Back in April 2017, the cream of Extreme Metal gathered in Bristol at the iconic Bierkeller for two days at the inaugural Bristol Extreme Fest. Bands over that weekend included Immolation, Vader, Hour of Penance and Defeated Sanity. Sadly, the venue closed before another chapter of the festival could be scheduled.
Bristol Extreme Fest
Trinity Centre, Bristol – 29 August 2026
Words And Photography: Paul Hutchings
Whilst the promoters hunted for another venue, the Pandemic ravaged the live music scene, and it was feared that the one event would be the unsatisfactory legacy of what could have become a bit of a beast.
2026 sees the rebirth of the festival with a line-up that fills the needs of anyone who has the Extreme itch to scratch. Set in the gloriously gothic Trinity Centre in Bristol, the festival is close to a sell-out.
And when I say close, there can only be single figures left as the eager audience brave a deluge that decides to hit mere minutes before the gates open.
With sponsorship from some of Bristol’s flagship Metal outlets including the brilliant Black City Records and The Gryphon pub, and a host of traders and drink/food outlets providing everything for a complete day, the 12-hour event kicks off bang on time.
There are no slips in the running order throughout the day and no technical difficulties that are not sorted smoothly by the phenomenal crew. With the two stages alternating, there was no excuse for missing any of the bands on the bill.
The outdoor (Gryphon) stage sees the heaviest bands for the day do their thing. It is the gnarliest Grindcore and Death Metal outside. The organisers have played a blinder.
The stage is under a tent with ample room to shelter from the initially inclement weather. By late afternoon, though, everything has dried, and there is a tornado of dust kicked up by the pit monsters who earn legendary status with a relentless effort which culminates in a surge of crowd surfers during Rotting Christ’s headline set later inside.
Public Execution
Southeast England puts forward the first band of the day. Public Execution bring a wall of noise and chaos that sets the tone rather nicely.
Who Put 50p In The Dickhead, Field Full Of Mash Heads and You’re a Fucking Prick bring a smile to the carnage, with the three-piece giving it full effort to start the day off.
They are not going to win any awards for technical ability, but their ‘in your face’ attitude wins them new friends, and their attitude is spot on.
Oskaria
The first locals are Oskaria, who kick things off on the Black City Records main stage. They have the full range to work with, and despite being a three-piece, they fill the room with their crushing doom-laced Death Metal.
Bassist Jake Bristow is a familiar face on the Metal scene, and his bass playing, along with backing vocals, complements main vocalist/guitarist Jon Reid’s cleaner style.
It is an impressive 30 minutes, with tracks from 2025’s EP The Cult Of Cthulhu warming the already warm venue a little more.
Embodiment
Another Bristol band, Embodiment, are no strangers. Singer Harry Smithson and guitarist Finn Maxwell have been founding members since 2013, and the line-up is now looking stable.
This is a band that has graced many festivals, and it shows in an assured set that sees Smithson’s between-set banter delivered in a confident style.
The band’s technical Death Metal ensures that the first pits of the day are soon moving, splashes of the chalk-based gravel no deterrent. New songs from their recently released Cryptomorph EP sound good, and it is an assured performance all round.
Scordatura
Things ramp up a level in the main room with the arrival of the punishing, violent Death Metal of Scordatura. A band almost approaching veteran status, the Scots make their journey worthwhile, their near 20-year existence giving them a confidence that they project in a punishing but compelling set.
Another band with a recent new release to promote, this time their album Led Into Oblivion, Scordatura leave no prisoners. Of course, they have a seasoned campaigner on the mic, Daryl Boyce, who is also the vocalist in Party Cannon.
He is a bruiser of a frontman, his muscular physique merely adding to the band’s imposing compositions. For me, one of the most impressive sets of the day, the Scots hit home hard and with unlimited power. Definitely worth checking out if they are live near you.
Visions Of Disfigurement
Slamming brutal Death Metal on the outside stage next though; the bludgeoning power and passion of Visions Of Disfigurement. With the venue filling nicely, there are more here to fill the void in the pit, and there is soon swirling in front of the stage.
The Mancunians are another band with one purpose. To level the venue. So maybe sticking them outside was possibly wise.
Song title of the day goes to them, even though guitarist Tom Cahill can hardly introduce it. Encrackified Dysfuckectomy Of Putrid Gash is exactly as you would expect it to sound. I will leave you to think about the other song titles.
It is another episode of aural GBH which the crowd laps up.
Ofnus
Things take a slight left turn as the atmospheric Black Metal of South Wales’ Ofnus captivates the main stage. Perfectly suited to a darkened room, the Welsh quintet is bathed in emotive blues which match the melancholy of their impressive and complex compositions.
It is my first opportunity to see singer Brandon Coles, and the man does not disappoint with a gargantuan frontman performance. Two new songs are bookended by more familiar tracks, and it is the combination of old and new that makes this a compelling and fascinating set.
The band’s layered synths are audible without overpowering, and Zenith Dolour still sends shivers down the spine.
This was possibly the best I have seen them, and with family life about to change with the imminent arrival of mini-Ofnus members, the perfect send-off for at least one band member.
A new album is promised in 2027. It is safe to say that it is going to be a highlight of the forthcoming year.
Foetal Juice
More Mancunian Death Metal delivered with the deadpan humour we have come to expect from Foetal Juice. The riffs are blisteringly heavy, the guttural roar rocks the tent and frontman Derek Carley’s humorous disdain for everyone makes them another great watch.
As the dust is kicked up by the eager pit warriors, underneath it all is a feisty and rudimentary Death Metal kicking you in the nuts.
The Infernal Sea
The atmosphere has turned demonically green as The Infernal Sea take the stage. The rage of singer Deam Lattice is dramatic as he leads the band through the full run of 2015’s The Great Mortality.
For many in the room, this is the first time they have experienced the anti-religious grit of this seminal UK Black Metal outfit. They do not disappoint with a blistering set that rages from start to finish and includes a guest appearance from Foetal Juice’s Carley.
It is dark, paganistic, and works a treat. The Black Death has returned, and a new age of darkness and misery will soon be unleashed.
Krannium
The treats continue as the pulverising Slam Grindcore Death Metal collective Krannium bring what may be the most intense show of the day.
Festival boss man Jason Varlamos swaps his organisational hat for guitarist brutality, and the band sweep all before them with a crushing set.
Their subject matter is not for the faint-hearted, full of gore and inappropriate abuse, but the heavyweight groovers care not. It is an obliteration, and although there are various individuals flagging a little, the pit remains feisty throughout.
Fuath
It is a rare but exciting opportunity to see Fuath next, whose main man Andy Marshall is also the mastermind behind Scots Saor.
An intense journey sees his band drenched in blues and greens as their atmospheric Black Metal sweeps the room. It is enchanting, compelling and utterly brilliant.
The room is captivated by this journey to another world, and one of those few bands to see is ticked off the list.
Desecration
With French legends Benighted pulling out due to illness on the morning of the event, it is a welcome return to the stage for Newport’s Desecration.
Over 30 years since they stirred the pot with Gore And Perversion and with bassist Charlie Rogers joining Ollie Jones and Michael Hourihan, this is a joyous addition that takes some in the crowd back to the old days and has others in the crowd asking “Who?”
For a last-minute call-up, Desecration are in fine form, and they rattle through a set that pulls in music from across their catalogue. Smiles around me suggest this is a good substitute, and for 40 minutes the place is one big pit.
Rotting Christ
It is the grand finale, and End Of The World Promotions have pulled a huge one out of the bag. 22 years since their last Bristol appearance, Athenians Rotting Christ are imperious.
A thunderous 70-minute set has everyone in the room caught in their spell. They blast out anthem after anthem, and as I look around the room, they have every eye trained and focused on them.
It is a blisteringly good performance, and this from a band who rarely do anything but good performances. 35 years celebrating their legacy, this is a show to go down long in the memory books.
If you want to see how it is done, then catch a Rotting Christ show. More of a spiritual experience, the Hellenic masters of Black Metal once again show us how it is done.
Huge kudos to the promoters End Of The World Promotions, and thanks to all involved. The press were treated with respect and dignity, and the upshot of this is that this festival will be inked into any 2027 calendar the moment new details are announced. Keep an eye on their Facebook page for details.
Tireless work can pay off.
