Well damn, I guess Desertfest Oslo is going big for year two. And no, I’m not just talking about the dirty distorted longform doom riffing and echoes of Slor‘s debut album, Journey to the Space Temple, released earlier this year. This third announcement not only puts Sweden’s Graveyard at the top of the bill alongside the previously-confirmed Elder and gives the noted Icelandic newcomers a showcase to grab ears and eyes, but brings dudely doom-blues crushers Eagle Twin and Norway’s own Cult Member to the proceedings as well. Four bands, each offering something different from the others. If you’d expect less from Desertfest Oslo because it’s just the sophomore edition, all I can say is that’s Desertfest.

Part of the team behind this one is also responsible for Høstsabbat, held each October in Oslo, and both Graveyard and Eagle Twin have featured there in the past, and I’m pretty sure Cult Member played in 2023 or somewhere thereabouts. This announcement begins a series of weekly reveals for Desertfest Oslo aligned to advent Sundays leading up to the Xmas holiday, so look out for three more to come. I don’t know whether or not that will be the full bill — the fest takes place across three venues, Rockefeller, John Dee and Revolver, so there’s plenty of room — or if there’s more to come in 2025, but I’m curious to find out and not just because I’m hoping to make the trip to be there for this one. As the fest notes below, “May can’t come soon enough.”

For your early-winter blues, daydreams of Spring (though actually I bet Norway’s still chilly in May):

Desertfest Oslo 2025 is gonna be total mayhem, and we welcome Swedish legends, and one of the best live bands there is, Graveyard, to town to sweep us into their lush heaven of brilliant, blues laden, proto rock extraordinaire.

Following them, we almost can’t believe we managed to put Eagle Twin on next years bill!

The heaviest and most influential two piece there is. Eagle Twin will leave you speechless and numb. Jaw-drop guaranteed.

Norwegian north pole hardcore can never go wrong.

The marvelous, ridiculous and mind bending chug-o-rama from Cult Member, will surely put the perfect tongue-in-cheek-grin on everyone’s face. You may need to pack an extra t-shirt for this concert.

May can’t come soon enough.

The last band of today is a band for tomorrow. Slor brings the Dorset-doom to Oslo, with their very own Icelandic twist to their downtuned, bottomless heaviness.

Slor might be a new name for many of you, but we know you’re gonna ramble about them after Desertfest.

Make sure to get your tickets – you don’t wanna miss Desertfest Oslo 2025!

Event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/869859364817843/

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

Slor, Journey to the Space Temple (2024)

Generally speaking, I probably wouldn’t include four media players for a four-band festival lineup announcement, but it seems to me like Høstsabbat in Oslo — which last year destroyed eardrums of many and at least one knee (mine) — is making a point. Adding Green Lung, well on their way to being a Very Big Deal, lets you that the festival is continuing to expand its reach, bring in bigger/emerging names to play on the altar at Kulturkirken Jakob, which is about as perfect a setting for this band in particular as I can think of. Having Alastor from Sweden digs deeper into newer-school stoner doom, heavy and brash in a way that feels consistent with who Høstsabbat are and makes me wonder if the band might, like Green Lung, have a new record in the offing. Something to keep an eye on.

At the same time, Witch Club Satan are raging black metal and Cult Member are hardcore, so some of the experimentalist tinge that Høstsabbat has brought forth in the last couple years is continuing, and perhaps flourishing, in 2023. The fest is adding another venue too, so it seems like maybe it’s becoming a choose-your-adventure kind of affair rather than a swap between stages. I guess that was the case this year too. I missed Astrosaur and will likely be kicking myself for years on that one.

In any case, there’s a lot to dig here and a lot to keep an eye on, and yeah, there’s four Bandcamp players below. The idea is four outfits each offering something different from the others. If you listen, I think you’ll find you agree that’s the case.

Fest announcement follows:

GREEN LUNG // HØSTSABBAT 2023

As you might remember, the fine Brits in Green Lung was supposed to play Høstsabbat in 2020. No need for further reminiscence, right?

Much has happened since then, and such also with Green Lung.

The London Lords of the Underground managed to outshine their wonderfully praised debut, with last years´»Black Harvest», and the tale of the green lungs skyrocketed into an abyss formerly unknown for the four piece. From a very promising up- and coming band, Green Lung were all of a sudden on everyone’s lips, playing every festival there is and constantly expanding their horde of Lungsmen. Much respect and very well deserved.

Stacked with sick riffs and an otherworldly control of their sorcerous craft, Green Lung will put their spell on Oslo for the first time this coming October.

All hail the Green Lung!

WITCH CLUB SATAN – Bloodmother // HØSTSABBAT 2023

One of the most refreshing sensations swirling out of our domestic music scene, is last years´ introduction to a true force of nature; WITCH CLUB SATAN.

These three Witches do something else entirely.

Witch Club Satan is a feminist Black Metal band, shining new, fresh and forward thinking light to the darkest of all genres.

Mentored by Necrobutcher from Mayhem himself, they are combining their theatrical background with a ferocious, yet gentle live mass. The live experience is on a different level all together.

Their music is cold, primal and punishing, their attitude the same.

Witch Club Satan will replenish our church of riffs with elements primarily unseen.

The spell of the Bloodmother is already here.

ALASTOR // HØSTSABBAT 2023

Høstsabbat and Sweden go way back, and this year will be no different.

We take pride and find lots of joy in keeping our eyes peeled on what´s cooking in the east. Their neighbouring influence and talent is outstanding.

Alastor is the first Swedish band to accompany our ten-year anniversary.

Being far from strangers to our community, these guys have been on our radar ever since their 2017-release «Black Magic».

We are stoked to finally welcome the Swedish priests of the occult to church, and not to mention; Norway for the very first time.

Alastor is one of those bands honoring the legacy of Jus & Liz from Dorset in the best possible way. Their stonerdoom is perfectly crafted, with dripping hints of horror, blood and rituals.

Let’s bow to the altar of Alastor.

CULT MEMBER // HØSTSABBAT 2023

The north has its very own qualities in so many different ways. A beautiful vastness in all its encompassing nature. Warm people in a cold climate. Their darkness is real, half of the year at least. But it has to be something in the water too. Northern Norway, and Tromsø in particular, keeps fishing and pushing forward outstanding bands from what seems to be an unlimited sea of talent.

Cult Member are the leaders of this pool, and find themselves in the absolute forefront of the ongoing hardcore attack from up north. They have a live presence as demolishing as their mountains, and they somehow manage to spark their recordings with the same fire.

«Infinite Death» from last year was a definite favorite.

It´s a sick album, delivered with cheery authority, icy chugs and razor sharp musicianship.

It makes you angry, but in the most positive way!

We can not wait for their onslaught at Høstsabbat 2023

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Green Lung, Black Harvest (2021)

Witch Club Satan, “Hysteria” (2022)

Alastor, Onwards and Downwards (2021)

Cult Member on Spotify