Live Review : UK Tech-Fest on July 1st 2022
We wake up early and make our way onsite as Johann joins us to take photos of the weekend and film my interviews. Everyone we meet seems fresh and eager to attack the day, hungry for more excellent tech-metal. For our Dark Overord there’s no easing in here, as once he’s grabbed his photo pit pass he’s thrust into the fray to cover Greylotus. The fun daytime TV show intro shows how cheeky these guys are, but belies how heavy and serious their music is. Throughout the set we see very fast and intricate tech-metal, with a great vocal performance. The low Sikth-esque growling, with equally impressive screech/guttural shifting and cleans is delightful. They have an engaging groove to their metal as well, and serve as a perfect warm-up for Harbinger later on today.
The day rolls on and in between trips to the Big Red Bus for Strawberry Daquiris and banter, we’re treated to some awesome sets. Pravitas remind me of Ghost Iris, but with some Rob Zombie styled low bellowing vocals. There’s some very technical tapping on the guitars at times, and that very heavy end of metalcore, akin to Bleed From Within, is very enjoyable.
Borders never disappoint, and today they are on fire. Their techy-groovy-bouncy rap infused metal is awesome, and the fact they can perform it live just like it is on record is a testament to their musicianship. There’s loads of infectious energy and joy both onstage and from the crowd, and the new material goes down a treat. I can’t wait to catch these guys on tour with Dropout Kings later this month.
Tiberius are best described as a heavier Haken, complete with intriguing song structures and light to dark elements. I particularly enjoy the guitarist on the front barrier pulling faces and a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles tee on the bassist, but the brilliant clean operatic vocals on display steal the show.
Frontierer are not easy listening, but nor are they meant to be…and they are also excellent. They mash together industrial, technical, speedcore and hardcore metal into a delicious experimental mix I’ve not seen probably since Atari Teenage Riot and their digital hardcore. Meshuggah style vocals layered over Will Haven droning guitars are interspersed with unexpected digital stabs and technical passages. Not everyone’s cup of tea, but certainly mine.
The unrelenting brutality of Creak in their music and performance sits alongside the wonderfully chaotic nature of their songs, which undoubtedly nods to the mathcore school of metal as well. They set their stall out right from the off with horror game and film inspired soundscapes layered under vicious fierce experimental metal. They take elements of Emmure, Sworn In and ten56. and put their own take on them. Jack Dunn’s vocals are ferocious and vibrant, aided by some unique effects, and the crowd have an obvious connection with the lads from the North East. It’s an unquestionably disorientating but invigorating experience watching Creak, and the crowd are left exhausted but grinning. I was able to catch up with Jack and Rob from the band on the Sunday, and you can see my video interview with them HERE.
Ten56. have a delayed start due to technical issues and, whilst it undoubtedly plays on their mind, it doesn’t show in their performance. Their raw passion and intensity is clear to see in the full-on bludgeoning tech-deathcore heaviness of their sound. In Aaron Matts they have a frontman that steers the crowd perfectly and delivers his brutal, guttural onslaught of a vocal with a deceptive. The guitars and bass venomously rip and gnash away while the drums blast and drive through the set. The moments of slow rumbling synth and menacing talking intersperse the awesome assault, and the crowd reaction is probably the best we’ve seen at the main stage to this point all weekend.
There’s a chance to crank the party feeling up with some more drinks and Seething Akira, a band that are the ultimate fun-time party band. They take what The Prodigy started and dial it up to eleven. I was a big fan of The One Hundred, and these guys deliver a similar guitar-driven, electronic, drum and bass, chatted vocal offering. It’s one mega dance party, and their cover of The Beastie Boys’ Intergalactic sends the crowd wild.
Hacktivist are Tech-Fest favourites, and their superb and brutal tech-metal punk grime ensures a dancing moshpit every time. 'Dogs of War' has the pit thrashing and bouncing, and 'Armoured Core' showcases the delicious rumbling bass, choppy guitars and bouncing chat. The newer songs from album “Hyperdialect” demonstrate the technical yet groove-laden guitar, stabbing and darting in liaison with the intricate drum work, and Jot Maxi in particular commands the crowd expertly with vibrant energy. More and more people get pulled into the pit, but even those outside of it are dancing and bouncing to every beat. Aaron Matts comes on to provide his verse of ‘Hyperdialect’, a personal highlight of the weekend, and everyone is in raptures.
If you like your metal straight-up heavy (and I mean HEAVY), fast and technical then Harbinger are the band for you. They’ve learnt their trade touring with some awesome bands and have secured themselves as UK Tech-Fest favourites, and in turn this second stage headline slot. Influences include Gojira, Decapitated, Malevolence and The Black Dahlia Murder, but it’s the way in which they mix elements from all these bands to create their own sound is the enjoyable part of following them. The technicality on guitar especially is phenomenal, and it has to be said that they also have a great logo and merch too! Seriously though, it really is a unique mix of deathcore, melodeath and tech-metal, and since Dilan Alves joined them as vocalist you feel they’ve pushed themselves to a new level.
I first saw Betraying the Martyrs when they stepped up to headline the Sunday in 2018. Their aggressive yet melodic tech-metalcore blew me away that night, and on this Friday night in 2022 they do exactly the same thing. Now with Rui Martins on lead vocals, the band set about their work with vigour and enthusiasm, delivering their polished yet passionate melodic tech-metalcore to the eager fans. The mix of mainstream anthems and symphonic keyboards with heavy verses and core elements of techy djent are delicious yet brutal. The note-perfect professionality of the band is a delight with intricate technical guitar work laying across stomping drums and thundering bass. Martins is able to deliver a massively wide range of vocal styles and intensity, and it allows vocalist/keyboardist Victor Guillet to vary his vocal role as well as frequently leap around the stage. The clean vocals are delivered pitch-perfect, and the entire band’s consistent and professional delivery is one of the standout aspects of the band’s product. Johann and I grab another drink before heading to the Press area to interview Victor and Rui, and talk more about their music and story in my video interview HERE.
We’re still interviewing Betraying the Martyrs as Scar Symmetry take to the stage. Many of the crowd have been waiting a long time to see the melodeath merchants from Sweden. Founder member and lead guitarist Per Nilsson is well known to many as the touring guitarist for Meshuggah during Fredrik Thordendal's hiatus, but the twin vocals are what have made these guys stand out for a number of years. They handle the harsh and clean vocals easily, juggling the two different styles alongside the virtuoso soloing of Nilsson. The crowd are happily sing along to their favourites and lapping up the guitar work as Johann and I make our way back into the venue. It’s not the end of the festivities for many of us though, as the afterparty sees Ghosts of Atlantis, Kill The Witch and Musica Masonica deliver some great late night sets, and the drinks and laughter roll on long into the night.
Providing insights into anything-core or tech-whatever (will review for craft beer).