Friday 31/03/23

So passing by the Elder Gods and searching for Rex the unofficial (totally official) mascot it must be Warhorns time once more. This is the shorter festival they put on, a little attempt to welcome spring and to set us all up for the rest of the year and anticipation for the main even in September (and you really need to take a look at the line-up already announced for that: Kalmah headlining people!).

So a little food and reconnecting with Glyn and Marc and Elliott and the Warhorns guys, other familiar faces and friends as is the friendly Warhorns way and we’re off.

The honour of opening comes to Call Of Fenrir. I caught them once before, three or four years ago at the Rundergaderung in York and was rather taken by them, showing a lot of promise to me. So four years on what do we get? Well a bass player down (a bit of a theme this year) they flung themselves into the fray regardless with ‘Winds Prevail’.

The tall, lean frontman Adam Sherwood was a fine figurehead with a great aggressive voice as the two guitarists kicked out a nicely hook-heavy melody through the riffs as Jesse Borondy’s drumming held it all down. There was great energy here and the crowd were clearly eager to get warmed up too once they heard them. ‘Storm Of Jormungadr’ was a particular highlight, an aggressive but still epic sound with the harsh vocals riding over the glorious riff like cutting through waves.

New stage gear and some excellent use of the stage all just added to the feeling of real intent and filling in over the bass absence Joe Kolendar and Olivia Kennett worked so well together: They have a fine talent for conjuring sagas from the melodies but hard riffs. The superb closer ‘Ivar’s Wrath’ added some very impressive clean female vocals from guitarist Olivia which was great to hear. It was a serious, full on opening band and so good to see. Spot on! Now if only they could actually record some music (hint hint)!

What a cracking start, and also serious kudos to the sound guys right out of the blocks.

To follow that we have a band who are almost Warhorns regulars by now, VLKA. Sadly their centre stage presence is a little shorter than usual (says all 5’5” of me) as their giant singer The Berzerker is once more injured.

With their four shields front stage, an ominous chanting intro breaks into ‘Defenders Of The Realm’. Initially the sound seems a little off, a bit drum and bass heavy but it seems to shake itself and by the time ‘Howl Of War’ hits we are into their fine rhythmic and heavy sound. Fur and face paint, helmets and swords this is full on Viking metal with an unusual charm to it as ever; even without the Berzerker the one thing they never lack is charisma.

A little moment of confusion aside at one point they really do have the ability to push through adversity and come out the other side to be really entertaining. ‘Flaming Sword’, ‘Fury Of The Valkyrie’ and ‘God Of War’ all show off their heavy punching style and once again the reception is really good from the assembled Warhorners.

Another fine set from the marauders, and definitely a band to check out for your Viking fix.

So from violent raiders, we go to the symphonic sounds of twenty plus year veterans Pythia. Who in true journalistic form I have of course never heard (though they are no strangers to the Ave Noctum pages. In rather neat matching leather pauldrons they open with ‘An Earthen Lament’ with a great bassline that surges into a grand symphonic sound with galloping rhythm that never disturbs the serene melody.

Sophie Dorman’s towering voice comes across so majestically and the live keyboards are a joy to see and hear with this style of music. The guitars and bass add, for me, a weight to the proceedings on songs like ‘Just A Lie’ that is both unusual and very welcome indeed, keeping a little grit in the mill so to speak and yet not affecting what is such a rousing polished sound. Despite a full stage everyone uses their space well. From singer to keyboard player there is so much drama and expression in their stagecraft and I’m glad to say that by the end of second track ‘Just A Lie’ I’m a convert.

This is just sheer, unadulterated class. When you hear ‘Ancient Soul’ from their last album there is something to the sound I’d describe as distinctly UK to the sound, a touch of true heavy metal amidst the power and the glory and that nestles quite happily in my soul.

This is mead and meat to the Warhorns crowd too, which is just lovely to see when a band is working as hard as this and have such an array of songs to share. We get the ghostly tale of ‘The Highwayman’, the more tempestuous ‘ Hold Of Winter’ and the great lament of older song ‘Sarah (Bury Her)’ which our illustrious photographer told me to listen out for and he was not wrong in the slightest.

Closing with ‘The Key’, once more with that heavier than expected, earthy riff as the keyboards slowly rise into it I am just so please to have seen this band. Thoroughbred class, great expressive vocals and great stagecraft across the board they really were the class act of the day and had a great reception.

Which leads us to Red Rum. I last saw this band of drunken pirates…oh at the second ever Warhorns. Since them it seems broken vans have mostly kept us apart… But memories of their large singer doing a neat jig persist so I had a fair idea what I was in for.

Splicing my main brace I tentatively let them board. They open with (I think) a new song ‘We Pirates’ from the imminent new album (so look out for that, and I think a review on these pages from a colleague) I think it’s they just about reach the second song ‘Drunk and Disorderly’ before the singer’s shirt is jettisoned and from then on its heads down, full on party mode where ‘Booze & Glory’ is the aim.

Jigs and dances abound, ‘Sunken Treasure Hoard’ is searched for and the atmosphere is such a happy old party and it seriously takes about a song for the Warhorners to be waving tankards, swords and a variety of limbs around. The stage is packed, but it doesn’t deter Mr Everett the singer from doing a fine rabble rousing act for all. Guitars, keyboards,

Another new song that grabs the attention is ‘Greatest Drink In All The Land’ which really does show their songwriting has come on well over the years; a solid riff and a light touch on the melody as all jigs need. What is this sorcery indeed?! And of course ‘Make Port, Drink Port’ gets a celebratory airing too.

Now being a grumpy old git, I have never, ever been the greatest fan of pirate metal so you must bear that in mind. It really isn’t my thing and at times the cool air outside was enticing. But when you see a band have a crowd in the palm of their hand, growing en mass, dancing and being every bit as happy and drunk as the songs themselves you know it was a great night and a perfect band to send the Warhorners out to the campsite to recover….or maybe to carry on the party. Well done Red Rum; just what the party needed.

Part 2 Here

Review: Gizmo

Photos: ANDY POUNTNEY @shot_in_the_dark_photography2