Desertfest London 2015: The Order of Israfel and Mike IX Williams Added to Lineup
We’re getting to the point now where, after a couple months of one-at-a-time lineup adds, the April festivals have really taken their shape and we can step back and take a look at what each has to offer. In the case of Desertfest London, this is both a year of branching out stylistically — Angel Witch, SSS, Satanic Dystopia and Cancer in the lineup isn’t a small turn from the “desert” part of the festival’s name — and looking geographically inward, bringing in UK acts like Sweet Billy Pilgrim, Amplifier, Sex Swing, Amulet, Sly and the Family Drone and others to reaffirm their commitment to English heavy amid a still-international lineup, to which Sweden’s The Order of Israfel and New Orleans’ Mike IX Williams — who’s also headlining with Eyehategod — have just been added.
Updates from the Desertfest website:
BOW IN THE PRESENCE OF THE ORDER OF ISRAFEL AT DESERTFEST 2015!
COMBINING DOOM, HARD ROCK AND FOLK, THE ORDER OF ISRAFEL MAY BE A RELATIVELY NEW NAME IN THE DOOM SCENE…
…but with an acclaimed debut album under their belts, a hectic touring schedule and plenty of pedigree in their ranks, we’re delighted to welcome them to bring the noise at DesertFest 2015!
The brainchild of Tom Sutton (ex-Church of Misery, Horisont), the songs that would make up The Order of Israfel’s debut album ‘Wisdom’ were written over the course of a decade, but the band only came together when Sutton made the move to Gothenburg in 2012 where he was joined by former members of the appropriately named DoomDogs. Uniting in a shared love of all things Sabbath, the band quickly gelled and recorded their debut for Napalm Records.
But don’t just expect all-out Sabbath grooves from these guys because The Order of Israfel bring plenty of soul and a technical edge to their unique brand of doom.
Kind Words: Tom McKibbin
MIKE IX WILLIAMS SPEAKS OUT AT DESERTFEST 2015!
AS A BONUS TREAT FOR YOU ALL, DESERTFEST HAVE COOKED UP SOMETHING A LITTLE OUT OF THE ORDINARY; MIKE IX WILLIAMS OF EYEHATEGOD FAME WILL BE PRESENTING HIS SPOKEN WORD SET.
Williams is someone who has had an interesting life to say the least; with the ups of fronting Eyehategod come the downs of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, so it is no surprise that he can craft deep, dark prose. Backed on record by the ambient tones of Ryan McKern, the pure darkness of mere words can even sometimes feel heavier than the most crushing doom.
Definitely one of the more unique spectacles at this years DesertFest, Williams’ words could be the most brutal thing you hear all weekend.
Kind Words: Tom Geddes
https://www.facebook.com/DesertfestLondon/
http://www.thedesertfest.com/
