, which lead to the first crowd surfer of the day. King Kraken smashed this set and for me felt like they could have been a headliner!
https://www.facebook.com/kingkrakenuk
Callous Hands
Back on to the third stage and more Metalcore is on display with Callous Hands. Now with their being a few bands of a similar sound, these guys did need something that stands out. They did just that with a more Unearth influence to their music. Now it wouldn’t be Metalcore without a breakdown or 10 and for Callous Hands the breakdowns were on point, throwing some lovely riffs with them and it was a marvel to watch. For me however, the thing that let this set down was their stage presence. Metalcore is a bouncy genre but most of this seems to have been missing with most of the members just standing there playing and then between songs very minimal interaction with the crowd. Sadly this lost a lot of the energy that was made with the music. I will say musically and vocally, Callous Hands were fantastic. I just wish there was a bit more from the actual stage show.
https://www.facebook.com/callous.hands1
Ward XVI
Ward XVI have been building a massive reputation for themselves as being one of the most theatrical and entertaining bands on the UK circuit over the last few years and this show was no exception. Ward pulled out all of the stops when it came to their stage show, with what can only be described as a theatre performance, the entire stage littered with props that were tastefully used throughout their set, each prop adding to their lyrical content of the individual song. Act 1 was a slow burner, a more ‘ease you in’ to the rest of their show before the darker themes came forward. While the performance during the songs was phenomenally entertaining to watch, I couldn’t help but notice between the songs needed a bit of work. I am not talking about the music or the band themselves but setting up for the next song, for example; her mother was shot and then as the song finished she got up and walked off. From a theatre aspect and to keep the appearance up, I feel she should have been carried off. There were numerous parts which felt like there could have been a cleaner way of doing the changover and it did slightly hinder the overall show. Musically they were fantastic, the vocals were good and clear and the pacing throughout the set was brilliant as they finished off with the classic ‘Toy Box’ and the famous ‘circus pit.’ I really enjoyed this show and yet again Ward XVI prove just how entertaining they are as a band.
https://www.facebook.com/WardXVI
Those Once Loyal
The third stage at Hammerfest seems to have a thing for Metalcore bands this weekend as up next was Those Once Loyal. Whereas those who had performed before were sometimes lacking in showmanship or presence on stage these guys were not lacking, fully engaging the crowd and even pulling one of my personal favourite tricks on stage, synchronised headbanging! This was especially effective during the breakdowns and because of this got the crowd following suit. Another common Metalcore trait is a mix of both clean and harsh vocals, both of which, while not astonishing, were very well done and fitted the style they were going for, add to this some flashy guitar solos and their sound just works for me. Those Once Loyal stood out for me as they were by far the most engaging Metalcore band of the weekend and because they dominated the stage and interacted superbly with the crowd, they were rewarded with a great reaction, even some pits. I enjoyed every song and will have to catch these guys again.
https://www.facebook.com/thoseonceloyaluk
Incinery
So here lies a problem, Incinery were moved last minute to the main stage and I didn’t realise. For me this is where a stage announcer would have been really useful to keep the audience informed. Luckily I did manage to catch a good few songs by them and their reputation for being a fast paced Thrash machine was well and truly lived up to. They were relentless in their pace not only that but were phenomenally tight in their performance and their Thrashy breakdowns really hit the sweet spot for me. It was a shame I didn’t manage to catch more of their set as the few songs I did see were amazing.
https://www.facebook.com/incinery
Bad Earth
So by now my neck hurt, my back was in bits and the hangover had caught up, but I had enough in me to catch one more band, Bad Earth. Again these guys were a last minute addition and boy did they bring it! Their Hard Rock meets Metal sound is refreshing to listen to and seemed to go down well with the crowd as well, seeing as there were non-stop pits and dancing for the entirety of their set. Behind the kit is what can only be described as a machine, as the pace and consistent delivery is on point and this was all while nursing a hangover from the previous day! In terms of front men, Stephen (Geordie) is in a league of his own. Whilst he doesn’t bounce around the stage like a maniac or encourage pits, what he brings is charm and character which is completely unrivalled in the scene and this for me is what sums Bad Earth up – something a bit different, something you can dance to but mainly such good fun!
https://www.facebook.com/BADEARTH
This was a great weekend and completely broke me (3 day hangover), after so many years of not going to a HRH event, this was fantastic but not perfect. I have mentioned how I would have improved the event and these were things I think need addressing but after the weekend, it didn’t seem to bother me that much as the bands were good, the venue was good and everyone there was lovely!
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Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Rob Sutton and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
