RADAR Festival 2024 at the O2 Victoria Warehouse is a vibrant and diverse showcase of progressive and alternative metal/rock acts, featuring both established names and rising stars in the genre. The festival not only covers progressive/technical metal and rock though, it also pushes those boundaries and often breaks them with genre-spanning and unexpected acts that positively challenge the way we look at music and performance. Much like we saw with Tech-Fest UK, at the heart of RADAR is that sense of building a genuine community. It’s a community that starts with music - created for the fans, by the fans. RADAR is not just about tag lines, it’s honestly a very welcoming event where inclusivity, diversity and equality shine. The festival's setting offers a rich tapestry of performances that highlight the unique sounds and styles of each band.

The first act we catch on the main stage are the young French band Ashen. Having been recommended by fellow acts Resolve and Novelists, I’m excited to catch them on a big stage. Are they overawed? Not a chance, they prove that they were born for the big stage with a performance that is both slick and powerful. The band deliver cohesive and polished modern melodic intricate metal, reminiscent of the afore mentioned bands. Clem Richard provides both great clean and aggressive vocals, as well as plenty of performance. In fact, the whole band command the stage and together with seamless instrumentation it makes their set a highlight of the festival. We also managed to grab an interview with Clem and their fantastic guitarist Niels Tozer (watch HERE).

Moving onto the SNEAK Energy stage we catch Adharma’s performance. It’s a mix of prog-rock with power metal elements, featuring operatic female vocals. Despite their technical proficiency, the set feels somewhat underwhelming, with a mid-tempo pace that fails to captivate. They’re reminiscent of the excellent Blind Summit, but just need to nail their sound and deliver some light and dark to the dynamics of their set.

The Omnific are always going to turn heads with their unconventional setup of two bass guitars and a drum kit, proving that you don't need a traditional band lineup to have fun and make catchy, impressive music. Their technical prowess is evident throughout the set, and the occasional backing track vocals add an extra layer to the sound. The groove and accessibility of their music clearly wins over many new fans, making them one of the more interesting acts of the festival.

The next two acts had to be drafted in last-minute to cover for the unfortunate cancellations by Oxymorrons and Siamese. Mike Dawes brings a refreshing change of pace with his percussive acoustic guitar style. His set includes covers of well-known songs like "Jump" and "Somebody That I Used to Know," showcasing his versatility and modern fingerstyle technique. His humorous banter and interaction with the crowd is a charming touch to his performance, making it a delightful interlude in the midst of heavier acts.

Pintglass on the other hand bring their ‘unique’ brand of Geezercore to the stage. Wearing hi-viz roadworker vests, their performance is at best raw and chaotic. However, for hardcore it lacks any groove and technicality making it difficult to appreciate the music, let alone the cockney-builder schtick. While their antics and constant babbling is amusing to some - I like many just don’t get the joke or even the intention of the joke - and their overall performance is lacking in substance and reasoning.

Now to my band of the weekend - Blood Command. Not only did they provide us with the most fun and chaotic interview ever (watch it HERE if you dare!) but they then delivered an electrifying performance that had the entire room buzzing and grinning. Their blend of deathpop and punk only tells half the story. They occupy a fun and anarchic space, making them one of the most engaging acts I’ve seen for ages. It’s catchy, is irreverent, and it’s knowingly tongue-in-cheek and energetically joyful. But it’s also delivered in a slick, polished sound that sits easily alongside that punky, fun energy. The track ‘The Plague On Both Your Houses’ is the ultimate ear-worm with its infectious riff. Completely decked out in Adidas gear (see the interview to find out why…) they live up to expectations as a live band. Notably, in Nikki Brumen they have a firecracker dynamo that unleashes antics - including crowd surfing and costume changes- sexiness and a stunning array of emotive vocal styles from clean-pop to punky yells. You can see from the crowd’s reaction that they left a lasting impression on everyone in the room. 

Back on the main stage Holding Absence bring a blend of emo-rock/metal to the festival. The popular Welsh band have a sound that recalls me bands like You Me at Six and Boston Manor. Despite the slick production and impressive singing/musicianship, their set lacks the darkness and catchy hooks that might elevated their sound and performance for me. The uniformity in volume, speed, and dynamics makes their set feel, dare I say, monotonous - but their fans are many and passionate, through which I can see this band going on to even bigger things.

Humanity’s Last Breath easily earn the title of the heaviest band of the weekend with a set that is both crushing and textured. The complexity, nuance and deliberate musical jigsaw that they piece together is phenomenal. We managed to catch-up with singer Filip Danielsson before the set (watch HERE) and the process in creating the music is fascinating. Their sound, a blend of guttural death metal, Gojira and Sleep Token, is layered and brutal in a doomy death metal style. The hooded silhouette of Filip looming over the stage adds to the intensity, making their performance a visceral experience that is gorged on by the attentive audience.

And so, it’s left to the mighty Leprous to close-out the festival with a masterful performance. There is of course Einar Solberg’s superb vocals and the whole band’s intricate setup, with keyboards (from the tremendous Harrison White) and drums elevated on platforms, creating a visually and sonically captivating show. It’s haunting and beautiful yet catchy and intricate. It’s alternative pop yet progressive metal. The interactive element of having the crowd vote for some of the song choices adds a unique and fun twist. There was one song that guitarist Robin Ognedal told us in our interview he hoped wouldn’t get picked by the crowd (see the interview HERE to find out why), and as if on cue the main set ends with that very track voted for - the tremendous and heavy track ‘Contaminate Me’, which showcases their versatility and ability to engage on so many levels. A powerful conclusion to the festival.

RADAR Festival 2024 was once again a whirlwind of diverse musical acts, each bringing something unique to the stage. From the technical prowess of bands like The Omnific to the raw energy and fun of bands like Blood Command and Seething Akira. The crushing heaviness of Humanity’s Last Breath to the stunning headline sets of TesseracT and Leprous. The festival offered a little something for everyone who likes progressive and unique music. Viva la RADAR!

Check the “In The Flesh” page for more photos!
Leprous + Humanity’s Last Breath + Holding Absence + Blood Command + Pintglass + The Omnific + Adharma + Ashen