Stages are starting to take shape and lineups are being finalized, so we must be getting close to the kickoff of this year’s Desertfest. Still, with just under two months to go until the 2013 fests launch in London and Berlin, more bands are being announced for both. As London digs into the UK’s ultra-fertile underground to add the likes of Blackstorm, Wodensthrone and Mother Corona, Berlin has announced that Swedish rockers Free Fall, who will be on the road with Witchcraft and Orchid (both also playing), have joined the lineup for at the Astra Kulturhaus.

Here’s a wrap-up of the latest announcements:

Desertfest Berlin – FREE FALL (SWE)

We are very pleased to announce that retro-rock band FREE FALL is added to DESERTFEST line-up !!

From Stockholm, Sweden, FREE FALL was formed in 2009 by guitarist Mattias Bärjed (The Soundtrack Of Our Lives) who felt the urge to form a classic 4-piece band playing a straight up heavy rock ‘n roll. He was joined by long time friend and bass wizard Jan Martens, drummer Ludwig Dahlberg (International Noise Conspiracy) and lead vocalist Kim Fransson.

Sweden really seems to be the current spiritual home of the ongoing Retro-Rock revival, and FREE FALL don’t need occult lyrics, don’t need LSD driven imagery to convince any fan of 70’s music. The band let their tunes speak for themselves. Together, they have formed something that swings hard with an energetic, authoritarian and powerful sound they called “Freedom Rock”. A huge slice of grooving rock that is very much inspired by the greats of the 70’s.

After signing a deal with Nuclear Blast in October 2012, the band recorded their debut album “Power and Volume”, which was unleashed all over Europe few days ago ! Last Friday, they have also been confirmed to be touring Europe in April/May alongside fellow Nuclear Blast label mates WITCHCRAFT and ORCHID. As they both take part in DESERFEST BERLIN, it was logic for us to also welcome FREE FALL, and help them to succed their “quest to liberate people through Freedom Rock” !

FREE FALL’s “world domination through Power and Volume” is starting now !!

Wodensthrone Complete Seven Churches Stage at Desertfest

We are please to announce Wodensthrone will be playing the Seven Churches stage at Desertfest. Wodensthrone was formed in Winterfylleð of 2005, in the Sundered Lands of North Eastern England, by founding members Brunwulf, Wildeþrýð, Gerádwine, and Hréowsian.

In these formative days, the clan’s sound was raw and primitive, but still hinted at a sense of sorrow, with lyrics focusing on the darker aspects of England’s history.However, by Eostremonað of 2006, the clan’s music had developed both technically and melodically, and so Æðelwalh was recruited on synths. It was at this point that Wodensthrone truly began to resemble their current incarnation, growing both musically and conceptually.

However, the clan still felt incomplete, and so comrade Eldbeorn joined the clan on guitar in the Blotmonað of 2006, completing the line-up and adding further depths of melody and savagery to the clan’s sound.

THERES A STORM A’COMIN FOR DESERTFEST!

The final band to be added for the HDP/WPC stage are the mighty Brighton rifflords BLACKSTORM. Like the most powerful and destructive of storms this hardened troop of musicians rarely appear and this will be the 2nd ever London show since their creation, but when they have made an appearance it has been with powerful intent alongside the likes of Cancer Bats, Kruger, Lesbian, Saviours, & Orange Goblin. Featuring the amazingly talented vocalist Karl Middleton (of Earthtone9 fame) alongside side a fair few other familiar faces of the Brighton Music scene including guitarists Neil Kingsbury (ex- fall of Efafra) and Gez Walton (ex The Ghost of a Thousand, This is Menace).

They have been described as combining elements of drone, stoner, down-tuned sludge with classic rock and the vitality of hardcore and punk, Blackstorm combines crushingly heavy, catchy-as hell riffs with juggernaut proportioned rhythmic grooves and killer hook laden vocals. And their most recent release ‘The Darkness is Getting Closer’ was released in November last year showing a much more melodic and groove driven beast. If you like you your riffs served up with a nice juicy sing-along chorus then these guys are for you, just remember that rumble you hear is the sound of an oncoming storm, a BLACKSTORM!!

Words Courtesy of Gareth Kelly

Mother Corona Play Desertfest

Oxfordshire’s Mother Corona began their mission to eclipse the UK stoner rock scene in 2008 and have made two records to date. The most recent was last year’s “Out Of The Dust” LP. If we suggested “, and Into The Void” would be a good adjunct to that title, you’d be getting a good idea of where these guys are coming from.

If Ozzie’s mob had stayed on that rocket for longer they’d probably have reached the vicinity of where Mother Corona are now; fat riffs and cosmic doom of the highest order. They also add a welcome soupcon of psychedelic shimmer into the sound which helps to give it that all-important element of individuality, as do the melodious flanged croons of singer Daveo.

Come join the crew at Desertfest 2013 while they set the controls for you. Mother Corona have played with a host of scene favourites like Trippy Wicked, Enos, Alunha and fellow Oxfordians Desert Storm so you know you’ll be in good company during your travels to the outer-reaches.

Words Courtesy of Rich After Sabbath