Names, names, names! As the Høstsabbat team is fresh off executing the first-ever Desertfest Oslo last month, perhaps after a week or two of “rest” that was more likely continuing the behind-the-scenes coordination that makes these festivals possible in the first place, Høstsabbat itself has unveiled the first five names of bands who will take part in the annual Oslo-based gathering this October. It’s late this year, Oct. 25-26, which is fair enough as Norway moves inexorably toward the cold and darkness of its ultra-Scandinavian winter without actually tipping over into the can’t-support-life-until-April depths, and this first announcement is headed up by Virginian progressive death metallers Inter Arma, who so far as I can recall have never played Høstsabbat before but whose cross-genre extremity makes them just about the perfect band to feature. I mean really. It’s like why-didn’t-I-think-of-that forehead-slap level appropriate.

SÂVER, who issued their righteous second album, From Ember and Rust (review here), through Pelagic Records late last year and who are also partly aligned in making Høstsabbat, will also make a return appearance, and the doomly Purple Hill Witch, Buskas and Feral Nature round out the first lineup reveal with more to come. Last year, Høstsabbat did announcements one at a time and that made it hard for the likes of me to keep up, but I’ll do my best in 2024, whether I end up grouping bands together or what. We’ll have to see how it goes as more names show up.

But generally speaking, how good a time is Høstsabbat? Well, when last I was there I tore my meniscus and had to have surgery but still retain overwhelmingly positive memories of the weekend, so yes, I feel relatively comfortable recommending it as a way to spend your time. If that requires travel, so much the better.

From social media:

Sabbathians, let’s get this train rollin!🔥

If anyone of you attended Desertfest Oslo a few weeks back, you might have noticed.
If you’ve had a drink, nap, coffee or just snagged a vinyl at any of the institutions supporting our underground in the Oslo area, you might have noticed.
If not – here it is:
The first announcement for this year’s Høstsabbat!

Appropriately, the weather these days is way more reminiscent of an October night outside the church, rather than a BBQ in June – so the timing feels stupidly on point.

The first 5 names from this years lineup is is a batch of talent spanning from veterans to rookies. Proto-doom to modern sludge, synthscapes to the use of silence.

We feel these five bands represent the core ethos of Høstsabbat, and we are dead proud and psyched to go live with them, and aim our headlights towards the festival in the end of October.

Please welcome US-legends INTER ARMA, Norwegian KVLT-band Purple Hill Witch, Atmospheric post-metal crushers SÂVER, duo-demolishers BUSKAS, and buzzing, ultra-energetic riff-mongers Feral Nature!

What a sick bunch of bands!🖤🤘

Further introductions will follow, but we have a feeling this does it for now,
Make sure to get your tickets – they are limited and then some this year🤝

Design by Thomas Moe Ellefsrud / hypnotistdesign

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