Damnation Festival 2023
Damnation Festival: A Night Of Salvation
BEC Arena, Manchester
03/11/2023
Live Review by Oli Gonzalez
Damnation festival. A new festival for me, one that I had circled on my calendar for a long time. This was the Friday night pre-show, A Night Of Salvation (NOS) and only the second time the event has been hosted since returning to Manchester.
Some slight logistical issues meant myself and my friend were a little late arriving, mainly due to difficulty finding the venue on foot and general poor planning. We just caught the tail end of Viking Skull, with their sound filling the arena. I could sense a huge buzz as metalheads from across the country, and even internationally, were piling into the BEC Arena. This was going to be special.
The site layout seemed very simple to follow and well organised. Definitely a lot more ‘manageable’ than other larger festivals out there. Especially as all 3 stages were within a 1 minute walk from each other (if that!). I knew exactly where I wanted to be though, as it was gone 5pm and time to head over to the Cult Never Dies (CND) stage for the first band on my list…
Ninkharsag
Forming part of a Black Metal themed CND stage were Liverpool’s own Ninkharsag. Having seen them sell out a small 80-cap arena to now featuring on this major festival is a big step up and represents evolution for the band. With a set featuring many tracks from “Discipline Through Dark Sorcery”, they certainly sounded the part and fully deserved their slot. I do wonder if they could have played this in its entirety. Maybe another day. They seem to have a traditional Black Metal style, yet with a modern twist, especially in the production values. I found myself headbanging along multiple times, and was suitably fired up and ready for the evening’s festivities. I was thinking what can Ninkharsag do to get themselves further up on the bill on line ups like this? Whereas their sound is spot on, some investment in the visual aspect of their performance would be invaluable. That’s when compared to the huge budgets and production of other bands on this festival line up. I’m sure their time will come and they’ll become a huge player on the international touring circuit, so long as they keep getting opportunities like this and grasping them with both hands.
Bossk
I’m gutted I missed this English post-metal act at this year’s Bloodstock, but luckily I had another chance this evening. I had heard about the band’s plans for a full cinematic production on the Pins and Knuckles (PK) stage, and was eagerly anticipating what they had in store for us. After this night, it was easy to see why they’re building such a huge name for themselves and are popping up on festivals all over Europe and even further. Their sound was absolutely on point, and I could feel my insides being rearranged with a low end rumble of the outrageous bass. As well as being immersed in delightful melodic passages in ‘Kobe’ and other hits from their “Audio Noir” full album set. The visual side was the icing on the cake though. The video backdrop enhanced the whole performance, and was backed up by a stunning light display, taking full advantage of the resources available to them! This is post-metal at its finest and continues to raise standards for others to follow, while pushing boundaries of what is considered conventional within the genre. Bossk, take a bow. You were fantastic.
Sadly, Tuskar pulled out late. They were a band I would have loved to have seen, though this meant an opportunity to have a wander over to the merch stand and grab some much needed nourishment. I could see that the Damnation team had made good on their promise of providing more seating areas, most of it being sheltered too. As a guy with lower back problems, I was massively grateful for this. With regards to the food vendors, I had heard some complaints about the lack of vegetarian and vegan options available. Although this didn’t affect me personally, I would have to agree and sympathise, as these options seemed a bit sparse. However, given Damnation’s impressive levels of fan engagement and their ability to act on fan feedback, I’m confident this will be rectified next year. One thing that impressed me was how fast the service was at the bars and vendors. I think the longest I had to wait at any was a whopping 3 minutes. A far cry from other festivals where you’re waiting much much longer! After our mini break, it was time to get back to the music…
Enslaved
Time for the Progressive Death Metal stylings of Norway’s Enslaved , back over at the PK stage. I had seen the band nearly 6 years ago to the day, just up the road at The Ritz. Whereas that was a mixed set featuring some of my favourites from “Riitiir” and “E”, this night was all about “Above The Lights” and a special 20th anniversary set. Vocalist Grutle revealed that some of these songs had never been played live in the UK before, which felt pretty special. I had seen their infamous cinematic live performance of this album, recorded in the studio during the global pandemic, and my expectations were high. Realistically, it was always going to be difficult to replicate that exact live studio performance in an arena where they have much less control over and/or access to visual resources they need. Nonetheless, they demonstrated why they’re held with such high regard and were granted such a prominent position on the card. Their sound was absolutely pristine, and wonderfully complex from a compositional point of view. Alternating from melodic masterclasses to face-melting heaviness throughout the set, there was so much to enjoy and appreciate. The mix was incredible, hinting at the level of detail the band goes to for their live performances. This made me rethink my plans for the next day, to try and squeeze in their second set and performance of “Vikingligr Rindi”, just to get my next fix. Otherwise, I’d be waiting until Bloodstock in August 2024.
Sigh
There was a huge buzz around this Japanese act, playing in England for the first time in several years! They were to play one of their seminal albums “Scorn Defeat” in its entirety, 30 years since its release. I had listened to it but in all honesty, I just couldn’t get into it. Still, I wanted to check them out, as some bands are totally different live. Well, I could clearly see what the buzz was all about! The CND stage was packed, and Sigh controlled their legions of fans with minimal effort. They were ferocious and justified their huge reputation. There was even time for the band’s guitarist to yield a flaming katana on stage! God only knows how they got that through health and safety (must have had a risk assessment the size of a Harry Potter novel!). I think this serves as a valuable lesson, that bands are often radically different on record than they are on stage. Considering “Scorn Defeat” was recorded when I was still an infant, the band would have had many years to perfect their stagecraft and sound. This is exactly what we witnessed this evening, making for a Night of Salvation set that will go down in the history books for many.
Leprous
From flaming katanas to Progressive Metal over at the PK stage. This time, for another Norwegian band, Leprous, albeit with a much tamer and ‘radio friendly’ approach than their national counterparts Enslaved. Leprous were staying with a theme that seemed to be running through at Night of Salvation, and playing an entire album set, “Coal”, celebrating 10 years since its release. I have to thank Damnation here because I would never have heard such an incredible album if it wasn’t for this festival. They tore through hit after hit, from ‘Valley’, ‘Echo’, and of course the title track ‘Coal’. They were refined and polished, making for an auditory masterclass and sublime overall performance. Vocalist Einar was phenomenal, and I believe he’s one of the best and most underrated vocalists in the whole of the genre! Genuinely, I can’t think of any who have the range he has! I’ve heard many say that “Coal” isn’t even Leprous’ strongest album, so if that’s the case, I’m going to do a much deeper dive into the band’s back catalogue now. Shame that their merch was apparently lost during their flight, otherwise I may have ended up doing some serious damage to my bank account at their merch stand!
Akercocke
“I’ll probably just see them play ‘Leviathan’ then leave”, were my thoughts as I headed over the CND stage for the English headline act, Akercocke. This is something I also vocalised a few times. See, I had known about this song for a while and it’s been one of my favourites for a long time. However, that was the dumbest comment of the year. I had classed Ackercocke as a bit of a one trick pony. Well, how wrong I was! Their performance was flawless, and the energy in that room was something else. Bodies were flying over the barrier as the band rampaged through their seminal album “Choronzon” 20 years on from its release. They were mercilessly heavy, yet retaining a wonderful Atmospheric and Melodic element to their sound. The pristine light show only served to enhance what was already a stunning audio display. Whoever was in charge of that, give them a raise! I need to see Akercocke again and dig deeper into their back catalogue. Never again will I think they’re a one trick pony! Easily the strongest set of the night for me. I’ve got a feeling “Choronzon” is going to be on my regular rotation for a while now. And yes, they played ‘Leviathan’, and it was glorious!
Katatonia
After having my senses blown away by Akercocke, back over to the PK stage for this evening’s headliner, Katatonia. Playing their full album “Dead End Kings”, I was ready for something a lot more stripped down and mellow; music I could just sit back and sing along to. With hits like ‘Hypnone’, ‘Leech’, and ‘The Parting’, that’s exactly what I got, and it was a perfect way to wind down before doing it all again the very next morning. I had read some rather disparaging comments to suggest that the Swedish act looked out of place as headliners. Comments I find puzzling as I thought they did a great job of closing out that main stage and deserved that place on the card. I didn’t think I’d get a chance to see them the next day so tonight was essential viewing and definitely worth staying late into the night for.
To think this evening was only £50 was an absolute steal! Seeing Akercocke alone was probably worth the price of admission. And that speaks volumes about the value of this festival. In terms of access, it can be a bit tricky to find, though there are parking options if you’re driving, a tram station roughly 10 minutes walk away, and even shuttle buses running into Manchester city centre, organised by the festival. So for first timers, don’t let this deter you. Just make sure you’re better prepared than we were!
Despite this being an Extreme Metal festival, I believe there’s something there for everyone! I personally didn’t venture into the Church Road Records stage, but that’s where you would have had chance to have a mosh to the likes of Deadguy and Heriot, if that’s more your thing, as well as the Thrash Metal styling of Inhuman Nature.
Overall, this was a fantastic introduction to life at Damnation and I couldn’t wait to return for more the next day. It’s crazy to think that I was on the fence and unsure a few months ago as I wasn’t familiar with many of the bands tonight. With a bit of time checking them all out on Spotify, it’s clear why they were booked. Gavin and the organisers have earned my trust now, and I’m already circling this on my calendar for next year.
LINKS
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