As the lineup for Høstsabbat 2024 declares itself finished with the addition of Greek heavy forebears Nightstalker — whose series of catalog reissues through Heavy Psych Sounds was announced just last week — and the day splits are unveiled to let attendees know that, indeed, you will in your life be able to witness Träd, Gräs och Stenar and Inter Arma sharing a stage in a showcase of righteous disparity only enhanced by the fact that it’s happening at Kulturkirken Jakob in Oslo, I can’t help but feel somewhat relieved that I can maybe take a break from flagellating myself for missing it. Staring at all the names though, and their sundry evocations in terms of aesthetic, it’s all the more astonishing an assemblage for how much it delivers and how broadly. To have Barren Womb and The Body & Dis Fig on the same bill as Tusmørke and Kosmodome and Monkey3 just tells you how far Høstsabbat has come in its decade-plus and how expansive their reach has gotten. It doesn’t stop there, either.

Day tickets are on sale, if there’s one or the other between the Friday and Saturday that’s shouting at you or, you know, if you have some real-life obligation to account for in part of your weekend, but the arguments for going both days are best made by the completed lineup itself, and that’s right here:

We’re sticking with the Olympian theme from the last artist announcement guys. 🔥

We are sprinkling some Greek spice to our lineup! 🇬🇷

From Mount Olympus to The Chapel stage, please welcome Nightstalker!

Having played together longer than some of us have been alive, these Greek legends now how to rock the stage. Herculean riffs, tight-as-can-be ensemble and lyricism (that’s a word right?) only surpassed by Homer. This gang of rugged, weathered Rock’n’roll half-gods will shake the Church’s pillars so hard that Oslo will get its own Akropolis after. 💥

Nightstalker, like a perfect jigsaw piece, completes our line up, and gives it the golden bowtie we wanted!

This completes our line up, so keep your eyes peeled for a day-split and day-tickets the coming days! 👀

Come the sabbath, we’re all Greek Freaks!

DAY TICKETS

With the completed schedule and lineup ready, we are also dropping some limited day tickets for those unable to attend both days. Get’em while they’re hot!

Friday: https://www.ticketmaster.no/event/753553

Saturday: https://www.ticketmaster.no/event/753559

Festival: https://www.ticketmaster.no/event/hostsabbat-2024-tickets/739279

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Though one is rarely mellow in this regard, it does feel especially self-flagellating to keep harping on how good the lineup for Høstsabbat 2024 is since, for the second year in a row, I can’t be at the fest owing to familial obligation. I know very well that in this day and age, “family first” is the accepted norm, and that it’s just one of those timing things, but that’s precious little comfort when it comes to missing out on seeing the likes of Monkey3, who are one of the pioneers of heavy psychedelic instrumentalism in Europe, for the first time, or Träd, Gräs och Stenar, who are psych-folk legends and probably a once-in-a-lifetime chance (at least for me) to catch.

This is the part where I usually say “alas” and move on with the post, but you’ll forgive me if I’m having an increasingly hard time kissing this up. Aside from enjoying the jaunt to Oslo every October and seeing friends and bands in the church — a special place that plays host to special performances, whether it’s on the altar or in the crypt/basement downstairs — it’s a stellar and broad-ranging edition of Høstsabbat that the team behind the fest has put together, and all the more impressive as they’re now splitting time, one assumes, with assembling a roster for next Spring’s Desertfest Oslo. I don’t go to more fests than I do go to, and so I’m well used to missing out — can’t see everything — but while I spent a goodly portion of this past summer ‘away’ and was at New York’s own Desertfest this past weekend, it’s hard to resist being greedy with a bill like this.

Alas.

Wherever you are in the world, if you’re going to this one, here’s another reason to look forward to it from the fest’s socials:

We are over the moon to be able to present to you the Swiss astronauts, the instrumental space drifters, the extraterrestrials: monkey3!

Hailing from the Olympic city of Lousanne, the sonic cosmonauts are looking to add an Olympic ring to their festival CV, after playing Hellfest, Desertfest, Freak Valley and Roadburn they are now gracing our Church of Riffs in October.

Their psychedelic/space/stonerrock is as captivating as the view of the Swiss alps, and accompanied by their otherworldly flair for visualizers and art, this concert is gonna be absolutely wild!

Each album gives you a new theme or backdrop, and each album guides you through space-time continuum, from slower “floating in space” parts, to the heaviest sun storms of riff-galore.

There is no sound in space, but Monkey3 perfectly captures what we all think it sounds like.

Buckle up and get ready to detach your mind from your earthly body, board our church-like spaceship, cause we’re going to the event horizon together in October!

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Admittedly, what I have to say about Høstsabbat 2024 hasn’t changed all that much since the Oslo-based festival’s last announcement, and that boils down to: the lineup is sick, it’s always a great time, I wish I could go. If you want to skip the rest of my yammering and go straight to the blue text from Høstsabbat‘s socials, you’re not going to hear me tell you you’re wrong.

Four bands this week join the bill, and as the headline above states, it’s Tusmørke, Kosmodome, Häxer and Uma. I’ve seen the first two — caught Tusmørke at Roadburn earlier this year and they were the most fun of anybody while still also being good, and Kosmodome two years ago at Freak Valley and they also ruled; their new album is out Oct. 11 on Stickman — but Häxer and Uma are new to me, which as the announcement itself posits, is a good thing. You need new blood to mix with the old. Otherwise, what’s the point?

I won’t be there to catch them — have I mentioned how fucking bummed out I am not to be going to Høstsabbat this year? sit down, it’ll only take three hours or so — but you might. Høstsabbat is Oct. 25-26, and if you’re not familiar yet, the full bill-thus-far is below. Yeah, it’s cool. Just Inter Arma and Träd, Gräs och Stenar playing the same stage. Definitely the kind of thing you run into all the time. Not a special once-in-a-lifetime happening or anything. Totally pedestrian.

Fucking hell.

Anyway. Hope you skipped all this:

As Høstsabbat is getting closer by the day, preparations are in full swing.

To leave summer behind doesn’t feel that bad at all anymore.

Souls and minds are slowly gearing up for the annual assault of volume, goodtimes, fringes, beers and the needed, deadly amount of murderous, earth shattering rumble.

To welcome you, as the church bells chimes in honor of the Sabbat, we have invited the greenest of wizards, the weirdest of men – our long time acquaintances in Tusmørke.

Even though they are, for us at least, Høstsabbat heavy weights, they haven’t been featured on our festival lineup since 2013. Our very first year.

That’s some occult wizardry for you right there!

To balance these veterans, we obviously need some youngsters. Häxer has been flying high since there debut EP earlier this year, and it’s a no brainer to have their piercing energy transform to Witch Punk before our very eyes.

Another no brainer is the Høstsabbat introduction of Oslo based two-piece UMA. No strangers to any metal head with half a foot in the underground. They have crushed skulls with their progressive, neanderthal sludge for years albeit their young age.

Two guys, massive and intricate, growls and filth.

This time Høstsabbat will be their ritual.

To round up this batch of bands, we are excited to welcome what will probably be one of Norway’s hottest new acts in the coming years. Kosmodome from Bergen managed to score a record deal with the VERY magnificent label Stickman Records, and their label debut will be unleashed just in time for their appearance at Høstsabbat.

Kosmodome floats around in an intriguing sphere of proggy, lush, psych rock with some kind of updated flare to it. It’s almost catchy even.

We’re glad we are invited for ride!

Please welcome these four beautiful bands to our October gathering!

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This post is the first I’ve heard of Law of All, and I note that because it’s the kind of thing I may end up wanting to remember later. The Norwegian up-and-coming fuzz troupe — and who knew Norway would be home to a heavy boom in the 2020s? probably Norway — are among the latest adds from Oslo’s Høstsabbat, and the first impression was striking enough that I’ve included the embed of their EP below along with the festival’s Spotify playlist. There’s a lot to dig about it, and they’re still just part of the announcement.

Morpholith have a new record on the way, which is great news for anybody in need of a good crushing, and Ole Rokseth of SÂVER, Hymn, etc., joins on with the all-lowercase experimental project under aapen himmel, which is sure to be a trip. Rounded out by the doom-worshipping doom of Dread Witch, the latest batch of names for this October’s Høstsabbat emphasizes the character of the fest, the diversification of sound that’s been happening since it’s inception, and this year’s particular drive toward exploring new ideas and sounds while keeping a firm foundation in volume and impact. That church is gonna rumble.

From the old socials:

Time for another batch of artists!

Todays announcement is heavily focused on fresh and exciting acts, set to set the bar for the future afar.

Verkstedet will of course see crazy talent tearing the place apart this year as well. As every year. While some of you were sobbing when Queens of the Stone Age cancelled their Oslo appearance some weeks ago, you can get your grin back.

Law of All is coming.

This band do their rock so vital and fresh, with the perfect dosage of sassy coolness, it´s weird to acknowledge they´re local.

We are stoked to finally have them on the lineup, and show you what the fuzz is all about.

Next up is our first ever band to come visit from Iceland.

The land where everything looks doom, wether you like it or not.

Morpholith has been leading the way in the growing doom scene in Reykjavik for years, and we are dead stoked to se their mammoth wall of sound rattle the Crypt. The first single from their upcoming album «Dystopian Distributions of Mass Produced Narcotics» dropped yesterday.

I guess the title speak for itself.

This will be massive!

UNDER AAPEN HIMMEL is probably unknown to most of you.

This is the brand new project of Oslo-based musician Ole Ulvik Rokseth.

His fingers has been involved in countless projects over the years and he sure has made an impact on the Oslo underground.

under aapen himmel blends his love for electronics, raw heaviness and experimental gloom to a crisp mixture with a strong signature.

Its all about cherry picking the very best of all elements. making them shine like glowsticks.

Dread Witch – There´s band name you can take notice of right away.

These Danish maniacs will riff the church apart with their exploding chugs, guttural screams, apocalyptic darkness and an otherwordly sense for the delicate extreme.

The Danish way.

We are psyched to bring these guys to Norway for the first time.

Watch out for the next announcement soon – and be sure to secure your ticket.

PS! Festival ticket prices will slightly increase as soon as all our bands for 2024 are unveiled.

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Especially as it’s only been about a month since I was writing about Träden, aka Träd, Gräs och Stenar, I’m a little wistful looking at the latest round of adds to Høstsabbat 2024 knowing I won’t be there to see the show. I’ll confess I’m not familiar with Jaqueline or their 2006 record, Reaping Machines, but at this point I know enough to take the Oslo-based Fall fest at their word and follow their recommendations. I’ve got the album on now because it’s the future and the tradeoff for deregulated capitalist hell is we can do that. I don’t expect digging it will make me any less bummed not to make it to Høstsabbat this year.

Scheduling conflict. It’s my daughter’s birthday that weekend; same deal as last year. Yes, it’s true that the last time I was there I needed knee surgery afterward, but I still love Høstsabbat, Jens and Ole and their ultra-diligent, ultra-creative crew bringing the fest to life. Bringing in Witchthroat Serpent and Barren Womb too emphasizes the stylistic breadth of the fest as they are now — confident, established, ready and able to take risks and united by an idea of heaviness that, at its core, remains likewise amorphous and resonant. I could go on saying nice things about my experiences over the years at Høstsabbat, the bands who play or the people who staff it, the place it happens or the fact that there’s often an empty seat next to me on the flight to or from Oslo, but you get the point and I’m only bumming myself out. If you can get to this one, you should seriously consider doing so.

The Jaqueline record sounds pretty killer, by the way. Of course it does. Mid-aughts moody Scandinavian heavy rock, you say? Don’t mind if I do.

From social media:

It’s great to feel the winds of cold again, making path in our souls for the darker, grimmer, angrier and of course heavy AF acts that will come to our church of riffs in October.

Todays bouquet is as diverse as it is awesome.

The feeling of having Swedish prog legends 𝗧𝗥Ä𝗗, 𝗚𝗥Ä𝗦 𝗢𝗖𝗛 𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗡𝗔𝗥 come to church feels almost unreal (Not the Roxette-song). The original lineup started back in 1969, and the band’s cvlt status can hardly be argued. Joined by guitar-virtuoso Reine Fiske in 2008, the band has revitalized their lineup as age always takes its toll.

What a treat it will be to see this legendary band grace The Chapel stage.

Another absolute highlight is the return to stage for Norwegian monster three piece 𝗝𝗔𝗤𝗨𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗘.

Hardly any band as heavy as these guys have harvested more «sixes on the dice” from our national press. Ever.

Their masterpeice «Reaping Machines» from 2006 is a record as heavy as a ten ton Chevy, and led the way of combining songwriting finesse with pure, jaw dropping heaviness. What an album.

«Reaping Machines» will be performed in its entirety at Høstsabbat.

We Can Not Wait.

𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗖𝗛𝗧𝗛𝗥𝗢𝗔𝗧 𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗣𝗘𝗡𝗧 is the second French band on our lineup this year.

Although showcasing a completely different sound than their fellow countrymen in Ni, they are just as much a perfect fit for Høstsabbat with their ultra slow and heavy riff worship.

This bunch of axemen knows how to tickle your belly with their low end debauchery.

𝗕𝗔𝗥𝗥𝗘𝗡 𝗪𝗢𝗠𝗕. Yes, they are coming back!

Timo and Tony laid completely waste to Verkstedet closing out the festival, when we first introduced the stage in 2019. They have been doing so ever since, and before, for that matter. Barren Womb is one of those bands we should cherish to the bone here in Norway.

They turn every single live show into a chaotic fest of emotion, energy and twisted originality(?). Their blend of hardcore and whatnot is so unique, in its weird catchy way.

How do they get the complexity to feel this accessible?

Come and see for yourself!

Our season is here – the time of the Sabbat.

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Bittersweet for me to be posting about Høstsabbat 2024 this Fall in Oslo, as I know for a fact I won’t be there — friggin’ again — to see it. The weekend of Oct. 25-26 falls on what will be my daughter’s seventh birthday, and, well, she’s old enough now that if I go jetting off to Norway to have my skull caved in by The Body & Dis Fig or to revel in trad-doomly weirdness with Strange Horizon, find new and exciting blisters after experiencing Ni up close, or even just getting to witness Inter Arma in a suitably churchy setting, she’d probably remember it. So it goes. So it went last year, too.

Høstsabbat‘s second lineup announcement for this year emphasizes the creative growth that’s led to a blossoming stylistic reach for the festival over the last several years, mirrored by their expansion into other venues around the central Kulturkirken Jacob — you’ll note Verkstedet Bar mentioned below. I doubt the two-dayer has completely emptied its sleeve of tricks lined up for this October, either, so keep an eye out. I’ll do the same, though I’ve heard a couple other names bandied about — not gonna give anything away, no — and it will be an emotional labor on my part. Life, huh?

From social media. I love the line about Disney princesses in Crocs:

Sabbathians!

The Norwegian summer gives us no choice but to look ahead to the dark and gloomy Octobers, filled with crushing sludge, aggressive noise, groovy jams and fuzzthrone-galore.

To shed some light through the heavy and gloomy weather, and as a mid-summer gift to you, we’re psyched to present the next batch of bands to join this years lineup.

The genres vary a lot, but all bands fit the Høstsabbat staple perfectly, like crocs on a disney-princess’ feet.

Hardcore? Sure. Aggressive experimental noise? Absolutely. Norwegian black metal? Hell yes. 80’s witchery doom? Count us in!

Bubblewrap your head to survive the crushing, nightmarish wall of sound that is The Body & Dis Fig (US). Danish hardcore with masterfull penmanship, extreme energy and aggressive style from EYES (DK). Absolute systematic chaos from the french ear-abusive butchers of sound Ni (FR). Dense, desolate and sorrowful black metal from one of the most promising acts from the ever growing Norwegian forest of black metal, SYN (NO).

And lastly, from beyond the mountains, comes the conjurers of 80s doom magic, ghost stories and riff-wizards: Strange Horizon (NO).

This wicked, twisted and occult bouquet of bands join our already phenomenal lineup.

This year’s Høstsabbat is gonna be loud, grim and diabolical.

We can’t wait for us all to regroup and meet in the Church of Riffs, the Crypt and Verkstedet Bar late October.

Get your tickets now at our revamped website!

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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🤝

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Høstsabbat Spotify Playlist