Live Review : Tech-Fest on June 30th 2023

We wake up early, roll out of the tents and make our way to the press area to grab a coffee and prepare for a full day of live bands and interviews. We start the day with Cavekiller, complete with Hawaiian shirts, and Glower offering us some hardcore tinged metal.

In between we have the superb The Cartographer with their awesome harsh vocal topped djenty metal feast. Soon we’re treated to the brutally chaotic Creak. Their music and performance interweave in a wonderfully chaotic nature. The horror film and video game inspired soundscapes layer effortlessly as an undercurrent to the fierce experimental metal thrust in our faces. Think Emmure, Sworn In and ten56. but with a unique twist. Jack Dunn’s vocals are savage and effervescent and there’s still that clear connection between the guys from the North East with the crowd. The music is both disorientating and yet also invigorating, and a real pleasure to experience.

Basement Torture Killings offer up a unique take on metal, including a horror pantomime visual performance with the dismantling of a teddy bear thrown into the crowd . 

It’s at this point the day starts to become a bit disjointed from a live coverage perspective as we look to interview a number of the day’s bands. We grab chats with both Conjurer (here) and Hacktivist introducing new vocalist JJ Olifant (here) before making our way back to the Main Stage to catch one of our favourites live, Cage Fight. We’re talking a crossover of hardcore, tech and thrash, supplemented by a wide range of backgrounds and influences. That diversity of experiences and passions, of the various members of the band, mean there are elements of punk, extreme metal and even hip-hop in their sound. Fans of bands like Madball, Terror and Biohazard will adore this band, with the non-stop, high tempo, brutal and rhythmically catchy metal a joy from the moment they step foot on stage. The riffs from James Monteith are vicious and catchy, but also have his trademark technicality, and seem note perfect even when he finds himself as part of the large circle-pit they generate! Rachel Aspe is at her best today, striking poses with dynamic confidence and charisma. Her unrelenting guttural vocals are pure and distinctive - cutting, visceral and at a perfect mid-range. As they finish up with the awesome ‘Hope Castrated’ the crowd is clearly exhausted, as are we and we take the chance for a breather. We actually manage to slot in a great catch-up interview with Rachel Aspe and recently announced new bass player Will Horsman from Cage Fight , and also a chat with Mark Byrne and Kelsey James from The Five Hundred.

There was no chance we’d miss either of Conjurer and Hacktivist live though. Conjurer are yet to play a gig which hasn’t impressed ROCKFLESH. The collective intensity and professionalism of the band is simply awe-inspiring, and they flawlessly execute their tracks with power and precision. Brady Deeprose and Dan Nightingale’s guttural and gripping vocals evoke a myriad of raw and emotionally charged glee from the crowd. Conjurer are a band that span genres and are a fit for any festival style as they are just…brilliant. They effortlessly navigate through their range of musical styles and moods, showcasing their incredible versatility and musicianship, with staggering dynamics and chemistry. The passion and dedication is evident in every thunderous note it’s a privilege to behold.

There’s no doubting that the crowd, and especially myself, are excited and eager to see how JJ Olifant’s debut for Hacktivist will go. Whilst it was never in doubt how great he’d be, he basically smashes it out the park! stage and unleash slick and brutal tech-metal punk grime on the crowd. Musically, and as performers, you feel that they’re taking it to a new level of quality and confidence. The technical yet groove-laden guitar work stabs and darts in collaboration with intricate bass and deliciously syncopated drums. There seems to be a renewed enthusiasm and energy about the whole band, and it’s awesome to witness. There’s an awesome moment when Gavin Burton of Borders comes on stage to provide some additional vocals, and get to share the stage with JJ one last time. Just like the festival itself, it feels like the end of an era…and the start of a new one.

Second Stage headliners tonight are The Five Hundred, bringing their distinctive take on tech-metal. It would be easy to say they are metalcore with a technical slant, dynamic guitars and syncopated drums, but they are so much more than that. There is a genuine maturity and awareness to their sound and performance, which isn’t just professionality but also that self-awareness allowing them to have the crowd completely captivated. The whole band have fantastic stage presence, and the dynamic juggernaut of Andy Crawford on bass and Kelsey James on drums off the perfect backdrop for the band. Mark Byrne and Paul Doughty show unbelievable technicality in their guitar playing that nestle perfectly to the needs of each song, embellishing not overpowering, and in John Woods-Ely they have a singer with great range, variety of clean and harsh, and a genuine connection with the crowd. With new music coming soon, and hopefully a full UK tour as well, this could be the moment that The Five Hundred launch to the next level.

Loathe are met by a crowd clearly excited beyond belief to have them as headliners. That excitement quickly turns to a mix of passion and awe as they deliver their atmospheric and technical songs. Their sound is immediately identifiable, but equally as impossible to pigeonhole. It’s a perfect mix of intense tech-metal and atmospheric post-hardcore, acting as a genuine genre-crossing treat. Sleep Token offer a similar mixture of elements, but you feel that Loathe excitingly switch and blend those elements more, rather than relying on slow builds every song. Yes, you get the dreamy segments then the brutal passages, but they’re more frequent, dynamic and juxtaposed. Think Converge sparring with Deftones and you’re close to the vibe we’re talking. Kadeem France is a charismatic yet humble frontman, with great variety and distinctive vocals, and has a perfect vocal foil in guitarist Erik Bickerstaffe. Loathe may have stepped up to be headliners, but what a welcome headliner they turned out to be for the final Tech-Fest Friday.

The after party affords us the chance to be silly and dance about with Vast Slug. They open with what can only be described as a slam metal version of Vengaboys (I think…), and it only gets crazier from there on until we once again crawl to our sleeping bags.

Check the “In The Flesh” page for more photos!
Loathe, The Five Hundred, Hacktivist, Conjurer, Cage Fight, Basement Torture Killings, Creak, The Cartographer, Glower, Cavekiller, Vast Slug