Brutal Assault 25 @ Josefov Fortress, Jaromer, Czechia
We enjoyed our first visit to this metal bonanza here in 2019 so much we bought tickets for the next one, its 25 (+2*) year anniversary straight away, with no line up announced yet. Despite having 4 days previously there it didn’t seem enough time to savour all the setting and the whirlwind of bands. More fool us, as with the global interruptions they only went and added an extra day to this as compensation when it has finally come around to happen again, making for a marathon prospect especially with backpack camping. But our energies and enthusiasm haVE been conserved over this period too (well, not really…!) so via a cultural trip to Vienna and (serious) business class train up to Prague (4 ½ hours, £20 a ticket, free champagne), our trip up to Jaromer on the Tuesday morning was the last smooth stage of a well-rehearsed journey.
Camped and refreshed we are in by mid afternoon for a suitable brutal opening for us on the 2 adjacent main stages from US guttural death metal act onslaught Devourment, but the excitement of being there meant we were soon off to re-orient ourselves and find out what has also changed around the set up within the extensive 18th century fortress complex. That done, we have official pints in hand and watch some of Bloodywood. Loved the inclusion of traditional Indian rhythms to their metalcore, and while I celebrated their earnest political content this felt a bit cheesy after a while, Harry Potter references best left for kids?
With Thy Catafalque from Hungary/Scotland I’d been expecting some more genre mashing of folk and black metal but there was far too much prog for me. Thought this might be a problem with US death metallers Rivers of Nihil initially with some 6-string bass noodling but they soon effectively hit us with some punishing riffing. In sharp contrast but even more effortlessly delivered the stoner/blues of their fellow countrymen Clutch is perfect driving beats picking up the party vibe, frontman Neil full of energy. I leave to the tune of their Black Sabbath cover to work my way through the bunkers, courtyards, and tunnels to the relocated 4th “Bastion” stage, now in a scrappy yard adjacent to the local Mad Max Thunderdome posse. Here to see Mura, some local youngsters unleashing doomy blackened/death. It’s certainly ponderous if not very remarkable, the ritual performance slightly camp, but there’s promise there.
Return to main stages for Vio-lence, the first wave Bay area thrash band back after 3 decades, long enough ago for even me to not have seen them. And while they may have been overshadowed in their brief original existence here they are celebrated for the hard hitting force that they are, very much from the Dark Angel school of relentless heavy riffing. Finally for today we head to the 3rd “Obscure” stage, which previously had been a huge tent but now is also in the open.
Pallbearer (below) from the US I had last enjoyed at Desertfest in London but was quickly reminded how good they were, crushing yet progressive epic doom, the sung vocals buried in churning riffs and with a stellar bass performance I was drooling over too. We call it a night, 1 of 5!
It’s a sunny Wednesday lunchtime when we abandon the Sahara of the tents to find any shade and sounds in the arena. You have to stay pretty close to the stage to get any of the former but that’s where we are for. Elbe, Czechs unleashing a progressive, musical mix of funeral doom and clearer sung post-rock, some good My Dying Bride vibes. The tempo is upped for Darkest Hour from the US, their modern thrash having a dark gnarly edge interspersed with more Maiden-esque melodies, before we go old school with their compatriots Heathen. I’ve enjoyed their old school thrashing before but today the guitar wankery seems excessive, especially in contrast to the more straightforward Vio-lence.
Lorna Shore are much hyped and appreciated as a latest evolution of metalcore, with black metal influences, but I find the drums and vocals sound terrible and can’t endure past the first song. Instead I have more faith in Misery Index over at the obscure, where there laid back demeanour belies an intense death/grind performance, certainly getting the craziest reaction so far. Stay here for the more misery with the second ever gig for Strigoi, (above) a side project for Paradise Lost guitarist Gregor. His dry Yorkshire wit is great, as are the ingredients of death, doom and d-beat they mix with superbly filthy tones for an engaging show. Also participate in the worlds slowest circle pit. Much to Lorraine’s bewilderment I go off to watch the blackened jazz of Imperial Triumphant at the Bastion, again. It’s a challenging, chaotic mix from the masked maniacs that I felt I needed more of to try and get my head around, and while enjoyable it didn’t quite compete with the club show I had seen them at before. Gave time to go and see crossover thrash/punk legends DRI at Obscure, where they belted through about 15 songs in the 20 minutes I was there, but as I’d seen them before was happy to leave to return to the main stage. The spectacle and sensory overload of Igorrr was not something I’d had the pleasure of before but will certainly be seeking again. An insane and yet intricate mix of digital breakbeat hardcore delivered by the French mainman from some central decks, combined with industrial riffing and roaring and soaring classical style interludes, with a phenomenal light show just for extras. Amazing stuff.
We have a breather and pass by the hugest crowd seen yet, there for Cannibal Corpse and their death metal for the masses. Heading out to Obscure for something of an oddity, Nergal from Behemoth’s country/gothic side project Me and That Man. With their wide brimmed hats and swaggering rhythms its worlds apart from the brutal blackened death he normally trades in, and while it’s fun you do question (as they do) what its doing here, it’s the kind of thing you see in local/Polish pubs. We head front and centre of a main stage while Dark Funeral are ravaging the alternate one with their black metal, for a service at the temple of Amenra (below). Big fans of the Belgians and their mix of seething doom destruction with fragile, ethereal post rock emotion, it’s another absolute cathartic, traumatic, and satisfying win. And if that wasn’t enough (at 2am) we return to Obscure for Regarde Les Hommes Tomber (below), the French black metallers having blown us away at Damnation Festival last November. The performance builds and builds, the initially cowed singer letting rip into mic-stand swinging ferocity, as again things are taken to another level of intensity. Braziers are lit at the front to celebrate the climax, but unfortunately also nearly set the monitors on fire, but all is good, the day/night has flown past and these stunning sets have re-energised us, 2/5.
With the long term survival considerations in effect we decided to have a somewhat easier day to mark the half way point. Wandered in past Onslaught with a new singer but their current thrash never beats “Power From Hell” for this old bastard. A chance to check out some new bands over at Obscure Stage, first Pupil Slicer from London – it’s pretty chaotic and erratic metalcore, some works for me, some not, it never hangs around long enough to get into it. Next here one of a few Ukrainian representatives over the weekend, 1914. Now, fitting their quality historically-based war themed death metal they are costumed up but the impassioned broken English speech from the singer including promising to “Kill all Russian bastards” (I have Russian friends, maybe not all eh?) cannot help but bring home their current domestic horror while we have fun in the sun. Poignant and crushing. Certainly one of those words for Asphyx on the main stage next, bringing prime material to all the death/deaf metal bastards out there. Martin remains such a great amiable frontman but they have the riff power to back it up, always satisfying.
Was pleased that Blood Incantation had been moved from their early hours slot, first time to check out their somewhat psyche take on death metal. Makes for an interest and entrancing set as they shift from Nile-esque tech onslaughts to waves of sweeping melodies, great stuff. Disappointed with the cancellation of fellow Americans Uada but still head out to the Bastion to check something completely different in Shaam Larein, a multi-vocaled atmospheric retro-doom ensemble that is really quite striking and hypnotic. We call it an early night as nominal headliner Mercyful Fate is not for me, having encountered King Diamond’s shrieking at Hellfest before. Sacrilege to this revered seminal metal act, I mean I love Judas Priest which can be just as “operatic” so I don’t know why I can’t tolerate this, but there others of a similar mind heading out the gates too. Still been a great day and we’re over the hump. 3/5
Back on it now for a full sesh and we make it in in the morning heat for Aviana. I had been prepared to skip the Swedes on the brief research listen in advance of the fest but live they delivered some pretty supremely heavy metalcore devastation for breakfast, I don’t know if they were just testing the PA for the day or what. Stake from Belgium look like they’ve just arrived from their day job and give us no nonsense raw fun, hardcore/grunge mix with fantastic entertaining performance from frontman Brent. Was super looking forward to seeing Nunslaughter from the US again and I’m airborne (briefly and hilariously) for the first time this weekend, their relentless stripped down blackened thrash just the thing for getting you in the mood for a convent raid. Local lads done good (and friends of mine via neighbouring Obscene Extreme camping) Faust‘s minds must be pretty mindblown with their promotion to main stage but their energetic thrash is delivered like pros and they’ve even invested in a big backdrop for the occasion.
Swapping to the other main stage Humanity’s Last Breath bring some phenomenally heavy and clinical death/doom, with much use of samples and digital effect (in lieu of real bass 🙁 ) which seems to be an increasing element throughout the weekend, the envelopes are being pushed! Not without its hiccups but impressive stuff. Through to Obscure for a couple of wild shows with more fresh to my ears acts. Frontierer are from Scotland but the singer sounds suspiciously American, they unleash violent hardcore with sludge riffing reverberations, one guitarist takes a climb up the stage frame, it’s punishing stuff. Things are taken to another level of madness next with the happily unhinged singer of God Mother (above) pleased to be back at the festival after a few year. He spends as much time in the crowd as onstage, and their aggressive yet melodic hardcore triggers all manner of shenanigans, pyramids, limbo, dead flies, it’s glorious chaos. By contrast Sick Of It All on the main stage don’t summon up the same energies, their NYC hardcore legend remains untouchable and untarnished but it’s a bit festival friendly and unremarkable from the old-timers for me this time. We take a breather to return for the night shift, passing by Abbath churning out some solid sounding accessible black metal on the main stage as we go through to the small KAL chill out room/venue for another Czech friend performing as Blind Ruler Cursed Land. This place has hosted all manner of experimental beats and sounds over the weekend, from drones to hardcore raves, whilst also providing a makeshift self care hospital ward of sofas and seats that offer blessed relief from the outside exertions. Anyway, here and now we get some martial beats and looped samples and drones from the smartly uniformed gent to a back projection of war action that brings some good numbers in despite all the competition. We do leave in those circumstances to go and check out the Canadians Panzerfaust over at Obscure, who were a revelation and made me think what had I been doing to not catch up with them ’til now. Huge atmospheric wall of riffs black metal with an absolute hulk of a cowled vocalist who would disappear in the smoke clad stage until you spotted him lurking menacingly behind the drummer – definitely catching up with these after the event.
Through to the main stage to catch just a taste of Suffocation but mainly to confirm that the originally promised one-off return of scene legend former frontman Frank is not happening, falling by the wayside in the postponement’s interval; it would have been special, but hey ho, so it goes. Instead I opt to see something new at the Bastion with Slagmaur – avantgarde black metal from Norway who might have been interesting but started pretty uninspiringly and with a pretty poor sound, so quickly ditched that. We took up a spot at the empty alternate stage while Venom (one version of…) played at the other. Again, they have their place in the hall of fame but this was pretty boring (sounded like one song had a chorus of that word) and really dragged when you are waiting for something else. That being more Norwegians in the form of Mysticum (below), the three musicians to be found eight foot in the air on plinths. Digital screens on the front of these plinths combined with the backdrop and lighting make for a stunning visual Armageddon to match the intensity of the digital hardcore backed black metal brutality, it is something else for sure. I’m left wondering how they conjured and committed to this level of setup, not something you can do in the back room of pubs! We are quickly battered into submission and bail for the night, wow. 4/5
Almost there, a leisurely afternoon start rudely and wonderfully interrupted by the Spanish gore-grind horror-show Haemorrhage (above). Always top entertainment if you like a nibble on severed legs while blast-beats and bouncing riffs carry you along, not sure why lead guitarist Ana wasn’t there but still awesome messy fun. Always a pleasure to catch Voivod too, who were here at the last event but have since released a new album so more than merit a return. More progressive these days but still spoil us with some of the more thrashy classics from back in the day, and seem genuinely appreciative as ever of their warm reception. Check out Dutch doomsters Dool over at Obscure and this is another great find, a mix of gothic/psych vibes with a driving edge, bit of a Chelsea Wolfe feel at times and a fine cover of Killing Joke’s “Love Like Blood”. More madness on the mainstage from Melt Banana (below) the Japanese couple occupying a little central space but filling out a big show. For the uninitiated it can be a head spinning whirlwind, more experimental digital grindcore orchestrated by Yasuko, with her piercing high pitched vocals, matching flying guitar riffs from Ichiro. The 10 short song medley is always entertaining, and they know how to deliver pop melodies among the harshness too. We take an evening break and now unfortunately luck runs out with the weather and the rains break. Conditions are not too bad underfoot and we head back in for the finale under our raincoats for what seems a bit of a brief final circuit of the joyful locations.
First time to see industrial legends Front Line Assembly on the main stage and they were as expected, great tribal rhythms with crunching guitars and vocal hooks from Bill, it felt like quite an old school set and worked for me. We go to the Bastion to catch the end of Gaerea, the Portuguese black metallers sounding pretty ferocious and worthy of more time and attention at another chance, and here we wait (and wait…) for Ahab, the German funeral doom band. When they eventually get underway the mellow passages swiftly drop over the abyss to colossal bottom dragging riffs but the conditions don’t suit to hang around so we head over to Obscure for the last time to see Die Krupps for the first time. I’d had some of their records since the early 90’s and thought they were OK but not a personal favourite. Live though they had some really impact to their industrial metal riffing, I could see a lot of similarities to their compatriots Rammstein. The rain was torrential at this point so it was time to go via Mayhem (top pic) on the main stage at midnight. Wasn’t up to stay but this was a shame as the sound of their definitive black metal did sound good tonight (which is not always the case). Ah well, there will be other times. So it seemed a fitting conclusion point anyway to return to shelter and sleep. 5 out of fxxxing 5
All in all Brutal Assault 25 absolutely gets it right in terms of a great and varied lineup, an all round friendly vibe and going the extra mile with adding to the visitor experience in what is already a special setting. Constructive criticism of this yearIi would say that Bastion did not have the same atmosphere of the Octagon of the previous time, possibly more work is needed there, but this minor considerations for what was another fine summer (hazy) memory in Jaromer.
