"He's singing and screaming his guts out in the middle of the field. I can't understand a word he's saying but I feel every syllable of it." This is what it's like at Thailand's biggest metal festival, Rock Alarm

Fans at Rock Alarm festival — (Image credit: Rock Alarm)

It's 36 degrees in the middle of February, it's about two in the afternoon and I've become engulfed by a big dust cloud caused by a few dozen giddy metalheads rampaging around in a giant circle pit. Behind them is the frontman of Thai prog metallers The Darkest Romance, bass guitar slung around his neck, sunglasses hung on his face, singing and screaming his guts out in the middle of the field as another hundred or so metalheads sit totally bewitched around him in near-silence. I can't understand a word he's saying but I feel every syllable of it, such is his passion and sheer magnetism.

It's one highlight of many at this year's Rock Alarm festival, Thailand's biggest dedicated rock and metal event of the summer. Taking place at Warehouse Stadium, around a 50 minute drive outside of Bangkok, it has historically amassed the biggest and best of the Thai rock scene, from scabrous crossover to histrionic emo and fuzzy alt rock.

There are rockers of all ages mooching and moshing around the place, though there's undoubtedly (and refreshingly) a particularly large continent of Gen Z metalheads knocking about, their black shirts predominantly emblazoned with the logos of Western metal bands - not least some of tonight's headliners, who are bringing a significant American presence to this traditionally Thai-heavy lineup (more on that later).

With the main stage not kicking off until 3.30pm, there's a chance to check out some of the smaller stages around the site; early highlights include the no-holds-barred hardcore of Foolish The Barstard and the emotional melodic doom of Death Of Heather.

Image 1 of 3

Defying Decay on stage at Rock Alarm with an orchestra — Defying Decay bring a full orchestra for a special set(Image credit: Rock Alarm)

When the main stage does open, though, it does in some style; metalcore faves Defying Decay, approaching scene veteran status at this point, bring one of the most dazzling shows of the day. They've brought a full orchestra with them for the occasion and they look and sound fantastic, frontman Jay looking like he could have just stepped off a yacht in a stylish leather jacket and shades combo as he croons his way through the band's polished (and now string-backed) stadium metal.

While his requests for the first wall of death of the day go a little askew (though it does all ultimately lead to a fun dance pit instead), his demands for a Slipknot-style jump-da-fuck-up to close their set are eagerly met. Job done.

It sets a high bar for the afternoon, but it's one Thailand's finest are clearly all eager to aim for. Following Defying Decay, that aforementioned The Darkest Romance set might just steal the day; impassioned, emotional and weird in all the right ways, it's a hell of a spectacle, and that's before you get to the added pyro that makes a surprise appearance.

The Darkest Romance: spellbinding (Image credit: Rock Alarm)

After that comes a crushing set from Oblivious, packing Hatebreed-coded metallic hardcore that gets all manner of pit action going. Some interview duties mean, guttingy, I have to miss the excellent Whispers, whose savage brand of crossover noise has seen them become one of the Thai scene's breakout bands in recent years. Sorry lads, nice time!

Luckily, I'm back in time for a slice of Suicide Silence, one of four headline-billed US bands that mark a turning point in the festival's short history: more international acts ultimately mean more eyes on the festival, hopefully making this a sign of bigger things to come.

As for Suicide Silence themselves, it's not often you get to see one of America's most storied deathcore bands play a pyro-powered set outdoors at night, but it makes for a thrilling experience, and the guys bringing on one of the Rock Alarm organisers and a Thai metal scene vetean for a set-closing No Pity For A Coward is a nice touch.

Eddie Hermida on stage — Suicide Silence bring the fire (figuratively and literally) (Image credit: Rock Alarm)

There's time to skip over to the tented Machine stage for a dose of some heavily Rage Against The Machine-inspired alt metal courtesy of the thoroughly decent Bomb At Track, before California's Saosin bring their shiny brand of millennial screamo to the main stage. It gets a huge reaction from one of the biggest crowds of the whole day, but it feels just a little lightweight after the savage intensity of Suicide Silence.

Luckily, Annalynn's groove-heavy, epic metalcore is a good antidote back on the Machine stage, packing it out with dish after dish of big riffs and even bigger hooks. It's a perfect segue to Ohio's The Devil Wears Prada across the field; now over twenty years into their career, it's evident they don't take the sight of a few thousand friends from a few thousand miles away belting back just about every word of their hour-long set for granted, frontman Mike Hranica jokingly asking why everyone's so quiet before an effusive speech about getting to play such a special event

@metalhammeruk
♬ original sound - Metal Hammer

It leaves the door open for tonight's closers Underoath to finish things off. For a band so far from home, this feels like a damn homecoming gig: thousands of delirious fans can be seen singing their hearts out, moshing themselves silly and pogo-ing more dust clouds into the sky.

Ambient edm interludes between each song offer an atmospheric touch, even if they throw Underoath's momentum a little off-tilt, but it doesn't stop a particularly rowdy final circle pit erupting for Writing On The Walls as the metalcore heavyweights bow out.

If this is Rock Alarm's first attempt at aping the kind of metal festivals we take for granted in Europe, the UK and beyond, then it's been a knockout success (and I'm certainly not just saying that because you can get a bucket of rum and Coke for the equivalent of £2.50). The only question that remains: where can it go from here, and what does it need to do to get there?

If it can land some true arena-sized names from abroad to headline in the future, we could be looking at a much-needed destination metal fest for one of South East Asia's most exciting emergent scenes.

Image 1 of 3

Merlin was promoted to Executive Editor of Louder in early 2022, following over ten years working at Metal Hammer. While there, he served as Online Editor and Deputy Editor, before being promoted to Editor in 2016. Before joining Metal Hammer, Merlin worked as Associate Editor at Terrorizer Magazine and has written for Classic Rock, Rock Sound, eFestivals and others. Across his career he has interviewed legends including Ozzy Osbourne, Lemmy, Metallica, Iron Maiden (including getting a trip on Ed Force One courtesy of Bruce Dickinson), Guns N' Roses, KISS, Slipknot, System Of A Down and Meat Loaf. He has also presented and produced the Metal Hammer Podcast, presented the Metal Hammer Radio Show and is probably responsible for 90% of all nu metal-related content making it onto the site.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.