Live Review: Incineration Fest 2024 (11/05/24)

Another Incineration Fest is in the bag, and what a day it was. The sun was shining, everyone was wearing black and wishing they had left the heavy patch jacket at home, but mostly everyone was looking forward to spending the next ten-plus hours in dark rooms listening to heavy music. For one day, the heart of Camden and four of its most iconic venues are taken over and even though this area is known for its eclectic makeup, many of the tourists of Camden have bemused looks on their faces upon seeing some of the t-shirt designs floating around.

This is our fourth time doing the one-day festival. We first decided to go in 2019, had such a blast that we decided it would become a yearly thing for us. Then COVID-19 happened, and the 2020 and 2021 editions were cancelled, which meant the next Incineration Fest we got to was the 2022 edition. Followed by 2023, and now 2024. Each has been special, but this year might have been one of the best. Not just because of the calibre of the bands, but because of the overall festival vibe and smoothness of its running.

From the moment the festival doors opened and wristband collection was available, there is a sense of joy and excitement in the air. Not a vibe most would commonly associate with a day of extreme music, but a vibe that sees old friends reunited and new friends made. As far as the overall Incineration experience goes, we have no complaints this year. A 10/10 festival experience.

How about the bands though? After all, that’s why we’re here. Let us talk you through the bands we saw at Incineration Fest 2024.

Burner (The Black Heart)

Carl – My day starts with one of my favourites. A band I only found out about a little over a year ago, but a band I have now see countless times. It’s Burner, the blackened death and hardcore band kicking off proceedings in the Black Heart. Still riding the wave created by their exceptional debut album, ‘It All Returns to Nothing’ and growing in confidence and strength in the live environment. Incineration Fest might just be getting started, but the packed room and the violent pits that erupt inside tell you all you need to know about the Burner experience. They are f**king awesome, and the Black Heart sound system really allows their heaviness to shine. I loved it, and can’t wait until the next time I get to see them play.

Brendan – Great way to start the festival off. Burner really impressed me with their no nonsense, heavy as hell approach. They pulled in a good crowd for one of the earliest bands on and the venue did their part with great sound quality. The vocalist has some real power and range and musically, it hit hard with plenty of chaos but plenty of rhythm and beats within the anarchy. Solid as a rock, and a band that should move up the bill of festivals like this one with ease.

Corpsing (The Dev)

Carl – The first band of The Dev and it’s only bloody Corpsing, whose blackened death metal sound continues to prove to be a cut above the rest. They pack out The Dev, no easy task when you’re on this early, but many are there for the simple reason that his band is tight as f**k. Heavy and intense, but with confident stage presence that makes the experience a little more fun. Every time I see this band, I come away impressed.

Brendan – Probably cheating a bit here to say that I saw Corpsing – I think I might have glimpsed the vocalist once through a sea of heads, thus is the awkward layout of the Dev when a band is popular. We got in half way through their set so were already hanging by the doors so grabbed a seat and listened and they sounded strong. Punchy riffing still easily reached our ears, as did the frontman and what seemed to be good banter with the crowd. It sounded a good set, and it’s a bit of a regret not getting there 10 minutes earlier to move forward in the crowd and catch more of them.

Winterfylleth (The Electric Ballroom)

Carl – I’ve never seen a bad Winterfylleth performance, it’s as simple as that, and their performance in The Electric Ballroom continues that streak. Delivering their blend of black and atmospherically charged metal with unrivalled confidence to the point where I feel myself become fully immersed in their sound. When a band feels like they’ve only been on stage for ten minutes, even though it’s been much longer, you know it hit right.

Brendan – A superb band, every single time I have seen them, and this is no different. They sound great with really strong black metal hitting hard but that touch of atmosphere and melody to freshen you up a little too. The Ballroom seems to have the sound on point for the most part and the band just do what they do with minimal flair. Keyboardist aside, the band deliver their music in very sombre and serious fashion, befitting the style I guess but I find them hard to take my eyes off of still and find their music to be very absorbing. I have seen these guys a fair few times now, and am yet to ever see them not hit their very high standard and they impressed me again here.

Wallowing (The Black Heart)

Carl – There is nobody like Wallowing, and be it on record or live, they continue to be one the most unique bands I’ve ever heard. Having seen them several times in the past year, you might think I would be getting sick of their brand of musical insanity, but it’s quite the opposite. Instead, I find myself becoming more obsessed and The Black Heart is the perfect venue to experience the wall of blackened sludge, doom, and noise that emanates from the beings that make up Wallowing.

Look, I get it, they’re an acquired taste and there were plenty of curiosity watchers in the venue, but Wallowing connects to me in a way I don’t fully understand. It’s near f**king hypnotic, and I’m lost in the dark with only screeching and pulsating sounds to guide me out. They’re brilliant, this is brilliant, and I have no doubt that the next time will be brilliant too.

Brendan – Difficult one for me to write about. I hate putting bands down, I hate not loving a band who are clearly putting effort in but the truth is, they were not for me. I was so keen on seeing them, having heard a song or two on record and not loving them, I hoped to watch a show and be convinced. If anything, seeing them live convinced me they are not for me. I see a lot of people loving their brand of noise making, and that’s great. Not everyone can like everything and at the end of the day, it is me that loses out on not having another band to follow, watch and buy merch from I just found them to be noise for the sake of noise – not more involving or more atmospheric or well-crafted than any other band that lives off of feedback and distortion, just another grain of sand on the beach. By the happiness of the crowd watching them as I left half way through, I am alone in this thought so wish them well and will watch from the sidelines jealously wondering why it isn’t clicking with me.

Belphegor (The Electric Ballroom)

Carl – I don’t think I’ve ever seen Belphegor live, which seems really odd, but that was remedied here and I came away satisfied. I don’t always love what they do on record, but I would call myself a fan of their black/death metal ways, and in The Electric Ballroom it is clear as to why they have built up a sizable fanbase. It is a very impressively delivered show, perhaps a little formulaic in places, but exceptionally watchable regardless.

Brendan – The band I was looking forward to the most at Incineration Fest and they did not disappoint. For me, they really showed the gulf between smaller and bigger bands with a supremely professional sound, really good visuals and a back catalogue of bangers. The constant movement on stage from the whole band and powerful music really made them a great watch and they looked like they were enjoying themselves. Added atmospherics and moments of melody show that even the heaviest of bands can deliver variety and melody in amongst the crushing blackened metal. I really enjoyed these guys and thought they definitely lived up to expectations.

Conan (The Underworld)

Carl – The band of the day for me, and a band that I wasn’t initially sure I was going to actually see. I’m so glad I did though, as it’s the only time I ventured into the sweat box that was The Underworld and it was so worth it. Their riff-infused doomy sludge sound is just what I need following Belphegor and my head is well and truly banging from the moment they start, right up until I left a few minutes early for the next band I was going to see.

Brendan – These are a noisy bunch of lads. Packed into a pretty full Underworld, their big sounds turned the room into a bit of a sweat box and the whole floor, and walls felt like they were suffering from tremors. The riffs were huge and had a sea of heads banging along. I liked the vocals too and can see why they have reached such high levels of popularity. I did find, for me personal taste, that it became a little repetitive so took the opportunity to rest my legs at a seat near the bar and just listen. You could still clearly hear the band, and feel the shakes back there anyway – hell, I imagine you could hear and feel these guys from miles away.

Anaal Nathrakh (The Electric Ballroom)

Carl – I only watched half of Anaal Nathrakh, as I wanted to see a band in The Black Heart playing at the same time, but what I saw, I thoroughly enjoyed. Their brand of extreme metal has a bit more groove to it and that works nicely for me. Even if it does feel like a constant barrage of heaviness for the most part. The Ballroom is packed though, so their positioning makes a whole lot of sense. People are here for Anaal Nathrakh, with the sea of heads being banged and the chaotic pit near the front proving that their appearance here was one for the Incineration Fest ages.

Brendan – Another experienced band here who seem to have been around forever. I have seen them before, I think, but certainly not for a long time and it is clear to see why they are so high up the bill. They have one of the biggest crowds of the night at the Ballroom and sound phenomenal. Very professional, even within the extreme side of metal and still offering plenty of heavy hitting beats and moments of groove and plenty of catchy beats amongst the chaos, they are a very impressive outfit.

Abduction (The Black Heart)

Carl – My night ends where it began, inside The Black Heart. Feeling a bit tipsy, very tired, and very satisfied, to wrap up a fantastic Incineration Fest with some immersive black metal, feels right. I only manage to catch the last twenty-odd minutes of Abduction, but I’m very glad I did as they’re on incredible form and pushing the Black Heart sound to its most extreme. I’ve never been so glad for ear-plugs, and even then, their heaviness is throbbing at the back of my head.

Thus ends another Incineration Fest (even though an attempt to see The Suns Journey Through the Night was made, but fruitless as the venue was full). An incredible day featuring so many incredible bands. What we saw, we loved (for the most part), and there is no doubt in our minds that we will be back again next year.