GIG REVIEW: Subterranean Manifestation Festival III (London, UK)

The third edition of Subterranean Manifestation festival takes over London for a day of Extreme Metal barbarity. Below are some of my highlights from this savage gathering.

Decrepid was a grand example of old school Death Metal played with strength. The technicality proficient but straight up crushing delivery was a great set to give some 90s Death Metal madness to the more bestial-oriented day without taking away from the aggression of things. Taking brutality and twisting it with their musical competence into a new blend of old school inspiration, I found their set to be very tastefully executed as per the last time I saw Decrepid slay live.

Bloody Vengeance invoked a tornado of Brazilian inspired Blackened Death-Thrashing wrath. Fusing the likes of Vulcano, Sarcofago and Holocausto with Canadian titans such as Blasphemy and Conqueror, this German horde gave us the truest cuts of savage Extreme Metal warfare. For me, this was a highlight of the day and one of the main reasons I attended. Bloody Vengeance rekindle that time when Black / Death / Thrash Metal was a blurred line of evil heaviness to be delivered by feral musicians just trying to play extreme material. No pretence, no hype, just total slaughter.

Bloody Vengeance. Photo by The Sights Of Perseverance.

Thorybos were a venomous assault of the senses. Their war-like rampage was merciless and articulate with a tight performance from the band whose unforgiving and hostile demeanour was overshadowed only by their equally unwelcoming sounds. True War Metal violence from a bunch of total maniacs who raged from start to end with pugnacious vitriol. Finishing with the frontman ending up in the pit like a lunatic, Thorybos showed they live the violence their songs promise. An underrated band of the underground that all rabid veterans of vicious music should check out.

Power From Hell brought their Brazilian Black-Thrash to the stage, including some of their newer and more contemporary sounding tracks. The classics raged with old school carnal lust while the newer offerings felt just as evil. Either way you prefer it, Power From Hell gave us a rabid and exciting set of varied Black Metal delights from their catalogue and pure d-beating skull-crushers caught everyones attention and got the room moving. Their sleazy tracks and more high-tempo artillery blended into a siege of sonic slaughter for all to enjoy.

Power From Hell. Photo by The Sights Of Perseverance.

Death Worship was a feast of pure barbarity. Unforgiving craftsmanship from the Ross Bay Cult legend Ryan Forster and his bandmates delivering total carnage. Playing all bar one Death Worship song (missing only the first track of the new LP), it was a ferocious and unyielding performance. The sound was strong and the malevolent music was tangibly present in the air. Both EP’s and the newer “Reaping Majesty” compilation album are essential records for those into this niche of Black Metal and hearing such viscerally sadistic music live was even greater. Being in this crowd of headbanging death worshippers was total mayhem and an unforgettable set to end the night explosively.

A superb day of crushing sets performed by some of the underground’s most visceral acts. Not a moment of weakness from the above bands who each performed a rabid set to an adoring room packed with feral maniacs salivating for sonic slaughter. I hope there shall be a fourth, fifth and so on from this festival.

Death Worship. Photo by The Sights Of Perseverance.