Doom Over London
By: Andy Little
Across three stages the Doom Over London festival returns for the sixth time with another line-up of crushing heaviness. A vast array of doom and beyond it will bound to stretch listening ears to the point, at times, to file under acquired tastes. But with 43 acts there is enough, with prior willingness to do a bit of research, to wade through to find bands within one’s personal, suitable zone, taste field.
It is over the road from the Dome at the Aces and Eight bar and pizza restaurant, in a tiny basement, where I spend the majority of Saturday. Not a setting I was expecting descending down stairs, including a half broken step, into a darkened basement with mustard coloured curtains along one wall (no windows), arch mirrors line the back wall. Look left, minus a stage, equipment is set on top of a tattered, well-worn carpet very similar to the design my grandparents had back in the 1970’s. To the right of the stage the wall is covered with bookshelves wallpaper. A venue that took me nostalgically and heart warmingly back to dark dingy, makeshift venues that seemed to be in abundance in decades past.
This is the setting where Welsh, New Heavy Sounds signings, wonderfully titled Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard, having just released their debut record, kick off today’s proceedings. Passing around a bottle of Mead for refreshment, Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard incorporate their 30 minutes set with slow grinding, head inducing nodding rhythms, while blue haired Jessica Ball’s heavily reverbed wail floats over the top. It’s one paced, heavy and captivating.
Another fine and appropriately named band is the currently unsigned Wizard Fight. They up the tempo, return to the festival’s mainstay of uproarious growling roaring vocals, to provide further proof men with beards (and one without) rock the hardest. From mild mannered guys beforehand at the bar they explode and attack with high energy, animation, and mountains of zest. Currently writing material for a new album, on this evidence, it’s hard to fathom while they haven’t been snapped up.
Home of metal Birmingham’s Alunah slow down the pace delivering fine Sabbathian style riffs. Always strange to see a band sound check on stage (sorry! Floor.) This may be the reason they take a bit of time to warm up, but Sophie Day’s strong, alluring vocals propel them to be an easy on the ear, enjoyable slow doom groove. Also, expecting to release a new record out this year they showcase promising new track ‘Night Of Winter’. The only minor quibble is the guitars could have been turned up a tad.
Easter Sunday, the clocks gone forward an hour, arrived in time to catch Devon’s The Wounded Kings deliver a smart, self-assured set, to match their Witchcraft/Soundgarden-esque style riff heavy doom.
There was a Spinal Tap moment when 15 minutes before their scheduled set there were calls of ‘is anyone here a member of Lord Vicar?’ So my thoughts drifted towards images of the band lost and wandering through secret tunnels and emerging on the Tufnell Park tube platform. Or, they were taking time out to pray to the metal gods (geddit?). Whatever the reason they were found, and took to the stage for some old skool doom metal. Their songs didn’t always grip but just enough decent riffs to at least offer a bit of comfort old school rock/metal seems to install in me these days.
Recently busy writing new material for a new record; this is first gig of the year for Black Moth. No sign of stage rustiness as they rock with staggering confidence and swagger. They not only sound sharp they now ooze style, and possess the chemistry of an incredibly strong unit. Playing a mixture of live favourites from their two albums it is great to hear ‘Spit On Your Teeth’ from their debut get an airing. Harriet informs us she had recently burned her hands in a domestic fire but fortunately, even despite bassist Dave Vachon experiencing a few technical problems (a bit of bass swapping required), it is only the band tonight on fire (metaphorically, not physically), lighting the flames to a scorching heat. Immense!
So another festival over – resting ears will be the order of the day tomorrow – not everything on offer was to everyone’s taste (well, at least to mine anyway), but what shines is the friendly, laid-back atmosphere, good beer (always thumbs up when quality ale is on offer) and food, and an unusual venue, so not wanting to wish a year away we will hopefully have the seventh Doom Over London next year.
