Cardiff Music Fest Metal Night. Hosted by University South Wales and Keep Cardiff Live
This was originally meant to take place as a live event however due to the current climate Cardiff Music Fest's metal night was resigned to being an online only affari through Facebook live. It was a mixture of instructional videos (it is curated by Uni students after all) and showcases of some of the Welsh metal scene's most well known names.
So first we got a walkthrough of Andy Sneap's production techniques by Dan Turner (who played in Cradle Of Filth and now teaches at Uni South Wales), it went into how Sneap gets the trademark metal sound for bands such as COF, Nevermore, Judas Priest etc etc narrated by someone who is somewhat of an expert on Sneaps methods. All very enthralling if you are studying or ever wondered how producers get these sounds.
Next it was a VERY in-depth mixing demo from audio wizard Timothy Vincent (perfect if you ever wanted to know how record/mix extreme metal). He showed why any band should really get their music professionally recorded and mixed as it's very much to their benefit.
Then is was the first "Live" showcase of the evening
Beth Blade & The Beautiful Disasters started with their video for Bad Habit which is stylised like a live show interspersed with a story set in Newport (that rock n roll hub). It was a show of what BB&TBD do live which is hard hitting hard rock.
Next it was a video from South Wales Alt rock band Angerona for B.W.F showing the various styles of frontwoman Sarah singing along to their bouncy rock style with an air of Hole or The Distillers
Equinox were next and heavied things up with their groovy djent sounds on Astral/Lunar. Their lyric video was sparse but suited their aggressive technically, full of palm muted guitars and growled vocals in the first instance before it breaks down into some perfect mosh in your front room riffage.
Next it was vibes galore from a band who are no strangers to me. Psychedelic druid rockers Lacertilia dropped their new video for the song Cloaks & Daggers (from their new album coming this week) on the day of this festival and it's got everything you'd want from the band, that I consider to be one of the best stoner/psych/doom acts on the UK scene full of mind melting visuals, hard hitting riffage and that trademark swagger the band bring to the table
Finally it was time for Incursion's The Times & Trials Of Hans Zoller, seeing the band (with an old line up) locking down in their outpost while being hunted by a shotgun toting soldier. Those who have read this blog know we are very familiar with the apocalyptic, Hob Nob wielding, extreme metal act and this video shows them giving it their all
Then the stream seemed to break, although it turned out to be a break between the two halfs
Next up was an interview with Producer/Mixer/owner of Longwave Studios Romesh Dodangoda which was very enlightening for anyone who has wondered how the mind of Grammy nominated producer works and what he feels are the tricks of the trade.
A second band showcase came after this starting with Fire Up The Engine Of God from a very young looking Lacertilia, then it was more alt rocking from Angerona, another visit to the wasteland with Incursion before a final salvo from BB&TBD
After this we got a playlist of some of the cream of the South Wales talent with everything from Sodomized Cadaver to King Kraken being played (though no Agrona) late into the night.
All in all a very interesting evening for any metal heads or indeed anyone who wanted a little bit of backstory into how the music industry ticks. Yes the performances would have been better with a few pints in Fuel but hey, they made the most of a difficult situation.
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