WHAT comes to mind when you think about the music scene in Cumbria?
Folk music perhaps, touring bands visiting from further away, maybe even some of the emerging younger bands across the county.
However, one thing that doesn't immediately spring to mind is black metal: an extreme style of heavy metal music, black metal is characterised by shrieking vocals, blast beat drums and heavily distorted guitars. There is also a lot of emphasis on atmosphere and lo-fi recording with a heavy sense of dread.
Most black metal musicians dress in all black with spikes and bullet belts, they also wear corpse paint so as to look less human.
So why it is then that Cumbria has become somewhat of a haven for this style of music?
Paul Gibson, founder of the county's only black metal label, Legions ov Darkness, and member of black metal bands Nefarious Dusk and Úlfarr amongst others, believes the landscape of our county plays a part.
"I believe it’s down to how unique Cumbria is with our amazing landscapes and scenery," says Paul - one of the most prominent figures in the Cumbrian black metal scene.
"It goes hand in hand with the heavier styles of music. People seem to really like the idea of coming to Fell Foot to watch bands in the middle of nowhere surrounded by nature.
"It’s offering something different to people and therefore it’s bringing a lot of people to the area.
"The scene in Cumbria seems to be doing well now and it’s growing bigger each year. There is a solid following of people who make the journey up to Fell Foot Wood from around the UK and odd parts of Europe.
"We have the Blackwood Gathering festival which brings in names such as Horna, Sear Bliss and this year Sargeist. There is the Woodland Gathering festival who have Godflesh headlining this year and then there is my festival, Darkness Over Cumbria: The Blackwood Odyssey which mainly hosts UK black metal with the odd death metal or doom metal band added to the bill.
“There is also Funeral Fest which takes place in Barrow at Traditions with their mix of metal bands from around the UK, and this year they have Spartan Warrior appearing.”
Paul's involvement in the scene is much more than just playing in a few bands.
His passion has helped get the scene off the ground, booking bands from across the UK who are only to keen to play in Cumbria.
“If I remember right, I’ve been heavily into black metal since 2006, but I didn’t really get involved with the scene until around 2009 maybe - that’s when I started to release my own music and I performed at the odd gig around the north with my bands.
"I play in a few local bands, Nefarious Dusk, Úlfarr, Thy Dying Light and death-doom band Volition. Over the past few years I’ve become more involved with the scene since I started to host Darkness Over Cumbria and helping with the Blackwood Gathering.”
Paul will be hosting Darkness over Cumbria again this year, and says fans of the extreme genre will like what he has in store.
“It’s a weekend festival hosted in July, which offers two days of UK black metal and death metal, along with the choice of camping in the woods. This year we have two excellent headliners, Ninkharsag and The Infernal Sea, along with co-headliner Primitive Graven Image. A real treat for fans of black metal.”
The other major meeting for black metal fans in Cumbria is the annual Blackwood Gathering in Fell Foot and of the ever-present at the two-day event in October is its figurehead Barry of the Blackwood, who Paul can shed some light on.
“Barry is the land-owner of Fell Foot Wood. He’s the man who has given black metal a home in Cumbria. Barry is a creative guy with many wonderful and strange ideas for events, and it’s great to work with him.
"His support and hospitality has helped in putting Cumbria on the black metal map along with the Blackwood Gathering team and everyone else involved with Fell Foot Wood.”
Visit the Legions ov Darkness Facebook page or Bandcamp page for more information.
Tickets for Darkness over Cumbria will be available soon.
Cumbrian Black Metal Bands to check if you’re interested in getting into the scene
Fom Barrow:
From Millom:
Axis of Light
WhiteHunter
All the bands have music available at the Legions ov Darkness Bandcamp site.
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