TEMPLES FESTIVAL returns to Bristol in June and alongside Desertfest, Live Evil and Damnation proves that grassroots, DIY fests keep the wellspring of British underground heavy metal alive and kicking. Settling somewhere between doom pilgrimage Roadburn Festival and extreme grind holiday destination, Maryland Deathfest, Temples is the go to fest in the West (of England!!). Headlined by gore veterans Carcass and black metal cult Mayhem, alongside Melvins, the festival also boasts Iron Fist regulars The Gentlemans Pistols, Iron Reagan, Revenge, Mare and your dad’s favourites, Groundhogs.

Over the next few days we will be running through our tips for the festival. The whole line-up is unmissable and to start with we probed black metal upstarts Funeral Throne bassist and vocalist M (also known as Iron Fist scribe, Jack Welch) to give us his top five tips of bands you need to see…

DEGIAL Uppsala, Sweden: famously home to Watain and a whole host of demons residing in its blood-blackened soil. Uppsala is also home to snot-nosed upstarts Degial who have drawn from this wellspring of Chaos and spewed its black bile into their true Metal of Death. Their first efforts were very akin to Morbid Angel (no bad thing) but last year heralded their second … Read More

2013 will go down in history as being the year that death thrash horde Pentagram Chile released their blistering debut, but it will also herald the less high-profile re-release of ‘Profane Cvlt’ – the initial offering from fellow Chilean blasphemers Praise The Flame. Quite the year for this country then, famed for its barbaric output and it’s good to hear fresh-sounding offerings blasting through the mire of tired formulas. Bassist Necroterror sums up their sound: “It’s a band that cultivates merciless and obscure death metal with fast passages of thrash in the vein of the pioneering hordes of the genre. Unquestionable, Possessed, Morbid Angel (Old), Sadistic Intent, Death (Old) among others, are great inspiration for us.” ‘Profane Cvlt’ honours these pioneers in shovel loads; at once notes of Slayer and Possessed ring through the barrage of blastbeats and frantic guitars, but it is the brief hints at melody and obscure twists that make this release all the more memorable.

The foundations upon which PTF build their hellish hymns are firmly rooted in the Chilean tradition, comprising a strong “rhythmic base, with fast drumming and a furiously-played overdriven bass guitar.” No complaints here! Then “a single guitar is added to this base … Read More