Sadly this was the last ever VenomFest. After three years of Skeleton vocalist/guitarist Pete Venom putting on some of the best bands available in the Doom/Stoner genre he has decided to finish on a high.
But have no fear, he will now be concentrating his efforts in securing bands and promoting shows for the South’s premier Doom Facebook page SOUTHERN DOOM CREW of which he is a founder member. And I know for a fact that they already have some killer shows in the pipeline.
After missing the first two bands (Voodoo Pistols and Strank) due to taking the kids out to a fireworks/bonfire display, I really needed a doom fix and Skeleton delivered on that in spades! Seventies style doom rock downtuned and dirty. Their new drummer has fitted in well and they gave a really tight performance.
Next up are Swindon’s Iron Hearse, mixing stoner and doom to great effect they soon have the crowd who are still arriving from upstairs grooving to their sound. Excellent guitar work makes their set standout big time, Good tunes and impressive vocals make this ensemble a band to keep an eye on.
Wolfshead make an impression straight away, solid riffs and guttural vocals are blasted out and you can’t help but sit up and take notice. Roasting Doom and Hard Rock in a red hot oven of Metal to produce a juicy sound they have dubbed Garage Doom. Do not miss them when they play Bournemouth again.
Gurt are making big waves on the scene right now, this is the first time I’ve seen them and they are certainly a force to be reckoned with. Cool hooks grabbing you by the dangly bits and twisting slowly until you cry out in in agony (or ecstasy – whatever floats your boat!) They pounded the crowd with an intense set (Hoboreaper being my standout track of the evening) and I can’t wait to see them again supporting Diesel King at The Anvil on 18th of January.
Last act on and Witchsorrow bring their lower-than-worms-crawling-along-the-bottom-of-a-grave doom to Venomfest once again. To say seven bells of crap where knocked out of the audience would be an understatement, as the three-piece let loose their Doom cacophony on the drunken assembly. Suffice to say there were many sore necks in the morning from the gratuitous headbanging.
As an extra bonus Electric Wizard’s Mark Greening jumped behind the drumkit as the band were leaving the stage and started an impromptu solo, he was joined by Witchsorrow’s Nick Ruskell and we were treated to a kick ass jam of some Electric Wizard tracks, Funeralopolis and Return Trip being a couple of them!
Farewell Venomfest, you will be missed, but in turn, hello Southern Doom Crew shows, standing ready to spread the power of Doom to the unbelievers!
Links
https://www.facebook.com/southerndoomcrew
https://www.facebook.com/witchsorrowdoom
https://www.facebook.com/wolfsheadband
https://www.facebook.com/GURTsludge
https://www.facebook.com/ironhearse
https://www.facebook.com/skeletonmetalband
Words and photos: Dan O’Doom-Gara
