666 : Damnation 2023 Preview

Can I be honest with you? Why the hell isn't Damnation 2023 sold out? The bill on offer is a smorgasbord of extreme metal crudites that outshines anything they have previously managed to cobble together. And that's before we even talk about its even eviller twin "Night of Salvation”, which is ludicrously stacked with world exclusives destined to make Roadburn weep into its pillow.

We know that Damnation’s new home works (Pig Destroyer in front of 6000 people was a sight to behold that still makes the hair on the back of my neck stand erect) and we know that they have taken on board all those little teething issues (there will be more seating, more food vendors and nobody should have to queue for potato spirals ever again). So, if you currently not planning on being in an industrial estate in deepest darkest Trafford on the weekend of the third and fourth of November, the simple question is why?

Let me spell it out to you. You've got not one, not two , not three but eleven (yes eleven) UK-exclusive album sets that are frankly unrepeatable and utterly unique. On Friday alone there is an absolutely remarkable run on the main Pins and Knuckles stage of Viking Skull doing “Chapter One”, Bossk doing “Audio Noir”, Enslaved doing “Below the Lights”, Leprous doing “Coal” and then Katatonia doing “Dead-End King”. You can just feel the jealousy ooze of our metal compatriots over on the continent. If you like flavour, variance and nuance in your metal then this is utopia on legs. How our Gavin has managed to make this happen is beyond human comprehension, but it's one of those evenings that in years to come you will sit the grandchildren on your knee and say “I was there”.

And that is only the bloody warmup show. The main event offers something for everyone within the expansive church of extreme metal. If you want to throw yourself around silly to guttural malignant riffs then knock yourself out to Crepitation, Undeath, Rotten Sound and the emperors of repugnant noise themselves Anaal Nathrakh. If you want to supp your two pinter of Holy Goats finest whilst nodding your head to monolithically heavy pendulous riffs, then you need to look no further than Khemmis, Ahab and overall headliner Electric Wizard. 

If you're after resplendent beauty and crescendoing sonic oscillation that is designed to make you cry, then I will point you in the direction of mainstage openers Nordic Giants and Eye Merch stage closers Maybeshewill. If you want to have your understanding and definitions of music challenged then there is Laster, Asthenspire,  and the incredible early evening run of Belgian wonders Amenra, Downfall of Gaia and the quite exquisite Julie Christmas. And finally, for those wanting to pretend they are twenty again, there is a criminally underrated Deadguy and Unearth performing their masterpiece “The Oncoming Storm”. If you can't find at least one reason there to be in Manchester next month, then frankly my friend you have no soul.

Every Damnation is an embarrassment of metallic riches, but this year they'd really have outdone themselves. They have even put on coaches from numerous UK destinations, so you don't even have to pay those ludicrously expensive Manchester hotel fees. Damnation is unique because you can see where every penny of your entrance fees goes and that's on the quality of the bill. It is beyond value for money and coming out the other side. It's also got the friendliest (and to be honest oldest) crowd you will find outside of a Hawkwind reunion tour and the beer is not bad (in fact with Holy Goat brewery involved the beer’s bloody marvellous.

So, if you are coming along I will see you there (and probably cry on your shoulder when Katatonia once again break my heart). And if you have not got your tickets yet you know what to do https://www.damnationfestival.co.uk/tickets tell them Rockflesh.com sent you. It's going to be life-changing, just mark my word.