There are always more bands – the biggest question is who do you listen to when it comes to recommendations? Obviously Dork, your new music bible, should be your first port of call, but there are others too. This month we ask festival organiser, James Scarlett.
Hi Dork. I’m here to tell you that the UK rock scene is in the rudest health it’s been in for a long, long time. It really is!
I think the best place to start is with Holy Roar Records, who are on absolute fire right now. It’s hard to pick highlights from their roster, but I must mention Boss Keloid (my No.2 album of last year is a wonderful melding of 70s prog and modern doom), Pijn (No.4 – like Russian Circles playing Godspeed You! Black Emperor) and Conjurer (No.6 – Mastodon vs Neurosis). All utterly incredible. If you like your music heavy and a bit weird, then Holy Roar is the place to go.
I’m also very excited about what my home town of Bristol has to offer. The ever-brilliant The St. Pierre Snake Invasion are soon to release their second album – if a hybrid of Mclusky, The Bronx and Slipknot sounds good to you then check them out. There is also great stuff coming this year from Sœur (alt-rock), Scalping (Factory Floor vs Nine Inch Nails), No Violet (grunge) and Memory of Elephants (math-rock).
I’ve also just discovered Delaire, the Liar who to me sound like Lonely the Brave jamming with At The Drive-In. Ones to keep an eye on for sure.
And in these Brexit-filled times, I wanted to give a shout out to some non-UK bands that I love right now. Holy Fawn’s ‘Death Spells’ album got a US-only release last year but is coming out soon on (you guessed it) Holy Roar. They play stunning post-rock with sprinklings of post-metal. And I love Gouge Away who are really adding something different to the current wave of US hardcore bands – their latest album ‘Burnt Sugar’ is a banger.
Taken from the March issue of Dork, out now. 2000trees takes place from 11th-13th July at Upcote Farm; ArcTanGent takes place from 15th-17th August at Fernhill Farm.
