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)

This looks so good I’m kind of nervous about it. Monster Magnet and Godflesh join the ranks of the Melvins, Boris and Colour Haze at the forefront of the bill for Desertfest New York 2023 today, with the further additions to the lineup of Brant Bjork, Valley of the Sun, Mantar, Huntsmen, Upper Wilds and Dunes. Insert impressed-whistle here.

I guess what we’re seeing in 2023 is that version of Desertfest New York that was what they were growing toward when the festival held its inaugural edition in 2019. It’s been a long-ass time since I’ve seen Monster Magnet, and the promise of a career-spanning set makes me hope all the more it happens, but I’ll tell you outright that there are precious few acts of any genre who can match the intensity of purpose wrought by Godflesh at their best live. I assume they’ll be doing some amount of touring either a lot or a little as they support their upcoming album, Purge, which is set to release in June (info here), but no question they’ll be a highlight of the fest here, if one among many.

Shit, I still haven’t seen Castle Rat, so there’s A LOT to look forward to here. Interesting that it’s Brant Bjork playing and not Stöner, but I’ll take it for sure. You can read the rest of Desertfest New York‘s announcement below, stunning as it is, hoisted from the PR wire:

Desertfest New York reveals further artists for September event including Monster Magnet, Godflesh, Brant Bjork, Mantar & more

TICKETS ON SALE NOW VIA WWW.DESERTFESTNEWYORK.COM

Leading independent stoner rock, doom, psych & heavy rock festival Desertfest announces eight new artists for their third New York edition this September. Heavy-rock legends MONSTER MAGNET make their headline return to the event, following their unfortunate 2022 cancellation. The New Jersey space rockers will join the festival for a long-awaited celebratory set, spanning their entire 30-year catalogue.

British industrial icons GODFLESH join proceedings for a rare New York performance, with Justin Broadrick at the helm GODFLESH will undoubtedly shake the Knockdown Center to its very core. If there was one set to add to your “do not miss” list for DF NYC, it’s this one.

Desert-hero BRANT BJORK rolls into the weekend to bring the very best in sun-soaked California stoner vibes. Whilst German sludge-punk duo MANTAR will offer up an ear-shattering live performance with their first New York appearance since 2016.

Elsewhere, the festival welcomes the groove of VALLEY OF THE SUN, genre-bending storytellers HUNTSMEN, psychedelic locals UPPER WILDS & U.K. based stoner rock outfit DUNES to the bill.

The globally renowned event will return to the unique space of the Knockdown Center in Queens, alongside an exclusive pre-party at heavy metal institution, Saint Vitus Bar from 14th to 16th September 2023. 3-day passes (incl. Saint Vitus pre-party) are SOLD OUT with limited 2-Day passes still available.

With more to be announced, including day splits & day tickets in early June, Desertfest is the biggest celebration of underground heavy music that the East-Coast has to offer.

3-day passes (incl. access to Saint Vitus Pre-Party) & 2-day passes (Knockdown Center only) are on sale NOW via the following link – https://link.dice.fm/Desertfest_NewYork

Full Line-Up
Saint Vitus – Sept 14th | Knockdown Center Sept 15th & 16th 2023

Melvins | Monster Magnet | Boris | Godflesh | Colour Haze | Truckfighters | Brant Bjork | 1000Mods | Mantar | White Hills | Lo-Pan | Duel | R.I.P | Valley of The Sun | Ecstatic Vision | Heavy Temple | Huntsmen | Clouds Taste Satanic | Mick’s Jaguar | Castle Rat | Grave Bathers | Spellbook | Upper Wilds | Dunes

https://facebook.com/Desertfestnyc/
https://www.instagram.com/desertfest_nyc/
http://www.desertfestnewyork.com

Monster Magnet, Live in Berlin, Jan. 20, 2020

Scorched Tundra XII will be held in Chicago on Sept. 1-3, and its three-night duration looks admirably not-totally-overwhelming, bigger on quality than filler and seems to use its time well in tapping the Myopia collaboration between Thou and Mizmor that made its debut at Roadburn for a first-time-in-the-US set headlining the final night. I’m starting to get annoyed that I haven’t seen REZN yet and Monolord put out their second best-album-of-their-career-so-far in a row last year, so yes, now would be a good time to catch them as well. Oh and whoever Earthless are, I’m sure they’re fine too.

That’s a joke of course. Someone on social media called it a request for Dorthia Cottrell and Monolord — who are touring together — to collaborate and I’ve had trouble getting the idea out of my head since then. Just about no way that wouldn’t be worth hearing. Let them cover Nina Simone or something. Or maybe have her sit in on “Your Time to Shine” if you want to keep it simple. Make an album if you don’t.

Good times in Chicago:

SCORCHED TUNDRA XII TICKETS ON SALE: FEATURING MONOLORD, EARTHLESS, THOU + MIZMOR COLLAB SET, REZN & MORE (9/1 – 9/3)

Tickets: https://scorchedtundra.com/scorched-tundra-xii-tickets-on-sale-featuring-monolord-earthless-thou-mizmor-collab-set-rezn-more-9-1-9-3/

Tickets are now on sale for Scorched Tundra XII taking place on Thursday 9/1, Friday 9/2 and Saturday 9/3/22 at The Empty Bottle in Chicago. ST XII features newcomers and veterans of the festival, a number of first plays in the market, a North American debut, and a return to the three day format.

Thursday September 1st:
Monolord
Earthless
Dorthia Cottrell (Windhand)

Friday September 2nd:
REZN
Thou
Friendship Commanders
Huntsmen

Saturday September 3rd:
Thou + Mizmor Collaboration Set
Mizmor
Ready For Death
DJ Heather Gabel (Hide)

“Collaboration has driven the development, articulation and curation of this event series over the last ten years and twelve editions,” states organizer Alexi D. Front. “Putting collaboration at the forefront is not only my way of sharing one of the most exciting convergences of talent in heavy music, but also nods to those who have stood by and supported Scorched Tundra over the last two years. This lineup is focused and charts a new course for the curation of this intimate event series.”

We anticipate tickets moving fast, so plan accordingly.

This year’s Scorched Tundra Poster was created by Bryn Gleason.

More details about beverage and food collaborations will be revealed as the festival draws nearer.

https://www.facebook.com/ScorchedTundra/
https://www.instagram.com/scorchedtundra/
http://scorchedtundra.com

Thou & Mizmor, Myopia (2022)

Monolord, Your Time to Shine (2021)

I guess we could go on and on about badass festival lineups — and in a way, it feels very, very good to even think that’s true — but you’ll pardon me if I sort of bow under the spectacle here and just say I’m glad Warhorse are getting another chance to go to Roadburn after 2020 falling apart, and that Tau and the Drones of Praise will play. The latter not the least because it gives me an excuse to revisit their set from earlier this year at Roadburn Redux in putting this post together. I hope they play right before the devastating LLNN, but either way, it’s great that along with the huger acts like Lingua Ignota, Emma Ruth Rundle, Russian Circles, and so on, Roadburn remains committed to forward-thinking artists of such various stripes. See also Oslo Tapes playing the Pelagic showcase with Årabrot headlining.

I don’t know if I’ll get to go to Roadburn next year. The fest would be well within its rights to nix the Weirdo Canyon Dispatch ‘zine after so long and adverse circumstances, and it’s not like they need my review or photos badly enough to warrant having me there, but whatever happens, I love this festival, support its growth and direction, and I always will for as long as it goes. No one knows at this point what April 2022 is going to look like. I’m happy to proceed into the fest’s last announcement of 2021 with some sense of optimism, even if I need to force that a bit.

From the PR wire:

New additions to Roadburn 2022 including second Artist In Residence and label showcase

Roadburn has today announced another 17 artists for the 2022 edition of the festival, which will take place between April 21-24 in Tilburg, The Netherlands.

Artistic Director, Walter Hoeijmakers, comments:

“With our last announcement before the end of 2021, we are super proud to have Pelagic involved again in Roadburn after their virtual Redux showcase earlier this year. And we know SLIFT will broaden our psychedelic horizons with three shows as artist-in-residence. Further, we offer this announcement in hope that 2022 will see a full return to international touring for festivals and club shows and we can all be together and celebrate in April. We wish you the happiest of seasons and hope you’re looking forward to Roadburn Festival 2022 as much as we are. Thank you for your continued support, faith and trust.”

French psych trio, SLIFT, have been announced as the second Artist in Residence for the 2022 edition (joining Full of Hell who were announced earlier this year). The band will perform three times over the course of the festival, including a collaborative performance with pioneering French musician, Etienne Jaumet (Zombie Zombie).

Pelagic Records will host a label showcase at the festival highlighting the diverse array of talent found on their roster. The showcase will climax with three interconnected performances courtesy of Lustmord, Lustmord and Karin Park performing cuts from their collaborative album, Alter, and finishing off with Årabrot. The showcase will also feature Year Of No Light, LLNN performing Unmaker, new signings Bruit≤, Oslo Tapes and a solo set from Karin Park.

Psych-heads rejoice – Die Wilde Jagd will perform at Roadburn, following two awe inspiring live performances at Roadburn Redux earlier this year. TAU & the Drones of Praise will also reprise their Redux appearance and make their way to Tilburg for an in-person performance.

Hangman’s Chair will complement their already-announced album set with a collaboration with Regarde Les Hommes Tomber. Originally commissioned by Red Bull and performed only once to date; the two bands have written additional material to extend the performance further into the reaches of their collective imaginations.

Originally scheduled to perform in 2020 Warhorse will finally perform at Roadburn 2022. Huntsmen will kick off their first trip to Europe with a special performance at Roadburn where they’ll play their 2018 album, American Scrap, in full.

London’s Five The Hierophant will make their Roadburn debut, as well as performing a collaborative piece with Wyatt E. and MC Slice titled Atonia.

These artists are added to a line up that already features Ulver, Lingua Ignota, Liturgy, Emma Ruth Rundle, Russian Circles, 40 Watt Sun, Backwash and many more. Click here to view the full line up and below to read more on these newly announced artists.

ÅRABROT
ATONIA: A COLLABORATION BETWEEN WYATT E., FIVE THE HIEROPHANT & MC SLICE
BRUIT ≤,
DIE WILDE JAGD
FIVE THE HIEROPHANT
HANGMAN’S CHAIR X REGARDE LES HOMMES TOMBER
HUNTSMEN
KARIN PARK
LLNN
LUSTMORD
OSLO TAPES
SLIFT (ARTIST IN RESIDENCE)
TAU & THE DRONES OF PRAISE
URAL UMBO
WARHORSE
YEAR OF NO LIGHT
ZETRA

Weekend tickets, and Friday and Saturday day tickets are sold out. Thursday and Sunday day tickets remain in limited numbers. Tickets and accommodation options are available to view via ticketmaster.nl

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https://www.facebook.com/roadburnfestival/
http://www.instagram.com/roadburnfest
http://www.roadburn.com

Tau and the Drones of Praise, ‘Dream Awake’ live stream for Roadburn Redux

Slift, “Lions, Tigers & Bears” live video

Tickets are on sale as of today for Desertfest Berlin 2022, which will be headlined by Electric Wizard, Kadavar playing a hometown show and Witchcraft. The rest of the lineup is a thrilling combination of mainstays — which somehow feels extra comforting — and upstarts, plus Stöner, who are kind of both, I guess, being a new band but with Brant Bjork and Nick Oliveri at the helm thereof. You’ll note Lowrider and Orange Goblin — the latter celebrating their 25th anniversary, delayed of course — and Elder and Ufomammut (debuting their new lineup), 1000mods and Truckfighters and My Sleeping Karma. Could hardly get more Desertfest than that. Like a reaffirmation of the festival’s core mission. Plus YOB, for extra life-giving vibes.

And with those, you get acts like Slomosa, Slift, Polymoon and Villagers of Ioannina City, underground celebrants like Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs and Samavayo and Dhidalah and MaidaVale and 24/7 Diva Heaven as well as Love Machine, Los Bitchos and Huntsmen. There’s reportedly more to come — and by that I mean that’s what it says on the poster below — but for real, if this was the four days, I can’t imagine wanting to see any less than all of it.

Announcement follows as per the PR wire:

Desertfest Berlin – 26-29 May 2022

www.desertfest.de

LINEUP:
Electric Wizard
Kadavar
Witchcraft
Orange Goblin
YOB
Truckfighters
Elder
1000mods
My Sleeping Karma
Ufomammut
Stöner
Lowrider
Villagers of Ioannina City
SLIFT
MaidaVale
24/7 Diva Heaven
Samavayo
Slomosa
Los Bitchos
PigsPigsPigsPigsPigsPigsPigs
Dhidalah
Polymoon
Enigma Experience
Huntsmen
Love Machine

+ more to be announced

After two years without our beloved Desertfest happening, we need you more than ever. We can’t wait to see you all again to party, have some drinks and enjoy the finest of stoner, psychedelic, doom and heavy rock music!

Thank you so much for your continuous support and for holding on to your tickets. We want to give a little something back to you…

Existing weekend passes (3-days tickets) from 2020 will remain valid for the full 4 days in 2022 automatically. Yes, you will be granted access to ONE MORE FESTIVAL DAY ON TOP, FOR FREE!

We hope you’ll understand that there are logistical changes to the original 2020 line-up. Due to these challenges, existing 2020 single day ticket holders will be refunded for their chosen day. More info about our ticket-policy: www.desertfest.de/information

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www.desertfest.de
www.facebook.com/DesertfestBerlin
www.instagram.com/desertfest_berlin

Desertfest Berlin 2019 official aftermovie

Desertfest New York 2020 has made its first lineup announcement, with Corrosion of Conformity, Stoned Jesus, Bongzilla, Dead Meadow, Conan, Crypt Trip, Yatra, Toke, Leather Lung, R.I.P., Huntsmen, High Reeper and The Atomic Bitchwax confirmed. That’s a first North American appearance for Stoned Jesus, and I’ll be honest, I was gonna show up anyway after being there for the inaugural Desertfest NYC this past Spring, but even if I wasn’t, that would be enough to get me on board. Throwing in C.O.C., Dead Meadow, Conan and The Atomic Bitchwax, along with Bongzilla and, well, everybody, is a righteous bonus. One way or another, you got me early with this one, Desertfest. The calendar was marked. I’ll mark it again just to be safe.

Early-bird tickets are gone, but regular-type tickets are on sale now.

Just off the PR wire:

DESERTFEST NEW YORK REVEALS FIRST ACTS FOR 2ND EDITION TAKING PLACE SEPTEMBER 2020

DESERTFEST NYC 2020 11th – 13th September 2020 | Brooklyn, NY, USA

– TICKETS NOW ON SALE –
http://www.desertfest.nyc

Desetrfest returns to Brooklyn in September 2020, after a wildly successful first edition in April 2019 the globally renowned stoner and doom event solidifies its position in the U.S.A. Adding an additional day at Bushwick venue, The Well from Friday 11th – Sunday 13th September, whilst moving its already cult status pre-party at Saint Vitus Bar to Thursday night. Early-birds have sold out already, but regular 3-day & 4-day passes are now on sale, as the first 13 bands are announced for the second celebration of underground heavy music.

Desertfest NYC is pleased to welcome genre defining legends CORROSION OF CONFORMITY to proceedings, the masters of Southern boogie will bring their signature stomp and impeccable live show to The Well in September 2020. After the recent loss of founding member Reed Mullin, we can’t wait to show C.O.C some serious Desertfest love.

Joining C.O.C across the weekend will be psychedelic stoners DEAD MEADOW, dreamy trips into a galaxy of guitar laden fuzz and the melodic drawl of frontman Jason Simon puts the band in a league of their own when it comes to genre-bending rock’n’roll.
Making the trip from further afield we are pleased to welcome long-time friends of the Desertfest clan, Liverpool’s most revered doom band of the modern age, the battle-hammer of CONAN will make a mighty blow upon New York with the uttermost ferocity. Britain seems like the town next door compared to the distant lands of Ukraine, where STONED JESUS will make the pilgrimage for their long-awaited American debut at DF NYC. Heavily regarded as one of the leading bands in the stoner/doom scene in Eastern Europe, the bands defiant anthem ‘I’m the Mountain’ is close to perfection in eyes, and ears, across the globe.

After their unfortunate tour cancellation in 2019, we are pleased to welcome back riff-centric power trio THE ATOMIC BITCHWAX for a high octane set of thunder-boogie. Some of our favourite people to get loose with, Wisconsin premier party-starters BONGZILLA will fire off a sativa induced bacchanal of sludge. Street-walkin’ sleaze demons R.I.P have honed a sound, look and attitude that is entirely their own and will make no apologies or explanations for how utterly crushing it is. Whatever’s in the water in North Carolina seems to cultivate some of our favourite sounds and you’re damn right in thinking that includes TOKE, old-school 70’s worship comes in the form of doom metal quartet HIGH REEPER – a band who repeatedly turn our heads with their unique take on breaking new ground. Speaking of new ground, Americana doom pioneers HUNTSMEN have grabbed our attention with their fresh take on metal, an exceptional blend of Springsteen-equse melodies with crushing heaviness makes an otherworldly combo. Finally, to round off this excellent first reveal, we’re pleased to play host to the superb, CRYPT TRIP, YATRA and LEATHER LUNG.

3-day passes (The Well only) and 4-day passes which includes access to the pre-party at Saint Vitus, are on sale NOW via THIS LINK

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Going head-to-head, toe-to-toe, back-to-back, belly-to-belly with Desertfest Berlin 2020’s second lineup announcement, that of Desertfest London 2020 brings a whopping 13 bands. Witchcraft join Corrosion of Conformity and Masters of Reality among the headliners, and Naxatras, Conan — playing Monnos in full, no less — Pissed Jeans, Raging Speedhorn, Sacri Monti, Huntsmen, Monarch, Spirit Adrift, Fire Down Below, Grotto, Desert Storm, and Morag Tong have signed on for the fray in what’s becoming a quickly-packed bill. Nothing to complain about there, I guess. As noted in the Berlin post, some of these groups are shared between the two fests, but there’s a lot here that’s set for London alone, and I suspect in terms of the UK acts like Raging Speedhorn, Desert Storm and Morag Tong, it’s likely to stay that way. It’s been so fascinating to watch these festivals grow since their inception into incubators for UK/European heavy. Desertfest London has become an epicenter for one of the most packed scenes on the planet.

That’s a big deal. And you can hear in the work of bands coming out of the UK the effect it’s having aesthetically as well. It’s awesome. Keep up the good work.

From the social medias:

DESERTFEST LONDON ANNOUNCES WITCHCRAFT AS HEADLINER FOR 2020 EDITION PLUS 12 MORE ACTS ADDED!

Tickets: dice.fm/festival/desertfest20

Desertfest is honoured to be welcoming Swedish doom icons Witchcraft to London, for the first time in a decade, as 2020 headliners. Their exceptional blend of psychedelic-folk melodies and distinctly doom-laden riffs swiftly elevated Magnus’ musical coven to legendary status. The pace picks up with the bludgeoning sludge-punk sounds of Pissed Jeans, whose narrative continues to be as societally insightful as it is tongue-in-cheek. We welcome back the unholy trio Conan for a very special performance as they play ‘Monnos’ in full. Following last years unforeseen travel issues, we are thrilled to have Naxatras on the bill ready to bathe listeners in their psychedelic groove. British sludge pioneers Raging Speedhorn will provide a lesson in brutality for all who cross their path.

Celestial tones awaken as SACRI MONTI make their debut with a spectrum of far-out jams expertly pieced together for an otherworldly trip. Huntsmen will bring their diversely progressive concoction of doom metal and melancholic Americana storytelling for its first UK outing. Elsewhere we welcome experimental psych-rock champions Monarch -band, Arizona’s Spirit Adrift who effortlessly carry the torch for traditional doom with lashings of classic 80’s heavy metal. Belgium offers up an excellent fusion of fuzz from Fire Down Below, alongside space-psych drifters Grotto. Oxfordshire riff hounds Desert Storm will deliver a shock-wave of groovy stoner-metal and locals Morag Tong will showcase their dynamic take on psychedelic doom.

For more info and weekend tickets for Desertfest London 2020 hit up www.desertfest.co.uk

See you in May!

TICKETS: https://dice.fm/festival/desertfest20 (*YOU DO NOT NEED THE DICE APP TO PURCHASE)

Artwork by Piotr w. Osburne

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Sacri Monti, “Waiting Room for the Magic Hour”