Nokfest 2022 review
-- Nokfest --
01/01/1970
Stijn Daneels
[INTRODUCTION]
Review written by Glenn Schrijvers.
Belgian Metal Shredder went to Vosselaar for Nokfest @ The NOK. On
our arrival we stumbled on the owner of a restaurant next to the NOK.
She asked us “Is there a band playing today?” and we answered: “Yeah
Several bands even!”. She just went silent and went full KAREN mode.
(complaining to put the music down because there were many customers).
Well, my fellow Shredder,s I think the restaurant needs a renovation
after Nokfest because, the bands unleashed HELL!
First off, the Nok is a
youth center located in the epicenter of Vosselaar. An incredible fact
about the Nok, it exists for 51 years! And in that time they organized
lots of gigs, theme-nights, karaoke nights, and so much more. Once
inside we got our tokens on the second floor. The prices are superb for
example beverages and beer 1,50 EUR (also Beerpong and Meter available).
They even have a boxing machine! The only remark I have is about the
stage because, there is a big pillar that reminds me of Kavka Zappa in
Antwerp. This also results in that most of the crowd is centered at the
bar. But for tonight it divided the crowd in the hardcore moshing/2 step
front of the stage and the others at the bar.
[GORE FORCE V]
The warm-up of the evening goes to Gore Force V consisting of Wesley
Heyndrickx an ex-member of Axamenta (Guitar), Jan de Maeyer (drums),
Dominique Michiels an ex member of Pulverize (bass) and Senne AKA Johnny
Kartonni for the vocals (Awaiting Chaos) who we saw @ Albatroz check
out here https://www.belgianmetalshredder.be/festival_article/96.
Senne replaces Jesse Buytaert from Volière starting from this year. Now
in the spotlight is Jeroen Buysse (guitars) from Fractured Insanity
(this time I make sure I include you Buddy!) who we saw then at the album release show of Slaughter the Giant (click here for more mayhem https://www.belgianmetalshredder.be/festival_article/98).
Gore
Force V plays entertaining grindcore that makes your ears bleed of
laughter. They released 3 EP/CD: Happy as Pigs in Shit (2011), It Came
from Behind (2012) and Metally Challenged (2017). Johhny Kartoni is
ready in his summer shirt to unleash his eye-popping raw vocals, Jan is
ready with The Animal from the Muppets on his drumkit, Jeroen with his
Gore Force v crown and Bumba t-shirt, Wesley and Dominique wearing the
new band shirts (Oink Oink Oink on the back). What a Warm-up! Johhny
Kartoni even has even thrown a beach ball, air guitar and more in the crowd. I
even could not resist to kick the beach ball in somebody’s face! The music made me do it. Gore Force V played songs like, Birth Control,
Grinding Nemo, Rudolf the red nosed rapist and new unreleased songs!
Gore Force V has still one last show this year at De Verlichte Geest in
Roeselare on 16 December along with Serial Butcher, EBDB, BARREN and
IxAx. Afterwards they will then focus on making a new (even) faster,
goofier, grindy, Oinky album. After the show I got the new t-shirt and
Dominique gave me 2 plectrums for my B-day (Fangirl noises).
[AS WE SPEAK]
Now it is time for As We Speak to hit the stage. The band includes
Michael Cornelissen (vocals), Nils Jensen (drums), Glenn Wouters of ‘In
Clear Sight’(guitar), Gyan Klomp who recently made the mixing of the new
EP of the progressive metal band XENO (bass) and new member Sebastiaan
Kellens (guitar). As We Speak plays metalcore with a pinch of hardcore
with a twist of melodies into it. They released a debut album ‘Between
Words and Sounds’ released by Clenched Fist Records in 2014. In 2017 an
EP ‘A Call To Deaf Ears’ was released. If you dig Heaven Shall Burn,
As I lay Dying and AnnisOkay then give it a spin!
As We Speak kicks off
with ‘No Light In Our Eyes’ and Michael unleashes his screeching vocals
upon the crowd, Glenn and Sebastiaan shredding riffs and melody, Gyan
headbanging while playing bass and Nils blasting from behind his
drumkit. With ‘True Love’ we have a 2-stepper and a first pit (beer
starts to kick in with the audience). As We Speak ends their set with
‘Barricades’ my favorite song of the EP. Credits to Sebastiaan for
playing his first show with the band.
[RAISE YOUR FIST]
Next up is Raise Your Fist which consists of Joas Pyckhout from
‘Builders of Tomorrow’ (vocals), Dimitri Michiels from ‘Beneath
Contempt’ (drums), Tom de Houwer from ‘Thanks 4 Nothing’ (guitar),
Benjamin Climan from ‘Obstacle’ (bass) and Sander Dockx from ‘Walls of
Sorrow’ (guitar). Raise your Fist raised from the ashes 2 months back
and released a single ‘GET LOST’ on 29 September. I was excited to hear
more from them because their single had been blasting for weeks so I
was hungry for more!
They play metalcore with hardcore vocals and let me
tell you that it hits like a brick! Raise Your Fist unleashes their fury
right from the start. Joas immediately jumps in the crowd spitting his
harsh vocals in your face (quite literally actually). Dimitri hitting his cymbals so hard that you
think they would break any minute. Tom and Sander headbanging and shredding
their vicious riffs and Benjamin backing it all up with his bass
guitar. The audience goes wild and the venue turns into one big pit! We've even had a crowd surfer!
The songs are ferocious and Joas gives me also a
Ziggy vibe (Fatal Move) with his energy and spirit! This was their
first show and credits to whole the band because I was blown away and
cannot wait for more songs to be released! If you like Fatal Move,
Nasty, Get The Shot and Cataract then Raise Your Fist will kick your teeth out with fierce power! Support them by blasting their single and
come to future events like I certainly will do!
[PRIMAL TRUTH]
The crowd has awakened and now it is time for Primal Truth who deals
in raw hardcore soaked in filthy Metal! The band’s line up is Viktor
Descheemacker from ‘In Clover’(vocals), Mathijs Nuyts from ‘Knifes To A
Gunfight’(backing vocals+bass), Vinnie Roofthooft (guitar), Ruben
Roziers (Riff Daddy) and Elias Meulemans (drums). Primal Truth released
an EP ‘Reborn Through Suffering’ in 2021 and is currently working in the
studio on a new violent album.
Primal Truth kicks off with a new
unreleased song! First off the EP is insane (played it daily) but live
it's a whole other level! The filthy vocals from Viktor are unhinged, the
drumming from Elias is astounding, Riff Daddy Ruben and Vinnie
unleashing decapitating riffs, Mathijs going full hillbilly mode on the bass
(shredding like a pro with a cigarette in his mouth). The crowd goes
berserk in moshing, 2 stepping, jumping, flying, roundhouse
kicking. It is a Warzone in front of the stage! I even got a fist in my
face while taking pictures. Primal Truth played songs like ‘Dying
Breed’, ‘Condemned’ and ‘Blossom’. What a devastating set, looking
forward to the new album.
[FATAL MOVE]
Now it is time for the Antwerp (Football club founded in 1880) loving
band hailing from 2170 Merksem, Fatal Move! These pioneers in the Antwerp
hardcore scene are celebrating their 10-year existence next year in Trix
with Mindwar, Surge Of Fury and Mark My Way. Save the date: 12 May 2023!
Fatal Move include Ziggy Coertjens (vocals), Joeri Heggerick (Drums),
Ruige Kenny ( guitar), Thomas Luyten (bas), Jens Mrqn (guitar). They
released 4 CDs ‘False Hope’ (2012), ‘Barfight’ (2015), ‘Blindfolded’
(2015) and ‘Somewhere Between Life and Death’ (2019). New stuff is
coming up because, Fatal Move recently finished recordings!
The opening
song is 'Cold & Relentless' and immediately one big pit opened! Ziggy
screaming out his longs out in passion, Joeri going berserk on the
drums, Ruige Kenny and Jens destroying the venue with their riffs and
Thomas giving the solid bass sound to wreck the place. During Crown Of
Thorns Ziggy makes the crowd go apeshit! Stagediving, mosh pits, people
falling on the floor, people even flying through the door outside. This
is what Fatal Move unleashes, complete destruction! They end their set
with my favorite track 'Dirty Rat.'
[CONCLUSION]
{Nokfest was a huge success! Lots of fun-having people, awesome bands, cheap beer, mosh pits, crowd surfers, what do you want more? I know! Support one of these great acts! Buy their merch, come to their shows! Keep the Belgian metal and hardcore scenes alive! Credits to all the people who organized and helped to realize this event, all the volunteers from Nok, all the bands, the tech crew! I'll certainly be coming back to this place!}