Fast And Heavy: Wrongstock Set To Take Over The Underworld

“Mostly it's death metal, grindcore, hardcore. Basically it's all fucking fast and fucking heavy.” - A charming quote from the Camden Underworld's Facebook page.

They are, of course, talking about Wrongstock: an event mechanised by Nightshift Productions and nestled under the wing of legendary metal producer Russ Russell. This underground bash will serve as a celebration of the man himself and also as a swansong for death metal deviants the Rotted. So, without further phatic chitchat, here's a complete rundown of all the bands who will be attempting to lay waste to the Underworld on September 20.

Shrapnel

Channelling the classic noise of Slayer, Exodus and Testament through the vessel of their new album 'The Virus Conspires', Shrapnel are doing a bloody good job at keeping thrash metal alive. While critics have been all too quick to dismiss bands like Evile as a simple throwback, Shrapnel are doing it right. The Norwich thrashers manage to exhume a racket that sounds contemporary while also paying their dues to greats like Kreator. So grab a beer, bang your head and let the Shrapnel destroy you.

Oaf

Fronted by Metal Hammer's Dom Lawson and packing songs such as Fuck Off Seagull, Tiny When Erect and Kill The Stupid People, Oaf's filthy punk 'n' roll nonsense is one of untouchable calibre. Simply featuring drums and the dirtiest bass guitar in existence, shout-along choruses are thrown out left, right and centre with an unashamed level of over the top pomposity – this is party music, and party we shalt.

Sidious

Symphonic black metal has never really been cool, so Sidious have added a smattering of death metal on top of it for good measure. Blastbeats and guttural growls parry high-pitched screams and atmospheric keyboard that wouldn't be out of place in some sort of MMORPG with elves in it. Boasting a bleak guitar tone aping that of classic second-wave black metal bands and extensive badger facepaint to boot, Sidious' upcoming debut album, 'Revealed In Profane Splendour', is going to be one to jot on the extreme metal calendar.

Saturnian

You know what we said earlier about black metal not being cool? Saturnian don't give a toss – theirs is a meticulously polished, monolithically expansive pool of symphonic splendour that makes Dimmu Borgir sound like NOFX. Alongside this there are traditional song arrangements warped into epic, sprawling progressive wonders and hilariously dramatic vocals delivered with enough conviction to win Simon Cowell over – not that they'd want to, naturally. This is your last chance to see them, too.

Evil Scarecrow

There are some moments that become etched on the mind with searing precision. Like Evil Scarecrow’s set at Bloodstock Festival last month, for example. Watching 10,000 hungover metalheads scuttle like crabs and utilise 'nature's party-popper' (grass) is just something that won't go away.

The Scarecrow's very own Dr. Hell sent us a message – from space, probably – for the uninitiated: “For people who have never heard of us? Well, they’ve obviously been living in a cave or listen to horrible chart music. They can expect mostly nonsense, some robot dancing, some crab scuttling and possibly some broken equipment. We’re fucking proud to be on this bill celebrating the amazing work of the mighty Russ Russell. All praise Him, his golden cloak and his mighty whiffle stick!”

Karybdis

Emerging fully-formed with their debut album 'From The Depths' in 2012, Karybdis' charge at the death metal scene has yet to come to full fruition. Armed with a salvo of tunes that'd appeal to Gorguts fans just as much as they'd tickle the fancies of Lamb Of God followers, this band's subtle progressive edge ensures that they won't be lost within the saturated sea of young extreme bands. Poised to release a second record next year, Karybdis are definitely ones to bank on making 2015 even more hellish than anticipated.

DripBack

Have you ever seen the movie adaptation of The Punisher? If you have, recall the scene where that poor bloke's having his facial piercings yanked out with a pair of pliers. Imagine composing a soundtrack to the pain that man's going through. That's DripBack. A caustic concoction of grind, death, black, sludge, thrash and all sorts of horrible samples of cockneys being generally nasty, this lot are going to rip the skin from your skull – in a good way. Guitarist Lee4 expands: “Come down and get your head kicked in by some brutal music!” Will do, chap.

The Rotted

Alas, all good things must come to an end. The Rotted are no exception to the rule, which is a shame because they're bloody brilliant. The crusty, death-punk heroes are veterans of the scene (having formed from the ashes of Gorerotted and Screamin' Daemon), and Wrongstock serves as their final bow. But you all know what to do, right? Get pissed, start a massive pit and shout the lyrics to Rotted Fucking Earth until your larynx disintegrates and your lungs drop out of your arse. We're counting on you.

Leng Tch'e

Coined by the band themselves as 'razor-grind', Leng Tch'e's inimitable brand of scathing grind-cum-death metal seems to be the perfect way to cap off such a niche, utterly brutal festival. Seriously, have you heard these guys? If not – check out the video and we'll see you in the pit.

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