Desertfest the multi venue festival featuring the finest Stoner/Doom Metal bands from around the world, returned to London for the first time in two years over this May bank holiday weekend. The festival takes place in four locations throughout the year inc New York, Berlin and Antwerp, and in London lands in the mutli cultural suburb of Camden, an area steeped in a long history of musical and artistic expression. Taking in iconic venues such as The Roundhouse, The Underworld and The Electric Ballroom, this years event showcased 75 + bands spread over three days, with headline acts including the likes of Witchcraft, Corrosion Of Confirmity, Shellac and Electric Wizard.
We dipped into the festival on Sunday 1st May taking in four of the festivals standout bands in the process, while soaking up the friendly atmosphere created by a diverse and clearly musically astute crowd, encompassing a myriad of multi national metal heads, sporting hundreds of different band tee’s and badge stitched jackets. First up we caught DVNE, a most welcome late addition to the lineup who had the honour of opening the final day in the impressive and large room of The Roundhouse, where the eager crowd were already in fine form with the venue filling up nicely, and the drinks already flowing from the bars.
Hailing from Edinburgh and signed to the legendary Metal Blade Records, DVNE are a highly interesting Post Metal band with Progressive and Psychedelic influences. They finely texture each of their songs, which tend to journey from drawn out melodic intros, into a crescendo of aggression, with powerful riffs and duel vocals from guitarists Daniel Barter and Victor Vicart.
With a set largely taken from their excellent second album Etemen Aenka (2021), their soundscapes flowed elegantly, supported by the subtle use of synths throughout and some furiously impressive drumming from Dudley Tate. The album is themed around the mythology of Frank Herbert’s iconic Science Fiction saga Dune, and the band got the Sunday at Desertfest off to a perfect start. Next up they hit Europe with a tour taking in the likes of Austria, Holland and Germany, before returning to these shores and supporting High On Fire in June.
Following DVNE were the Liverpudlian Sludge/Doom power trio Conan, a band proudly steeped in influence from the original masters Black Sabbath, as well as the likes of Trouble and St Vitus. Their sound is heavy and murky, with thundering down tuned riffs soaked in a haze of fuzzy distortion. This was pure caveman Metal, with the crowd lapping up everything they threw at them, in a mutual sea of appreciating nodding heads.
Signed to Napalm Records, Conan have slowly been building a cult following over the years with a catalogue of work culminating in their 2018 release ‘Existential Void Guardian’, which provides them with substantial weaponry to dip into when going to war on stage. Conan also found time during the set to showcase some new material from their forthcoming album, which will be dropping this summer.
Undoubtedly one of the highest profile bands to travel over from the States for the event were Eyehategod, the legendary blues/sludge outfit hailing from the murky depths of New Orleans. Legends of the ‘Nola’ scene featuring the questionably charismatic and highly entertaining vocalist Mike XI Williams, and guitarist Jimmy Bower, who as the drummer in ‘supergroup’ Down, famously rubs shoulders with the notorious Pantera frontman Philip H. Anselmo, alongside the likes of Pepper Keenan (Corrosion Of Conformity) and Kirk Windstein (Crowbar).
Jimmy Bower initially kept the crowd entertained with some sultry Blues licks, as we waited for bassist Gary Maker’s amp head to be swapped over, before Mike XI proudly proclaimed “We’re just a complete bunch of fuck ups … and if you guys are anything like us, then your probably gonna enjoy our music!”. Bower’s trademark intro of sustained feedback created by his modified and downtuned 4 string guitar, soon gave way to a pounding set drawn from their 30+ years of experience, which saw Bower trade dirty riffs with a distinct southern blues influence, with Mike XI’s snarling Hardcore style vox.
Eyehategod immediately whipped the crowd into life with a mosh pit forming, that substantially grew in size as their set progressed. Mike XI chatted away in between songs proclaiming at one point “See we’re just a rock and roll band, don’t us call us ‘sludge’ … I hate that!” and laughing at the absurdity of the situation when Jimmy Bower’s guitar strap snapped mid song, and he took to playing sitting down while waiting for another to be sourced … “but there’s like 400 fucking bands here!?”
Eyehategod seemed to have the crowd eating out of the palm of their hands. They’re a legacy band able to draw on material from classic albums such as ‘Take as Needed for Pain’ (1993) and ‘Dopesick’ (1996), while also dropping in fresh material from their recent albums including last years ‘A History of Nomadic Behaviour’, proving that there is plenty of life in these old dogs yet. They certainly all looked they were having fun on stage, happy to be in London and playing in front of a large crowd in this impressive venue, while arguably providing the highlight of the afternoon.
Lastly, before we left the comfort of The Roundhouse to soak up the sights and smells of Camden, to seek out some food and take a walk in the cool evening among the streets of one of London’s cultural hubs, we caught Yob, another iconic Doom Metal three piece who hail from America’s Pacific northwest, and are fronted by guitarist/vocalist Mike Scheidt. Yob eloquently blend a slow ponderous Doom/Stoner style with Psychedelia and elements of Post Metal, and with the impressive and varying range of vocal styles of Scheidt. Yob created an energy in the crowd which was far less frantic than that of Eyehategod, but equally as impacting, as all eyes were on the stage throughout their set, and all ears in the room open to their unique sound.
With highly exciting musicianship, and long thoughtful songs which create a cathartic journey through sound, Yob went down an absolute treat. The set had a unique beauty and depth mostly drawn from their classic album ‘Atma’ (2012), as the band celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the work, which has received a deluxe edition reissue this year through Relapse Records, and with the albums artwork shadowing over the three musicians on stage. Another highlight for sure, with Desertfest showing that they aim to deliver an intriguing and diverse lineup, for purists and connoisseurs of the sound. Which based on the snapshot of the festival we experienced … certainly did not disappoint!
Words by … Abstrakt_Soul
kult-zilla.com 
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