The Queen City better be ready to throw down in the pit because a new heavy metal festival is coming to town. Ohio’s very own Miss May I is showcasing electric rock acts in a new festival, Relentless Fest. The single-day festival will take place at the Madison Theater in Covington on Nov. 3.
The festival will showcase 10 different acts, including national acts like Born of Osiris, In Hearts Wake and Traitors, as well as local acts like Coldharbour, Denihilist and Glassworld. All the action will be wrapped up by Miss May I as they close out the show as the host band.
With so many acts on a single-day bill, there’s bound to be something any metalhead could enjoy. There are even a few things fans of Miss May I can already look forward to as the band has announced that they will be playing their debut album, Apologies Are for the Weak, in full. This album features many highlights from Miss May I’s catalog like “Forgive and Forget” and “Architect.”
All this is in support of an announcement the band made back on July 11, when they told their fans that they had plans to re-record their debut album and release it via their new deal with Solid State Records. The re-release is meant to be a celebration of the 15th anniversary of the album. The refreshed tracks are available to stream now, and preorders for anniversary merchandise are still available on Miss May I’s website.
The festival is being billed as the “First Annual Relentless Fest,” which seemingly implies that the Ohio-based band is looking to set up a long-term future for this annual showcase, and they’re doing it close to home. Not only does hosting the show close to Cincinnati help support the local heavy metal scene, but it also allows local acts to perform with established touring groups, providing them with a platform that includes a larger and more diverse audience.
To get an idea of what something like this can mean to the local rock and metal scene, CityBeat caught up with a few of the local acts featured on the bill. Jordan Melsop, the lead vocalist of the metal band Denihilist, spoke about what getting invited to perform at a show like this meant to him and his band.
“For us, even being invited to play the fest is an honor and we are very thankful to be a part of it and get to share the night with all the other bands there,” Melsop said. “Our immediate reaction was just the feeling of excitement. Not just because it’s going to be a big fest, but just seeing everyone we grew up playing with and the bands we grew up watching that we all get to be a part of something as cool as this.”
This feeling of excitement and togetherness is shared with others CityBeat spoke with. Jacob Wallace, the lead vocalist of Coldharbour, explained what he and his band anticipate the most when playing shows like Relentless Fest.
“The comradery you get from performing with fellow metalcore musicians is always such a blessing, especially being able to drive home and sleep in your own bed at the end of the show,” Wallace said. Wallace clarified that having local shows like this is a great way to get more eyes on local acts without having to sacrifice time on the road doing a tour. “We are limited by life circumstances on touring, so being able to play shows like this means a lot.”
Clearly, this show means something significant to the local acts that made the bill. With several mid-sized venues shutting their doors over the past couple of years, it’s gotten increasingly more challenging for local acts to find their way through the Cincinnati music scene. Fewer venues have equated to fewer opportunities. Wallace elaborated on this sentiment and how shows like Relentless Fest could help in some ways.
“Lots of small to medium-sized venus have died out, causing less traffic in our area,” Wallace said. “There are still amazing promoters and bands that live here, so hopefully having this show will remind tour managers that Cincinnati is still on the map, and, in my opinion, one of the strongest markets for metalcore/deathcore in the whole country.”
This idea the Relentless Fest could go beyond just a one-year, one-off event was shared by Melsop. He explained that this could be a great opportunity for local acts to showcase all the work they put in and that this could be something that lasts for years to come.
“I think after the fest this would be a cool opportunity for Relentless Fest and Madison Theater to do something like this every year and put smaller bands on the bill that bust their ass. It’s a great showcase of not just the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky scene, but just heavy music in general.”
Relentless Fest seems to already be giving back to the local metal scene in a huge way. All the local acts seemingly can’t wait to showcase their talents in front of a grateful audience, and it seems like the inaugural Relentless Fest is poised to be a night none of these bands will forget.
If you want to support Miss May I and their efforts to bring a new metal festival to the local area, tickets are currently on sale now on relentlessfest.com. You can also find tickets on Miss May I’s website, along with all the merchandise for their 15th-anniversary edition of Apologies Are for the Weak. If you wish to support any of the local acts mentioned, all bands are currently active on social media.
Relentless Fest takes place Nov. 3 at Madison Theater. More info: relentlessfest.com.
This story is featured in CityBeat's Oct. 2 print edition.
