Hordes X: Come for the Metal, Stay for the Family

Stephen Walker, Perthshire

You’re heading to Hordes X for the first time. What are you expecting from the festival, and is there anything you’re particularly looking forward to?

I’m expecting full on metal and looking forward to all the bands.

The full lineup has just been announced. Who immediately jumped out at you?

I like to see all the bands and let you know who jumped out at me when am there!

For someone experiencing Hordes X for the first time, what would make you walk away thinking, “Yeah, I absolutely need to come back next year”?

What would make me come back next year? Solid music, good people and awesome merch to buy.

Complete this sentence: Hordes X wouldn’t be Hordes X without…

Hordes X wouldn’t be without heavy, heavy, heavy fucking metal!

Having been to so many Hordes X festivals, what do you think the festival has got right that keeps it so special year after year?

We like the fact that you have really good unique headliners that are not regulars on the Scottish metal circuit.

You’ve seen countless bands come through Hordes X over the years — is there an artist you discovered at the festival who went on to become a particular favourite?

Gloria’s choice is Ante-Inferno and Rich’s choice is Hellripper. We arrived too late to the party to have seen Countless Skies – seen them since and they are incredible.

If you could give someone experiencing Hordes X for the very first time one piece of advice, what would it be — and what would you tell them not to miss?

Make sure you are there at the start and pace your drinking so that you are there at the end for the headliners. One of those bands that are new to you could end up a firm favourite.

Complete this sentence: Hordes X wouldn’t be Hordes X without…

Hordes X wouldn’t be Hordes without the friendly, fervent crowd and the most awesome organizers – respect!

Ritchie & Gloria Gibson, South Angus

The Returning Performer – Ramage Inc.

Marcin Buczek, Edinburgh

You’ve played Hordes X before and you’re coming back this year, playing for the first time with the new line-up. What do you remember most about your previous experience of the festival?

We played it twice, 2019 and 2021, and both times were great. What sticks with me most is the camaraderie, friends on and off stage, and the sheer quality of talent on the bill. Not many festivals get both right at once, but Hordes did it twice for us.

Is there a different kind of pressure or excitement that comes with returning to a festival where you already know what the atmosphere is like?

There is, yeah, it’s a weird mix. You’re not walking in blind anymore so some of that first-time nerve is gone, you know roughly what you’re stepping into and that takes the edge off in a good way. But knowing exactly how good it can be also raises the bar in your own head, you’re not hoping for the best anymore, you’re expecting it and putting the pressure on yourself to actually match it. And with a new member coming into that for the first time, there’s a bit of wanting him to see what we’ve been on about all these years, wanting his first Hordes to live up to the version of it we’ve been telling him about.

Now that you know what Hordes X is all about, what are you hoping to bring to the stage this time around?

Epic riffs, soaring choruses, and a kind of musical elegance only Ramage Inc can provide. Mat Orrock’s in the band now too, and he’s brought a fresh energy to the whole thing. We’re planning to play some new material off the album that nobody’s heard live yet. This is our first gig back after a hiatus, so honestly, we cannot wait.

Complete this sentence: Hordes X wouldn’t be Hordes X without…

…the community, honestly, and Sapphire and Paul, who make the whole thing happen year after year. New venue this time too, so no carrying our s**t up flights of stairs for once. See you in the pit.