Desert Hel is a two-day festival showcasing stoner rock and doom metal, which has been organized since 2020. As the 2021 event was postponed due to COVID-19, this year’s edition marked the fourth installment. The festival was held from April 19th to 20th, 2024 at Tiivistämö in the Suvilahti area. Once again, the lineup featured some intriguing international acts, including the stalwart stoner rockers TRUCKFIGHTERS from Sweden and the Italian doom rock band MESSA, who have been steadily gaining international acclaim. Alongside these international acts, there were eight bands from the elite of the Finnish scene, plus a bonus cover act to cap off Saturday.
The two-day festival featured a single stage at the Tiivistämö main hall, with a DJ act at the bar. This setup facilitated a smooth timetable with some downtime between bands. Each evening, performances commenced shortly after seven in the evening, with the international headliner bands taking the stage closer to midnight.
Overall, despite ongoing renovations in the Suvilahti area and some challenges navigating to Tiivistämö, the festival appeared to be a success, with Saturday sold out and Friday nearly reaching capacity. Conversations among attendees between shows revealed that the artists met expectations, leaving the crowd in high spirits as they departed each night.
Friday’s lineup kicked off with HEEZER taking the stage as the crowd poured in. The four-man band set the festival in motion with their grunge-leaning stoner rock, showcasing a retro approach that paid homage to the basics of the genre. The band’s evident enjoyment on stage added to the pleasure of the performance.
Following them was ORBITER, with a slightly heavier, slower, and more melodic approach. Vocalist Caroline Koss’s charismatic sound took center stage, complemented by songs with a free-flowing, airy feel that provided space for the vocals and contrasted with bursts of heavy riffing. It was an enjoyable set.
Third on stage was POLYMOON, injecting a whole new level of energy after the more static performances earlier. With a showmanship that was fun to watch, POLYMOON‘s music leaned more toward the psychedelic and progressive side of rock, offering a lighter musical interlude amid the heavier bands. Their theatrics and skilled performance suggested that they could easily handle larger stages than Tiivistämö.
Penultimate on Friday’s lineup was the Finnish underground scene’s oddball space hippies, KAIRON; IRSE! Despite encountering some technical issues during their set, the band still managed to deliver their music in an enjoyable form. Their versatility ranged from light pop tunes to heavier stoner vibes, and their musical innovation was a pleasure to witness.
The international act for Friday was MESSA from Italy. Their doomy and gloomy metal vibes were highly anticipated, and the band did not disappoint, delivering what the audience wanted. Vocalist Sara’s voice effortlessly guided listeners into the depths of the band’s music, yet behind the dark façade, there was often a nice, quirky feeling lurking.
Check our photos from Desert Hel’s first day here…
Heezer
Orbiter
Polymoon
Kairon; IRSE!
Messa
