It’s beautiful, innit? A perfect mesh of nostalgia for what was and laying claim to what may yet be. Emissions From the Monolith isn’t just returning to remind people it was there 20-plus years ago when the notion of a festival celebrating underground heavy from sludge to psych — that kind of genrefest — wasn’t entirely unheard of but was nowhere near as widespread or taken for granted as it is now. It’s looking ahead. You get Torche (!) and Rebreather, but you also get Howling Giant and High Desert Queen. Fistula and Winds of Neptune. That’s gonna be a wild few days.

I ran into Ben from The Brought Low this past weekend in Brooklyn, and nearly the first words out of his mouth were asking if I would be in Ohio this October. Four-day fest plus a day of travel on either side makes it less feasible, especially coming off In the Key of Doom, also in NYC, the weekend before. It would be a challenge and would require a lot of indulgence on my wife’s part. I’m not sure I can make that ask, actually. And I’m not sure I have a car that I would trust to make it to and from Ohio. I guess that’s a factor too.

But you never know what the next few months will bring, and the lineup is gorgeous either way, so here it is as posted by the fest on socials:

EMISSIONS FROM THE MONOLITH 10 — FINAL POSTER + FULL LINEUP REVEAL

After nearly two decades away, Emissions From The Monolith returns October 8–11, 2026 at Westside Bowl in Youngstown, Ohio.

Four days of underground heavy music presented on a single stage with full sets and absolutely no overlaps.

Built around immersion, discovery, flow, and community rather than festival sprawl, Emissions has always focused on the experience of being there from start to finish.

We’re intentionally choosing not to sell the room to maximum capacity. Comfort matters more.

Final poster artwork by Mercerrock (Brian Mercer Design)

Tickets + information:
www.emissionsfromthemonolith.com

FULL LINEUP
Axioma
BAT
Bongzilla
Cavity A.D.
Deadbird
Disengage
edhochuli
Fistula
Generation of Vipers
Great Falls
High Desert Queen
Horseburner
Howling Giant
Kowloon Walled City
Lake Lake
Lo-Pan
Minsk
O.I.L.
rebreather
Rwake
Shun
Solace
Stinking Lizaveta
Sunrot
Telekinetic Yeti
The Brought Low
THUNDERCHIEF
TODAY IS THE DAY
Torche
Voivod
Weedeater
Winds Of Neptune

October 8–11, 2026
Westside Bowl — Youngstown, Ohio

https://emissionsfromthemonolith.com/
https://www.instagram.com/emissionsfromthemonolith
https://www.facebook.com/emissionsfromthemonolith

Solace, “Spiral Will” official video

Rebreather, The Line, its Width and the War Drone (2021)

Rwake, The Return of Magik (2025)

Some of the finest the US Midwest has to offer will make its way to Emissions From the Monolith 10 this October in Ohio, with Fistula, Bongzilla, Lo-Pan, Axioma and Minsk, and O.I.L. too if you count Pittsburgh as the Midwest. Alongside those, Voidvod and Torche! Like, oh, no big deal. I knew Emissions was taking some big swings in its return year, with noisier bands like Cavity and Today is the Day, but Voivod are another level of weirdo-unplaceable, and alongside Minsk, who haven’t had a full-length out in 11 years and somehow that just makes the thought of seeing them cooler, and Ryan Waste of Municipal Waste‘s Bat, this lineup feels like it’s moving quickly into the realm of unfuckwithability.

Is the lineup complete? I’m not entirely sure. It doesn’t say either way on the poster, so maybe there are more adds or maybe not. Either way, I don’t see how you could look at the single-stage/four-day sprawl of bands — theoretically I could go to Emissions in October and see all of it; I like that idea — and feel like something’s missing, especially now that the word Torche appears in it.

Some oldschool, some newschool, and not a single not-on-purpose bummer in the bunch:

EMISSIONS FROM THE MONOLITH 10 – TRANSMISSION 3

A third wave of artists joins Emissions from the Monolith 10.

October 8–11, 2026 at Westside Bowl in Youngstown, Ohio.

Newly revealed:
Axioma
Bat
Bongzilla
Fistula
Lo-Pan
Minsk
O.I.L.
Torche
Voivod

Previously announced:
Cavity
Deadbird
Disengage
Edhochuli
Generation of Vipers
Great Falls
High Desert Queen
Horseburner
Howling Giant
Kowloon Walled City
Lake Lake
Rebreather
Rwake
Shun
Solace
Stinking Lizaveta
Sunrot
Telekinetic Yeti
The Brought Low
Thunderchief
Today Is The Day
Weedeater
Winds of Neptune

One stage.

No overlaps.

Four days of total immersion in the heavy underground

Tickets available now: https://emissionsfromthemonolith.com

https://emissionsfromthemonolith.com/
https://www.instagram.com/emissionsfromthemonolith
https://www.facebook.com/emissionsfromthemonolith

Lo-Pan, Get Well Soon (2025)

Bongzilla, Dab City (2023)

Minsk, The Crash and the Draw (2015)

Perhaps some extra interest in seeing how the lineup for Desertfest Belgium 2025 takes shape over the next few months considering how heartwrenching the bill for 2024 was. They have not gone small to answer that question in this first reveal — you can see the names for yourself on the poster below — which covers a range of styles and has an according geographic reach. Note New Mexico’s Blue Heron taking part, supporting their rightfully-well-received 2024 LP, Everything Fades (review here), and note Lowrider because it’s notable anytime they play anywhere. Go them both, along with the rest, if you can.

As regards “the rest,” the names are their own best argument, I guess. Desertfest Belgium has become an integral part of the Fall underground touring circuit, a nexus point where various individual tours converge and split off again, so I’ll be interested to see, say, who The Obsessed will be out with, or how many times in your life you might be able to say you saw Colour Haze and Lowrider on a bill together in 2025. Just for examples.

So yeah, good start. Take their word for it in the “much more to be announced” part too. From socials:

FIRST NAMES! GRAVEYARD, BONGRIPPER, MASTERS OF REALITY & MORE!

Hi Desertfans,

Are you ready to rip it up? Here are the first names for Desertfest Antwerp 2025!

We’re very excited to welcome this divine & dangerous bunch to our stages:

Graveyard 🌑 BONGRIPPER 🌑 Masters Of Reality 🌑 Oranssi Pazuzu 🌑 The Obsessed 🌑 Bongzilla 🌑 monkey3 🌑 Lowrider 🌑 Colour Haze 🌑 Mars Red Sky 🌑 Psychlona 🌑 NEGATIVE BLAST 🌑 Alber Jupiter 🌑 Hedonist 🌑 Blue Heron

If you are as delighted as we are then head over to our ticket page below and grab a weekend pass for a guaranteed three days of sonic delirium 🪐

https://www.desertfest.be/antwerp/information/ticketing/

Hasta la vista!
The Desertfest Belgium team

http://www.desertfest.be/
https://www.facebook.com/desertfestbelgium/
https://www.instagram.com/desertfest_belgium/

Bongripper, Empty (2024)

Topped off with Bongzilla and Conan, you wouldn’t accuse the lineup of Doom City Fest 2025 of not getting its point across in saying, “hi this year’s gonna be really frickin’ heavy.” And so it will, with Dopethrone backing those two weighty names — the former legends in the field of crusty stoner ultrasludge, the latter a singularly flattening entity in decpitation-prone doom charge — with their signature gritty sludge extremity, as long-running death-doomers Majestic Downfall from Santiago de Querétaro, Monterrey’s Black Glow, Mexico City’s Oculto and the fest-associated Vinnum Sabbathi (the latter also touring Europe this summer) give representation to the domestic Mexican underground, Black Tusk like Bongzilla are imported from Mexico’s increasingly embarrassing northern neighbors, while Bitterdusk journey north from Chile to take part in the all-dayer set for May 24.

There’s a bit of variety in terms of sound between the bands, but what it all rounds out to is the initial proposition: heft. These acts are united by a love and worship of capital ‘r’ Riffing, and as Mexico City’s heavy scene continues to flourish, Doom City provides a showcase for some of that and what looks like a killer day besides. The poster and full lineup announcement came through social media as follows:

💀 DOOM CITY FEST 2025 💀 We present you the lineup of the third edition of the thickest, loudest and highest voltage festival in the CDMX:

· BONGZILLA @bongzillaband
· CONAN @hailconan
· DOPETHRONE @dopethroneband
· MAJESTIC DOWNFALL @majesticdownfallofficial
· BLACK TUSK @tcbt
· VINNUM SABBATHI @vinnumsabbathiband
· BITTERDUSK @bitterdusk
· BLACK GLOW @blackglowband
· OCULTO @oculto_mx

Tickets (link in bio):
passline.com/eventos/doomcityfest2025

· Phase 1: $1,300 (Until May 18th or while supplies last)
· Phase 2: $1,600 (Hasta el 24 de mayo)

Formas de pago:
· Visa, Mastercard and AMEX Card
· Openpay BBVA
· SPEI
· Payment in 7 Eleven, Savings Pharmacies, Aurrera Bodega and more.

· Saturday, May 24, 2025
· Sangriento @sangrientomx
· Ciudad de México

Arte:
Leonardo Cardoso
@leonardo_cardoso_artwork
@mico_666

#doomcityfest2025

https://www.instagram.com/doomcityfest
https://www.facebook.com/DoomCityFest/

Conan, “Desolation Hexx” official video

This is one of the best lineups I’ve seen for a US-based heavy fest in the 15-plus years I’ve been running this site. I don’t know what else to say about it, honestly. For the fact that Ripplefest Texas is bringing Dozer over alone, let alone any of the other Euro acts involved who have, say, been to North America in the last 20-plus years, it’s astonishing. And not just bigger bands like Dozer and Truckfighters or Mars Red Sky and Belzebong, but Domkraft and Kal-El, bands you know if you’re into this thing but that haven’t been around as long and aren’t as ‘huge’ in the whatever sense that applies in underground music.

And it’s not like they’re skimping on within-US geography either. Of course the desert is well represented, and Texas has a significant presence as it invariably would, but with Gozu and Leather Lung headed out from Boston, Borracho traveling from D.C., Temple of the Fuzz Witch from Michigan, Robots of the Ancient World from Portland, Oregon, and so on, they’ve got all the corners and between pretty well covered. La Chinga coming from Canada. Demons My Friends giving Mexico a nod. It is extensive.

And quality. I don’t know that I’ll be there to see it, but I’d imagine that for most who get to be, it’ll be the stuff of legend. Congrats to Ryan Garney and Lick of My Spoon for bringing it into the world, and safe travels to all involved:

Here it is! The lineup for RippleFest Texas and the amazing art by Simon Berndt @1horsetown 🤘🔥❤️

We still have a few surprises left but this roster is stacked! Don’t miss your chance to see the world’s best heavy music at the largest family reunion of the year. Plus this is the ONLY premier festival that has absolutely ZERO OVERLAPPING so you can see every second of every band! Get your tickets now and we will see you in September!

Tier 2 tickets are almost sold out and the price increases on Monday so get your tickets now:

www.lickofmyspoon.com

DOZER
TRUCKFIGHTERS
BONGZILLA
MARS RED SKY
BELZEBONG
DOMKRAFT
LEGIONS OF DOOM
FATSO JETSON
GOZU
HOWLING GIANT
THE HEAVY EYES
HIGH DESERT QUEEN
KAL-EL
20 WATT TOMBSTONE
THE OTOLITH
TEMPLE OF THE FUZZ WITCH
LEATHER LUNG
THUNDER HORSE
HASHTRONAUT
BONE CHURCH
BORRACHO
SUN CROW
CRYSTAL SPIDERS
TIA CARRERA
ROBOTS OF THE ANCIENT WORLD
MR. PLOW
LA CHINGA
FOSTERMOTHER
BLUE HERON
TEMPTRESS
FORMULA 400
DEMONS MY FRIENDS
VERMILION WHISKEY
VIOLET RISING
HUDU AKIL
BUZZ ELECTRO
SHADOW OF JUPITER

GRAND FINALE w/ MARIO LALLI & THE RUBBER SNAKE CHARMERS “Desert Jam Session”

Plus the best light show in the business by @themadalchemistliquidliteshow

https://www.facebook.com/theripplemusic/
https://ripplemusic.bandcamp.com/
http://www.ripple-music.com/

https://www.facebook.com/LOMSProductions
https://www.instagram.com/LOMSProductions/
http://www.lickofmyspoon.com/
https://linktr.ee/Lickofmyspoon

Mars Red Sky, Live at Rock in Bourlon 2023

Set for the weekend of Oct. 18-20 and (I think?) celebrating the 10th anniversary of the first Desertfest Belgium, which was held in 2014, the 2024 edition of the Antwerp-based Desertfest has made its first lineup announcement, anchored by Fu Manchu and Russian Circles and featuring a host of others ranging in both geography and style. From the fluid textures of REZN and classic melodic prog rock of Mondo Drag to the reunited Scorpion Child, Bongzilla‘s singularly stoned crust and the expansive riffery of Stoned Jesus, whose Mother Dark complement to early-2023’s Father Light (review here) is awaited, it’s a well-rounded bill even before you account for heavy psych rockers Seedy Jeezus and bluesy ’70s traditionalists Child making the trip from Australia, the latter on the heels of Heavy Psych Sounds reissuing their catalog, the expansive sounds of Messa, and so on.

That it looks like a cool time isn’t really a surprise. Desertfest Belgium has developed a character of its own as the flagship Fall Desertfest in Europe, and while I’ve never been, I always look forward to seeing what it brings to the seasonal cohort of heavy festivals. Already we know REZN will be on tour with Russian Circles, as that was announced last week too, but it’s likely more tours will come from Mondo Drag, Ritual King and others below that haven’t been revealed yet if they’re even at this point finalized. In addition to the usual daydreaming-about-travel, I find thinking about these things and imagining tours and who might have new records out by the time October gets here to be a particular kind of nerdy joy.

The announcement, as per social media:

It’s that time of year again! It’s with great pride and excitement that we announce the first names for DF24! 👁️

Confirmed for Desertfest ANTWERP are:
Fu Manchu Russian Circles Stoned Jesus Bongzilla Scorpion Child MESSA Wolvennest Mondo Drag Seedy Jeezus CHILD REZN Ritual King The Abbey Lethvm RRRags Crouch Kara Delik

Three days of delirium and heavy delight are surely awaiting us all in Antwerp!

https://www.desertfest.be/antwerp/information/ticketing/

We’ll be back with more names very soon…🤘

http://www.desertfest.be/
https://www.facebook.com/desertfestbelgium/
https://www.instagram.com/desertfest_belgium/

Mondo Drag, Through the Hourglass (2023)

Over the last several weeks, the inaugural Desertfest Oslo has piece-by-piece announced the remainder of the lineup for May 10 and 11, and the list is substantial. Wolves in the Throne Room, Weedpecker, Kadabra, Steak, Crippled Black Phoenix, Earth Tongue, Apostle of Solitude, Orsak:Oslo, Margarita Witch Cult, REZN, Bongzilla and Slomosa joined the bill one at a time, broadening the scope exponentially in terms of style from searing black metal thrust to sad post-goth to stoner rock of progressive and willfully unprogressive strains and outright ambience, older and newer bands, and geographical range. It’s kind of stunning how commonplace this standard has become for the Desertfest brand over the last decade-plus.

Tickets for each day are also on sale now — in case, what you want to see Acid King and not REZN? it’s okay, I’m not judging; I know people have lives and things to do — but it’s pretty clear looking at the full roster of who’ll play that Desertfest Oslo 2024 is all-in on the thing. And with Kadavar, Monolord, Crippled Black Phoenix and Eyehategod headlining, they’ll rely on a multifaceted draw from the top down through the entire lineup. This feels both like a festival brand reaching into new territory and new collaborations — which it is, absolutely — and a righteous start to what could become a staple of the Spring touring circuit. Do I really need to go on about Norway’s underground boom? Probably not when a hand-picked selection of those responsible are present below to remind you.

Bottom line here is I look forward to seeing how this unfolds even from a distance, but whatever Desertfest Oslo does in the longer term, this is a monster. Behold:

Finally the day splits are here!

As well as day splits we’ve also made single day tickets available from february 29th.

See you may!

Find single day tickets and festivaltickets here: https://www.ticketmaster.no/artist/desertfest-oslo-billetter/1277694

Full lineup:

Friday:
KADAVAR
Monolord
Wolves In The Throne Room
Acid King
Slomosa
Weedpecker
Håndgemeng
Orsak:Oslo
Kadabra
Earth Tongue
Bismarck
Karavan
Superlynx

Saturday:
CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX
Brant Bjork
EYEHATEGOD
REZN
The Devil And The Almighty Blues
Bongzilla
Full Earth
Margarita Witch Cult
Steak
Agabas
Saint Karloff
Apostle of Solitude
Suncraft

https://www.facebook.com/desertfestoslo
https://www.instagram.com/desertfest_oslo
https://www.desertfest.no/

Slomosa, “Rice”

Like, how stoned do you really think Bongzilla can get at this point? Don’t get me wrong — I know they’re willing to work at it — but after so many years of THC ingestion, be it smoking or edibles or vaping or dabbing or whathaveyou, how does your body still process the weed? Or do Bongzilla just have a line to some kind of magic Wisconsin super-herb that does the trick regardless? Maybe it’s not even about getting high anymore so much as evening out, like they just operate at a higher altitude generally. I don’t know about you, but “Bongzilla talks about weed” sounds like a great interview headline to me. I mean, how many milligrams do you estimate is floating around in their bloodstream at any given time? What’s the over/under?

I don’t think I’ve ever dabbed, but if it’s got Bongzilla‘s endorsement then it can’t be all bad. You’ll recall Heavy Psych Sounds had a few quality live records out in a bunch in 2023, from The Atomic Bitchwax, Duel, Ecstatic Vision, so maybe this is continuing the thread there. If you’re trying to put bodies in venues, reminding listeners how much they love live music while also giving your bands something else to sell on the merch table isn’t the worst way to go.

In any case, the more Bongzilla, the merrier. Bongzilla have a previously-announced Spring return to Europe set to start on April 26 at the Maximum Festival in Italy as they continue to support 2023’s Dab City (review here), which was duly bombed out and as crusty as fried cheese curds. So yes, awesome.

Here’s the news and those dates:

US stoner metal behemoths BONGZILLA to release new live album “Dabbing (LIVE) Rosin In Europe” on Heavy Psych Sounds this March!

Wisconsin’s premium stoner metal dealers BONGZILLA announce the release of their new live album “Dabbing (LIVE) Rosin In Europe” this March 15th, with preorders available now on Heavy Psych Sounds.

Following the 2023 release of their revered sixth album “Dab City” on Heavy Psych Sounds, the kings of weed metal BONGZILLA offer some of their smokiest riffs with their exclusive live album “Dabbing (LIVE) Rosin In Europe”. The album features seven tracks of the highest doom metal order recorded in various cities during their “Dabbing Across Europe & UK Tour” in the spring and summer of 2023. Mixed and mastered by Shane Trimble at Sletner Sound, with assistant mix engineers Justin DiPinto and Andrew Owens. The album will be issued in various vinyl editions, CD and digital on Marchb 22 via Heavy Psych Sounds.

“Dabbing (LIVE) Rosin in Europe”
Out March 22nd on Heavy Psych Sounds

TRACKLIST
1. Sundae Driver – 4:36
2. King of Weed – 5:46
3. Free The Weed – 6:26
4. Greenthumb – 4:06
5. H.P. Keefmaker – 6:40
6. Hippie Stick – 6:06
7. Gestation – 6:06

*** BONGZILLA ***
SPRING EUROPEAN TOUR 2024
FR. 26.04.24 IT ZERO BRANCO – MAXIMUM FESTIVAL
SA. 27.04.24 OPEN SLOT
SU. 28.04.24 HR ZAGREB – MOČVARA
MO. 29.04.24 TR ISTANBUL – DOROCK HEAVY METAL CLUB
TU. 30.04.24 GR ATHENS – ARCH CLUB
WE. 01.05.24 GR THESSALONIKI – BLOCK 33
TH. 02.05.24 OPEN SLOT
FR. 03.05.24 IT BOLZANO – PIPPO STAGE
SA. 04.05.24 IT TRIESTE – HPS FEST ITALY
SU. 05.05.24 IT BOLOGNA – HPS FEST ITALY
MO. 06 05.24 FR CHAMBERY – BRIN DE ZINC
WE. 08.05.24 NL DRACHTEN – IDUNA
TH. 09.05.24 NL HAARLEM – PATRONAAT
FR. 10.05.24 NL EINDHOVEN – CAFE THE JACKS
SA. 11.05.24 NO OSLO – DESERTFEST OSLO
SU. 12.05.24 OPEN SLOT
MO. 13.05.24 DE COLOGNE – MTC
TU. 14.05.24 FR PARIS – GLAZART
WE. 15.05.24 OPEN SLOT
TH. 16.05.24 FR STRASBOURG – LA MAISON BLEUE
FR. 17.05.24 CH DUDINGEN – BAD BONN
SA. 18.05.24 IT BERGAMO – PACI PACIANA

BONGZILLA is
Mike “Muleboy” Makela – Bass / Vocals
Jeff “Spanky” Schultz – Guitars
Mike “Magma” Henry – Drums

https://www.facebook.com/Bongzilla/
https://www.instagram.com/bongzillaband
https://bongzilla.bandcamp.com/
https://bongzilla666.com/

heavypsychsoundsrecords.bandcamp.com
www.heavypsychsounds.com
https://www.facebook.com/HEAVYPSYCHSOUNDS/
https://www.instagram.com/heavypsychsounds_records/

Bongzilla, Dab City (2023)