Seeing the rolling hills, the quiet country roads and the peaceful seaside; I am thinking this is an unlikely place to showcase some of the most brutal underground metal but knowing of East Sussex's sterling reputation of their underground metal I was only more proud to cover this unique event for Metal Temple.

It was my first visit to The Carlisle in this bright sunny seaside town; the tranquil settings of this seaside town matched the seemingly laid back vibes from this little pub on the corner by the sea. This was awaken with a loud wakeup call from the brutal sounds of some of the best underground metal whether they are well established or just coming out of their shell every band needs to the chance for their voices or in this case death growls to be heard.

The first band to show Hastings what they were made of were Thrash quartet KILLING SEASON; even as the venue started to fill up with punters and attendees this didn't stop this group of four showcasing their eclectic mix from other genres including Groove and Death. There is always a danger of mixing genres but then there is also the high chance of a great outcome. Like when you add new spices to a dish to try something new. They were a great choice to get the proceedings going in the true metal style we are all used to in the metal community.

Hailing from my local area Southampton born LAID WASTED were next to take to the stage; I have seen them previously in my home town and they are well known for their hyper energetic presence and aggressive music technique. It is safe to say this Death/Thrash quintet provided the wakeup call this seemingly quiet town needed. Their attentive audience and gaining a new fan in the process are strong indicators that they had successful show, where I am sure they will be welcomed back to Hastings.

Industrial Black Metal trio BLACK SHOALS were extremely interesting to me; the first being the vocalist, I am all for women in metal giving its male dominance but it was my first time seeing one front a Black Metal band that I was very pleased to see. The other was the use of a drum machine. Regardless whether they are following the so called conventions of this genre or not they still managed to create that dark, haunting atmosphere that Black Metal is best known for. Their performance had left me mesmerised and blown away, all I can is I hope to watch them again soon.

As the booze piled up in everyone's system including me, the afternoon slowly turned into evening illustrated beautifully by the setting sun.  The groovy sounds of Stoner Doom outfit WIZARD FIGHT toned down the chaos and pandemonium slightly; this provided the ideal chance for the fellow metal heads to take a breather whilst enjoying the beautiful smooth groove of the sounds filling the venue.

It had been a little while since I had witnessed one of my personal favourite Brighton bands HOLE IN THE SKY so I was very happy to be catching them again at this very successful festival. As the venue started to fill up to the doors Technical Death Metal quintet HOLE IN THE SKY were showcasing the very things that attracted me to their sound in the first place and encouraged me to delve deeper into the dirty, aggressive side that I would not have explored before. From what I understand they have had a line up change since the last time I saw them and had some new material to show off to the underground metal community. As predicted; they gave off a remarkable metal performance consisting of quality death growls, a passionate stage presence and excellent tunes to a crowd of adoring fans. 

This is the second weekend in a row I managed to witness the chaos and pandemonium caused by Black Metal quartet VEHEMENT; there was lots of smoke, aggressive energy and the true Black Metal being kept alive by their dark melodies. Their smoke machine added to the mysterious eerie atmosphere alongside the disorder and bedlam they always create with their sound. Second time round seeing them and covering their performance; they did a grand job.

Southampton Thrash trio DESOLATOR have been doing rather well for themselves this year; the list is ever-growing and these include a support slots with FLOTSAM & JETSAM and NERVOSA they could be the band on everyone's lips. I had seen this trio several times over the past year and I have got to say this was the best I had seen them. They proved the perfect choice for co-headliner for this festival as the punters bowed down to them graciously as they showcased blistering guitar work and pounding drums. Ending with their anthems "Beer Brain" and "Thrash Or Fuck Off" marked the end of their solid set.

The second headliners KING GOAT are a tremendous presence in the Underground Metal; this Doom Progressive band's fan base has been slowly growing, with their haunting music and spellbinding live shows it is easy to see why. Their mesmerising performance enticed more people into the venue; to the point where the crowds weren't able to move. Their live show at this festival consisted of the unmistakable incense stick, powerful stage presence and impounding melodies that KING GOAT are able to give at every show.  The difference to their last show being there was a use of harsh vocals from Anthony "Trim" Trimming that were well received. Making them the ideal headliner for the first of many festivals.

Overall the event was a tremendous success. The band's sound packed the venue with members of the loyal community that admire the music that brings bands and fans together.

Word has it that they are planning another Doomsday Festival; making it another annual date for the Metal Head's diary.

*Photography by Green Wylvern Photography