The Garden of England's heaviest weekend returns for an autumn edition. Bigger, heavier, more riffs. Sludge, Stoner, Doom & more...

FROGLORD Formed in 2020 as one-man project during the pandemic, Froglord began performing live a year later as venues began to reopen. Since this time, Froglord have quickly gained a reputation for their commanding and energetic stage presence; regularly touring across the UK, and releasing numerous albums to date.

In 2024, as well as winning Bristol M2TM and going on to perform at Bloodstock Open Air Festival, Froglord released the official single for the found footage horror film, Frogman. 2025 sees Froglord release their fifth album 'Metamorphosis', extensively touring, with appearances at several festival including Desertfest London.

Froglord’s concept-based discography is rooted heavily in environmentalism. This is not only reflected in the lyrical matter, but also the bands active charity work. To date, Froglord have helped raise over £3000 for various environmental charities, including Save The Frogs, the world’s largest amphibian-based conservation charity

WITCHSORROW The calling of doom metal is not for those who seek an easy path to glory. For those who truly walk the path of doom, it is a journey without end, a pilgrimage that eventually becomes part of the traveller’s very bones and spirit.

For Hampshire doom metal maniacs Witchsorrow, it has become a life’s work. Formed by frontman Necroskull and bassist Emily Witch over a decade ago, the band’s four albums celebrate the traditions of doom as practiced by such puritans as Black Sabbath, Cathedral, Saint Vitus, Trouble and Candlemass. Obsessed with doom, proudly upholding the heavy metal roots of the genre, and with a lyrical outlook that takes in madness, misanthropy, witchcraft, evil, and no less a topic than the destruction of the Earth itself, the trio are as much about the worship of doom as they are pouring scorn on a world of stupidity that wilfully runs ever faster towards its own demise. Their hymns to the void have earned them a place among the genre’s elite and seen the band play across the UK and Europe, including festival appearances at Download, Desertfest, Bloodstock, Damnation and Stoned from the Underground.

Those familiar with the history of witch trials will already know of the Malleus Maleficarum, the dreaded fifteenth-century book that detailed and endorsed the torture and extermination of witches by violent means. It also went by another name: Hexenhammer – a name which the band’s most recent album shares. Its songs found Witchsorrow continuing to explore the dark corners of doom, and illuminating them with the blinding light of sheer heavy metal. Now re-awakening after a period of plague-enforced slumber, Witchsorrow are ready to destroy worlds once again. With 2025 bringing new music and a new drummer; a new era and new danger await in 2026. As Necroskull declares: “We’re a fucking heavy metal band, and that means not taking the world’s nonsense lying down, no matter how futile everything is.”

OUTBACK Formed in Brighton UK, 2021, by vocalist/bassist Will Graves, guitarist Jet Mosseri and drummer Archie Lea, doom metal trio Outback is a concoction of heavy riffs, soaring vocal melodies and murky, psychedelic breakdowns, delivering a chilling and progressive take on the genre.

Massive and atmospheric, Outback draws inspiration from a diverse range of heavy and psychedelic artists across genres. The band’s crushing heaviness is rooted in doom metal with bands such as Black Sabbath, Conan, and Electric Wizard, while the brooding, haunting mood is shaped by atmospheric influences like Windhand and Sleep. Additionally, the dynamic contrasts and emotional depth found in bands like Deftones and Alice in Chains form Outback’s more experimental and introspective side.

RUSTORM Ethereal Doom Metal titan RUSTORM, was founded by members of 90s alt-metal band Pulkas, Rob Lewis and Jules McBride. After making a lasting mark on the metal scene with their debut album ‘Greed’ (released through Earache records), Pulkas ended up in Metal Hammer magazine’s top ten list of “bands that made a killer album and then split up”.

Having subsequently played separately for many different bands such as Hercules ii, The Blood Tub Orchestra, Test Dept, Murder One & Evi Vine, Rob and Jules formed RUSTORM together in 2020 to release a debut EP, Death Valley Speed Trap. This four-song blitz was followed by the debut album, ‘Razed to the Ground’ in 2022, which developed the band’s unique sound and set the scene for what was to come.

Late 2024 and early 2025 saw the release of two brand new singles, Supernatural and Snowcrash, both taken from the upcoming album, ‘Gravity’ which is due for release on the 7th of March 2025. Built on the solid foundations laid down by their previous releases, it arrives loaded with frequency defying low-end guitars, gravel filled vocals and hypnotic bass-lines - occasionally rounded off with string, piano and atmospheric samples - to create an ultra-heavy sound that crosses genres.

To take the RUSTORM sound out on the road, powerhouse drummer, Dave Nato Hazlewood (Anti-Nowhere League, Angelspit, 4th Wall), has joined Rob and Jules to create a formidable three- piece live unit delivering an even more ferocious sound capable of moving mountains.

IRON SLUG Iron Slug have carved out their own murky hollow in the sludge/doom genre. Formed in 2022, the Kentish band have earned their place on the UK scene with a duo of EPs released in 2024, gaining recognition with Unrepentant Grin charting at number 39 on the Doom Charts.

Following the departure of their original drummer, original bassist Will Bond moved to behind the kit, with Will Rayner continuing on lead vocals and guitar. With the focus on big riffs, crushing drones and neck breaking grooves, the duo create a granite wall of sound that keeps listeners coming back for more.

Their live show is energetic, uncompromising and, above all else, LOUD. Join the followers of the gospel of the SLUG.