A strong lineup for Descendants of Crom VIII is nothing new. The annual Pittsburgh-based celebration of underground heavy returns this Sept. 11-12 with 14 acts playing at Thunderbird Music Hall, including Tombs and Novembers Doom headlining, a rare appearance from The Midnight Ghost Train and Gozu coming down from Boston to support their new album, among others.

I’m pretty sure this is the complete bill, as it’s basically in line with last year’s edition, but some shuffling may take place between now and September, you never know. I’ve never had the pleasure of hitting this one — Pittsburgh is like a six-hour drive, minimum, and that’s apparently just far enough to be really far — but it’s always cool to see who’s going to be there, and this looks like a cool mix of styles, geographies, and levels of intensity.

Behold:

Blackseed Services and Thunderbird presents: Descendants of Crom VII

Saturday, September 11 and 12th, 2026
Thunderbird Music Hall
4053 Butler Street, Pittsburgh, PA

For nearly a decade, Descendants of Crom has brought together fans and artists from across the heavy underground for a weekend dedicated to doom, sludge, psych, black metal, post-metal, and the darker edges of heavy music.

Founded out of a passion for discovering and supporting original heavy music, Descendants of Crom has continually sought to bring both revered underground artists and emerging voices to Pittsburgh while helping foster a thriving regional heavy music community.

FRIDAY – SEPTEMBER 11
TOMBS
FRAYLE
WITCHING
BRIMSTONE COVEN
SUNDRAS

SATURDAY – SEPTEMBER 12
NOVEMBERS DOOM
THE MIDNIGHT GHOST TRAIN
HUNTSMEN
NIXIL
GOZU
MOTHERLESS
IRONFLAME
FALSE GODS
THE LONG HUNT

AGE RESTRICTION: All Ages

Weekend Passes Available Here!
https://thunderbirdmusichall.com/event/descendants-of-crom-vii-weekend-passes/thunderbird-cafe-music-hall/pittsburgh-pennsylvania/

Single Day Passes are also made available on Thunderbird’s Site.

Built through a DIY spirit and presented with a professional approach, Descendants of Crom has become a destination for those who value authenticity, atmosphere, and the shared experience of underground music.

Descendants of Crom VIII returns to Thunderbird Café & Music Hall on September 11 & 12, 2026 for two days of immersive atmosphere, crushing volume, and unforgettable performances.

https://descendants-of-crom.com
https://www.blackseedservices.com/
https://www.instagram.com/descendantsofcrom/
https://www.youtube.com/@descendantsofcrom4348
https://www.facebook.com/blackseedservices

Gozu, VI (2026)

Set for Sept. 26-27 in Pittsburgh, PA, Descendants of Crom VII runs a gamut from dark-arts-heavy to loyalist doom metal, scathing fuckall sludge and then some. From Ringworm and Crypt Sermon and the classic-style radness of Valkyrie to new adds Fog Giant and the horns-up Olathia, it’s a span of styles that speaks the to progression of the festival’s curation over the years. Thunderbird Café and Music Hall is hosting the two-dayer, and of course is once again helmed by Shy Kennedy of Blackseed Services, whose band Funerals (they used to be Horehound) are also on the bill.

I don’t know if anyone seeing this will get there or not, like in a just-read-this-post-then-bought-a-ticket sense, but it’s a universe of infinite possibility, and generally speaking, isn’t your day made better knowing something cool is happening whether or not you’ll get to see it? I think that’s why I might still be doing this after so long. OMG we had a breakthrough just now, you guys.

From the PR wire:

DESCENDANTS OF CROM VII – September 26 & 27 – Pittsburgh, PA

An annual gathering of the heavy underground

Tickets: https://www.etix.com/ticket/k/18115925/descendants-of-crom-vii-weekend-warrior-pass-early-crow-pittsburgh-thunderbird-caf%C3%A9-music-hall

The underground rises once again. Descendants of Crom VII returns to Thunderbird Café & Music Hall on September 26–27, 2025, bringing two nights of genre-defying heavy music, collaborative creativity, and the raw energy of Pittsburgh’s thriving DIY spirit. Now in its seventh year, DOC continues to grow in scope and reputation, while staying fiercely committed to underground authenticity.

Presented by Blackseed Services in collaboration with Thunderbird Café, this year’s festival features an unmissable lineup, including sludge juggernauts BLACK TUSK, the epic intensity of VALKYRIE, doom torchbearers CRYPT SERMON, and Cleveland hardcore legends RINGWORM. Supporting acts span a range of sonic extremes: FISTULA, CHERUBS, SATHANAS, WEED DEMON, REBREATHER, EDHOCHULI, OLATHIA, FUNERALS (formerly Horehound), BROWN ANGEL, RIPARIAN, FOG GIANT, and PASSING BELL.

DOC isn’t just a lineup—it’s an experience. From custom-brewed beer and small-batch hot sauce collabs to themed vendor offerings and exclusive merch, the weekend celebrates the underground in all its forms. Blackseed Services has spent over a decade cultivating Pittsburgh’s heavy music culture by consistently showcasing unique artists — many of whom fans wouldn’t otherwise get to see locally—while lifting up the city’s own talent.

With a focus on genre inclusiveness, artist integrity, and authentic community building, DOC is where longtime followers of the riff meet new initiates. Fans come for a favorite band and leave with a deeper connection to a movement — and often, a few new obsessions.

http://descendantsofcrom.com
https://www.instagram.com/descendantsofcrom/
https://www.facebook.com/DescendantsOfCrom/

Olathia, The Forest Witch (2023)

Fog Giant, Fog Giant (2021)

With more reportedly on the way, the Pittsburgh-based dark arts heavyfest Descendants of Crom has announced the first round of acts for its seventh — or VIIth, if you prefer — edition this September. Set to take place over two days, Sept. 26-27, at Thunderbird Music Hall, the festival continues its strong run of doom, metal and sludge with this year’s lineup from the rank pill-popped Midwestern apathy of Fistula to Crypt Sermon‘s trad-metal standard-bearing, Black Tusk‘s progressive take on Southern heavy and Valkyrie‘s pastoral, modernized classic rock, and much more besides.

It hadn’t occurred to me until I was grabbing the embed at the bottom of this post, but fest-staples Rebreather — I need to buy a new Rebreather shirt because my last one got a hole in the side and I don’t want to be without one — are four years removed from their killer comebacker The Line, its Width and the War Drone (review here), and I can’t help but be curious if the sludge-rooted Ohio outfit will have anything new in the works. Time for some social media digging? Yeah, maybe after I put that shirt in my Bandcamp cart.

Much continued respect to Descendants of Crom VII headed into its seventh year. I’ve never been — it’s traditionally right around the weekend of my wedding anniversary, Sept. 28 — but it’s always cool to see who’ll be there and to keep up as the fest has expanded its palette and grown into the warrior you see before you on the poster. Killer.

Dig:

DESCENDANTS OF CROM VII – September 26 & 27 – Pittsburgh, PA

Tickets: https://www.etix.com/ticket/k/18115925/descendants-of-crom-vii-weekend-warrior-pass-early-crow-pittsburgh-thunderbird-caf%C3%A9-music-hall

The forge is burning hot—it’s time to reveal the first wave of bands confirmed for this year’s gathering of the underground faithful. DOC VII returns with two days of heavy music, diverse in sound and tone, never compromising on originality or quality.

2025 LINEUP (SO FAR):
Black Tusk • Valkyrie • Crypt Sermon • Ringworm • Cherubs • Fistula • Rebreather • Weed Demon • Edhochuli • Brown Angel • Funerals • Riparian • Sathanas • Passing Bell

…and more to come, including our co-headliners, regional support, vendors, and sponsors.

EARLY CROW “WEEKEND WARRIOR” PASSES ON SALE NOW:
Very limited—only 50 available
Available through July 4 or until sold out
–After that: regular advance single-day & weekend passes launch

No band submissions please, but vendors and sponsors can still reach out to Blackseed Services.

Come join our celebration this year, after all… We Are All Descendants of Crom ⚔️

EARLY CROW WEEKEND WARRIOR $50, 50 tickets available

Advance single day and weekend pass tickets will be available after the Early Crow options are gone or on July 4th.

21+ w/ID

http://descendantsofcrom.com
https://www.instagram.com/descendantsofcrom/
https://www.facebook.com/DescendantsOfCrom/

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

Pittsburgh-based underground festival Descendants of Crom has announced its first annual rRitual showcase for April 5. The night will feature six acts — three locals, three out-of-towners — and will get a still-probably-gonna-finish-late early start at 7:30.

If you saw that post a little over a week ago about the Temptress and Thunderchief tour, yeah, this is a stop on it and an occasion for the tour itself. The darkly progressive Axioma from Cleveland are the third import outfit, while the hometeam will be represented by Funerals, with former members of Horehound, as well as Altar and the Bull and Gloom Doom.

Yes, I realize this is next week. No, I’m not necessarily thinking everyone who sees this is going to drop whatever they’re doing and fly to Western PA next weekend. But maybe you are going there, or maybe someone you know is, or maybe you haven’t heard these bands before and it’s a name to chase down next time you’re bored. I don’t know, but it’s a thing that’s happening and apparently the intent is to make it an annual event to complement Descendants of Crom, which is Blackseed Services‘ prior-established festival offering. This may then be the first  — I can’t help but roll the ‘r’ — rRitual of many to come.

Maybe I’m just happy I get to spend my days sitting at the computer listening to music and writing about it and so something like this comes along and I’m like “Oh so that wasn’t a spelling mistake in that Thunderchief post” and then one post leads to another leads to another and all of a sudden it’s been like 16 years and here you are. I had a friend send me a letter the other day. He signed it, “keep writing.” Shit, man. I can’t seem to stop.

If you do go, I hope it’s a blast. Here’s the info, ticket link and such:

rRitual: First Annual Descendants of Crom Showcase

Ticket link: https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/blackseed-services/rRITUAL

Presented by Blackseed Services, this special event will be an annual showcase mixer, focusing on the darker, atmospheric styles. Doom/Stoner/Sludge/Blackened.

Featuring:
Temptress (NC/TX)
Thunderchief (Richmond)
Axioma (Cleveland)
with local support:
Funerals
Altar and the Bull
Gloom Doom

Event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/2829481017232579

21+w/ID
Doors 7 | Music Starts 7:30 Promptly
$15 Advanced Online
$20 Day of/Door (cash)

descendants-of-crom.com
blackseedservices.com

Temptress, See (2023)

Axioma, Live Totality (2024)

I mean, yeah, Descendants of Crom VI had me at Stinking Lizaveta. Of course. But they also had me at Faerie Ring, Blessed Black, Slow Wake, The Long Hunt and Rebreather, for whatever that’s worth. The Pittsburgh-based Descendants of Crom fest has always done well in pulling not only from the local underground, which remains vital, but from the Midwest too, and you can see that consistency in the lineup announcement below. With a half-day Friday and a full Saturday of bands, it’s a manageable, not-overwhelming amount of stuff; doesn’t seem unreasonable to think you could go, see all of it, and not regret doing so when it’s over. I’ve never been, but I’ve always wanted to.

The all-important ticket link, plus info and whatnot follow here, as yoinked off the event page on social media:

Event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1209744396891366

Ticket link: https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/blackseed-services/docvi

ATTENTION: Early Crow ticket pricing is available until 8/29.

8/30 tickets will increase so commit soon!

Pittsburgh’s heavy underground music scene is about to get a massive boost with the return of Descendants of Crom VI, set to take place at the Shred Shed in Allentown. This year’s festival promises a lineup that will shake the foundations with a mix of sludge, doom, psych, noise, hardcore, and post-metal, featuring both local and regional artists.

*Friday Night (7 PM Doors / 8 PM Start):
Sundras
Blessed Black (Cinci)
Faerie Ring (Indy)
Stinking Lizaveta (Philly)

*Saturday (2 PM Doors / 2:30 PM Start):
Mires
Slow Wake (Cleveland)
Star Viper
The Long Hunt
Pillärs (Cleveland)
FUNERALS
Axioma (Cleveland)
Úzkost
Passover
Rebreather (Youngstown)
Spotlights (BKNY/Pgh)

In addition to the incredible lineup, descendant-goers can look forward to beverages, food from Onion Maiden, and a variety of vendors. DOC VI is all-ages and an all-inclusive experience. Everyone is welcome to enjoy the regional heavy underground sounds and what the incredible Pittsburgh community has to offer, here.

Tickets are available now. Get yours and stay tuned for more news and updates as we get closer to the event. Don’t miss your chance to be part of this epic celebration of heavy, heavy music.

https://www.facebook.com/DescendantsOfCrom/
www.instagram.com/descendantsofcrom/
http://descendantsofcrom.com

Stinking Lizaveta, live at ElectricLatteLand 2023

Nearly two years ago, Descendants of Crom IV did a full unveiling of its lineup for a fest set to take place that October. You know the story from there. That’s the bad news. Good news is that many of the acts announced for that lineup are carrying over to this one. And as that includes the likes of Rebreather, Heavy Temple, Horseburner, Horehound (yeah that’s right; I know it’s her festival; I actually think her band is good), Orodruin and Evoken, the news is even better. The roster of acts was announced the other day, but the schedule is new info — I happen to be somebody who appreciates a good timetable — and tickets are on sale as of right… now.

Hey, you know what? You go right ahead and you have yourself a great day. Maybe that means buying tickets for a thing? Don’t you kind of want to get it all in as quickly as possible before the next variant hits and we’re huddled down again, desperately hoping Costco has the Scott back in stock while trying not to breathe or to inhale from the side of our mouth that that person is standing way too close on? I do. Spend that fucking money.

From the ticket page:

DESCENDANTS OF CROM IV

A GATHERING OF THE HEAVY UNDERGROUND

Tickets: https://www.eventcreate.com/e/dociv

Event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/437759083832580

The fourth annual Descendants of Crom, A Gathering of the Heavy Underground, will be held again this year in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on both floors of Cattivo Nightclub. The events begin early Friday evening and are followed by an all-dayer Saturday.

The underground scene of heavy music is healthy and Pittsburgh is the perfect location to host such an event. We’re feeding great regional bands to a hungry crowd and utilizing legendary, international fan-favorites to entice music fans in the door with the support of our amazing local artists. Descendants of Crom began in 2017 and has been a strong contender among other established underground music festivals. We aspire to become the premier music event of the Northeast and I invite you to become part of the 2022 event! After all, we are all Descendants of Crom.

This event is 21+, ID Required
Your commitment now helps us prepare better so, mark your calendars and get your tickets today!

LOCATION
Cattivo
146 44th St, Pittsburgh, PA 15201

DATE & TIME
June 3, 2022, 6:30 PM – June 4, 2022 – 11:30 PM

SCHEDULE

6:30 PM
FRIDAY, JUNE 3
Makeshift Urn 7:00 PM
Pillars 7:45 PM
Heavy Temple 8:30 PM
Howling Giant 9:15 PM
Rebreather 10:00 PM
Orodruin 10:45 PM

4:00 PM
SATURDAY, JUNE 4
We, the Creature 4:30 PM
Quiet Man 5:05 PM
Tel 5:40 PM
The Long Hunt 6:15 PM
Witching 6:50 PM
Ironflame 7:25 PM
Horehound 8:00 PM
Foehammer 8:35 PM
Bridesmaid 9:10 PM
Frayle 9:45 PM
Horseburner 10:20 PM
Evoken 11:00 PM

https://www.eventcreate.com/e/dociv
https://www.facebook.com/DescendantsOfCrom/
www.instagram.com/descendantsofcrom/
http://descendantsofcrom.com

Rebreather, “Drown” (feat. Frayle) official video

The annual Descendants of Crom in Pittsburgh has become a reliable assemblage of heavy, with a lineup diverse in sound woven together by a consistent quality of taste that unites across styles. For evidence of the ongoing nature of this phenomenon, look no further than the first two names on the poster of Descendants of Crom IV — Bongzilla and Ruby the Hatchet. The former, a recongealed stoner-sludge exercise in Midwestern working-class bomber crust, and the latter, a more urbane newschool-via-oldschool heavy rock outfit laced with keys and nigh-on-glam melodicism.

Those differences are stark, but I’ll be damned if both don’t fit well at the top of the bill here, which includes plenty of shouldn’t-be-missed names in the likes of Orodruin, Valley of the Sun, Heavy Temple, Rebreather, Pale Divine, Horehound, Cavern, on and on. I guess I could probably just run down the whole list at that point. It’s a good fest, and more even than last year, you begin to see the sense of curation and the personality of the festival emerge in its blend of styles. It’s not just about more, more, more, in an overwhelming onslaught of bands, but about what each specifically brings to the lineup as a whole. Kudos, as ever, to Shy Kennedy and her crew on a job on its way to being well done.

Here’s the announcement:

DESCENDANTS OF CROM IV – A GATHERING OF THE HEAVY UNDERGROUND

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2nd & SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3rd

CATTIVO NIGHTCLUB – ­­­PITTSBURGH, PA, USA

The fourth annual Descendants of Crom will be held this year again in Pittsburgh on both floors of Cattivo Nightclub. The events begin early Friday evening and are followed by a Saturday all-dayer.

The underground scene of heavy rock and metal here is healthy and thriving and we’re feeding great regional bands to a hungry crowd and utilizing legendary, international fan-favorites to entice music fans in the door with the support of our amazing local artists. Descendants of Crom was planted in 2017 as a little black seed and has been growing and strong contender among other established annual music festivals. We aspire to become the premier music event of the Northeast and invite you to become part of the 2020 event. After all, we are all Descendants of Crom!

This year’s DESCENDANTS are:

Bongzilla, Ruby the Hatchet, Black Tusk, Valley of the Sun, Evoken, Orodruin, Rebreather, Horseburner, Heavy Temple, Horehound, Cavern, Pale Divine, Howling Giant, Ironflame, Cruces, God Root, Zom, The Long Hunt, Makeshift Urn, and We, the Creature.

Schedule and tickets will be on sale Friday, March 6th for single-day as well as two-day passes.

We’re looking for sponsors, vendors, and any entity that supports the heavy underground and all things psych, stoner, doom, sludge, and occult to reach out and be a part of our event and community.

Additionally, in anticipation for this year’s Descendants of Crom, there will be a DOC showcase held at Cattivo on Saturday, March 21st featuring bands that have all been part of the Descendants of Crom history. Urns, The Long Hunt, Horehound, Horesburner (WV), and Ironflame. This showcase is a taster of what sort of musicianship and energy that DOC brings to the stages.

Rritual event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/509381869977026/

https://www.facebook.com/DescendantsOfCrom/
www.instagram.com/descendantsofcrom/
https://www.facebook.com/events/437759083832580/
www.descendantsofcrom.com/Tickets.php
http://descendantsofcrom.com

Ruby the Hatchet, Live in Atlanta, GA, Dec. 5, 2019

The first lineup announcement from Pittsburgh-based Descendants of Crom III is a doozy. The headliners are apparently still to be announced — though would anyone complain if Solace or Valkyrie headlined a night? — but between them and the likes of Irata, Argus, Backwoods Payback and Foghound, it’s already shaping up to be a killer three-dayer this September. Awesome to see Sun Voyager on this bill and the likes of Void King and Fox 45 getting a look. Pale Grey Lore might even have their new record out by then — Solace too, for that matter — but either way, there’s a lot here to dig immediately, and of course for this kind of announcement that’s the whole point.

They’re selling early-bird tickets this month, so you know, get out that calendar and add another one to your already-absolutely-slammed festival schedule. It’s madness, but, you know, the good kind of madness. Here’s hoping the universe doesn’t collapse between now and then.

Thus-far confirmations follow, as per social media:

DESCENDANTS OF CROM III – Announces 2019 Event For Sept. 20-22; Bands Incl. VALKYRIE, BACKWOODS PAYBACK + More!

– A GATHERING OF THE HEAVY UNDERGROUND –
– SEPTEMBER 20-22, 2019 –
– STEEL CITY, USA –

The third annual DESCENDANTS OF CROM will be held once again in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, spanning the weekend of September 20th. The PGH underground scene of heavy rock and metal is healthy and thriving and the location is perfect. Feeding great regional bands to a hungry crowd and serving up internationally legendary fan-favorites to entice music lovers in the door to experience these amazing local artists.

Descendants of Crom came out of the gates running with the first event in 2017, becoming a strong contender among other established regional music festivals. The 2019 events begin on Friday, September 20th, with a Pre-Gala evening at Howlers, followed by two full-day events on Saturday and Sunday at Cattivo.

Shy Kennedy has once again hand-picked and curated a beautiful mixture of acts for Descendants Of Crom III. While a few more updates will complete the lineup for the full schedule of events over the weekend, a most incredible roster of bands is included today. All are invited to become part of the experience at the 2019 Pre-Gala and Weekend Events!

After all, we are all DESCENDANTS OF CROM.

Remember to visit our site www.descendantsofcrom.com and to the official event pages on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/events/216035832675553

Lineup so far:
Solace
Valkyrie
Argus
Irata
Backwoods Payback
Enhailer
Icarus Witch
Brimstone Coven
Foghound
Kingsnake
Sun Voyager
Witchkiss
Leather Lung
Frayle
Tines
Spacelord
Pillärs
PALE GREY LORE
Lightning Born
NIGHT VAPOR
Pyrithe
Riparian
Fox 45
Void King
Official: COMA
Action Camp
White Alice
Old Dream
Motometer

https://www.facebook.com/DescendantsOfCrom/
www.instagram.com/descendantsofcrom/
https://www.facebook.com/events/216035832675553/
www.descendantsofcrom.com/Tickets.php
http://descendantsofcrom.com

Solace, Live at Descendants of Crom 2017