The Sludgelord Presents: Riff Fest, August 29th @ The Alma Inn, Bolton (UK)

“With Riff Fest every band has been booked because we love them and believe in them. As long as the band has got a heavy, catchy riff then it’s cool. I’m very keen to stress, that all these bands could headline the event in our eyes.” – Adam Swarbrick

It’s a Sunday evening and, with a belly fun of ale, lager or whatever devilish nectar is your poison, the friendly debates shift into gear. Enthusiastic shouts of ‘that’s the best riff ever’ and ‘why aren’t that band bigger than they are, their new EP is killer’ and so on reverberate in the pub as dusk draws in.

We all love heavy music and the encompassing scene – indeed, the fact you are even reading this solidifies that notion – but for Adam Swarbick and Jim MacGranthin, the general manager of Bolton’s metallic watering hole The Alma Inn, love wasn’t enough:

“We were sat in the pub talking about the bands we love, great gigs, riffs and so on, as I’m sure we all do. I remember thinking ‘dude, let’s put everything we can into putting on the best show we can’. We planned the first Riff Fest [in 2014] about 9 months in advance, the idea being we’d have more chance of securing all the bands we wanted, being so far in advance. So we got to work, got a pen and paper, and wrote down all our favourite bands from across the UK, fortunately everyone said yes!”

Now preparing to launch its second edition of the festival – a free entry one-dayer featuring some heavy arse and frankly brilliant bands – the event can build on recent success seen around the country. From Desertfest’s continual growth and expansion to Red Sun in Cardiff, Yorkshire Riffer in Leeds and beyond, the scene is in absolute rude health right now. With a large contingent of this year’s line up being local to Manchester and the North West – Ten Foot Wizard, Nomad, Boss Keloid, Eyesaw, Pist, Barbarian Hermit, Mower, Arke & The Hicks – it promises to be a celebration of our area’s finest bludgeonings. That is, of course, alongside the unapologetic stomp of Gurt, Slabdragger and Raging Speedhorn, Trippy Wicked’s…erm…trippy wickedness and more.

So, with such a great line up, why are we allowed in for fuck all?

“I get asked a lot about this,” explains Swarbrick. “It was one of the first things we discussed, it being free. Unfortunately, myself and Jim have, in the past worked really hard to bring good bands here. Depressingly we realised a lot of folk were put off by a meagre entrance fee. So we thought, ‘fuck it! We’ll do it free’ so as to give people no excuse not to attend. We’re very keen on Riff Fest having a party vibe. I think all attendee’s from last year can attest to that. It was utterly rammed.

“The North West has always been a very active hive of great, passionate, hard-working bands. We will always keep local bands on. It’s so important to give the local bands a platform to display themselves on. Mower were first on last year, a relatively new band then. A year on and a lot of people are talking about them and rightly so.”

On the current blossoming of ‘stoner/doom’ festivals across the UK, Adam was quick to wax lyrical about the latest of these, Red Sun. “Red Sun blew me away and I made sure to personally congratulate the guys. They’d worked so hard on creating an independent festival. They succeeded.

“The scene is in good shape, although I must admit personally, I’m not a fan of the term ‘stoner/doom’, I think it covers such a broad spectrum now. In fact I think that’s why we called it something as simple as ‘Riff Fest’ rather than something more specific. As long as the band has got a heavy, catchy riff then it’s cool. We really wanted to book this solo artist on a steel guitar with a slide last year, so we’re quite open to bands style’s when booking. There really is a good support now; it doesn’t seem to be a flash in the pan either, which is obviously great. As long as we all (bands, fans, promoters) keep the faith, we’ll be here for a long time yet.

Obviously, from the punter/media angle, we only see the glory; the beers, the belting bands and the unforgettable, albeit blurry, memories. So what are the biggest challenges of putting on an event like Riff Fest?

“Easy. The running order! Sometimes you go to a gig, and let’s face it, sometimes bands are billed in terms of popularity/how well established they are/how ‘good’ they are. With Riff Fest every band has been booked because we love them and believe in them. I’m very keen to stress, that all these bands could headline the event in our eyes.

And finally, what are the biggest rewards and personally, who are you most looking forward to about this year's event?

“It sounds cheesy, but simply everyone having a great time. It’s coming up 12 months since the last one, people still say ‘dude that was the best day of last year.’ Many people still talk about it, and also how excited they are for this year’s. So that’s all the reward we could ask for.

“Just look at the line-up, it’s gold!”

Words: Phil Weller

For more information:

Facebook event - https://www.facebook.com/events/1544541289134935/

The Sludgelord Sour 16 for May 2015

Welcome to The Sludgelord’s Sour 16. Each month, you the reader are unwittingly compiling a list of the top 16 records of the month, covering all genres of metal, but predominately the best the doom, sludge, stoner-psychedelic genres have to offer.

Is it chart? Not really.  It is merely the 16 records you guys have been most interested in over the last month and you have been checking out on this very page.

Our idea for this thing was to turn the power over to you guys, yes it would be easy for us to choose our favourite records of the months, however it is you the reader, the fans that support these bands, buy their records and attend their shows.  So here is the The Sludgelord Sour 16 for May 2015, the 16 records you’re most looking forward too or are currently checking out.  Check em out, spread the word and perhaps revisit some records you may have overlooked.  

The results are compiled based on page views alone and calibrated into the list below. So without further ado, this is the Sour 16. So until next month, roll up, kick back, chug a beer and Hail the riff! All review links, are held under the artwork.   

16) =    Space Metal – ‘Space Metal’ (260)

Review: http://thesludgelord.blogspot.com/2015/05/space-metal-st-album-review.html

The Exploding Eyes Orchestra – ‘I’

Review: http://thesludgelord.blogspot.com/2015/05/the-exploding-eyes-orchestra-i-album.html

14).      Ten Foot Wizard – Sleeping ‘Volcano’ (279)

Review: http://thesludgelord.blogspot.com/2015/05/ten-foot-wizard-sleeping-volcanoes.html

13) =    Feral - ‘Where Dead Dreams Dwell’ (280)

Review: http://thesludgelord.blogspot.com/2015/05/feral-where-dead-dreams-dwell-album.html

Weedeater – ‘Goliathan’

Review: http://thesludgelord.blogspot.com/2015/05/weedeater-goliathan-album-review.html

11).      Galvano – ‘Trail of the Serpents’ (318)

Review: http://thesludgelord.blogspot.com/2015/05/galvano-trail-of-serpent-album-review.html

10).      Demon Head – ‘Ride the Wilderness’ (326)

Review: http://thesludgelord.blogspot.com/2015/05/demon-head-ride-wilderness-album-review.html

9).        Obsequiae – ‘Aria of Tombs’ (329)

Review: http://thesludgelord.blogspot.com/2015/05/obsequiae-aria-of-vernal-tombs-album.html

8).        Arcturus – ‘Arcturian’ (378)

Review: http://thesludgelord.blogspot.com/2015/05/arcturus-arcturian-album-review.html

7).        Demon Eye – ‘Tempora Infernalia’ (409)

Review: http://thesludgelord.blogspot.com/2015/05/demon-eye-tempora-infernalia.html

6).        Cult Leader – ‘Useless Animal’ (421)

Review: http://thesludgelord.blogspot.com/2015/05/cult-leader-uselss-animal-ep-review.html

5).        Sun & Sail Club – ‘The Great White Dope’ (454)

Review: http://thesludgelord.blogspot.com/2015/05/sun-and-sail-club-great-white-dope.html

4).        Entrails – ‘Obliteration’ (478)

Review: http://thesludgelord.blogspot.com/2015/05/entrails-obliteraton-album-review.html

3).        Mutoid Man – ‘Bleeder’ (672)

Review: http://thesludgelord.blogspot.com/2015/05/mutoid-man-bleeder-album-review.html

2).        My Sleeping Karma – ‘Muksha’ (758)

Review: http://thesludgelord.blogspot.com/2015/05/my-sleeping-karma-moksha-album-review.html

1).        Paradise Lost – ‘The Plague Within’ (1322)

Review: http://thesludgelord.blogspot.com/2015/05/paradise-lost-plague-within-album-review.html

Ten Foot Wizard - Sleeping Volcanoes (Album Review)

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: May 18^th 2015

Label: Self Released

Sleeping Volcanoes - Track Listing:

1.Through This World

2.On We Go

3.Up & Away

4.Railway Shuffle

5.I Miss The Sex

6.Walk The Planck

7.Covered In Tits

8.Mind Control

9.Ode To Death

Band Members

Adam - Guitar

Gary - Vocals/Guitar

Jonny - Drums

Emlyn – Bass

Bio:

A juggernaut of power blues stoner rock, milked from the beard of Zeus! - Grooving on a more cosmic perspective with an ecclesiastical guerrilla.

Review:

Ten Foot Wizard is back with their 2nd album - Sleeping Volcanoes. Almost 2 years since they released their acclaimed debut album – Return To The Infinite. If you're not familiar with Ten Foot Wizard then where have you been all this time? If you're a fan of good old fashioned Blues Rock driven Heavy Stoner Rock/Metal in the vein of Clutch. Though this album is more blues rock focused than its predecessor. There is still a ton of heavy Stoner Rock riffs for you to discover it's that their previous album was way heavier. That's not a bad thing as this album is a fantastic album in its own right.

Ten Foot Wizard is more focused on this album and they finally start to create their own identity. The opening two tracks - Through This World and On We Go - features crisp vocals and heavy bluesy Stoner Rock riffs that offer a refreshing change within the UK Hard Rock/Stoner Metal Scene. Ten Foot Wizard play to their strengths on the album as they leave out all the progressive rock theatrics for other bands to deal with. Sleeping 'Volcanoes is the album that Ten Foot Wizard need to come out with. They could have made an exact duplicate of their celebrated debut album but they went for something different.

Classic 70s Rock given a more modern 21st Century Blues/Stoner Rock makeover. On We Go feels like the band delivering a history lesson of how British Hard Rock has evolved over the last 50 years or so. I mean that as a compliment as Ten Foot Wizard have managed to capture a lot of different moods within the songs 7 minute run time. Third track - Up And Away - has a more QOTSA style vibe especially with the vocals and riffs towards the end of the song. If you dig QOTSA classic - Go With The Flow - then you will find much to enjoy here. I know I did but I still admire the band for writing a tune influenced by the legendary Desert Rock Scene.

Fourth track - Railway Shuffle - is back to normal heavy Bluesy Stoner Rock business as this song opens with a slow-paced bluesy riff. It has echoes of 70s Classic Rock once again but I think that's part of Ten Foot Wizard's sound now. It doesn't take long for the band to offer a more fast-paced approach though the vocals can be very hit and miss at times. I'm not a fan of the Americana inspired vocals but I applaud lead vocalist Gary - for trying something different.

Fifth Track - I Miss The Sex - sees Ten Foot Wizard inject a welcome dose of humour with their own style of heavy blues rock inspired riffs. The band are having way too much fun on this song and no doubt you will too. It's one of the albums standout tracks as Ten Foot Wizard offer the right balance between slow and fast paced riffs. The rest of the album becomes more of a blur as Ten Foot Wizard blast there way through some spectacular bluesy moments with more great humour to match. Covered In Tits being another superb song to check out.

Ten Foot Wizard leave the best two songs for last - Mind Control and Ode To Death. Both lasting 6:30 mins and 9:30 minutes respectively. It sees Ten Foot Wizard throw caution to the wind and unleash one heavy barrage of riffs and vocals that brings back memories from their debut album. As Ten Foot Wizard even offer bleak soundbytes on Mind Control for a hypnotic tale of despair and destruction. The production on the album is superb through out as the album showcases what a great band Ten Foot Wizard actually is. I'm not going to lie, I do prefer their debut album to Sleeping Volcanoes but that doesn't stop the fact that this album is another superb release from Ten Foot Wizard.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Thanks to Ten Foot Wizard for the promo. Sleeping Volcanoes will be released on May 18th 2015.

Words by Steve Howe

For More Information

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