Back in the 1990s, the death metal scene was very different than today.
Disillusioned teenagers would have a handful of groups to idolise whilst scorning pop music fans and anyone who ticked them off slightly.
Invoking Yell, a two-piece all-female death metal band have taken it upon themselves to create their own music and they have recruiting another teen girl to shoot their music video.
The trio take a trip to deserted woodland area where, supposedly a tragedy befell a bus full of school age children, with their spirits meant to haunt the grounds.
Their new director decides to film their entire shoot and we are put on notice that this will be part of the found footage pantheon.
Despite this initially great premise, Invoking Yell offers very little action until its final 20 minutes, and although there are hints of something sinister at work, it comes a little too little too late to save the film.
It doesn’t quite have the nastiness of Lords of Chaos, which is another film that went down the death metal route, buts it story had the fortune/misfortune to have a real story to pluck from.
If anything Invoking Yell has more of a snuff film vibe rather than found footage or anything supernatural.
The film does create an unsettling mood and atmosphere but becomes more of a shoegazing exercise, with viewers made to wait for it to shift gears.
Whether it is worth the wait, is down the viewer.
Invoking Yell screened as part of the Popcorn Frights Festival 2023/
Bloody Flicks 