Hevy fest day 2 reviewed

The Terrorizer wrecking crew spent a rather spiffing weekend at Kent’s Port Lympne Wild Animal Park, frolicking with the primates and headbanging to some serious riffs. Yup, it was Hevy festival, and Saturday was the day for riffs.

Martyr Defiled tear the mainstage a new one in the morning, inciting some seriously bizarre moves in the pit. We’re gonna dub one move the “backflipping neck-cruncher”. WWE, eat your heart out!

As usual, Feed The Rhino are nothing short of crushingly immense, wheeling out tracks from their new opus ‘The Burning Sons’, they have more energy than a Duracell bunny with a vibrator and they succeed in giving our eardrums a good battering.

Bury Tomorrow struggle through technical difficulties to deliver a typically impassioned set, their fans lapping up every minute.

Despite having their set cut off prematurely, Devil Sold His Soul, sound as vast and evocative as ever, a definite highlight.

Fast-rising UK mob Dead Harts impressed revellers on the third stage packing some solid tunes.

Meanwhile, Rolo Tomassi bring a nicely deranged edge to proceedings, cuts like ‘Kesia’ being particularly visceral.

Alco-thrashers Municipal Waste are on top form on the mainstage, chopping riffs at warp speed. Sick, in more ways than one.

Heavier than the earth itself and with an uncanny precision that none can replicate,  Meshuggah put 99% of the Hevy bill to shame. Though constrained by a relatively brief festival slot, the Swedish titans brought the roof down, backed by an impressive light show. The crowd was broad and hugely receptive, staring in awe at the five-piece’s relentless, mechanised assault, as well as Jens Kidman’s trademark gurn. Though the mix had presented many bands with problems it proved dead on this time, the likes of ‘Do Not Look Down’ and ‘New Millenium Cyanide Christ’ sounding as sharp and devastating as ever. Sure, a lengthier club gig is always more satisfying for the fan, but it was to the band’s credit that they didn’t let the burrito-bearing, beered-up mob phase them one little bit – not even the hardcore kids sulking at the back, unable to do their arm-swinging best/worst. Few bands have been as influential as this lot, and even fewer have continued to outstrip any and all competition as comprehensively as Meshuggah have: and, as their killer ‘Koloss’ underlined, there’s no end in sight to their domination. Superb stuff, and undoubtedly the high-point of the festival.

Words: Rob Sayce

Pics: Gobinder Jhitta