Corrosion Fest 2025: Morecambe – Live Review

“Hey now, hey now now; sing this corrosion to me”…iconic words sung by the SISTERS OF MERCY front-man Andrew Eldritch, and motivational fuel for this reviewer’s trek to the seaside town of Morecambe. Why? Let me explain. Morecambe is home to CORROSION FEST, an annual, independent two-night danse macabre of Gothic splendour; think the West Coast’s answer to Whitby.  

Run and organized by Donna McLeod, Mike Murray, alongside Alex & Fiona Wetton, its simple goal is to celebrate all that is Goth, alternative, underground, and underappreciated by the mainstream, and 2025 finds them in their fifth year. Luckily for this reviewer, I was welcomed along to get some coverage for All About The Rock, to help highlight some incredible artists, and help put a spotlight on the scene. It was looking to be a fantastic weekend, at a wonderful location, in the hands of some genuinely passionate people…but I had to get there first. My journey started Thursday, March 6th, the day before the actual event, and here is why. (I honestly felt like I was on tour before I even fucking got there!). 

My day started with a 6:10 am train to Cardiff, with time for a quick McDonald’s breakfast, before an 8:20 am coach to Birmingham. After a small wait for a changeover service, it was back on a coach up to Manchester, before a walk across to Piccadilly station to get a train up to Lancaster. After another wait and a platform change, another train came directly to Morecambe. I arrived after 4 pm. Nearly 11 hours. My shifts at the day job aren’t that gruelling, and that’s practically North Korea! I digress. I find my hotel for the weekend, check in, shower, and enjoy the sea view of an off-season ghost town with a bottle of the old grown-up grape juice. Anyway, moving forward, after some supper at a local bar, and a quick gathering of my bearings in a new location, it was resting time, ahead of a weekend of whimsical woe… 

Friday, March 7th, after some more exploring, killing some time at the arcade (Imagine the whole making it rain thing, with Dollar bills for strippers, but that’s me with 2p coins trying to win tokens; I got a Metallica keyring) and doing some work on the laptop for other pieces, it was time to head over to the Alhambra; the venue and home of Corrosion Fest, to get things underway. A quaint seaside theatre venue that first opened in 1901, it’s become a home for many a music event over the years, with a brilliantly open lay-out and audio/visual presentation, and honestly, I have to praise the place. The sound was on point, all of the bar staff and volunteers helping to run the event were fantastic people, and the whole set-up was incredibly welcoming. That has to be noted, but let’s get into the bands. They are why we are here after all. 

 

Kicking off this weekend’s festival, we have an Italian outfit by the name of INSTANT LAKE [5], and they really do set a mood. With a cold, new-wave aesthetic, blending shoe-gaze with synths and a methodical delivery, they quickly create a sense of aura and atmosphere for the earliest attendees. Vocalist Gennaro De Lena has this black veil covering his entire head and face for the beginning of their set, as though he’s anticipating being publicly hung (I’m not that harsh I promise), and it adds an air of mystique and intrigue to the character of this band.  

They pace themselves really rather slowly with a minimalist presentation: icy synths, subdued melodies, and an almost spoken word vocal delivery, especially on their latest single, “Ivory Dreams”. Barely stepping out of second gear, it’s a very mellow, softly meandering offering, bordering on hypnotic. Tracks like “Delicate Obscenity” off of their most recent album “Dystodream” are far more bass-driven, exuding a more familiar, nostalgic, post-punk aesthetic, with electro-tinged light industrial tropes.  

Catchy in its chorus build-up and with its clap-along percussion it delivers well for an easy set-highlight. “Sit Back” from their debut album “Refractory” really hammers home that classic post-punk vibe, blending wonderful synth hooks with off-kilter vocals and a real 80’s sense of production. Overall, they warm the crowd up nicely with some throwback qualities, but veil aside, they lack a sense of stage presence, which, let me be clear, isn’t saying they lack quality or confidence; it was just a little bit lake placid…minus the 30ft crocodile. There was room for one…but you know how health and safety is.

Next up we have early festival highlight MERCURY MACHINE [9] and the Manchester-based outfit are as slick as their name suggests. Blending dark electronica and indie aesthetics, they’ve been described as “DEPECHE MODE on crack” by some. Personally, I wouldn’t go that far…I mean I’ve never taken crack, but I’d imagine they’d sound a lot more like APHEX TWIN or something if that was the case. This is way too polished for that kind of analogy. Nevertheless, the Manc outfit, fronted by Lee Maguire deliver one of the stand-out sets of the festival as a well-oiled unit, with brand new singles like “Far” going down brilliantly. 80’s inspired synths, drumbeats, melodious harmonic vocals during the chorus, gang vocal crowd singalongs, and this is simplistic, catchy stuff. 

Tracks like “This Calling” do instrumentally house more of that soft, morose Depeche Mode inspired level of synth instrumentation, and Lee does channel an essence of Dave Gahan vocally, I’ll give them that, and this is certainly a little darker, a little edgier, and it’s wonderful. No crack though. “Aurora” alternates between synths and delicate piano segments for a wonderfully emotional experience, capturing a sense of awe and beauty instrumentally for a bright, poppier-piece. Elsewhere tracks like “Drag You Down” have a more jovial bounce to them countering the otherwise confrontational lyrics and it’s something that fans of THE SMITHS would really appreciate here to be fair. Overall, they play and perform brilliantly and the ONLY negative point from tonight is the fact that they don’t play “Fictional Mind”. I was legitimately looking forward to this one and I didn’t hear it. I’m nit-picking, I know, but you could have had a 10 you selfish bastards! I jest. 

The penultimate act on night one, was PRETTY ADDICTED [2] and I apologize to nobody when I say, I wasn’t a fan of this. While I can appreciate the middle-finger attitude, and vitriolic delivery of provocative anti-religious sentimentality, because everyone is allowed a voice, and a channel to spread their thoughts and opinions, it should at least be captivating if not entertaining. Sadly, Pretty Addicted are more like an aggro-tech overdose that you barely recover from; you’re alive, sure, but you’re permanently internally damaged as a result. Congratulations you’ve taken enough Paracetamol to fuck your organs up for life, but you didn’t achieve your end goal. That sums up this set. Painful, long-term suffering. 

Tracks like “Heather” from “We, The Broken Children Of Hell” house minimalist electronica with dub qualities, using vocal samples, but the whole thing is jarring. “Am I Sick?” is just more bile-fuelled blight frankly. The drum and bass aspects of the instrumentation work well, for a beat and as a rhythm it’s catchy, genuinely, but these vocals are awful. I don’t care if this is an inclusive festival and looking to celebrate alternative music in whatever capacity, there’s no masking this sounds like adolescent throat cancer. I’d rather stand in place of Eric Morecambe’s seaside statue and get shat on by a chronically unwell seagull daily, than listen to this again. The set goes on for a while, and even though they had a pile of guests on stage dancing at one point, I danced my way to the bar instead. Pretty Addicted? I’d rather a 12-Step Program. I’d rather NEVER enjoy a Jack & Coke ever again. Yeah, I said it. 

Finally, then, rounding up night one, we have GOTHZILLA [9] and they get bonus points for name alone I’m not going to lie. The Scottish ensemble are performing as a five-piece tonight for a rare full band experience, and they tear through their set treating Morecambe more like Morioka. No, I know Godzilla never attacked Morioka specifically it was just for alliteration before you fact check me. Nevertheless, the old-school Goth-rockers channel the likes of Sisters Of Mercy for a truly sentimental spectacle rounding up Friday’s proceedings.  

They open up with “Today Is A Good Day To Die”…and we really get a sense of classic post-punk here. The deeper vocal drawl of Tim Jarvis pays homage to the era, the genre and the vibe perfectly and the band roll back the years retrospectively with some undeniably on-point proto-Goth authenticity. Edlritch would be equal parts proud and seeking royalties had he been here tonight. Tracks like “Tightwire” are why we adore the genre…the semi-orchestral stylings of the synths add an air of grandiosity, before we get into the meat and potatoes of what is simply a catchy piece of dark indie-rock. The chorus is chock full of hooks and it’s a really driving song that you can’t help but to move to, with everything layered perfectly, and it ends on that sweet spot where you don’t want it to. It was like Gareth Edwards’ 2014 “Godzilla”…he’d always cut away too soon like an absolute tease… 

Newer singles like “DES PER ATE” house wonderfully bold electronic elements, accompanying some surging guitar and percussion that subtly lean into the lighter side of industrial; it’s on the fringe and this is solid stuff. Speaking of the band also include a cover of NINE INCH NAILS classic “Head Like A Hole” and they are more than suited for this, especially on stage as a full five-piece. This, alongside popular cuts like the heavily remixed single “The Edge Of Forever” incite singalongs from the now heaving Alhambra and ultimately, night one ends successfully. Gothzilla came, they saw, they sang, and they stomped away into the night victorious, out into Morecambe Bay, not unlike their Asian cockle-picking counterparts, but it’ll take more than a high tide to stop these Goth rockers gaining momentum. I’m sorry that was distasteful…but so are cockles to be honest. Night one has for the most part been superb, but it’s time to head back to my room to recharge, as the corrosion continues tomorrow. Fun fact about my hotel…the rooms are secured by individual key codes and it’s all very fancy…once inside…but I have to use a house key to get in the back door quietly like I’ve come home too late and my parents are going to not be mad but, disappointed.  

Saturday, day two, and after some breakfast, a Scooby-Doo marathon on TV (Everyone loves Scooby-Doo don’t you dare judge me) and catching up on some work on the laptop, I get ready and make my way back across the seafront to continue this weekend’s fiendish festivities, but there has evidently been a little miscommunication. Neither the event poster nor the event page set up on Facebook really made it clear about times, so while I arrive early evening, it turns out day two started in the afternoon so I admittedly miss a couple of bands, so I have to apologize for those I do miss out in this review. It’s my first time here, now I know for future reference!  

Nevertheless, I do make it in time for a French double header, as DIVINE SHADE [6] are my first experience of night two. Having already supported the likes of GARY NUMAN no less, the Lyon-based outfit recently released their latest album “Fragments – Vol.1” so naturally they promote this. “Hate & Oblivion” houses darkwave and indie elements with some deep, breathy vocals that in places remind of THE BRAVERY, only edgier, and that’s not a bad thing in the slightest. “Get Away” harbours a far harder, aggressive level of techno underling the driving beat of this track, and the vocal distortions take this into more industrial territory, for a far more intense slab of alternative electronica. Older tracks like “Ashes” really bring a melodic, hook-laden, indie-pop sound to their set and this is clap-along, dance-along stuff.

Next up we have another festival highlight, courtesy of another French band who I am very familiar with, SEXBLOOD [10], and having already reviewed both of their albums to date, I was personally excited to see this lot live for the first time, at their first ever UK show. From a city called Mulhouse, which we jokingly renamed Franchester, these old-school Goth rockers really embody a true, throwback, 80’s post-punk aesthetic in tone and delivery. They promote their newest album “Intimidating Visions” with darker, brooding offerings such as “I Choose To Live In Hate”, which with its low-tempo presentation, prominent bass and sinister synth notes make for a delightfully discomforting listening experience.  

Tracks like “Time Is Running Out” showcase the ability to blend lyrical despondency with wonderfully catchy guitar-driven music to create something truly captivating, with simple but effective sing-along opportunities for the crowd who I must say, are as excited to see these as myself. I’m not saying I had a hand in this, but…when the band thank me personally for my positive reviews and for spreading the word, in the UK at least, well, you are welcome! That’s tongue in cheek of course, they are here on their own merit, because they are simply just a fucking good band. End of. Earlier tracks such as “Dark Woman” give off haunting atmospherics and the simplicity of the lyrical delivery here reminds of THE 69 EYES, when they took that leap from garage glam into more Gothic-inspired territory. It’s got that aura to it, maybe just a little more synth-rich but the mood is there. Early single “Black Rain” goes down a storm and this has people moving for sure. The vocal drawl, the JOY DIVISION inspired guitars, the light keys balancing the track and the pure joy of this chorus here is undeniable. An incredible band, two for two with quality albums and now it’s just a case of looking forward to what they create next, and where we’ll see them. I cannot recommend this band enough. 

After a quick top-up at the bar, the next band to grace the stage are a Belgian outfit by the name of YOUR LIFE ON HOLD [7] which frankly perfectly describes my life enroute to Morecambe. On hold, in limbo, withheld by customs, detained by Interpol, whatever. The Belgians rise with a track called “Phoenix” and it’s a lengthy one. Giggety. It’s a strong, heavier guitar offering bringing riffs and in places, especially with the vocal stylistics, could appeal to fans of early era ORGY for example, and this is very enjoyable. Tracks like “Erase Me” hammer this home with a more doom-inspired approach to the riffs and guitar work here, coming across as far darker and heavier, before the icy feel of the synths really give this track a sinister aura. Another first-time UK appearance, they were meant to play the festival in 2020 but, the pandemic happened, and things took a while to resolve, but now they are here, and it was well worth the wait. On the harder rock side of the Gothic subgenre spectrum, certainly ones to look up if you appreciate FIELDS OF THE NEPHILIM etc. 

Finally, then, to wrap up the weekend’s festivities, we have Copenhagen-based post-punks THE FORIEGN RESORT [8] who bring a ton of energy and melody with their guitar driven presentation, ending the night on a strong note. New singles like “Southern Skies” channel the likes of THE CURE with some genuinely light, bouncy indie-rock which can’t help but make everyone in attendance dance along. Hugely popular tracks like “She Is Lost” bring more of a new-wave electronic dynamic with soft vocals and delicate harmonies, that sound genuinely sweet. If this isn’t giving 80’s movie montage I don’t know what is, but I love it. Similar can be said of “Dead End Roads” and it has to be said, without wanting to come across as detrimental in the slightest, this is easily the most accessible band of all I have heard this weekend, and while in the parameters of the underground vibe of Corrosion, it’s surprising these aren’t MORE popular here in the UK at least. 

Ultimately, aside from a slight mix up with some timing on Saturday, which, again, to the bands I missed I apologize, that was my fault, I strongly believe this is a festival with legs, and something that can continue to grow successfully. Five years is already an achievement, but the passion and dedication of everyone involved, not only helping a scene in the broader picture, but helping bands from not only the UK, but Europe and beyond, shows a true sense of wider community, and it MUST be applauded. Goth, and all of its subgenres and umbrella terms are niche, I get that, it’s more often than not an underground genre, or a meme in some people’s eyes with stereotypes, but it always has had, and always will have, a strong, unwavering following. It fleets in and out of pop-culture, with peaks and troughs, with popular shows like “Wednesday” for want of an example, but at its core, Goth music within its spectrum is a safe space, for any reason and any individual…and individual is the key word here. There’s no right or wrong way to embrace Gothic subculture, from whatever walk of life you come from, through whatever bands and sounds and looks you are comfortable expressing yourself with.  Even Pretty Addicted, while aren’t my cup of tea, express themselves openly and unashamedly.

Goth will never go out of fashion, because it’s something you can’t truly fashion…it’s a feeling, it’s an attitude and an outlook, channelled by SUCH a variety of outlets in media and art…and deserves to be celebrated. Corrosion Fest does that, and they do it well. From booking these more obscure bands, having a spiritual home of their own, gifting personalized bottles of Bourbon to each artist in appreciation, it’s one of the most welcoming events I’ve ever attended, and I can’t stress how vitally important that is for any community. They have a good thing going on here…and long may it continue. Here’s to “Bats In The Attic” in September…but that’s another story. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to get home to South Wales. Back on tour I go. Insert Sponge Bob “75 Years Later” meme here…