DEATH METAL AT THE CRAUFORD ARMS

"Do you want to go see Priest Strangler?" This is a young local band in Milton Keynes, and after my Dad shared that he used to teach their bassist English at school, I thought I'd go out and show support. The night featured a lineup with Acts of Vengeance, Bullhead, and Ominous Moon.

While I'm into heavy music, black/death/thrash metal isn't my usual go-to, but I can appreciate the musicianship and intensity. Though to the uninitiated the band names and song titles might seem a bit... well f*cking dark, you'll find it's actually a welcoming community of people who look out for each other.

I grabbed my Fuji XT5 and the 18mm + 56mm lenses to get some more gig photography experience. I kept to a gritty black and white look using the Ilford HP5 recipe to keep up with the “are you ready to raise the dead?” vibes. Most shots were taken with the 18mm, as the 56mm would often mean I’m awkwardly in the middle of where a pit usually broke out.

I hope I managed to capture the energy of the gig and the head banging interaction with the fans for the band.