The second installment of the Masters Of The Riff festival organised by the mysterious but loud London Doom Collective made its way to The Oslo on Hackney. With plans for another fest scuppered my interest was piqued with a strong line up of riff monsters and a fairly easy journey to the venue. (It's literally by a hotel and the train station). Due to work constraints I missed the opening night headlined by Belgian maniacs Gnome but a morning jaunt on the train (a day before the price hike) landed me in Hackney and my hotel by 12pm with door time of 1:30.
Because The Oslo is essentially a trendy bar for hipsters with an area the size of Clwb Ifor Bach's performance area upstairs, it was an ideal place to hold the festival as between the bands you could relax and stretch (it's important at festivals) downstairs with some quality beer, including a beer brewed for the festival itself. The only downside (if you consider it such a thing) was that they have club nights on the weekend so there was 10pm curfew each night with a local rock club hosting the after-party. That didn't matter to me as I love a 10pm finish and it meant the bands had to be sharp with the change overs.
Saturday 04.03.23
Starting Saturday auspiciously was the psychedelic noise of Troy The Band (7) who play a style of music that I'd describe as Pink Floyd on Mescaline, as the psychedelic visuals were backed with some fuzzy dirges whipping up lots of noise. Troy The Band were a great way to ease in the crowd, alot who had come for the day but mainly for the weekend pass holders who had been a little too enthusiastic on the first night to Gnome.
Next on to the stage was London based intergalactic groovers Warpstormer (8), bounding on to the stage with energy of band like Orange Goblin they set about picking up the pace a little. Well rehearsed and with some shouted/snarled vocals at the helm of riffs that were often more stoner than doom, this was great introduction to the band but also proved to be a farewell to the guitarist and drummer and this the end of their first era. With the promise of the second era coming soon I will definitely be watching out for more Warhammer Metal soon.
A bit more experience now as Old Horn Tooth (8) proved to be the second loudest trio of the day with their atmospheric, elongated heavy doom that was one of the most traditional bits of Sabbath worship in the whole day, fused with colossal track lengths. These long term members of the London Doom Collective wear their influences on their sleeves and channel them though some warm Orange amps. Doom is an eclectic genre with so many facets to it and it was Old Horn Tooth that were the most straightforward band but still ear bleedingly heavy.
Speaking of ear bleeding, eclectic and downright scary Wallowing's (9) electronically driven noise was next. The hooded Western styled spirits playing music that would either give you tinnitus or make you shit yourself, low frequency hums building into walls of angular distortion, topped off with anguished screams and jarring samples and electronic noises. Wallowing were definitely the odd one out of the day but slotted in perfectly in the middle of four quite riffy bands. A band who I would love to see again but also one that will give me night terrors for a few weeks.
After having a sit down because of the previous audio assault, it was back upstairs for the conceptual doom metal of The Brothers Keg (7) these APF signees released their debut album in 2020 and as I said it's a concept record detailing the fictional Brothers Keg. Utilizing some guest spoken word, reading from the book the trio played a set of fuzzy doom that was limited by not being in sequence or with the full cinematic effects of the album. Still a welcome return to more traditional riffage to get the crowd ready for what was left to come.
What was to come was Desert Storm (9) there's very little I can say about them as I'm a huge fan of the progressive doomy stoner metal they have been cranking out for over a decade, incorporating more maturity and sludgy sounds since 2018 they have now become more vicious. Taking songs from their last couple of records, mainly 2020's Omens, which was never toured, they also played to the crowd by showcasing a few numbers off their upcoming record (which is brilliant by the way) the braying audience now suitably inebriated enough to get their fists going and voices shouting.
The new tracks welcomed like old friends, as the Cole brothers still at the heart of the band. Elliot behind the kit, linking into heavy grooves with Chris Benoist as his brother Ryan is one half of the twin axe attack with Chris White. The growling vocals of Matt Ryan bellowed effortlessly. Always a band worth investing time in Desert Storm, especially in a small(ish) room they make sure all eyes are on them.
Then it was time for things to get more sludgy as Norn Irish sludge/doom legends Slomatics (8) took to the stage and drew upon their near 20 years of experience to captivate the audience with long, slow, infectious grooves driven by the percussion and vocals of Marty while Chris and David's guitars the distorted riff section, Slomatics dictate their set with pace and noise, the songs build, ebb and flow, each one a journey that is primarily built on instrumentals enjoying vocals when needed. At times brutal at others euphoric Slomatics were warmly received by the crowd, their co-headliner status secured for me by this set.
The headliner were another set of legends who were the heaviest trio of the day. It was time for Conan (9); Jon Davis (vocals/guitar), Chris Fielding (bass/vocals) and Johnny King (drums), have been punishing eardrums since 2006, the Liverpool triumvirate one of the most audibly perfect heavy bands on record due to Fielding's production wizardry, but they are also brilliantly manage to translate this live, despite drenching the room in distortion and reverb they have some melody that cuts through even on the most crushing number. The vocals were a little low in the mix for the early part but once it came back you can hear the shouts of Davis properly. The packed house, seriously it must have been sold out on day tickets, hung on every note that was echoing out of the amps, the venue shaking to its foundations. A loud noisy way to end day two of the festival and fine "welcome to the party pal" for this writer.
Sunday 05.03.23
Day 3, my second day and after an excellent breakfast across the road, what better way to kick things off again than with burly, bearded metal from Flamebearer (9) four heavy set dudes playing heavy set riffs, drawing from proto-metal, Sabbath and Organs Goblin too. They took to the stage as if it's the Budokan Hall, frontman Andy Valient goading and stalking like a Big Game Hunter as they drove through their own material from their EP (album coming later this year) it was their cover of Wild Child by W.A.S.P that really made things incendiary and also a bit odd as you'd never expect Blackie Lawless at a doom festival. Concluding their set sweaty and shirtless Flamebearer are the band I want to be when I grow up, another viewing is mandatory.
Slowing things down a little after that adrenaline shot were progressive doomsters The Day Of Locusts (7), their more angular, angry and slower style allowing room to breathe and bringing a little chuckle when their impressive backing video was being projected on the wall beside them. Focused and fierce they did away with melodies for progressive heaviness and reset the room for another day of goodness.
I say goodness especially for me as Lowen (9) took to the stage and again as soon as Nina began to sing you could feel the room become hushed, the mystical call starting out their Persian/Middle Eastern influenced metal, as soon as the riffs kick in Shem is in his element, attacking his guitar as the cascading doom rang out throughout the room a foil for that magnificent vocal. Playing just three songs (this becomes a theme), they envelop you and bewitch you, Nina again bring out the Daf for additional traditional instrumentation on top of their melodic doom riffage. I'm always stunned by Lowen yet again they captured the whole crowd in their light.
Gévauden (7) meanwhile are more traditional in their doom with Sabbath and Candlemass in their remit, the vocals echoing across the room as these hooded figures played that traditional doom riffage as bleak as the Hertfordshire landscape (have you been to Stevenage?). A classic sound done well Gévauden are indebted to the bands I've mentioned but also have those hat (hood) tips to black metal and stoner much like fellow Brits Cathedral.
With the traditional fare it was about to get weird again as Avant Garde blackened duo Blood Wolf Moon (7) brought a whole load of Satanic machinations with just drums, guitar, keys and black metal screams. Featuring two veterans of the scene from various bands and genres Adam and Nathan brought pure evil to this little corner of Hackney and no amount of rosaries could absolve
As Sunday started to pull away towards the night we set a course for outer space with the cosmic stoner doom of Purple Kong (8) these extraterrestrial explorers are still stranded on our planet so they're decided to smoke reefer, eat mushrooms and listen to shed loads of Sleep and desert rock, to ramp up the fuzz and groove of their riff. A band who were a little bit more easier to digest (or perhaps smoke) than Blood Wolf Moon, it was time for the room to headbang in unison as fillings rattled and the lights on the sky grew stronger and the Orange amps drenched in reverb.
Continuing the more psychedelic side of heavy stoner/doom was Goblinsmoker (8) who told stories of their conceptual world where a Toad King rules over the kingdom of goblins and they martyr themselves so he can toke. Having evolved from a one man studio project, it's now a fully fledged riff slinging live band that kept the groove going with more heavy doom, dosed with black metal fury. If Darkthrone played Weedeater then Goblinsmoker would be the result and fine result at that.
With the haze and fog clearing the regal, imperious organ cut through the mire heralding the start of Pantheïst's (9) Sunday sermon. Decked in his priests robes frontman Kostas is bothe ethreal and demonic in equal measure as his keys are the most prominent instrument, his liturgical playing, born from the church but used to conduct pagan rituals dispelling the existence of any deity. Again just playing three songs due to their length, Pantheïst are now ramping up their live shows after a hiatus and each one sees them getting slicker and more potent each time.
Finally it was time for the last band of the weekend and funeral doom legends Esoteric (9) kept the atmosphere morbid and miserable with their nihilistic take on doom metal. Playing around four songs there a five piece with a three guitarists that bring a multilayered approach and the use of a headset mic allows freedom of movement (though the stage doesn't so much), it was a visceral affair from a band who are one of the cornerstones of the funeral doom genre.
As Monday came I reflected that Masters Of The Riff had been one of favourite two day events for a long time. An eclectic selection of bands chosen by people who know the genre inside out, appealing to as many doom fans as possible. I will definitely be coming again!
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