Text and Photos by Bobby Cochran
There are a lot of things the organizers of this year’s Northwest Terror Fest can be proud of. For example, the shows ran on time (even though there were 10 bands a day between two venues), the audience was enthusiastic and respectful of performers and fellow concert-goers alike, and the lineup included a noticeable amount of female-inclusive bands. Not to mention the large number of female organizers and crew who kept things running smoothly and efficiently and put on a festival that other festivals would do well to emulate. The musical styles of this year’s fest weren’t quite as varied as last year’s (too many death metal and doom bands), but the caliber of music and performance was top notch. From national touring acts to local up-and-comers, NWTF was committed to bringing some of the best heavy music to an eager and receptive audience.
Day 1
The first day didn’t boast any big name acts on the schedule, but the day was packed nevertheless. Denver prog-death metal masters Dreadnought pulled off a blistering set which included musical sections featuring wind instruments, local blasters False snarled and brutalized their 30 minutes onstage, black metallers Pillorian and last minute addition Ails held their own on the big stage at Neumo’s while Panopticon finished the night with black metal that mimics the sound of the earth cracking open and releasing the spirits of the ancestors. Downstairs in Barboza, Oakland duo Ragana powered through an unpretentious but powerful set, Falls of Rauros and Woman Is The Earth brought the doom and power and headliners Witch Mountain brought their power-metal-meets-soul sister ferocity to close things out downstairs. Unfortunately I missed the day’s openers, Power Of Nix. My apologies to them.
DREADNAUGHT
RAGANA
Pillorian
Falls of Rauros
False
Woman is the Earth
Ails
Witch Mountain
Panopticon
