Posted in Whathaveyou on March 29th, 2023 by JJ Koczan
I’m not going to pretend to have heard every band in this 16-strong announcement from Portugal’s SonicBlast Fest 2023, and honestly, that’s part of the appeal as far as I’m concerned. And if you’re looking for bigger names, certainly bringing in The Black Angels and Thuston Moore of Sonic Youth ought to qualify. But check out Mythic Sunship being confirmed, Mirror Queen heading abroad once again from their home in New York, Dozer supporting their first album in 15 years, Crippled Black Phoenix bringing their thoroughly English gloom to the otherwise sunshiny proceedings, Sasquatch pushing their forever-tour further presumably after completing the recording of their next LP, Danava and Love Gang both supporting new releases, on and on.
Is this the part where I tell you how killer the lineup looks and perhaps list off the various parts of my body I’d cut off in order to attend? Yeah, probably. But my own escapism aside, you can see for yourself what SonicBlast has put together in terms of a diverse range of sounds based around a unifying heavy ideal, and between the new names and those previously confirmed, it seems like it’s going to be a special couple days for those attending as well as the bands actually playing the thing. Maybe that could be you too.
Here’s the latest from social media:
We’re so proud and honored to announce 16 more bands that’ll blow our minds this summer, at SonicBlast Fest 2023 — The Black Angels, Thurston Moore Group, Bombino, Dozer, CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX (official), Imarhan, Hällas, Scowl, SPY, Sasquatch, LOVE GANG, Mythic Sunship, Etran de L’Aïr, DANAVA, Mirror Queen and scatterbrainiac!!
Join us in this crazy heavy psychedelic weekend by the ocean at Praia da Duna dos Caldeirões, Âncora, Portugal!
Posted in Whathaveyou on December 16th, 2022 by JJ Koczan
Portugal’s SonicBlast Fest will mark its 11th go in 2023 with a massive, still-more-to-be-announced lineup that spans styles and geographies, from Norway to Greece to Japan and New Orleans to San Diego, Poland and Los Angeles and New York and sludge to psych-jazz and on from there into however many ethers of prog and rock. It’s easy to admire even from across an ocean what SonicBlast has built over its years, and the photos that emerge from each edition — just a bunch of awesome bands playing in paradise, no big deal — are enviable to say the least, and while I don’t want to be engaging too deeply in promo speak or trying to tap anyone’s FOMO, if you’re thinking of making the trip, however far it may or may not be, it’ll probably sell out.
Check out OFF! hitting the heavy fests, huh? Not quite what I’d expect there, but cool to see Acid King getting out, and good to know Naxatras will be back on the road as well next summer along with a host of others. Over the last couple weeks, a lot of the Spring and Summer 2023 festival season in Europe has taken shape, and with the promise of so much more to come, it looks like it’s gonna be a good one. Call it revelry well earned, and let’s all appreciate it whether or not we can actually be there.
To wit:
We’re so psyched to announce the first bands to join us at SonicBlast Fest’s 11th edition: OFF!, Acid King, A Place To Bury Strangers, Earthless, KADAVAR, Elder, EYEHATEGOD, Death Valley Girls, Church of Misery, Frankie and the Witch Fingers, Weedpecker, Mondo Generator, Naxatras, Kanaan, BLACK RAINBOWS, Acid Mammoth, Monarch, Spirit Mother and El Altar Del Holocausto!
Posted in Whathaveyou on April 2nd, 2019 by JJ Koczan
Oh, you know me. Just sitting on ass on a chilly proto-Spring morning, daydreaming of shuffling over to Portugal for a weekend this August, flying into the Azores and then over to Porto, taking a car, train, or maybe just some other magical means of conveyance out to Moledo on the coast and then pretending to be a human among all the skinny Europeans at SonicBlast Moledo 2019, which has just added the likes of Earthless, Graveyard, Eyehategod, The Devil and the Almighty Blues, High Fighter, Cardiel and Jesus the Snake to a lineup that was already (un)fairly packed before them, with Om and Orange Goblin and Windhand and so on.
Maybe I’m sipping my 45th cup of coffee on the second or third day of the fest and watching Minami Deutsch expand minds via psychedelic jams, or maybe Dopethrone have made even that most pristine of locales (in my mind, anyway) seem utterly filthy with their crusty sludge. Either way, the point is I’m there to see it. In my daydreams.
Announcement from the fest:
We’re very proud to share with you the latest additions to SonicBlast Moledo 2019 line up:
Revered swedish heavy rock band Graveyard, NOLA kings EYEHATEGOD, San Diego cosmic warriors Earthless, The Devil And The Almighty Blues and their slow, dirty, heavy blues (which today are releasing their new album “Tre”), the intense and powerfull High Fighter, mexican power duo Cardiel and one of the freshest talents emerging from the portuguese underground, JESUS THE SNAKE!
3 days that you’re never ever forget!
Om (usa) + Graveyard (sw) + Eyehategod (usa) + Orange Goblin (uk) + Earthless (usa) + My Sleeping Karma (ger) + Windhand (usa) + Monolord (se) + Lucifer (se) + The Obsessed (usa) + The Devil and The Almighty Blues (nor) + Dopethrone (can) + Toundra (es) + Satan’s Satyrs (usa) + Sacri Monti (usa) + Harsh Toke (usa) + Petyr (usa) + High Fighter (ger) + Zig Zags (usa) + Kaleidobolt (fi) + Cardiel (mex) + Maidavale (se) + Minami Deutsch (jp) + Maggot Heart (se) + Jesus The Snake (pt) ++ some more tba ++
Artwork by Branca Studio
SonicBlast Moledo 2019 8, 9 and 10 of August Moledo Portugal
Posted in Whathaveyou on December 19th, 2018 by JJ Koczan
I was this close — this frickin’ close — to going to SonicBlast Moledo earlier this year. It was an enviable lineup, and when I saw the pictures after the fact, it only confirmed for me how much I wanted to have been there. So it goes.
Will I get that close to SonicBlast Moledo 2019? Probably not. Opportunities like that don’t come along every day or every year, and I know that. Still, in part because I’m a glutton for punishment — also for peanut butter — I’ll be doing my best to keep up with the lineup as it’s announced for next August’s edition of the beachside fest in Moledo, Portugal. Already, as I think you can see, they’re well on their way to destroying and winning hearts and minds.
To wit, a first lineup announcement that brings Om to Europe for the summer (they’ll be there in Spring too; I have to wonder just how long the band is spending abroad or if they’re racking up frequent flier miles), Orange Goblin, My Sleeping Karma (some day I will see that fucking band), Windhand, The Obsessed, Minami Deutsch, Zig Zags and Dopethrone is as righteous as it is varied, and it sets a pretty wide open sphere for what the rest might bring. I don’t have an inside track on that or anything, but 2018’s SonicBlast was certainly awesome looking and I see no reason why 2019 would be any different.
Tickets are available and I’m sure it’ll sell out. Words from the fest:
First bands for SonicBlast Moledo 2019! Let’s start the pilgrimage.
We’re so stoked to announce the first bands for SonicBlast Moledo 2019! Aug. 8-10.
Let’s start the pilgrimage.
OM, Windhand, Orange Goblin, MY SLEEPING KARMA, The Obsessed, Dopethrone, Minami Deutsch and Zig Zags are ready to burn the beach! 3 days that you’re never ever forget!
Om (usa) + Orange Goblin (uk) + My Sleeping Karma (ger) + Windhand (usa) + The Obsessed (usa) + Dopethrone (can) + Minami Deutsch (jp) + Zig Zags (usa) +++ many more tba +++
Artwork by Branca Studio
Tickets are now available at here. (Also available in Portugal, through BOL physical point of sales: Fnac, Worten, Ctt’s…)
Posted in Whathaveyou on July 24th, 2018 by JJ Koczan
Two unfuckwithable days await the fortunate souls attending SonicBlast Moledo 2018. For a minute there I thought I’d be able to count myself among their number, but alas, it doesn’t seem to have come together. So it goes. I can ogle from afar just the same as the schedule is revealed amid the final confirmations for the lineup, which include primo jammers Electric Octopus as well as The Wizards, Astrodome, Talea Jacta and Desert’Smoke. These join stellar lineups on the main stage and pool stage at the venue in Moledo, Portugal, which is close enough to the coast that the pre-fest party will be held on the beach. This one would’ve been worth an overnight layover in the Azores easily. Alas. Maybe in 2019.
The final announcement and full schedule for the fest follows here, courtesy of the PR wire:
The eighth edition of SonicBlast Moledo, with the dates settled for August 10th and 11th , closes the 2018 lineup with the confirmations of Electric Octopus, The Wizards, Astrodome, Talea Jacta and Desert’Smoke! They will be joining the previously confirmed acts Earthless, Kadavar, Causa Sui, Nebula, Samsara Blues Experiment, Mantar, The Atomic Bitchwax, 1000mods, Conan, Ufomammut, Naxatras, Purple Hill Witch, The Black Wizards, Atavismo, Ruff Majik, Solar Corona and Greengo!
The warm-up sessions are also back, happening on August 9th at Moledo’s beach, to celebrate the beginning of another SonicBlast edition. The warm-up sessions lineup will be announced very soon.
The prolific Electric Octopus, ascending band in the art of improvisation, come from Northern Ireland to present their refined conjuction of sounds. With albums passing the four hours of running time, the huge instrumental voyages created by this trio, comprise a vast panoply of varied influences such as blues, psychedelic, jazz or even funk. We may await for a transcendental communion, moved by unique and hypnotic moments, where the free spontaneity is the law.
Hailing from the Basque Country, more concretely from Bilbao, The Wizards practice vintage Hard Rock, marked by flaming guitars, clear seventies influences and powerful occult vocals. Back in 2017, they released their latest album “Full Moon in Scorpio”, which lead them to new venues and consolidated the band as one of the most promising Spanish bands.
Three years after their double dose in Moledo, Astrodome return again, this time with a remodeled formation and a formidable new album, righteously entitled “II”. With their maturity clearly demonstrated in these compositions, the quartet embarks on the psychedelic fields of music, fearless of entering onto the fields of jazz or progressive, to make us singularly levitate in their musical journey.
Formed by guitarist Pedro Pestana (10,000 Russians, Tren Go! Sound System) and drummer João Pais Filipe (HHY & The Macumbas, Sektor 304, Magnetic Mountain, Paisel), Talea Jacta are a duo specialist in creating deep musical landscapes, using endless loops and mesmerizing tribal beats, which elevate the mind to another state in an unparalleled way.
Surprising everyone and everything with their debut work “Hidden Mirage”, the quartet Desert’Smoke shape their music in a purely instrumental way, which blends the harmony of the Heavy Psych dynamics with the heaviest moments of Stoner Rock. Indeed, the ideal junction of contemplative psychedelia with the power of Rock.
TICKETS sonicblastmoledo.com/tickets – From March 1st to June 30th – 48€ – From July 1st to July 31st – 55€ – As of August 1st – 60€
Posted in Whathaveyou on May 10th, 2018 by JJ Koczan
Alright, book my flight. I’ll crash on somebody’s couch; I don’t care as long as there’s wifi. SonicBlast Moledo 2018, you’ve won my heart. 1000mods, Causa Sui, Samsara Blues Experiment and The Atomic Bitchwax on the same bill? By the beach? Plus Atavismo and Earthless and Nebula and Naxatras and Conan are playing? Come on. It’s like the people who put this fucking thing together all sat around a table and said, “What’s gonna make that dickweed from that shitty American website really wish he could come to Portugal in August?”
Note: I’m not actually narcissistic enough to believe that happened — though if it was going to, it would definitely be that phrasing — but yeah, wow. It’s pretty hard to stare at this lineup and process it as something I have zero chance in hell of experiencing for myself. What a bummer. If you make it to Moledo, I hope you fucking treasure it. Because you should.
Gadzooks:
SONICBLAST MOLEDO 2018
Stoner Doom Psych Heavy – Sea Beach Camping Pool Surf Skate
With the dates settled for August 10th and 11th, the eighth edition of SonicBlast Moledo is stoked to announce Causa Sui, Samsara Blues Experiment, 1000mods, Mantar, The Atomic Bitchwax, The Black Wizards, Solar Corona and Greengo! They join the previously confirmed acts Earthless, Kadavar, Nebula, Conan, Ufomammut, Naxatras, Purple Hill Witch, Atavismo and Ruff Majik!
They could be simply described as Psychedelic Rock, however Causa Sui goes far beyond the term. With more than eight albums released, the Denmark’s group creates a distinctive musical universe with diverse influences such as Krautrock, Progressive Rock, Stoner or Jazz, in order to achieve unique instrumental feats. Their first performance ever in Portugal, for one of their rare concerts during the year, could not be more expected.
Six years after their debut in Portugal, right at the second edition of SonicBlast, the German trio Samsara Blues Experiment is preparing to make the long-awaited return to Moledo. Considered one of the greatest precursors of the European Psychedelic Stoner, the group brings now with them their latest album “One With The Universe,” one of the most acclaimed records within the genre last year, which shows the band’s full maturity and their way to outdo themselves.
Formed only by two elements, the German Mantar view their sound as a brutal sonic destruction, where genres like Doom, Black Metal and Punk unite in a primal rage. On the road since 2013, the duo has released three albums, one of them being recorded live, demonstrating the hard work they’ve done over the past years. Their concerts are known for being absolutely demolishing and intense, which manage to elevate the duo name to another level. Forget about Rock ‘n Roll, this will hurt!
Recognized as one of the most important bands within the Stoner Rock universe, 1000mods return to Portugal with the aim of showing the overwhelming power of their fuzz. Hailing from southern Greece, the quartet already counts with three EP’s and three albums, several European tours and a North American tour. From their live concerts, we can only expect one thing; an astounding and memorable experience.
Present at the festival back in 2014, the power-trio The Atomic Bitchwax, visit us again to spread a great amount of “Super Stoner Rock”. This time, the North Americans Finn Ryan, Chris Kosnik and Bob Pantella (also from Monster Magnet) bring with them their seventh studio album “Force Field”, a refreshing and stimulating record, where Psychedelic influences and Rock n ‘Roll are never missing.
The Black Wizards are no longer unknown to the majority fans of the Heavy Rock subculture, whose immense work evidences their enormous value and dedication to their music. With their undisputed talent, they can skillfully play blues, psychedelic or sheer rock n’ roll, as it’s well demonstrated on their latest album “What the Fuzz”.
From Barcelos to Moledo, Solar Corona arrive moved by cosmic psychedelia and spacey grooves. Now counting with a new rhythm section, the trio certainly knows how to induce each listener into a increasingly hypnotic atmosphere, which will guarantee a monumental musical journey.
Born between the union of massive fuzz noise and greenish fumes, the duo Greengo practices a Sludge Stoner Metal filled with massive riffs, dominant vocals and trembling sonic vibrations, capable of shaking any stage where they appear.
Posted in Whathaveyou on February 12th, 2018 by JJ Koczan
Set for Aug. 11 and 12 in Portugal, SonicBlast Moledo 2018 continues to build a lineup varied in sound but seemingly unified in vibe. That is to say, whether you’re locked into a hypnotic jam from Earthless or getting crushed by Ufomammut or Conan and doomed by Purple Hill Witch, lost in Nebula‘s desert rock bliss or the lush progressive psych of Atavismo, SonicBlast Moledo 2018 strikes as looking to deliver to those fortunate enough to attend a good time through and through. A band can be dark and grim, or coated in melodic sunshine to match what is no doubt a powerful Iberia-in-August heat — though maybe it’s cooler by the shore — and you’re still going to enjoy yourself. It’s okay to have fun. It’s okay to like things. You’re worth it.
I mean that.
And if you are lucky enough to attend what’s clearly a labor of love on the part of the organizers, I hope you do enjoy. I’ll be jealous.
Here’s the latest word from the PR wire:
SonicBlast Moledo 2018 – Second wave of announcements!
SONICBLAST MOLEDO 2018
Stoner Doom Psych Heavy – Sea Beach Camping Pool Surf Skate
With the dates settled for August 10th and 11th, the eighth edition of SonicBlast Moledo is stoked to announce Earthless, Ufomammut, Purple Hill Witch, Atavismo and Ruff Majik! They join the previously confirmed acts Kadavar, Nebula, Conan and Naxatras!
The mighty Earthless. The Heavy Psychedelic Rock masters. The cosmic instrumental warriors whose power influences generations and leaves any soul stunned. Dominating their instruments like no one, Earthless know how induce unique transcendental states of mind, inspired by the eclectic Krautrock, the exotic Japanese Heavy Blues Rock and the ever-lasting presence of musical guides like Jimi Hendrix or Black Sabbath. From their live shows, we can only expect demolisher minutes of acid and ecstatic vibrations, marked by an incomparable caliber, where we set our own astral space as destiny.
Hailing from the Piedmont region, Ufomammut are easily distinguished as the Italian masters of the Psychedelic Doom Metal. With their 8th album already released, the trio keeps demonstrating the power of their cavernous and massive sounds, employing intense riffs and profound ambiences to induce incessant trances.During their live shows, they are frequently supported by Malleus Collective’s multimedia art, creating a whole new visual impact allied to their music.
Coming out from the far way countryside of Norway lands, Purple Hill Witch follow the Sabbathian law of Doom, conjuring up the sheer excellence of proto heaviness with the swirling vibes of Psychedelic Hard Rock, sculpting a flawless presence. Following their 2014 self-titled masterwork, the trio arrives at Moledo with its successor “Celestial Cemetery”, presenting themselves at their full splendor.
Popular for their energetic live shows, the young trio Ruff Majik doesn’t hold back when it comes to rock n roll. Arriving all the way from South Africa, more precisely Pretoria, these three fuzzy souls are ready to brings a lot of Psych Blues Stoner riffs and many good times with them, touring on European soil for the first time ever.
Born from the ashes of well-known underground bands such a Viaje A 800 or Mind!, the Spanish Atavismo are famous for their Progressive Psychedelic Rock, carefully created by the aid of experimental space rock and atmospherical sensations. After releasing their great sophomore album “Inerte”, the band toured throughout Europe, arriving now at the shore of Moledo.
Posted in Whathaveyou on January 10th, 2018 by JJ Koczan
In the several years now that I’ve been keeping up with lineup announcements for the Portuguese SonicBlast Moledo festival, I don’t think I’ve ever encountered one that didn’t immediately set me to daydreaming about making the trip to the Iberian coastline to experience it for myself. It’s like a Pavlovian response at this point — drool and all. The first word from SonicBlast Moledo 2018 is, of course, no different, and as I sit in my dimly-lit Massachusetts kitchen with my hood up and three layers of pants on because I’m so god damned cold and cracks in my right-hand fingers so deep that it’s actually physically hurting me to type this sentence right now, August seems like the perfect time to go. Or, you know, tomorrow.
First four for SonicBlast Moledo 2018? Conan, Kadavar, Naxatras and Nebula. That’s just fun to say. Go ahead, give it a shot. Out loud.
Here’s details from the PR wire:
SONICBLAST MOLEDO 2018: Stoner Doom Psych Heavy
Sea Beach Camping Pool Surf Skate
With the dates settled for August 10th and 11th, the lineup of the eighth edition of SonicBlast Moledo starts to take shape with the first confirmations: Kadavar, Nebula, Conan and Naxatras!
Almost five years later after their debut at the third edition of SonicBlast Moledo and their exponential growth, Kadavar return to Portugal to show the best that is done within the Retro Rock world. Following their sudden cancellation on the last edition, the power trio present themselves with their newest work, entitled “Rough Times”, released by the label Nuclear Blast Records, which shows the group’s superiority to create masterpieces of 70’s influenced Hard Rock, always with the excellent capacity of incorporating new elements in their music.
Conceived by the guitarist Eddie Glass, after departing Fu Manchu, Nebula are considered, without any doubt, one of the great and more influential precursors of the Stoner Rock movement. Two decades after their formation and seven years after their indefinite hiatus, the desert legends reborn for their new space incarnation, prepared to rule any soul with their distinctive dose of energetic fuzz, frenetic feedbacks and lots of psychedelia.
Barbarians by the name and by the sound, the British Conan have been defined, for more than 10 years, as caveman battle Doom, marked by distorted devastating guitars, sepulchral voices, and instruments tuned always below the low. With their live shows, we can expect storms of dark and raw riffs, projected by overwhelming walls of sound and brutally slow tempos that put us into a monolithic hypnotism.
Although relatively young, the Greeks Naxatras have already conquered their captive place within the European underground rock. Moved by their fascinating and peaceful psychedelic, together with their nuances of dreamy Hard Rock, this power trio is distinguished by its bold touches of Jazz, Funk, Progressive or desert influences, surely providing a live trip essential to be experienced.
