TGR Fest kicked off another weekend of celebration, this time for it's 17 years of existence, with an incredible Friday line up that features some of South Wales best acts across two stages.
The mainstage built outside (meaning we here lovingly given it the nickname Carpark Fest) and the second stage inside the Green Rooms itself. Built by Jonny and the team who all made the whole experience as smooth and as welcoming as they could.
It was a hot an humid day but luckily there was plenty of beverages to cool us off as the acts took to the stages, playing from 3pm until late into the evening.
No scores for this one as every band is absolutely worth your time so let's gyes going with the indoor stage shall we?
No scores for this one as every band is absolutely worth your time so let's gyes going with the indoor stage shall we?
Indoor Stage
Getting the grooves going were nu-metal lads Syndicate who have improved substantially since I saw them last right back at the beginning of M2TM this year, rap vocals, chunky riffs it was a great way to get started.
Getting the grooves going were nu-metal lads Syndicate who have improved substantially since I saw them last right back at the beginning of M2TM this year, rap vocals, chunky riffs it was a great way to get started.
From there it was the turn of Zion who brought some more aggressive metalcore sounds to the indoor stage, boisterous and breakdown hungry it kicked off inside.
From there the noise got a bit more classic in nature as Winter brought their bellowed, solo filled style of traditional/thrash metal to TGR, another brand who's stock continues to rise after M2TM.
It was great to see them looking like they were on fire, as this led into yet more vicious beatdowns from Cold Heart who play visceral melodic hardcore that has been wowing local karate fans!
Coming over from Bristol were former M2TM winners Vulture God, bringing with them some progressive death metal that was all about technically impressive playing, keys and inspiration from bands like Opeth.
They upped the technicality ready for local industrial metal heavies Manumit to take the stage with the mechanised assault, masked stage presence and heavy grooves.
Concluding the indoor stage was Calvaria, a melodic metalcore meets alt metal four piece who I've never seen but impressed me massively with their slick, riff driven approach that blended both aggression and melody, dragging themselves from Milton Keynes this was fine way to close the indoor part of the day.
Outdoor Stage
Over to outdoors and there's not a heavier way to start than Clarity As Arson, classic hardcore/metalcore crossover, it was aloud aggressive and brought lashings of groove at 3pm setting.
Concluding the indoor stage was Calvaria, a melodic metalcore meets alt metal four piece who I've never seen but impressed me massively with their slick, riff driven approach that blended both aggression and melody, dragging themselves from Milton Keynes this was fine way to close the indoor part of the day.
Outdoor Stage
Over to outdoors and there's not a heavier way to start than Clarity As Arson, classic hardcore/metalcore crossover, it was aloud aggressive and brought lashings of groove at 3pm setting.
More heavy, more metalcore, more vicious than before Paradox To Stay were next and again with a change of vocalist they've dialed up their delivery so it's right on the modern metal pulse.
A band with their own pulse as always was surf metal punks Grindhorse83 who again brought the weird and wonderful and although hindered by some technical gremlins still managed to surf the stage if TGR Fest with their hybrid madness.
A band with their own pulse as always was surf metal punks Grindhorse83 who again brought the weird and wonderful and although hindered by some technical gremlins still managed to surf the stage if TGR Fest with their hybrid madness.
Before fellow M2TM finalists Disrupt The Continuum brought the heavy again, though slimed down to a four piece temporarily, they still pack a massive punch and in Danny they probably have one of the best lead guitarists around.
After this there was a break from the heaviness as the Daughters Of Darkness dance troupe, well two of them set The Green Rooms alight with a fire routine outside, perhaps a little dangerous during a hose pipe ban, but a great way to take a bit of break from noise and riffs adding variation to the day with some serious skill.
Though the noise came back and none more noisier than Bridgend trio Icantdie, who probably were the band who travelled the least so made sure to unleash some madcap, unhinged garage riffs that splay punk and metal, they're a combative and a little crazy on stage but there's a virtuosity you may lose if you're not paying attention.
After this there was a break from the heaviness as the Daughters Of Darkness dance troupe, well two of them set The Green Rooms alight with a fire routine outside, perhaps a little dangerous during a hose pipe ban, but a great way to take a bit of break from noise and riffs adding variation to the day with some serious skill.
Though the noise came back and none more noisier than Bridgend trio Icantdie, who probably were the band who travelled the least so made sure to unleash some madcap, unhinged garage riffs that splay punk and metal, they're a combative and a little crazy on stage but there's a virtuosity you may lose if you're not paying attention.
Always a pleasure always intense Icantdie got the music back on track as Yorkshire lads The Mechanist made the six hour journey to steamroll Treforest with artillery barrages, technical precision and modern electronically layered metal, impressive stuff, excellent merch and an unhealthy obsession with biscuits what's not to like?
For me though the real treat of the evening was with the final three bands on the main stage. Beginning with our good friends in Pantheïst their set was just two songs but when they're in the epic timings this funeral doom juggernaut compose that can only be expected.
As per normal the music hit hard, equal parts distortion and emotion, the cinematic scope of this band on full display while the harsh vocals blended perfectly with the soaring soprano made sure that anyone who had not seen the band before stood in stunned silence while the songs were performed.
While Pantheïst demands you to listen and lose yourself in their all encompassing approach Adfeilion are about pace, playing with it through spoken word storytelling, electronic pulses, post metal dissonance and the new addition of flute and vocalisations, to bring yet more layers to their musical journeying.
A band who constantly seem to be evolving with their sound, and their membership Adfeilion add new strings to their bow with every show I see them at, it means that know two of their shows are the same, even if they keep a similar narrative they can adapt to their surroundings through tone and dynamics, though they are in danger of becoming the folk metal Slipknot, Folknot if you will!
Then it was time to end the first day in the most intense way possible, Ofnus too have had a change of membership, with a new vocalist but it has brought them an increased tenacity that brings a new weight to their older material, still epic, atmospheric black metal but now with some DSBM ferocity up front.
Those of us who have seen the band before (I mean double figures in my case), were treated to two new songs off the as yet announced Ofnus III and they have yet again brought new brilliance to their songwriting with more progression, technicality and those huge orchestral movements getting me very expectant of how good their new album will be.
This was Ofnus live though, a place they also thrive and for me there's no better way to end the first day of music at TGR Fest, some fireworks musically and literally, this was one of the best bands in South Wales, hell the UK on top form!
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