(With this feature we welcome a new Seattle-based NCS contributor who goes by the moniker KAOS_Agent. What he has provided in his debut is an extensive report on the recently completed 20th anniversary installment of Damnation Fest in the UK, as well as lots of his photos from the event.)

“If you go, you might as well go big.”

I could not imagine a better way to put the mentality of this year’s Damnation Festival, celebrating its twentieth year of existence and fourth year of bringing the best of black, sludge, death, and post-metal to the Bowler’s Exhibition Center in Manchester, UK. This was my first time attending Damnation, following a few bucket list items of volunteering at Roadburn last year, as well as attending Ascension festival in Iceland, where I serendipitously met an unexpected amount of folks from the Seattle metal community, including the lovely proprietor of this site.

What impressed me about Damnation this year was its ability to maintain a small festival vibe while at the same time acknowledging their own success and gradual expansion. Organizer Gavin McInally and the extended team have gone through great lengths to create a roster that brought back long-standing repeat favorites along with emergent acts that tiptoe the line of underground appeal. And as far as a milestone year, Damnation has ensured the local scene was well-represented, with a coincidental 20 bands being based in the UK and Ireland. Continue reading »