Valkyrian Music

Damnation Festival has been spreading darkness over the UK since its unholy birth in 2005 and has proven to be one of the best festivals in Europe. In celebration of this year’s Damnation, the team got together to compile a list of bands that we recommend you go see at this year’s Damnation Festival!

ELECTRIC WIZARD
^{Chosen by Hannah O’flanagan}

In all honesty, if you’re attending Damnation and planning to miss headliners Electric Wizard for any reason other than death, you should hand over your ticket, give back your ‘Metal Fan’ club card and go to HMV to pick up Justin Bieber’s latest album. Aside from being one of the UK’s seminal trad-doom bands, Electric Wizard produce a gut-rumbling, earth shaking sound with sludgey, stoner-tastic elements that is not to be missed. After their recent triumphant return to the US, you should give them the welcome home they deserve and remind them that the UK audiences are the most ferocious.

WODENSTHRONE
^{Chosen by Iza Raittila}

Why? Well, for starters they’re one of the most promising British black metal bands on the scene at the moment. They sing about heathenry and ancient tales, what’s not to like about that? Their take on atmospheric black metal is likely to appeal to fans of Graveland and Drudkh. And their music has an epic and mythological feel to it! Also, Curse is a great album.

PRIMORDIAL
^{Chosen by Alasdair “Scotch Egg” Dunn}

One of the most immersive, intense bands ever to come out of Ireland, Primordial are one of the best Black Metal acts of the age. Their live shows are renowned for being some of the most crushingly heavy, as they blend the essence of their native melancholic Celtic folk melodies and the dark, bleak sound of Epic Black Metal. A totally unique force, and responsible for one of my favorite albums of all time, "To The Nameless Dead", not to mention what many considered the best album of 2011, "Redemption at The Puritan’s Hand." Flawless.

BELPHEGOR
^{Chosen by Nico Davidson}

Ignoring the fact that they look like if they’ll sodomise your corpse with a rusty razor, Belphegor are one of the top bands on the international extreme metal scene. With a sound that could crack a mountain, Belphegor have proven time and again that they can raise hell and brutalise your ear drums like no other extreme metal act. They’re also probably nice guys as well, once you get past their intimidating image.

WINTERFYLLETH
^{Chosen by Hannah O’flanagan}

England’s home grown black metal monsters Winterfylleth have had an absolutely cracking year, storming Bloodstock, Wacken Open Air and Hellfest during the summer. These brilliant performances have shown that they are on a roll at the moment, performing at the top of their game, and subsequently their performance at Damnation should be a blinder. They have a wonderful frosty quality to their music, and they make lyrical nods to their Anglo-Saxon heritage, which is a brilliant take on the black metal scene as a whole. Winterfylleth are fresh and energetic and should be an absolute definite on your list of bands to see.

MY DYING BRIDE
^{Chosen by Hannah O’flanagan}

Melancholic gothic-doom giants My Dying Bride are a definite must-see this year. There’s not much I could possibly say to recommend them enough that a quick listen wouldn’t say anyway, but I will try my hardest! With their roots firmly in death-doom metal, their slow, languorous metamorphosis into the goth-tinged doom they produce these days has helped them to create a solid, distinguishable sound that is unashamedly theirs. There are many imitations, but none of them can come close to the original. My Dying Bride perform darkly romantic music that is decadent in its’ gloominess and triumphant in pain and misery. Make sure you bring a smoking jacket and a bubble pipe, and insist on getting your ale served to you in a deep crystal chalice to get the full effect.

EXTREME NOISE TERROR
^{Chosen by Tobias Gray}

Godfathers of grindcore, crust punk legends and controversial British extreme metal band – Extreme Noise Terror return to drop punk infused mayhem on Leeds. With almost 25 years experience and a huge catalogue to choose from, expect a hardline, political set to ignite the expectant crowd and fuel crazy moshpit antics. The lineup might have changed over the years, but Extreme Noise Terror‘s passion and fury survives, and Damnation is stronger for having them on stage.

HAWK EYES
^{Chosen by Nico Davidson}

Not exactly a band I’d pick to open Damnation Festival but they do have more musical talent than Justin Bieber, Chris Brown and Girls Aloud put together. That and after a quick listen, I think it’s safe to say that Hawk Eyes will be rocking the roof of Leeds Uni when they open up Damnation in November.

PIG DESTROYER
^{Chosen by Lauren Gowdy}

Pig Destroyer is a band definitely worth checking out because their energy and stage presence is great, and for a grindcore band, their sound is tight and easy to head bang to. I understand that grindcore is sometimes hard for people to get into, but they’re some of the best I’ve heard since I’ve started listening to metal. This band’s commanding of attention will definitely get you pumped and they’ll definitely be a very memorable performance.

And there you have it, Valkyrian Music’s list of bands to check out at Damnation this year. Of course, you’re free to check out the other bands that are playing as well, since we’re pretty sure that they’re all great as well (otherwise they wouldn’t be on the bill).

Anyway, for more info (or tickets), go to the following links:

http://www.damnationfestival.co.uk/
http://www.facebook.com/damnationfestival
http://www.myspace.com/damnationfestival
http://www.twitter.com/damnationfest

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