Next year marks the 20th anniversary of Spiritual Beggars, a band who helped lay the foundations for Sweden as one of the best heavy rock scenes in the world at a time when few others around the world could be bothered to give a crap. A lot has changed in the group since then — founding guitarist Michael Amott (also of Carcass/Arch Enemy) remains the key figure — but even their 2010 outing, Return to Zero (review here) was brimming with the love of classic rock that has served over the years as the band’s defining principle.

Today, Roadburn sent over word that Spiritual Beggars will play as part of the 2013 Afterburner lineup on Sunday, April 21. Dig it:

Sweden’s Classic Rock Heavyweights Spiritual Beggars Confirmed For Roadburn 2013 Afterburner

Roadburn extremely excited to welcome Michael Amott‘s classic rock heavyweights, Spiritual Beggars to the 2013 Roadburn Festival Afterburner on Sunday, April 21 at the 013 venue in Tilburg, Holland.

“Back in the early 90’s, Roadburn founder Walter Hoeijmakers was one of the very first supporters Spiritual Beggars had in Europe”, says Michael Amott, “His unbridled enthusiasm for our music back then when most people didn’t ’get it’ meant so much to us. It’s a great feeling to now play his fantastic festival and celebrate the staying power of Spiritual Beggars and the Roadburn concept together!  We’re releasing a new studio album and celebrating our 20th anniversary as a band in 2013, and I really can’t think of a better way to start the party than at the esteemed Roadburn Festival?!?”

Since their formation in the early 90s, Spiritual Beggars have been at the forefront of the burgeoning stonerrock scene, raising the benchmark for stoner metal bands around the globe through a succession of much acclaimed albums that redefined the genre. Whether it’s Another Way To Shine, Mantra III, Ad Astra, On Fire or 2010?s Return To Zero, which features new singer Apollo Papathanasio, all of these albums deliver a masterful homage to the rock sensibilities of Deep Purple, Rainbow, Uriah Heep or even Trouble, but also to the blistering guitar heroics of Frank Marino and Mountain‘s Leslie West.

The trademark Spiritual Beggars approach of vintage hard rock songwriting, augmented by super-heavy, modern production values give way to Michael Amott‘s (ex Carcass / Arch Enemy) uncanny, impressive riffage, thoughtful, fluid solo’s and strong melodies,  and when paired with Per Wiberg‘s stellar Hammond excursions and Apollo Papathanasio‘s great expressive vocal range,  you’ll get the quintessential 70s rock band!

Spiritual Beggars‘ Roadburn Afterburner appearance will mark a great return to the stage, as the band has only played a handful of rare performances over the last few years. A new album is scheduled for a 2013 release.

Roadburn Festival 2013 will run for four days from Thursday, April 18th to Sunday, April 21st, 2013 (the traditional Afterburner event) at the 013 venue in Tilburg, Holland. Tickets for the Afterburner are still available!

The first time I listened to Astra‘s The Black Chord (review here) was on the plane over to see Desertfest in London and Roadburn this year, and I think probably as a result of that, I’ll always associate the album with the feeling of ascending, climbing into the sky and watching the ground recede below. I like that about the album, and I think the San Diego outfit’s multifaceted approach is suited to that wide open sensibility and the feeling that at any minute it can all come crashing down. Lush but still ultimately fragile.

Word just came down that Astra will make their second Roadburn appearance in 2013 as part of the Afterburner, for which tickets are still available, unlike the fest itself, which sold out within 24 hours. Check it:

Astra confirmed for Roadburn Afterburner

Deeply influenced by the European prog rock bands from the 60s and 70s, Astra blew people away with their Roadburn 2010 performance in support of The Weirding (their much acclaimed debut album) released on Rise Above Records.

Astra have continued to expand their style and grow as a band — as showcased on their sophomore album, The Black Chord — by employing some impressive gear (from Mellotrons to Moogs and Oberheims, and from Hammonds to flutes and 12-string guitars) to back up their intricate songwriting.

With prog rock making its way back, we can hardly wait to welcome Astra back to Roadburn, to massage our ears with their harmonious, melodious and heavenly combination of psychedelia and progressive rock.

Roadburn Festival 2013 will run for four days from Thursday, April 18th to Sunday, April 21st, 2013 (the traditional Afterburner event) at the 013 venue in Tilburg, Holland. Tickets for the Afterburner are still available!

Well, I guess we’re in the thick of it now. Once you break the news that Primordial is headlining one of the days and the likes of Cult of Luna and Pallbearer are showing up, you’ve pretty much got yourself a festival going. I’m sure there’s till a ton more to come, but god damn, Roadburn never fails to deliver.

I know it’s not the highest-profile announcement contained in here, but if you missed it, I recently did a track stream for Finnish weirdo rockers Seremonia, and they’re pretty awesome, so if you haven’t heard them yet, definitely worth checking out.

Alright, here’s the news. There’s a lot of it:

PRIMORDIAL TO HEADLINE ROADBURN THURSDAY DATE; UNCLE ACID & THE DEADBEATS, MOSS, WITCHSORROW AND SEREMONIA CONFIRMED FOR JUS OBORN’S CURATED ROADBURN EVENT, THE ELECTRIC ACID ORGY, CULT OF LUNA, PALLBEARER AND ROYAL THUNDER AND MORE CONFIRMED

Only three more days to go! Roadburn Festival 2013 pre-sales start on Thursday, 4 October 2012, at 8:30pm CET. In the meantime, here are the latest updates from Roadburn headquarters:

We’re elated to announce that Ireland’s epic, pagan metallers Primordial will headline the Thursday Roadburn date, Thursday, April 18th at the 013 venue in Tilburg, Holland. Primordial are truly a band unlike no other; over the last two decades, they have passionately carved a niche of their own, without compromise!

We at Roadburn would like to pay tribute to Primordial‘s massive and melancholic art by inviting them as our Thursday headliners, the band is simply stunning, from their powerful songwriting to the amazing performances. More info on Primordial here: http://wp.me/p1m0FP-6pO

The Electric Wizard is proud to present the 1st confirmed ‘Heavy Friends’ for The Electric Acid Orgy at Roadburn 2013 on Friday, April 19th: “Ladies and Gentlemen, hack your resin filled lungs for our very good friends and Britain’s No1 Super Slo-Mo Doom Kings Moss, who will perform selections from their eagerly awaited new LP plus all their classic tombstone(d) liturgies”, says Jus Oborn.

“Also raise your bongs for these awesome new highs: We have our fellow witchfinders and medieval throwbacks Witchsorrow upholding traditional values with solid Fuckin DOOM!! Finnish Occultists Seremonia promise to deliver an acid-fried heavy metal ride and we have the hotly tipped horrorock phenomenon Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats!!! Alrite!!”

“Now if this doesn’t burst your stoned skulls”, says Jus, “we also have the ELECTRIC GRINDHOUSE CINEMA inside the 013 showing demented,sick,weird and grotesque exploitation films from our own collection. Never seen on DVD, the very darkest creations of the Sick Sick Sixties and Seventies projected for one nite only with special guests performing live soudtracks that will burn your retinas and destroy your minds !!”

More Very, Very Special Guests will be announced soon!  PREPARE TO MEET YOUR MAKERS!!!”  More info on The Electric Acid Orgy here http://wp.me/p1m0FP-6pX

More info on Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats making their live debut in mainland Europe at Jus Oborn’s The Electric Acid Orgy here: http://wp.me/p1m0FP-6pt

Cult of Luna is a Swedish post-metal band from Umeå. After 5 years away, they will return to play Roadburn Festival on April 20th 2013. On October 5th 2012, they will announce some more news about what they have been doing, and what they have planned. More info on Cult of Luna here: http://wp.me/p1m0FP-6pq

Pallbearer will bring their classic doom sound to Roadburn 2013 on Thursday, April 18th at the 013 venue in Tilburg, Holland. Pallbearer’s epic, timeless riffs and modern production have been taking the music world by storm with their recently released debut album Sorrow and Extinction, no small feat for a doom band. More info on Pallbearer: http://wp.me/p1m0FP-6pd

We’re extremely pleased to welcome Atlanta heavy hitters Royal Thunder to Het Patronaat in Tilburg, Holland on Thursday, April 18.  Following up on the critical acclaim their debut Relapse Records’ full-length, CVI received, Royal Thunder bring their uniquely heavy, enthralling, and enveloping rock to European shores for the first time.  More info on Royal Thunder here: http://wp.me/p1m0FP-6p8

Sweden’s My Brother The Wind, led by Anekdoten’s Nicklas Barker, will bring their improvised experimental psychedelia to Roadburn Festival 2013 on Saturday, April 20th at the 013 venue in Tilburg, Holland. More info on My Brother The Wind here: http://wp.me/p1m0FP-6oU

Roadburn Festival 2013 Ticket Pre-Sales Start Thursday, 4 October 2012 at 20:30 CET.

There will be a 2 ticket limit (per order) for 3-day and 4-day passes and Afterburner tickets. The following creditcards will be accepted: American Express, Mastercard and Visa. As with previous years, there will be a designated campsite at De Beekse Bergen. More info on the ticket sales here: www.roadburn.com/roadburn-2013/tickets

Roadburn Festival 2013, including Electric Wizard, Godflesh playing Pure in its entirety for the first time ever, Neige (Alcest) as Artist-in-Residence, Goat and Die Kreuzen reunion among others, will run for four days from Thursday, April 18th to Sunday, April 21st, 2013 (the traditional Afterburner event) at the 013 venue in Tilburg, Holland.

Please visit www.roadburn.com for more info.

While I’m saying congratulations today, way to go to Finnish space crushers Mr. Peter Hayden. The announcement came through this morning that the band — who released their second album, Born a Trip (review here), earlier this year — will be joining the lineup for Roadburn next year, and not a moment too soon. One imagines any further delay in those stars aligning and MPH would be off on some other time continuum somewhere, jamming until nebula clouds of smoke rise from their amplifiers.

Or something. Whatever, the band’s cool, and good for them they get to be cool at the 013 in ‘013. Dig it:

Mr. Peter Hayden To Bring Their Lysergic Post-Metal / Space Rock To Roadburn 2013.

We’re very pleased to announce that elusive Finnish psychedelic crushers Mr. Peter Hayden will bring their lysergically elliptical planetary travelogues to Roadburn Festival 2013 on Saturday, April 20th at the 013 venue in Tilburg, Holland.

Mr Peter Hayden‘s post-metal-infused space-rock is comprised of intertwining movements built from long progressive builds reaching cosmically thundering apexes heavily immersed in the vastness and darkness of deep space. This is melded with spacey ambience, which ventures off into impressive prog textures and vaguely-melodic synth wash punctuated by rhythmic chug and drum thud. Their excursions rise and fall tidally, offering minute wave-like undulations to coincide with the larger push and pull.

At the peak of their gargantuan cosmic improvisational powers — spectacularly demonstrated on both their debut full-length, Faster Than Speed, and this year’s sophomore album, Born A Trip — Mr. Peter Hayden‘s space opuses are devoid of the rushes of light and the sun drenched jams present in so many contemporary European psychedelic bands; instead they are all about cosmic travel deep in throes of brown acid!

My reasons for posting the news that fuzzly Texas trio Wo Fat have been added to the lineup for Roadburn 2013 are triple-fold: First, Wo Fat kick ass, as their new album, The Black Code (review here), so clearly demonstrates. Second, it’s Roadburn news, and posting it is something I very much enjoy. Third — and this one’s the kicker — the poster is probably the best use of a comic-style dialogue bubble I’ve seen since my days slobbering over the latest issue of Batman. Well played, Roadburn.

And congratulations to the band on being added. When last I interviewed Wo Fat guitarist/vocalist Kent Stump, he said European touring was something they very much wanted to do, so way to go on making that happen and all the best to him and the band.

Here’s the news (and that poster):

Wo Fat Confirmed For Roadburn 2013

We are very pleased to welcome Texas riffmasters Wo Fat on Saturday, April 20th, 2013 with their blues-infused version of psychedelic doom. Tearing through the speakers like a swamp monster summoned from some dark cosmic morass, they rose from the deep and began their psyche-doom-adelic quest in 2003, with the goal to make music that remained within the paradigm forged by Black Sabbath, Hendrix, ZZ Top and the other greats of the 70?s, but that was also crushingly heavy and at the same time stayed true to the haunting blues that moan and wail deep within their souls.

Through their sonic journeys, they have managed to find a compelling balance between monolithic, cyclopean riffing and spaced out, psychedelic jamming. Structure and improvisational freedom being equally important elements to their music.

Three albums and nine years later, Wo Fat has joined the Small Stone Records roster and is offering up a new epic album, The Black Code, which contains five hefty slabs of classic Wo Fat analog fuzz, but this time with a more sci-fi related motif, full of cyber-visions of evil code and premonitions of digital horror and is maybe their heaviest work to date. It’s heaviness in groove, sound and feel as well as riff. This is organic, earthy metal. This is a pure, expertly cultivated, homegrown strain of Texas riffage.

Roadburn Festival 2013 will run for four days from Thursday, April 18th to Sunday, April 21st, 2013 (the traditional Afterburner event) at the 013 venue in Tilburg, Holland.

Having released a live album earlier this year and a self-titled tape in 2011 (review here) and the prior Psychonaut, Glasgow space rockers The Cosmic Dead have made their new full-length, The Exalted King, available on tape through Dub Ditch Picnic and for download through their Bandcamp page. News just came in as well that they’ve been added to the formidable Roadburn 2013 lineup, so get your head into some jams:

Glasgow’s The Cosmic Dead will bring their  jammy space-rock to Roadburn Festival 2013 on Saturday, April 20th at the 013 venue in Tilburg, Holland.

“Since 2010, The Cosmic Dead have been exploring the outer reaches of Krautrock, doom and psychedelia, tasting the extremes of sound and fusing them into a single, all-enveloping web of stratospheric riffing, otherworldly ambience and kosmische textures that has spread itself across countless shows throughout the UK, two full-lengths and a live collaboration with the king of Can, Damo Suzuki.

“For anyone who hasn’t yet stood before the Dead and their live homage to the cosmos, expect religious devotion to synthesised dreamworlds, subsonic grooves, guitaristic splendour and the vast, hypnotic sounds of Hawkwind and Popol Vuh eternally jamming in the Möbius strip of time and space” –David Bowes.

Roadburn Festival 2013 will run for four days from Thursday, April 18th to Sunday, April 21st, 2013 (the traditional Afterburner event) at the 013 venue in Tilburg, Holland. Pre-sales will start, October 4th, 2012.

More daydream fodder for those of us who’d make our escapist Roadburn fantasies a reality in 2013. You know, as I watched Elder‘s consciousness-shattering performance at SHoD, I thought to myself, “These guys would kill at Roadburn,” so I’m glad to see they’ll have the opportunity to do so. Neurot acquisitions Amenra will take part as well, presumably with a new album out or on the way, and Process of Guilt too.

Pre-sale info is also included, so make sure you pay close attention to the following:

ROADBURN FESTIVAL 2013 TICKET PRE-SALES START THURSDAY, OCTOBER 4TH AT 2012 AT 20:30 CET; PRE-SALES PARTY AT THE 013 VENUE (NL) WITH SWITCHBLADE AND BUNKUR; AMENRA, ELDER AND PROCESS OF GUILT CONFIRMED FOR ROADBURN FESTIVAL 2013

This year, we are doing things a bit differently in terms of pre-sales. Tickets for Roadburn Festival 2013 will go on sale Thursday, 4 October 2012 at 20:30 CET instead of late November as usual.

The anticipation for next year’s festival has been growing exponentially with each new band announcement, and we have been inundated with questions about tickets. Ultimately, we agreed it would be cruel and unusual punishment to make you wait until the end of November, hence the decision to move up the ticket pre-sales for Roadburn 2013 to 4 October 2012. Circle this date on your calendar, set your alarm and get ready to score your tickets!

You might remember that ticket prices for the 2012 Roadburn Festival rose due to higher taxes imposed on cultural events here in the Netherlands. In the meantime, certain changes have been made and we are pleased to report that tickets for Roadburn 2013 will be slightly less expensive. We wanted to translate that into good news for you, our beloved Roadburn veterans and neophytes alike, as opposed to raising ticket prices again. As most of you know, it was no fun announcing the price hike last year.

Three-day tickets are available for 165,00 euros; four-day tickets are 185,00 euros, and single tickets for The Afterburner are 32,50 euros. The prices listed do not include processing fees. Please note: one-day tickets are not available for the Thursday, Friday or Saturday Roadburn dates.

The majority of Roadburners live outside the Netherlands, which is why ticket pre-sales will start at 20:30 CET. This should be convenient for most time zones. Apologies to our friends in Oceania who will have to wake up early (or just stay up late)!

For everyone in the Netherlands and Belgium, we are aware that your local ticket outlets might not be open when pre-sales start, which is one reason why we are throwing a Roadburn Festival pre-sales party at the 013 venue in Tilburg (NL) on 4 October 2012. Admission if free. During the event, you will be able to purchase a maximum of two paper tickets for Roadburn Festival 2013. Guaranteed!

Just think: no pacing outside a ticket outlet in the freezing rain, no anxiety attack when the guy at the counter hands you two tickets to some eurotrash dance party at a football stadium, and no homicidal urges when the new kid at the shop mumbles: “huh, something’s wrong with the printer…”

Of course, the other reason for the pre-sales party is that it will be a blast! We have invited Switchblade and Bunkur to provide the soundtrack. Both bands have been on the Roadburn radar for quite a while, and this is the perfect opportunity to showcase their riff-heavy explorations. Also, Roadburn’s artistic director/promoter Walter Hoeijmakers will be on hand to share the latest festival updates.

Grab your tickets, bask in the heaviness and get ready to start the official countdown to Roadburn 2013!

Sinners, liars, thieves and heathens: absolution is at hand! Enter the black church of AMENRA on Friday, April 19th in Het Patronaat in Tilburg, Holland. Achieve a state of delirious bliss as the gut-wrenching screams and deafening droning riffs alter your reality, purifying your soul and sending you into paroxysms of ritual ecstasy. Are these post-metal behemoths from West-Flanders (Belgium) demons or demigods? You decide. More info on Amenra here: http://wp.me/p1m0FP-6i5

It is with great pleasure that we announce the addition of Boston heavy psych rockers Elder to the Roadburn Festival 2013 roster at the Het Patronaat venue on April 20th.

More info on Elder here: http://wp.me/p1m0FP-6ia

We are very pleased to bring Portugal’s Process of Guilt to the 2013 Roadburn Festival on Saturday, April 20 at the 013 venue in Tilburg, Holland.

More info on Process of Guilt here: http://wp.me/p1m0FP-6in

Roadburn Festival 2013, including Electric Wizard’ s curated event, Godflesh playing Pure in its entirety for the first time ever, Neige (Alcest) as Artist-in-Residence and Die Kreuzen reunion among others, will run for four days from Thursday, April 18th to Sunday, April 21st, 2013 (the traditional Afterburner event) at the 013 venue in Tilburg, Holland.

Please visit www.roadburn.com for more info.

The really crazy thing about it is there’s so much more to come from Roadburn 2013 as the fest starts to take shape. Already it’s been a wildly diverse lineup of bands added, and with the announcement today that Neige of French post-black metallers Alcest will be the artist-in-residence this year, performing with his band,

Neige Announced As Artist in Residence For Roadburn Festival 2013; Asphyx, A Forest of Stars, Mourning Beloveth and Goat among others confirmed  as well.

France’s Neige will be Artist in Residence at Roadburn Festival 2013, set for April 18 – 21 at the 013 venue in Tilburg, Holland.

French black metal has always been conceptually diverse, a leading force in pushing the boundaries of the genre. Whether it’s the experimental, nihilistic, buzzing approach of Deathspell Omega and Blut Aus Nord, or Alcest’s soaring, emotional meld of Slinty post rock, spidery, shimmery shoegaze, ambient sounscapes, and black metal fuzz, the French are definitely in the vanguard.

Not surprising then, given Roadburn’s penchant for honoring the innovators, that Alcest mastermind Neige is our Artist in Residence for Roadburn 2013.Neige will carry on a tradition that began at the Roadburn Festival in 2010 with Enslaved, followed by Circle in 2011 and Justin K Broadrick in 2012.

“I remember it was such an honour for us when Alcest was asked to play at the 2011 edition of Roadburn festival”, says Neige. “We only started doing shows a short time before so it was an important step in the band’s existence. For 2013, they offered me to be here again as artist in residence and to perform on all three days of the festival with three different bands: Lantlôs, Les Discrets and Alcest (playing Les Voyages de L’âme in its entirety).

“I feel so glad to get the recognition of such a respected event. It is once again a great honour and I would like to thank the festival’s team for their confidence. Roadburn is one of the best experimental music events in the world, with billings that please the lovers of these kinds of music year by year. I will for sure do my very best to do justice to this status by giving captivating performances together with my bandmates.”

We’re extremely pleased to announce that Asphyx will be playing a special set of their slowest death / doom (only throwing in a couple buzzing, diabolical tracks for good measure) at the Roadburn Festival 2013 on Saturday, April 20th.

By releasing 2012’s stunning Deathhammer (Century Media), the band is keeping traditional death metal as true, honest and thrilling as ever. However, especially for Roadburn Festival 2013, Asphyx will put emphasis on their most epic, crushing material, played with guts and balls, and which will guarantee pure doom/death rapture. Along the way, Asphyx’ undisputable influence on many bands that have shredded Roadburn stages will become apparent as well.

The British Empire’s Gentlemen’s Club of A Forest of Stars have been confirmed for Roadburn Festival 2013 on Saturday, April 20th at Het Patronaat in Tilburg, Holland.

For the first (and possibly only) time at the request of this festival’s patrons A Forest of Stars will be performing their new album A Shadowplay for Yesterdays in its entirety, replete with the appropriate imagery, smoke, lighting and mirrors.

Mourning Beloveth, Ireland’s purveyors of death and doom for over 20 years, will be playing their classic second album, The Sullen Sulcus, in its entirety for the first time ever at Roadburn Festival 2013 on Thursday, April 18th.

“It is with pleasure we announce our participation in Roadburn 2013 and to mark the occasion we have decided to play, in full, our 2003 album The Sullen Sulcus”, says Mourning Beloveth’s Darren Moore, “We have spoken among ourselves over the years on doing a set dedicated to one album and now seems the perfect opportunity at a festival dedicated to the eclectic and underground movement in metal. This will coincide with the first official release of The Sullen Sulcus for the first time on vinyl with revised artwork. So bring your nightmares in red and enjoy our set, we may even have another surprise in store on the night.”

Looking for psych-spiced space jams? In search of a little something to expand your mind? Brothers and sisters, we are pleased to announce that Portugal’s Black Bombaim will be bringing their largely instrumental and experimental heaviness to Roadburn Festival 2013 on Thursday, April 18th at the 013 venue in Tilburg, Holland.

While there are plenty of loyal ‘burners who make the trek from the Iberian peninsula to the festival each spring, this is the first time in Roadburn history that a Portuguese band will be on the bill and we are very excited about it. Currently riding high on the release of their latest album Titans, featuring guests including Steve Mackay (Stooges), Isaiah Mitchell (Earthless / Howlin Rain) and Noel V. Harmonson (Comets on Fire),  Black Bombaim will whisk you away on a swirling, sun-kissed psychedelic trip. Prepare for lift off!

Black Bombaim, Blues Pills, Castle, Eternal Tapestry, Hills, Hour of 13, Jess and the Ancient Ones, Kadavar, The Ruins of Beverast, Pilgrim, Sigh and Teeth of the Sea have also been confirmed for Roadburn Festival 2013.Roadburn Festival 2013, including Electric Wizard’ s curated event, Godflesh playing Pure in its entirety for the first time ever and Die Kreuzen reunion among others, will run for four days from Thursday, April 18th to Sunday, April 21st, 2013 (the traditional Afterburner event) at the 013 venue in Tilburg, Holland.