London Metal Coalition (LMC) Presents: Coalition Fest 2025 @ Signature Brew Blackhorse Road Day 1 30/08/2025 The Silent Era, Fall of Saturn, Halberd, Black Horse Road Worship the Sacrifice, Heart Ripper, Symbyote, Call of Fenrir Slave Steel, Secreum, Red Method +More

 

Standing strong with 21 bands across two days along with other performances, interviews and entertainment the Metal community have gathered at Signature Brew in east London for the London Metal Coalition’s third annual Coalition Fest. Over the course of the weekend there is Thrash, Death, Pagan, Operatic Metal…and Morris dancing. This year is the first time there is two stages. The main indoor stage is called Vyte Stage where the bands play, whilst outside for some between sets entertainment there’s the Matt stage, both named after respected people from the scene who left this world too early. Theres also an alternative marketplace and Signature Brew have teamed with the LMC for a signature beer called the Red Tide.

 

The weekend opens up with the last-minute addition of The Silent Era who kick things off with some Post-Punk Alternative which you may think is a bold move for a Metal festival but, the Coalition is about inclusiveness, knowing their niches and The Silent Era’s enchanting Industrial Goth Rock fits in seamlessly for those who arrived early to catch them. They’re currently promoting their debut album Cold, Wide and Deep which cuts exactly how it sounds but they’re met with a warm reception, including an attempt at crowd surfing. Fall of Saturn kick things into another gear with some groove laden Metalcore as more people arrive. They bring an electrifying energy with lots of intensity. Thrashtastic Halberd take that energy and slap you with it harder than current album Chess With the Reaper which is gleefully run into the circle pit with axe held aloft. They’re tight, aggressive as fuck and of course they destroy! Black Horse Road start by saying they have no affiliation with the name of the area the venue is situated, but they came up with it first. Obviously, a joke but their music isn’t as they blend heavy riffing with a Thrash/Hardcore edge. The second stage outside is now open and interview with Symbyote is underway. They talk to host Alea (Tales of Perdition) about their recent festival appearances on the New Blood stage at Bloodstock, Beermageddon and upcoming recording sessions. Up next are scene favorites Worship the Sacrifice who play a mix of insane Schizophrenic Death Metal mixed with Thrash and Black Metal influences with a bit of Hardcore thrown in. They’re joined behind the kit (they use backing tracks for drums) by Deadname from Davghter who’s been bound and gagged in a gimp outfit with a drumstick taped to her hand, from which she does eventually escape whilst they’re joined on stage by guest vocalist Dan from Symbyote. Guitarist Steve is his usual maniacal self as he jumps around the circle pit guitar in hand whilst vocalist Lazarus growls over their ritual. They’re a very visual band as well visceral and the only to experience their horror show is to be there yourself; and get in the Twerkle-pit. After having a bit of a breather Halberd’s drummer Zack Covil returns to the stage with his one-man Death Metal juggernaut Heart Ripper. Playing to his own self-recorded backing track and armed with just a guitar which was lent to him as his one died days before, which is a testament to how hard his Death Metal riffing goes. The room becomes a scene of chaos and destruction as you’d expect. Ending his set with a cover Arise he leaves the stage while everyone chants his name. So much power from one man. Symbyote are probably one the busiest bands around at the moment. Their brutal Deathcore blends Death and Black Metal with Hardcore influences that fuses churning guitars, barrage of drums along with Dan’s guttural vocals. Already becoming a scene favorite, they bludgeon their way through a set list of old and newer songs showcasing their evolution since recruiting Harry behind the drums which from the sound of things, they’ve been champing at the bit to do for a while. Call of Fenrir singer Chris sways like an agitated berserker back and forth over one of the monitors as the rest of the heathen horde set up around him. Earlier in the day there was the premiere of their new video for Allfather over on the Matt stage. On the Vyte they mix Folk Metal melodies with Black and Death Metal and their pit is unstoppable with long ship rowing on the floor and an Odin like figure wandering mystically through the crowd. Slave Steel mix groove, aggression, Death Metal breakdowns with raw technical intensity. Halberd Does Countdown follows on the Matt stage which brings plenty of laughs as await what’s coming next The penultimate set of day one comes from scene favorites Secreum bring their own brand of Groove Metal mixed with Death Metal fury and sounding less like early Fear Factory than they do on their records, playing instead with far more harsher intensity that they could almost be a different band, but still marinating that level melody. One more round of Halberd Does Countdown provides another distraction as which see’s volunteers downing orange juice over freshly applied toothpaste, not for the faint hearted. Headliners Red Method are a league of their own and they tear the Signature Brew a new arsehole as they bang out pure ritualistic aggression fusing Death, Groove with Industrial and they are just as much a visual band as much as they are one of the UK most promising exports. Six foot something Guitarist David T stands ominously over the over the pit as vocalist Jeremy and keyboardist Alex trade off growls and snarls. Their intensity brings a chaotic and powerful ending to the day.