Night Of Salvation is the traditional pre-show to the annual Damnation Festival, although the argument rages as to whether it is just a pre-show or another full day, such is the stacked nature of tonight's line-up which features a number of album exclusive sets.
Norna open the Pelagic stage but the mix doesn't seem quite right. The guitars in isolation are probably loud enough and the vocals could be more prominent but the bass drum is far too loud and just seems to overwhelm everything else. It is rather off-putting and slightly lessens the impact of their heavy post-metal. It comes across as a second-rate Amenra or Cult Of Luna, which is a shame as the albums are rather good. Even second-rate Cult Of Luna is decent enough though. The sound balance makes it a bit headache inducing though, and it is a bit too much to take so I decide to check out the other stage instead.
The sound balance is much better for Underdark. Their brand of progressive black metal is pretty decent too. They are mildly hypnotic in the slower parts and this is bookended by icy blasting, although they are more Deafheaven than Immortal. It's diverting enough but nothing that I haven't heard before.
After a banging thai curry from one of the food vendors, I wander into the main hall where Insanity Alert are playing. I've seen them before and found them to be pretty uninspiring, plus the fact that were going to be playing a bunch of comedy covers along with tracks from SOD's 'Speak English Or Die' meant that I had no desire to watch them. However, what I inadvertently catch isn't bad. 'Metal Punx Never Die!' is great and 'All Mosh/No Brain' (both their own tracks) is decent too. The intro to 'Beer In The Park' (their take on Maiden's 'Fear Of The Dark') leaves me cold but when they speed up, it's great. You just can't fuck with that riff or the singalong part. I am glad I missed the George Michael cover though as that probably would have turned me against them. Wham! were the first band I ever fell in love with and I'm still fiercely defensive of their and George Michael's music.
Sugar Horse are fantastic. The first track is super heavy post-rock, like Mogwai with vocals. Ash's vocals are great. They have a stadium indie rock feel and this gives their music a real edge, like The Temper Trap gone heavy or a more successful version of what Khoma attempted. The second track is more post-metal but is equally good. When they go heavy, they fucking crush. The third track is suffocating and those sawing guitars sound fantastic. It gets heavier and more foreboding as the set progresses, and the vocals get harsher. It sounds and feels incredible. They prove to be masters of light and shade as soft, whispered parts give way to crushing brutality. The stunning vocals on the final track are reminiscent of Einar Solberg, and this gives them a feel of Leprous gone post-metal. The climax to the set is earth shaking. Pretty epic, all told.
The first thirty seconds or so of Discharge's set sounds pretty tinny but then I become accustomed to it (or the sound engineers sort it out) and it sounds good enough. They are playing tracks from 'Hear Nothing, See Nothing, Say Nothing' and those songs cannot be denied regardless. The band sound tight and powerful and the singer, JJ, looks in great shape. These short, sharp bursts of hardcore punk still sound pretty fresh over 40 years after their initial release. 'Protest And Survive' sounds as vital and relevant as ever. JJ shouts 'free Palestine' before a pounding 'Never Again', demonstrating that they are as politicised as ever and also showing why we still really need Discharge.
Morne are playing their most recent album 'Engraved In Pain' in full. They sit at the crustier, sludgier end of post-metal. They are heavy and mesmerising, and the material has a real momentum to it. The guitarist has a sweet Thin Lizzy shirt on and he pulls out some great solos. His excellent, emotive playing adds an extra layer to the sound. The dynamic and punchy 'Memories Like A Stone' is excellent. The lurching doom of 'Fire And Dust' is heavy as hell and is compelling. The climax to the final track is superb, but the entire set is excellent.
Mizmor open with a very rhythmic, tribal take on black metal which then transforms into funeral doom. It's absolutely spellbinding. Fucking magical. There is nothing contrived about them. They evoke a dark and gloomy atmosphere by simply playing, and mixing those fast and slow tempos. The slower doom parts are mined from the same places Bell Witch and Ahab mine theirs from (the bottom of the ocean?). An incredible experience.
The Ocean are one of the most anticipated bands of the evening as they are performing their 2013 album 'Pelagial' in full, one of their final performances with their current line up. After the intro of 'Epipelagic', they open with the gentle prog of 'Mesopelagic: Into The Uncanny' which becomes heavier like 'Fear Of A Blank Planet' era Pocupine Tree, only denser. It's extremely dynamic, with an arena metal chorus. A seriously rocking beginning. Their trademark post-metal is evident on 'Bathyapelagic I: Impasses' but it is hugely accessible with big hooks and a killer chorus. The closing coda of 'Bathyapelagic II: The Wish In Dreams' is very Tool-like (it is very reminiscent of 'The Grudge'). Their singer, Loïc, seems genuinely touched by the crowd's reaction. Some people around me are losing their minds, in a similar manner to how I was at Leprous at Night Of Salvation last year. 'Demersal: Cognitive Dissonance' has a heavy, pulsing rhythm whilst the sheer weight of 'Benthic: The Origin Of Our Wishes' towards the end is incredible. A special performance.
I've described quite a lot of bands today as heavy, but in comparison of mass, LLNN are tonnes heavier than anyone else. I've also described a couple of bands as crushing, but in comparison of pressure, LLNN are at least double the psi of anyone else. The impact is breathtaking. It is soooo intense. 'Desecrator' is a savage, ominous rumble. We're talking 'Streetcleaner' levels of heaviness here. At their best, they are a mixture of industrial and post-metal like Godflesh meets Amenra. Midway through the set the band leave the stage, leaving the singer alone to growl along to a backing track which sounds like it's soundtracking the cult sci-fi flick 'Hardware'. The band rejoin him onstage and the result is a crowd full of banging heads. i appreciate how much the band put into this performance. The singer looks utterly spent, and I really like how the keyboardist attacks his instrument. LLNN are something else. Absolutely incredible.
That's where I decide to call it a night as the mainstage headliners, Decapitated, do nothing for me. They may be playing an album in full, with their old singer on vocals but that isn't enough to encourage me to stay. I make the decision to go home and get a decent night's rest ahead of a full day of bands tomorrow.
LLNN *****
The Ocean ****
Mizmor *****
Morne ****
Discharge ****
Sugar Horse ****
Insanity Alert ***
Underdark ***
Norna ***
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