You get festivals that feel full on. They’re relentless and a bit of a slog to be honest. Then you get events like Mangata which are chilled out. They embrace you more like an old friend. It’s a hot sunny day in Nottingham and Mallavora get the ball rolling in an already well attended Rescue Rooms. They incorporate strong melodies and a few surprises into their alt metal sound. Alunah’s doom riffs will be familiar to many. The Brummies may be celebrating 20 years in the business next year but they still sound as fresh as ever. It’s off to the Ghost stage next to catch Rattlesnakes who prove to be quite a find. Vibing late sixties hard rock they have in Rowena Neale a singer who channels Janis Joplin at her rockiest. They’re definitely ones to file under ‘watch this space’. Red Rum are all about the fun. The pirate folk metal mob look the part too and sound like they’re enjoying every moment.
Godeth return for a second year on the trot and are dialled up to eleven in the Red Rooms. They do modern metal better than most simply because they can play tight and have the personality to keep fans listening. Another act returning twelve months on are Phoenix Lake. You can see why they are tipped for the top. They have great song writing skills that transfer to the live environment, and a singer that delivers beautifully. It’s time for a cheeky pint at the Tap N Tumbler while we catch newcomers Arknsaw. This is a great showcase which is unashamedly right in your face. Shades of late era Pantera anyone? One band getting talked about a lot right now are Defences. They simply go about their set in a way that oozes class. The originality of their music coupled with a wonderful blend of clean and growled vox makes them unmissable.
One band guaranteed to pep you up if you find yourself flagging a little are Moskito. Imagine 90s Brit rock brought up to date and given a metal injection. They have the Liquid Library bouncing in no time. Festival promoters take note. Another band with that infectious quality are Portsmouth’s Seething Akira. The dance metal posse just love getting the crowd going. Tonight they debut a cover of the Faithless classic ‘Insomnia’. It proves to be a genius move and has all the little inflatables they brought along seemingly in the air at the same time. She Must Burn go on a little late thanks to the dreaded sound gremlins but they produce a magnificent set once up and running. Again we get blended vocals, again done so well. Shout out to the stage crew who earned their corn getting things all back on track.
Local lads The Five Hundred show what you need to do to progress in such a saturated scene. Their take on modern metal makes them just so memorable. The key is they make it all look so effortless. John Woods-Eley is a bit special too. His singing and stage craft is a cut above. Remember those old school metal bands that have pretty much given way to the scream revolution? Devastator clearly do. Imagine if Venom and Motorhead had formed a supergroup! It’s not all reminiscing though. Devastator are – well – devastatingly good. This is a bit of a coup for Mangata. The Raven Age are fresh from opening the Iron Maiden gig at London Stadium, and now they’re on the Rescue Rooms stage headlining what has been a fantastic days music. They never miss a beat or note. It’s a sumptuously sublime performance and a perfect closing set.
As the dust settles you can’t help but feel the organisers got this one spot on. The mix of genres meant appeal to a wider audience, something you need in these difficult times. Everything was done with good humour with the crew and security putting fans first. This year’s introduction of an extra (fifth) stage proved popular too giving fans 46 acts in total to choose from on the day. It does mean there are more inevitable clashes making us wish we could somehow clone ourselves though. It’s great to see an event growing and moving forward though. Let’s hope it’s back with just as big a bang in 2026.
Review and photos by Gary Trueman