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)

The stoned wanderings of Wisconsin crust-sludge trail-and-whatever-else-you-got-blazers Bongzilla will lead the three-piece abroad once again this coming Spring. They go in support of 2023’s Dab City (review here) and in glorious pursuit of new heights of consciousness and probably trying not to forget stuff along the way. They spent most of this year on the road through the US, hitting both coasts — you’ll recall ‘Dabbing Westward,’ which was incredibly, incredibly clever — and points between, but also did a huge UK/Euro run.

Heading back to Europe is fair game for the kingpins, who’ll start at the Go Down Records-affiliated Maximum Festival before appearing at both Heavy Psych Fests in Italy, heading north for Desertfest Oslo, and looping back down through Germany and France. There are a couple dates to fill, and though I was a little surprised not to see the tour go through Desertfest London and to end before Desertfest Berlin happens, looking back, they were in Berlin on the 2023 tour and they played London in 2022. After that, the inaugural Oslo edition seems like a good way to go in making the rounds, out-stonering the universe as they will.

The poster rules and of course the tour was put together by Heavy Psych Sounds, who sent this down the PR wire:

*** BONGZILLA – Spring European Tour 2024 ***

– the Weedsconsin riffers are back in Europe –

We are stoked to announce that our weed metal wizards BONGZILLA will tour Europe in 2024 !!!

!! STILL FEW OPEN SLOTS !!

*** 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)

Okeydokey, what do we learn here? Bongzilla will be in Europe this Spring, and Mondo Generator will be out to follow up on Nick Oliveri‘s winter solo tour, and Kadabra will go supporting their most excellent 2023 outing, Umbra (review here), though that was already apparent from the first Desertfest London announce. Along with MR.BISON, the esteemed Ufomammut — who’ll have a new LP out sometime in 2024, allegedly — Greek mainstays Nightstalker and upstarts 1782, speedrockers Tankzilla and punkers The Clamps, that’s the bill as it stands that will swap acts back and forth across two nights in Bologna and Trieste next May for Heavy Psych Sounds Fest Italy 2024.

This is not the end of the announcements, of course, but it’s a rousing start as the Italian label and booking agency continues to branch out to new places. You’ll note Trieste is home for Rocket Panda Management, who are involved here and also behind the StonerKras Fest that’s taken place the last couple of years later in the summer. I assume that’s still happening too, and will do so until I hear or see otherwise.

I don’t have numbers on the site’s readership in Bologna or Trieste, but I think these things are relevant anyway exactly because of the above: they show you who’s going to be where when. And it gives me an excuse to post the Kadabra record again. Double-win.

From the PR wire:

Heavy Psych Sounds to announce HEAVY PSYCH SOUNDS FEST ITALY 2024 Bologna & Trieste – TICKETS PRESALE + FIRST BANDS !!!

Heavy Psych Sounds Records & Booking will smash Bologna and for the first time Trieste with their highly acclaimed mini festival-series, the HEAVY PSYCH SOUNDS FEST!

In cooperation with Freakout Club and Rocket Panda Management, today Heavy Psych Sounds has announced the first confirmed bands + TICKETS PRESALE for the upcoming HEAVY PSYCH SOUNDS FEST ITALY 2024 !!!

The HPS Fest Italy will be taking place 3rd and 4th of May at the Teatro Miela in Trieste and 4th and 5th of May at the TPO Club in Bologna !!!

HEAVY PSYCH SOUNDS FEST ITALY 2024 – BOLOGNA & TRIESTE

@ TPO, Bologna // 4th and 5th May 2024

@ Teatro Miela, Trieste // 3rd and 4th May 2024

feat.
BONGZILLA
MONDO GENERATOR
UFOMAMMUT
NIGHTSTALKER
1782
KADABRA
MR. BISON
TANKZILLA
THE CLAMPS
+ more TBA

BOLOGNA WEEKEND TICKETS:
https://www.freakoutbologna.com/hps

TRIESTE WEEKEND TICKETS:
https://www.miela.it/spettacoli/heavy-psych-sounds-fest-italy-2024/

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

Mondo Generator, We Stand Against You (2023)

Kadabra, Umbra (2023)