LIVE: Offal Festival (Sunday)
Offal Festival (Sunday)
Sunday 27th July 2025
Rebellion Manchester
Live Review by Oli Gonzalez
It’s Sunday morning. I’m sitting on the sofa with my ears ringing, my feet aching after 2 days of punishing brutal Metal. It’s a luxury to be able to sleep in my own bed after a festival but that still doesn’t help with the fatigue. My house mate walks in, fresh from a run as he’s training for a marathon. I tell him that I’m currently in the middle of a different type of marathon, the marathon that is Offal Festival. Over half way now, today is the grand finale and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel (and it’s not the strobe lighting from Skinless’ stunning headline set the night before) with stunning co-headline sets from Technical Death Metal giants Wormed and Defeated Sanity to wrap the weekend up.
“This will change your opinion on them” , my friend stated as I reported not being fond of one person bands. It takes a level of bravery to be on stage alone, and to open up the festival to a potentially cold crowd. Though the pit boys were already awake and throwing shapes within the first song! This was a brave attempt at programming authentic bass and drum parts, as well as some meaty sub-drops. But sadly, nothing can replicate that full backing sound and feel, which was lacking in this set.
https://www.facebook.com/desecratedextinction
Like a magnet, I was drawn to the front of the venue! This felt different to everything else I had seen this weekend. Blending Old School Death Metal and Thrash in the style of Bolt Thrower, this somehow felt more aesthetic and melodic compared to everything else I had heard this weekend! With some blazing guitar solos,and instantly memorable riffs to snap your neck to, I knew this was going to be one of my bands of the week from the first note. I just wish more were here to witness it at this early stage of the day.
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100076057517890
Another band who seamlessly blend technicality and brutality, the Hartlepool act were riding on a wave of momentum following the release of their latest album released only weeks prior. It seemed like the room was filling out more now but was a little static for large parts of the set. Solution? Simply ask for a circle pit; the crowd duly obliged with little encouragement needed. The room was ordered to split in half for our first wall of death of the day! A welcome injection of energy at what was still the early stages of the day.
https://www.facebook.com/VDdeathmetalUK
This message is brought to you by the RSPCTB (Royal Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Teddy Bears to the uninformed). A poor teddy bear was dismembered by a lady in a bloodstained white dress at a ‘lecture’ taking place at Rebellion music venue in Manchester between the hours of 15:45-16:15, Sunday 27th July. One by one, the teddy bear’s severed limbs were tossed around the venue by around 200 witnesses who took great pleasure in this, while music of the extreme Grind Metal variety was played by the ladies 3 associates as part of this sadistic ritual. The limbs and the teddy bear’s white fluffy blood were left scattered across the venue floor, an eerie reminder of the hideous sadistic act that had taken place. Please contact us if you have any more information that could help us in preventing the loss of more teddy bears innocent lives.
https://www.facebook.com/Basementtorturekillings
Things were hotting up inside Rebellion, and I’m not talking about the temperature either! It was clear that the UK debut for Plasma was a big deal for those in attendance. While bringing a dose of goregrind, there were occasional ska beats which result in a conga circle pit, beach balls being tossed about, and every body living in and revelling in the moment!
https://www.facebook.com/plasmagoregrind
Almost exactly 24 hours since Puridity laid waste to Rebellion, it was time for their Italian counterparts to take to the stage. Though something felt off here for Indecent Excision. Whether it was mental fatigue or the physical kind, it felt as though all the energy in the room had been sapped. Or people were saving themselves for the big finale later in the evening. Throwing the beach balls around the room seemed to be capturing the attention rather than the bands music which wasn’t offering anything new to the festival, not like Ancient Morality or Basement Torture Killings had done earlier in the day. We would have seen a much more positive response had they been on any other slot of the festival.
https://www.facebook.com/indecentexcision
Now, most of my brain is still scattered on Rebellion’s floor after this set, so I’ll try my best to be coherent. THE band of the weekend by a country mile. I was right at the front to witness this absolute clinic. Under the guise of Sci-fi Death Metal, this combined merciless brutality and surgical technical precision. Honestly, it’s been a while since I found myself so engrossed in a show and was simply gobsmacked by the sheer intensity they brought to the stage! Though being at the front meant that I nearly lost my glasses as a crowd surfer accidentally knocked them off my head! Though if you play with fire, you get burned. If I didn’t want that, I should have gone closer to the back. But I didn’t and I regret nothing. Since Sunday, the band has been on my regular rotation and on my gym playlist. A major find thanks to Offal Fest!
https://www.facebook.com/wormed
I was on my last legs at this point, as were many others. It had been a grueling weekend and Defeated Sanity were ready to finish us off! The North American’s sound was so smooth and polished yet they had an absolutely bruising and uncompromising intense undertone. The pits were still in operation but it was clear people were running on fumes. The crowd began fading, unable to withstand the sonic punishment anymore. The band were always going to be up against it having to follow up WORMED and while I liked their set, it came at a time when my brain had been reduced to rubble and ash, meaning I wasn’t really in the best headspace at this time. I will definitely check out more of the Progressive Brutal Death Metal stylings though and I’m sure I will see them again.
https://www.facebook.com/DefeatedSanity
Closing Thoughts
Offal Fest. What a weekend! This has totally changed my outlook on this extreme style of music, discovering some absolute pearls in the process. It’s clear that Jack, Jake, and the rest of the team are ridiculously passionate about what they do and are building something very special here. This summer has been an adventure, discovering the smaller independent festivals the UK has to offer with Offal Fest far exceeding my expectations. If it’s like this next year, I may well find myself in attendance again.
Promoter:
https://www.facebook.com/RxOxPromotions
Venue: https://www.facebook.com/rebellionmanchester
Disclaimer: This preview is solely the property of Oli Gonzalez and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this preview, 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.
