Who’s going to argue with this? Sludge, doom, psych, noise, and metal? It’s like Desertfest Belgium 2018 decided its third announcement was when it would encompass the scope of underground heavy in one go. It’s got oldschool and newschool vibes, American and European bands next to each other, and fucking Castle, who just never stop touring ever. Never ever. I’m pretty sure they made their new record in the back of their van.

Maybe not, but still.

Seriously, the list of bands says it all, and the roster of acts they join only makes Desertfest Belgium all the more significant in Europe’s massively-crowded Fall festival scene. I’m not going to tell you to buy tickets or travel if you’re not in a financially secure situation or something, but if you have to sell your car and become a curiously aged European street urchin, complete with backpack and dog, this one might be worth it.

Behold:

Since you all liked our last announcement so much, we’re already back with another one!

And oh boy… Another quintuple hit of doom, rock, metal, psychedelics and whatever strikes your fancy, here we go…

First up, the absolute heavyweights of Southern sludge will grace our stage for the first time. Yes, Crowbar will be charged up fresh from their upcoming Eastern Europe tour in the summer, so expect them to be sharp as a razor and hard as nails at Desertfest Antwerp 2018!

Another scene stalwart, this time in the traditional doom vein, we welcome former Trouble makers The Skull, who reportedly will come loaded with a fresh sophomore album, out on Tee Pee Records in the fall.

For some more traditional doom vibes with a nice dose of occult rock, San Fransiscan trio Castle – Metal Band will be back at our festival after their killer set in 2016. We are also most pleased that the Swedish spacerock shuttle Yuri Gagarin will land at DF Antwerp from whatever outer space voyage they’ve embarked on. They’ve got an interstellar live reputation, so expect this to be a highlight for sure! And finally, we close off this batch of goodness with something French and sleazy. SOFY MAJOR is a noiserock outfit that will hit you in the face like a solid steel beercan.

So rest assured, your precious Reduced Combi Tickets will be well worth… what’s that? You STILL haven’t bought your tickets you say? Even though they’re still a steal at €95 for three days? This will not stand! We’ll give you just a little more time to go get them, but next time we see each other, don’t give us any excuses you hear!

http://www.desertfest.be/tickets
https://www.facebook.com/desertfestbelgium/
https://www.facebook.com/events/364607267372737/
https://twitter.com/DesertfestBE

Crowbar, Live in Flint, Michigan, March 2018

If you had a two-band festival, and those two bands were Colour Haze and Acid King — and that’s it — no one else — I’d still call it an awesome time. Accordingly, kudos to SonicBlast Moledo 2017 for signing up both acts and setting my mind immediately adrift on a daydreaming course of Portuguese wonders that could be had. Of course, Colour Haze and Acid King aren’t the only bands playing — see also Elder, Sasquatch, The Machine, Monolord, Death Alley, Blaak Heat, Orange Goblin, Kadavar, and so on — but yeah, that’s a special couple days right there when you can get those groups together. “Kudos” is probably an understatement.

The PR wire has the latest:

SonicBlast Moledo 2017 | Haze of acid in sight!

With the dates settled for August 11th and 12th, the seventh edition of SonicBlast Moledo closes the two-day lineup with Colour Haze, Acid King, Black Bombaim, Stone Dead, It Was the Elf, Ana Paris and Bar de Monjas !

They’ll be joining the previously confirmed Orange Goblin, Kadavar, Elder, Sasquatch, Kikagaku Moyo/?????, Dead Witches, Monolord, The Machine, Yuri Gagarin, The Well, Death Alley, Blaak Heat, Toxic Shock, Löbo, Vinnum Sabbathi and Holy Mushroom!

Now heading to its seventh edition, the festival located at the small beach village of Moledo, North of Portugal, includes two stages (the smaller one with a pool), free camping (to ticket holders) right by the beach and an amazing ambient for any heavy rock, psych, doom or stoner fan.

Colour Haze

With more than twenty years on the road, almost twenty studio records and a relentless will to keep going, it’s more than comprehensible that Colour Haze are easily considered one of the highest exponents within the European Psychedelic Stoner culture. On their course, they count with innumerable presences throughout all Europe and also on USA, although, they never had the chance to debut on Lusitanian territory. Following the release of their newest full-length album “In Her Garden”, the German trio embraces themselves to descend upon Portuguese lands for the first time ever in their career, received with all the enthusiasm for this seventh edition of SonicBlast Moledo.

Acid King

Formed by the charismatic Lori S. during the year of 1993, Acid King are, without any doubt, one of the classic acts of the Stoner Doom’s genre. Their intense and powerful sound, turn them into one of the most influential band within this musical circuit, only having passed through Portugal once. On 2017, they make their debut on Moledo and we can only wait for a triumphant presence.

Bar de Monjas

The Mexican / German duo Bar de Monjas promises a thunderous discharge of agitated rhythms, always heavy and filled with fuzz. On the road since 2010, they already count with one full-length studio record, two EP’s and an amazing split, released in collaboration with the already confirmed Vinnum Sabbathi.

Black Bombaim

After being obliged to cancel their presence at the last edition, Black Bombaim are ready to return to Moledo to spread their contagious psychotropic Rock.

We also receive the fresh Rock n Roll of Stone Dead, as well as the energetic Stoner Metal of It was the Elf and the return of Ana Parisw ith their characteristic Stoner Rock force.

Tickets Price:
2nd pre-sale : 42€ | From 01/03/17 to 30/06/17
3rd pre-sale : 48€ | From 01/07/17 to 31/07/17
4th pre-sale: 55€ | From 01/08/17 to the event’s final

https://sonicblastmoledo.bol.pt/
https://www.facebook.com/SonicBlast-Moledo-242619262427066/
https://www.facebook.com/events/1818493011695737/
https://sonicblastmoledo.wordpress.com/

Colour Haze, In Her Garden (2017)

I have no problem admitting to feeling overwhelmed looking at the full lineup and individual day splits for Desertfest London 2017. I mean, seriously. Look at that poster. What a way to spend a weekend.

Likewise, I have few grand reflections to offer in light of that overwhelming feeling, except perhaps to take a step back and be massively impressed at how much this event has grown in just six incarnations. Along with Desertfest Berlin, the London edition has become an anchor not only for the UK heavy rock underground — which is well represented here as ever in Elephant Tree, Black Spiders, Stubb, Vodun, Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs, Terminal Cheesecake, Chubby Thunderous Bad Kush Masters, Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard, and so on — but for bands from abroad as well. You’ll note the three headliners: two American, one Norwegian, and the next line down on the poster is two Swedish, one American. Desertfest London 2017’s reach feels wider than ever. Staring at the final lineup, it’s clear just how much of a big fucking deal this festival has become.

Wish I could be there to see it.

Here’s the announcement of the individual day lineups from their website:

DESERTFEST 2017 DAY SPLITS AND DAY TICKETS ARE HERE!

Finally, the Desertfest 2017 day and stage splits are here, along with individual day tickets. It’s the point of the year where you can start planning the weekend, you can imagine the sets in your head and you can curse those god damned clashes.

Last things first, let’s get straight to that insane Sunday main-stage. To celebrate The Roundhouse joining the Desertfest family, we made their debut appearance something special. Not only will stoner doom icons Sleep be topping the bill, but the Roundhouse hosts a full bill of huge acts. Candlemass, with over three decades of underground acclaim to their name, bring the epic doom metal. USA’s Wolves in the Throne Room bring the atmospheric black metal. Traditional doom metal stalwarts Saint Vitus bring the classic riffs. And how about this for a ‘curtain jerker’? Bongzilla bring the raw weed metal for their second show of the weekend; more on the first later.

It’s not just about the Sunday though. Friday’s stage at the Electric Ballroom is headlined by returning heroes Slo Burn whose short run in the mid 90s furthered the then fledgling stoner rock scene. One band they surely had an impact on is Lowrider, who play Europe’s finest stoner rock alongside them. Ukraine’s Stoned Jesus celebrate their resonant album Seven Thunders Roar, and 1000Mods and Pontiak round up the main stage on the Friday.

The Electric Ballroom on Saturday will be swarming with Turbojugends as death-punk grandmasters Turbonegro turn Camden into party central. John Garcia sticks around for a solo show, sure to feature classics from his years of nonstop mastery in the stoner rock scene. Sheffield’s rock and roll five piece Black Spiders visit London for one last time on their farewell tour, with Satan’s Satyrs and Avon rounding up the main stage.

As ever though, it doesn’t stop at the main stages. Our regular partners have delivered three stages with diverse lineups. Human_Disease_Promo and When Planets Collide take over The Underworld on Saturday in a bill headlined by Bongzilla with a special set celebrating the band’s early work. The Quietus stage is led by synth wavers Zombi, and Nightshift Promotions bring an eclectic mix led by Hungary’s Apey & the Pea. To be honest, just stick a pin in the lineup poster and you’re guaranteed a good time.

For those who can’t make the full weekend, we have a limited number of individual day tickets. Priced at £40 for Friday tickets, £40 for Saturday tickets and £45 for Sunday tickets, links are below.

So there we have it. Our final lineup for Desertfest 2017. We hope you’re as excited as we are to get back to Camden this April and riff London to the ground.

DESERTFEST LONDON 2017 Final Lineup:
SLEEP
SLO BURN
TURBONEGRO
CANDLEMASS
WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM
SAINT VITUS
JOHN GARCIA BAND
BONGZILLA
LOWRIDER
SCISSORFIGHT
BLACK SPIDERS
SAMSARA BLUES EXPERIMENT
THE PICTUREBOOKS
STONED JESUS
SATAN’S SATYRS
INTER ARMA
WEAR YOUR WOUNDS
1000MODS
STEAK
AVON
DEATH ALLEY
DEAD LORD
BOSS KELOID
PONTIAK
YURI GAGARIN
HARK
VODUN
CHRON GOBLIN
PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS
THE WELL
MAMMOTH STORM
CELESTE
STUBB
MONOLITHIAN
WUCAN
VENOMOUS MAXIMUS
BRUME
APEY & THE PEA
ELEPHANT TREE
GRAVE LINES
IRON WITCH
EARTH SHIP
BACKWOODS PAYBACK
WIZARD FIGHT
BRULE
CLOSET DISCO QUEEN
GRAND MAMMOTH
CHUBBY THUNDEROUS BAD KUSH MASTERS
MAMMOTH WEED WIZARD BASTARD
SAMAVAYO
WELCOME BACK DELTA
DEAD LETTUCE
MONSTERTONE
LEDFOOT
ZOMBI
TERMINAL CHEESECAKE
KHÜNNT
BASK
BRUXA MARIA

http://www.desertfest.co.uk/#tickets-section
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/desertfest-2017-tickets-27305267791
http://www.desertfest.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/DesertfestLondon
https://twitter.com/DesertFest
https://www.instagram.com/desertfest_london/

Dead Lettuce, Booze and Blues EP (2015)

Portuguese-based summer fest SonicBlast Moledo 2017 came out swinging last month with its first round of lineup announcements, and the second round finds them no less ambitious in their reach. I’ve yet to hear of Kadavar showing up anyplace and being unwelcome, and anywhere Orange Goblin go is of note. I wouldn’t be surprised if by the time August hits, either or both hit Moledo as part of a European tour — maybe even supporting or advancing the arrival of new albums? — and one can’t help but be encouraged by the inclusion of Los Angeles trio Sasquatch here as well. Good to know they’ll be making a return trip to Europe in 2017. Again, one looks forward to more info on that to come. Ditto for The Well.

Yuri Gargarin have made a name for themselves over the last couple years across numerous fest appearances — they keep popping up here and there — but Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard out of the UK would be newer on the circuit. They’ll hit SonicBlast Moledo 2017 behind last year’s Y Proffwyd Dwyll (review here), which continues to resonate with its ethereal and cosmic doom.

Fest announcements follow:

SONICBLAST MOLEDO 2017 – NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS

With more than 20 years on the road, Orange Goblin are certainly one of the most cherished and distinguished heavy stoner rock bands of the world. Their impeccable union between heavy metal, stoner rock and many psychedelic influences won’t leave no one indifferent! Bang your head!

After their apotheotic show at SonicBlast Moledo’s third edition back in 2013, the German rockers KADAVAR return with their greatly acclaimed latest album “Berlin”, the second one released under Nuclear Blast!

Austin based The Well are also confirmed to invade Moledo with their singular compositions, gifted with a sound which blends psychedelic rock, heavy blues and sinister melodies!

From Los Angeles, California, we announce the comeback of Sasquatch to Portuguese lands, a notable band within the stoner rock movement, who has been relentlessly practicing it since the beginning of the century!

Hailing from Sweden, we welcome for the first time ever in Portugal the psychedelic space rock of Yuri Gagarin, the cosmic quintet whose approach to each musical theme corresponds to an authentic trip through time and space!

Directly from Wales, we cast the musical druidism of Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard, exemplary practitioners of their own Doom Metal’s kind!

* Orange Goblin (uk) + Kadavar (ger) + Elder (usa) + Sasquatch (usa) + Monolord (se) + Kikagaku Moyo (jp) + Yuri Gagarin (sue) + The Well (usa) + Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard (uk) +++ and many more to come +++

Artwork: Pedro Guardao | Till the Grave tattoo

https://sonicblastmoledo.bol.pt/
https://www.facebook.com/SonicBlast-Moledo-242619262427066/
https://www.facebook.com/events/1818493011695737/
https://sonicblastmoledo.wordpress.com/

Orange Goblin, “Red Tide Rising” official video

Desertfest London 2017 joins the Spring festival season fray with its first round of lineup announcements. Set for April 28-30 in its traditional home of Camden Town in London, the sixth incarnation of one of the two founding Desertfests will include a headlining set from Turbonegro, as well as appearances from Samsara Blues Experiment, who seem to be set on making a return to activity as we head into the New Year that I’ll be very interested in seeing how it plays out, plus blues-cycle duo The Picturebooks, Virginia’s Satan’s Satyrs, tribalists Vodun, Yuri Gargarin, Mammoth Storm, and London’s own Elephant Tree, whose 2016 self-titled debut (review here) stands among the year’s best in heavy rock. Bit of a no-brainer there, so I guess you might as well get the announcement out of the way early.

Not really looking forward to six months of cartoon-titty posters, but so it goes. Here’s word from the fest:

DESERTFEST LONDON: first bands announced; Turbonegro to headline the 2017 edition!

After a momentous fifth year anniversary, DESERTFEST LONDON proudly returns in 2017. As the festival grows from strength to strength, each year offers up a new challenge to bring a truly unique and amplified weekend to Camden Town. Desertfest aims to not only expand in all areas, but also to exceed expectations, and this year’s lineup is set to do just that.

The first headliner for 2017 is one of the most ludicrously high voltage, straight-up party bands in the history of rock’n’roll: Norway’s very own TURBONEGRO will be bringing their blend of high octane deathpunk to Desertfest 2017, for their first performance ever at the festival!

Joining them on the bill are one of the most requested Desertfest acts, German psych stalwarts SAMSARA BLUES EXPERIMENT, whose expert blend of stoner rock, psychedelic blues and Indian raga will bring some mind-bending goodness to the weekend’s trip.

THE PICTUREBOOKS will also be eagerly offering up their diverse alt-rock sound. The duo have pushed boundaries with their style – from drumming with mallets to building their own instruments, their live performances unquestionably follow suit and will not disappoint.

Virginia’s crème-de la-crème of thrash SATAN SATYR’S have effortlessly propelled themselves to cult status by paving the way for that true hard-attack heavy rock, making them stand out from a sea of peers who are just trying to hit half as hard.

VODUN are quickly gaining traction as one of those “must see” bands, and Desertfest is thrilled to show our loyal family as to why. An overwhelming talent of primal, genre-bending, heavy afro-soul rock – they’re not easy to describe, but being labelled one of the best new rock acts on the planet may help paint the picture. Swedish space rock cosmonauts YURI GAGARIN will also join the 2017 proceedings to launch revellers into a hypnotic otherworldly journey, alongside doom-drone power trio MAMMOTH STORM, who will be ready to batter out any cobwebs with a sonic tidal wave of riffs. Last but not least, is London’s very own ELEPHANT TREE with their melodic and weighty riffs that will rattle down on listeners like a stampede.

We are proud, and excited, for what next year has in store. But this is only the tip of the iceberg as there is much, much more to come. Stay tuned!

– DESERTFEST LONDON 2017 –
28th to 30th April in Camden, London
Weekend passes are available HERE

First bands announced:
TURBONEGRO, SAMSARA BLUES EXPERIMENT, THE PICTUREBOOKS, SATAN’S SATYRS, VODUN, YURI GAGARIN, MAMMOTH STORM, ELEPHANT TREE

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/desertfest-2017-tickets-27305267791
http://www.desertfest.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/DesertfestLondon
https://twitter.com/DesertFest
https://www.instagram.com/desertfest_london/

Elephant Tree, Elephant Tree (2016)