LIVE REVIEW: Bands, breakdowns & beers on Sunday at Rabidfest 2023

Rabidfest is a yearly event in Oxford that's seen the likes of Discharge, Diamond Head and Blaze Bayley headline through the years. I was there for the first time last year as a performer and was really impressed at how well-run the event was; this year is no different, with friendly security, bar staff, organisers and front of house, as well as a ton of incredible bands. I'm only able to make the Sunday this time unfortunately, but I'm still left with some serious local and national talent to enjoy for a full day. 

I get to the Bullingdon to the sweet, dulcet tones of Fetus Destruction blaring out of the speakers. With a band name like theirs, and directly titled songs such as 'Kunt', you can make a good guess at what to expect, but what you wouldn't necessarily take for granted is just how tight they are as a live unit, with particularly intense drumming and an excellent lead vocal. Despite playing around two in the afternoon, there's a sizeable and lively crowd who let the band know their ugly, horrible, brilliant grindcore is well appreciated today. The tongue-in-cheek humour and sense of fun that they bring today is ultimately a sign of things to come this afternoon and evening at Rabidfest.

Depolarize - The Gimmick (live at Rabidfest 2023)

A call to arms of 'Let's fucking go!' ushers in a fun, bouncy and heavy set from Depolarize. There's moments of serious intensity brought on by some frantic blastbeats, but most of this afternoon's performance is home to vicious grooves and chunky breakdowns, hideously slow at times. Their lead vocalist is a powerful presence at the front, getting the crowd two stepping and circle pitting, particularly during the slightly faster 'PTSD'. As a performer, he's versatile, with shouts, gutturals, shrieks and a few cleans executed very well. The bass tone is satisfyingly nasty and some of the guitar riffs have an awesome sense of darkness to them when they aren't trying to whip their crowd into a frenzy. Visibly having fun  with a ton of energy, they half-jokingly ask us to shout so loud that the Tesco across the road can hear the noise. It's a memorable, feel-good hardcore/beatdown set.

After a brief interlude that saw Jay from Moshville Radio shave his head for a good cause, Those Once Loyal fill a last-minute slot in the mid-afternoon, coming down from Nottingham for an appearance that's the furthest South they've ever played. Playing high-octane metalcore to a warm, receptive crowd, there are plenty in the pit kicking and karate'ing around from the first few riffs. Led by a charismatic frontman, Those Once Loyal dictate the energy in the room with his effortless ability to control an audience, but also with their great breakdowns and riffs, melodic choruses, and a few thrashy moments too. The band are well in sync, headbanging together as well as delivering a well rehearsed performance. A cover of 'My Last Serenade' sends Rabidfest, erm, rabid, while their originals from an EP released earlier this year also fare very well. Showing gratitude just for being there, they prove to be an inspired choice despite coming in at the eleventh hour.

Gutlocker come on stage with an immediately confident presence, before launching into a blisteringly heavy first track, taking no prisoners from the word go. Their refined, energetic brand of groove metal carries a lot of weight in the UK circuit, and they show why this afternoon. The riffs are powerful, the musicianship is impressive, and their frontman really makes the stage his own, performing impassionedly. In return, you can really sense the energy across the rest of the room go up a notch, and the barrier area gets a lot busier. Sonically, they're very crisp, with the guitar cutting through nicely below well-executed lead and backing vocals. Yet, like a lot of the other bands, they show that they're having fun, with witty stage banter and their guitarist pulling some great faces over the course of their show. There's a real sense of polish to the showmanship and performance in general that stands them out. Deft at playing, fast, slow, and groovy with an engaging performance, they set the bar pretty high for the rest of the day.

Launching into the powerful 'Hive' single, Tribe of Ghosts hit the ground running as the room gets a bit rowdier and the sun starts to set. Full of showmanship and raw energy - and a sub bass you can feel rattle your loins - it's quickly apparent why they've generated such a buzz lately. Hauntingly atmospheric when it needs to be; the use of high whistle/falsetto vocals from both Beccy and Adam at times is just part of the yin and yang to Tribe of Ghosts, which alternates in turn with their stomach-turning heaviness and forcefully groovy riffage, especially with the likes of 'Deny the Rot'. They are masterful at building tension, suspense and release, led by emotive vocal performances that cover the full spectrum of what you might feel when listening to metal, particularly through a rousing run-through of 'Cold'. Far from a one-trick pony, 'False Gods' is an industrial banger with a sexy darkness to it that really gets the room moving and swaying - keep an eye out for that one this week! What I've also not mentioned is the frenetic chaos that Tribe of Ghosts bring onstage with them. They're unafraid to use the full stage area, up to the barrier - and even beyond, into the crowd, as Adam resets his vocal mic up in the belly of the pitting area for the very last part of the set. Beccy and Adam engage the audience wildly throughout the set to the point where you can feel unsure where you 'should' be looking at any given moment. I've noticed that Beccy screams a lot more and has started to develop a solid harsh vocal range to complement Adam's measured screams, compared to their early shows - Tribe of Ghosts continue to evolve and grow bigger and better.

Tribe of Ghosts - Sunburner (Deny the Rot) (live at Rabidfest 2023)

Because of a food break I unfortunately don't catch Shoot to Kill, though judging by the packed out room and the way they've brought a guest onstage for the very last song, I've clearly missed out! London's Cage Fight bring the hardcore energy directly after them, with a thrashy, old-school vibe that harks back to the late 90s. Their drummer puts on a powerhouse performance, navigating fills and high tempos with ease behind a throat-shredding, brutal lead vocal display. There's a real sense of urgency and intensity to the way they lead the stage, causing the lairy crowd to two-step and mosh around. Towards the end, they pay tribute to the late, great Trevor Strnad, who performed guest vocals on last year's 'Eating Me Alive'. As they call for unity and support amongst the alternative community, it's played to genuine, rousing cheers. Their closing song sees the energy at Rabidfest go up yet another notch, for a wild circle pit that forms around their vicious grooves and thunderous vocal roars. There's a slightly shuffled lineup today as James Monteith isn't able to make the show, but you wouldn't have guessed it.

My time constraints mean I can only catch the start of Bound in Fear, though in the short time I get with them tonight they prove why they're headlining with flying colours. Kicking off with a meaty, groovy breakdown, the crowd get going almost before the band do, who put on a dominating performance. They're not the most technical, but with a primal, hardcore energy, they deliver the goods by knowing what the crowd want with breakdown after breakdown. With a few cool technical guitar effects and an impressive drummer backing Ben Mason's impassioned display of frontmanship, it's a solid headline performance.

What a great day out for the last festival of the year!

MN