The day dawns, a low mist of hangover drifts across the campsite and us delicate flowers who slept in a proper bed wander in for breakfast and to make sure no one froze or drowned the night before. Stuffed with the ever excellent food on offer at the venue, I grab a pint and go in search of the first band.
This time it’s a band I have zero knowledge of who open.Thunarwülf from Sheffield. As soon as I catch sight of them I get the idea that if they can back up their excellent stage gear and particularly neatly done paint this could be interesting.
There’s a bit of a wood whistle on a backing tape intro (we find out later their ‘Whistle Bastard’ is sadly ill…) and kind of expecting more melodic, light-ish folk metal ‘Woad’ just about bloody floors me. The howl from the striking frontwoman is…unexpected and her powerful but also edged vocals are just fantastic, particularly allied with some excellent backing vocals.
Again we have live keyboards (I am really glad to see this more and more these days, there was a period where too much was shoved on backing tapes) and two guitarists. There is an undeniably folk lilt with the keyboards and that whistle but the heart of this beast is frankly pure heavy metal and I love it. ‘Sirens Call’ again has that cracking heavy metal soul, the vocals kind of reminding me just a little here and there of Leather Leone, a tinge of Doro (no higher praise from me) but again with an atmosphere that wraps the folk around it without taking away from the excellent riff and some fantastic guitar runs.
Any missteps? Well, I’m not sure any band needs a ‘Token Pirate Song’ as it was introduced but there again I could live without another pirate song from anyone, and there was a very well performed Irish style jig, but for me the closing song ‘We Ride’ just encapsulates where the fantastic, exciting heart of this band lies – an absolute full tilt slice of folk tinged heavy metal, almost bordering on a thrash sound.
Raging vocals, driving riff with a great rhythm section and those keyboards like a heavy cloak around the rider to conjure the night. Visually great and musically just fantastic for me. I am so excited to see what they do next. Can you tell?
(Gizmo)
It’s become traditional for the shooter to review one band at Warhorns and this year I was pleased to be given Master’s Call…….the atmosphere in the room took on a more sinister feel as the band set up and began sound checking. Matching “black metal” back patches and “chain” microphone stands, as well as the abrasive riffs, set a more sinister tone before the band took to the stage and launched into a malevolent ‘All Hope in Fire’.
Their black/blackened death metal was nasty, gnarly and downright vicious. It was dense and oppressive but with underlying melody buried within the layers. I could hear hints of Watain, Gaerea, Mgla and One Tail, One Head as ‘The Serpent’s Rise’ threatened to bring down the adjacent cooling towers such was the power and intensity blasting from the stage.
A masked John W was imposing on main vocals looking the part with his bullet belt and tattooed torso on display as he berated the crowd, ordering them to come forward before soaking them in beer and water. Further ballast was given to the maelstrom with supporting vocals from both guitarists before ‘Blood on the Altar’ saw a slightly more punky edge to the blackened death metal onslaught.
Their barbaric ritual was brought to a close far too soon with a monstrous ‘The Spire Cranes’. This was an immense set and it’s a long time since I’ve been so impressed by a band on my first encounter with them. I expect big things from this band and will be making an effort to catch them live again sooner rather than later while awaiting the their debut album which is due later this year.
(Andy Pountney)
Bring To Bear were given the task of changing the mood after the black/death beatdown. They were only on a Warhorns bill last September but it appears that singing duties have been changed and regardless they are a welcome return. But never fear we have twin guitars, bass, drums and accordion still in full force and when ‘Gathering Of Souls, and ‘Rising Tide’ have finished there’s no doubt that Holly has a huge, dramatic voice and is wonderfully expressive on stage.
The band have, I think, a kind of unique feel; there’s the really heavy aspects, almost death level and then that accordion and then the operatic vocals. At times I almost think of a strange cross between first album Within Temptation (remember they did have death vocals back in that day) with a heavy dollop of Eluveitie. They can move from a very ‘shanty’ feel to it before it gets heavier, the death vocals coming in.
I get genuine goosebumps during ‘At The Gates’ with the passionate presentation and then ‘Rise From The Abyss’ has that metal polka feel, a little twist of early Fintroll with a side order of the drama of Nightwish, which is kind of cool. What you can guarantee on every song is that you will get drama, an unexpected weight to the riffs and a never failing sense of melody.
Still only a couple of years into their life, and three singles and an EP in they are still developing but their set was very cool, went down well and kind of like Pythia (whom they sound nowt like of course) they seem to have a distinctly UK approach to a genre mostly colonised by the Scandinavians which is in itself intriguing to see where it will go.
As the unassuming gents of Elderseer come on stage and strike up the eerie, dark notes and opening riff of ‘Under A Dark Sky’ it’s plain we are on another journey now. It has lovely melody rising from the darkness, very Paradise Lost in feel in its sedate pace with those guitar notes echoing, winding and repeating over the drumming.
I have a bit of a problem with the mix really, something about how it’s coming together but I am assured that I’m just wrong so there we are haha. It is that thing about particularly doom/death that it can be particularly difficult to come to terms with on first listening in the live environment but there is clear class and love of what they are doing on stage.
We are informed that “We’re going to slow things down a little now…” and the inspirationally titled ‘The World Is Your Cloister’ crawls into the room. This is frankly funeral doom, another little love of mine, but unlike say someone like Skepticism this is a much harsher sound on the whole despite the gorgeous amount of melody the guitar weaves, closer to Thergothon in a way, early Ahab maybe.
It’s a tricky set for the audience to navigate I have to say, but the Warhorns crowd have enjoyed their shot of doom on the previous bills and many seem to be taken by it which is great and shows the cross section of tastes the festival attracts. I’m going to have to investigate their album first I think as there was certainly a fine band here, but just today I found it difficult to get into sadly but thankfully many others could.
Now the tricky one. Ravenhymn. The soundcheck scared the beejebus out of a few of us as we realised, yes there were indeed live bagpipes. Joking aside it was nice to see and with a line-up of drum, pipes and electric bass it was going to be interesting. With a bit more space than other bands the piper strode purposefully around, engaging with the rest nicely and the sound was good. Everyone at Warhorns loves a bit of a dip into the medieval folk sound and with the German pipes particularly reminding me of Aion period Dead Can Dance with a far deeper folk root this really should have been a perfect set for me to kind of fall in love with. And of course their medieval sounds got the Warhorners wandering in.
The set, bar one neat original, was interpretations of traditional songs and their knowledge of them was clear for anyone to see as was their individual musical dexterity. The piper between songs was a genial frontman, good but not over long explanations and just a bit of a twinkle to everything he said. There was something up for me though after a little while; something I couldn’t quite put my finger on. I didn’t think it was a sound issue and honestly when they were the only band to run out of time and not be able to start their final song I was wondering if the set had been changed or something at the last minute and their coordination was a little off.
I mean these guys can clearly play beautifully, and the flautist who joined them as well added a cool layer of melody over it but something didn’t seem to gel today, and asking around although many enjoyed them there were others who agreed. I have since listened to their EP on Bandcamp and I can safely say that is a great, engaging and fine EP (and yep, bought it and you should take a listen to it as well) and really look forward to seeing them again as I’m sure either I was having an off day (always possible) or they had some issue somewhere in the build-up.
From the potentially sublime, to the…er…..well. Either a palate cleanser or just lowering the tone as the band themselves said. Wolfbastard stomped onto the stage, Oldham Athletic scarf draped over the equipment. Crust punk black metal may indeed seem a curious choice for Warhorns but, guess what? They were chosen by Warhorners in a poll. Go figure. Me, I was happy as anything as I’ve been a fan for a while and this was my first chance to see them. Utter, charming, not exactly family friendly fun. Ahem. Yeah an utter fucking racket from three guys from Manchester.
The songs are filthy fast pieces of black metal punched into shape by punk, with such subtle titles as ‘Hammer The Bastards’ , ‘Buckfast Blasphemies’, and ‘Graveyard Slag’ but damn if they aren’t catchy too. ‘Whiskey Militia’ is an absolute blasting rendition, and ‘Drink Fucking Beer, Hail Fucking Satan’ was a fantastic piece of rabble rousing.
They display such a what the hell, go for it attitude on stage that is compelling and, yes the crowd really got into it too. Plus of course there was the banter from the stage; always filthy but almost always self-deprecating and it was kind of impossible to be offended somehow. “We’ve got four minutes left. That’s two shags in my house,” declares guitarist Dez. “I feel sorry for yer dog…” observes Bassist Si.
Then back to the blasting, low slung d-beat style of black metal that despite their modesty they do some damn well. And all the while the incredible metronome that is drummer Dave Buchan somehow keeps everything on track. It was noisy, furious, funny as fuck and serious as all Hell. And as I say that version of ‘Whiskey Militia’ was outstanding. Beer And Chips And Sex And Satan.
Er…so how does Warhorns follow that? With power metal of course. And not just any power metal but for me the best band of its type in the country, the mighty Sellsword. After a long layoff trying to replace their outstanding original singer Stuart Perry, they are back gigging with ‘new guy’ Nathan Harrison (also of doomsters The Human Condition). I did honestly wonder how the hell they would follow such noisy bastards, but never fear they are one of the perfect Warhorns bands; melodic, great fun, and with more choruses to sing along with than any band should reasonably have.
I was fascinated to hear Nathan live, and from the moment the band came on to ‘The Warrior’ and that Sellsword sound kicks in, twin guitars blazing and the best rhythm section you could want pushing it Mr Harrison hits the ground running. Dramatic as you could please, clutching the greatsword mic stand and immediately engaging with the crowd and grabbing the vocal gymnastics required by the..er… throat.
It’s also apparent that the band are absolutely loving being up there; one side you have James and Tom (guitar and bass) grinning as they play off each other, the other side Henry in his element and Tom on drums his usual laid back aura as he effortlessly guides the rhythm. And Nathan looks like he’s been there all his life and those incredible, soaring notes are just on point. It’s so easy to get lost in the musicianship on display here, the fluidity of those epic guitar breaks tossed back and forth between Henry and James, and the tall figure of Tom Keeley seemingly gliding though it but it’s always the songs that make the set. ‘Battleground’ with its more direct sound leads to the mighty ‘Pendragon’ and a bit of crowd participation begins; showing again how easily the new singer has slotted into his role.
‘Inquisitor’ has it’s darker side. And then, lo! An actual new song! ‘New Gods’ shows the songwriting in the band hasn’t atrophied either. The epic ‘Blackend Skies’ makes eleven minutes flash by and we are left with the twin closers of ‘Merchants Of Menace’, made for crowd participation and the Warhorners do just that, and my favourite Sellsword song finally, the emotional ‘Hardrada’.Just a sublime set; the enjoyment on stage irresistible to the crowd. What a blast.
Which leaves only one. Old Corpse Road, the wonderful weavers of British Folklore in a fine black metal atmosphere. Again the bassist curse strikes as their usual front and centre man, The Wanderer, has a slipped disc. But at less than a week’s notice to learn their set, in steps Mr Keeley, fresh from his Sellsword duties, to lend the bass and frankly did a brilliant job.
They enter as ever to a potent atmosphere; keyboards swirl and the haunting trilling notes of The Bearer’s guitar usher into ‘Harbingers Of Death’ from the ‘On Ghastly shores….’ album.
‘Hob Headless Rises’ follows this and it is just that sound that only Old Corpse Road have; it is epic, cinematic in the most evocative manner and with the excellent vocals of The bearer and The Revenant they create one of the few genuinely ghostly sounds in the UKBM scene for me. The tempo changes are just superb too, leaving you unbalanced in the atmosphere but never losing the thread.
With the shabby shirts and waistcoats, dusty, mouldy corpse paint and it has the feel of being warned by spectres when you wander from the path. The crowds who had slipped away for a drink after Sellsword are coming back in now, beckoned by other types of spirits perhaps and the two intense figures of The Bearer and The Revenant drawing the eye. Whatever, it has to be said that the mix of folklore and melody is perfect for Warhorns and the unrepentant black metal.
Between songs it’s a remarkably relaxed affair too; an explanation for the addition to their ranks, an engaging few words to a rather…jolly (hic)…audience here and there and yet not skipping a beat when we get the fantastic ‘Isobel: Queen Of Scottish Witches’ and ‘Demons Of The Farne’. Both have of course the OCR approach to keyboards to bring out character; they don’t fear being dramatic and upfront when needed, the sound of a well-crafted horror film to them at times which compliments the scything and harsh black metal riffs and guitar breaks.
‘Herne Of Windsor Forest’, from the perfectly named ‘Of Campfires And Evening Mists’ album is here probably my favourite song of the set. A huge forest of shadowed folklore conjured up with a rich bass line is steered by the Bearer into what can only be described as a rousing version that is so well appreciated by the audience.
As is more often than not they leave us with the strange sing-along that is ‘The Old Corpse Road’, a crowd of revellers rejoicing in the restless dead being the perfect end to Warhorns.
It was despite the adversity, a remarkable set by Old Corpse Road. A few quiet words of coaching between The Revenant and Tom Keeley, a shifting of some vocals, and they pulled off a fine performance and it was a pleasure to see them again and to have them manage to summon all the ghosts of their songs.
And all the best for the Wanderer’s swift recovery. Can’t wait to see them back on stage.
So thus ended one of the most successful Warhorns I’ve attended. Numbers were up a little, maybe signalling that people are finding a way to come to terms with the post pandemic world and being careful but still feeling safe enough to mingle. The sound system was great, with nothing more than the odd request for a little monitor tweaking, and the changeovers were absolutely spot on. Flawless Victory!
The people of course were as they always are; friendly, no attitude and a genuine safe space – it’s so good to see that, really is. A joy to be around.
Warhorns are definitely back on the rise. And honestly keep an eye on their main September event. With Kalmah and Aephanemer already announced I’m guessing it will sell out.
Thanks to everyone who put up with me but mostly thanks to Glyn, Elliot, Marc and the rest of the Warhorns crew for just sticking at what they do. And for Andy Pountney for all the help as always.
Raise The Horns!
(Words Gizmo. Photos and Master’s Call review Andy Pountney @shot_in_the _dark_photography2 )
Leave a Reply