It's the SEVENTH year of the almighty Desertfest and we cannot wait for the onslaught of riffs to level the borough of Camden once again as some of the biggest acts in the Stoner/Sludge/Doom scene come together for one of the best events on the circuit. There are still a handful of tickets available, both weekend and day passes. Head over to http://www.desertfest.co.uk/tickets/

Graveyard - KOKO - 20:30-21:45

It's been an interesting few years for the Swedish giants Graveyard. They announced their break-up in late 2016 before coming back mere months later with a new drummer and an apparent plan to continue recording. We sit now in Spring 2018 and we're on the brink of the release of their new record Peace. Since their return they've shown that they haven't missed a step live and they're perfectly suited to end the first day in a standard glut of huge riffs as the festival rolls in to KOKO for one night only. We'll be keen to hear a host of new tracks throughout their set.




The Obsessed - KOKO - 18:30-19:30

One of the truly influential acts in the Doom/Stoner scene, The Obsessed are currently amidst their third stint as a band and despite there being only one original member still present this will be one of the more popular sets across the weekend. The band released their first record for 23 years in 2017 so it's safe to expect some newer material amongst some of the older crowd favourites.




Napalm Death - The Electric Ballroom - 22:30-23:30

Whilst many have considered Napalm Death's addition to the Desertfest line-up coming from a little left-field, there is absolutely no doubting that one of the kingpins of extreme metal will deliver one of the more intense sets across the weekend. With a discography taking them all the way back to 1987 it's a good thing that Barney and co. thrash through their tracks at light-speed because they'll have an incredibly loyal following who will want to see as much of it squeezed in to an hour as possible. Expect brutality.




Eyehategod - The Electric Ballroom - 19:30-20:30

A band we're fully expecting to be just as intense are the mighty sludge-lords Eyehategod. Borne out of seemingly one of the heaviest places in the universe, this NOLA unit are now 30 years deep in to their career and whilst we haven't had any new material since 2014 their back catalogue is absolutely brimming with Stoner/Sludge classics which will have the Ballroom beyond heaving. Make sure you get down there early for this; it's definitely set to be one of the more popular sets across the weekend.




Black Moth - The Underworld - 16:30-17:15

Consistently one of our favourites here at Room Thirteen, Black Moth have recently released the excellent Anatomical Venus and early reports from this tour (including our own!) suggests that this is a collection of tracks being very well received indeed. It feels a little odd describing Black Moth as the surprise package still after so many years, but their following continues to amass and they're more than worth checking out if you've never caught them live before. Their genuine displays of joy whilst on stage is infectious - this is one of your new favourite bands.




Old Man Lizard - The Underworld - 14:00-14:45

One of the keys to Desertfest over the years has always been finding that act that sets the tone and gets you amped and ready for the incoming weekend onslaught. Hitting the stage first at The Underworld on the weekend can be a daunting prospect in that respect as over the years it has become one of the busier slots with punters descending on Camden more than ready for a barrage of riffs. Old Man Lizard deliver a smash mouth, Melvins style level of noise which will therefore kick things off perfectly with the Suffolk three-piece almost certainly about to pick up a fair few new fans.




Ghold - The Black Heart - 20:15-21:15

Another hugely popular band on the line-up, the incredibly noisy Ghold consistently deliver a hugely intense live experience in what feels like a full-scale bombardment of your senses. They're a raw, angry sounding ball of fuzz being launched at your face and you need to be ready for it. Likely to be one of the Black Heart's finest points across the whole weekend - don't forget your earplugs...




Melting Hand - The Black Heart - 17:15-18:00

Cascading out of Newcastle, Melting Hand features an assortment of members from other bands including Bong, Luminous Bodies and Terminal Cheesecake. The result is an erratic, awkward sounding beast which will almost certainly provide one of the more interesting moments across the weekend. The heaviness and riffs are there, but there's a far wider soundscape going on - something likely to come far more in to its own on stage. Not to be missed.




Lionize - The Devonshire Arms - 18:30-19:15

One of many members of the Desertfest alumni, Lionize started to gain some real exposure on these shores after touring with the almighty Clutch - a band they've remained very closely associated with over the years. Their breed of heavy rock adds elements of funk and at times even reggae to really add an alternative spin. There's no doubting that the Desertfest line-up is filled with several bands of very similar ilk so this may well provide a welcome different spin on the Friday. It will certainly be a groovy time down The Dev.




Morass Of Molasses - The Devonshire Arms - 17:00-17:45

There aren't many things that come out of Reading to sing about. Comedian Ricky Gervais perhaps, actress Kate Winslet, the absolute legend that is Gary Noun; but unless you're counting Gervais in his early days or the size of Jeremy Kyle's ego there is a distinct lack of heavy coming out of the RG. Morass Of Molasses are helping even out the scales on that front. Sludging and riffing tirelessly, this band have really started to gain heightened momentum in recent times and with live performances as strong as theirs, we're looking forward to seeing where the road may take this band. If you get the chance, definitely pop your head in to The Devonshire for this lot.




Head back in the coming days as we take a closer look at some of the acts across the Saturday and Sunday. There are still a handful of tickets available, both weekend and day passes. Head over to http://www.desertfest.co.uk/tickets/