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Høstsabbat 2020 Makes First Lineup Announcement: Mars Red Sky, Gösta Berlings Saga, Obliteration and Superlynx Confirmed

Posted in Whathaveyou on November 15th, 2019 by JJ Koczan

It’s been a little over the month since the end of Høstsabbat 2019 (review here), and it is with the overwhelming positivity of that experience still ringing in my ears that I’m happy to dig into the first lineup announcement for the 2020 edition of the Oslo-based festival. I don’t know if I’ll get to go next year — I never know these things, until I do, which is usually later on — but it’s always encouraging to see awesome events run by passionate people doing cool things, and that most definitely applies here.

Of particular note is the re-addition of Superlynx to the bill after they couldn’t make it this year last minute owing to a death in the family. That was a bummer that threatened to cast a pall over the weekend, but the fact that they’ll come back in 2020 is of course welcome news. Likewise the confirmation of Bordeaux, France, trio Mars Red Sky, who’ll make their first appearance at Høstsabbat playing at the Kulturkirken Jakob, which could hardly be more suited an environment for their soaring melodies and weighted tones.

Joining those two are Obliteration and Stockholm bizarro instrumentalists Gösta Berlings Saga, and tickets are on sale as of today. Fest is Oct. 2 and 3, as you can see below:

hostsabbat 2020 first announcement

Høstsabbat 2020: OCT. 2-3

It is time! Høstsabbat is proud and eager to present the first bands for Høstsabbat 2020, spanning over a whole deal of what our festival stands for. After two sold out years, it’s a marvelous feeling to acknowledge the support from our crowd on so many levels. We hope all of you find these four bands as exciting as we do.

From the stoned and spacey, otherworldly dynamics of Mars Red Sky, to the cold, aggressive evilness of Obliteration.

From the soothing, meditative doom of Superlynx, to the experimenting, electric weirdo-jams of Gösta Berlings Saga.

We feel these four acts represents a vision of what Høstsabbat is trying to put out there. A collective sense of underground acts, juggling between the different aspects of heavy, located in our very own church of doom, in the centre of our vivid city that is Oslo. Even if fall just turned into winter, we can easily skip spring and summer to take part in what will be Høstsabbat 2020.

Høstsabbat 2020 will once again go down at our favourite venue, Kulturkirken JAKOB, October 2nd and 3rd. A stunning church in the heart of Oslo, with an atmosphere unrivaled.

After the sold out Høstsabbat festivals in 2018 and 2019 we’re ready for more. Over two days you will experience slow and crushing doom, heavy bluesrock, stoner, proto-heavy metal, psychedelic spacerock and prog over three stages.

Høstsabbat will showcase the best of the current underground scene of heavy music, bringing new talent as well as established names.

Summon the spirits, gather the souls…

https://www.facebook.com/events/431138574088425/
https://www.facebook.com/hostsabbat/
http://hostsabbat.no/

Mars Red Sky, “The Proving Grounds” official video

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Roadburn 2014: Sets from Harsh Toke, YOB, Indian, Horse Latitudes, Morne, The Vintage Caravan, Obliteration and Lord Dying Available to Stream

Posted in audiObelisk on July 16th, 2014 by JJ Koczan

It’s a formidable batch of streams this time around from Roadburn 2014, with YOB‘s The Great Cessation played in its entirety, and gigs from Indian, who by all accounts killed at the fest, Morne, ditto, Lord Dying and more. For me though, like the first batch with their Lenny Kaye jam, the highlight is probably Harsh Toke. They were my find of the fest. When their Light up and Live album came out in 2013 on Tee Pee, I guess I didn’t pay enough attention and missed it, but after seeing them with the aforementioned Mr. Kaye, I knew there was no way I was going to let their set at the Afterburner pass without watching at least for a little bit.

As such, the San Diego jam-rippers were how I closed out Roadburn 2014, stopping by the Green Room to watch them tear into heavy psych fluidity as though you could actually tear into something fluid. Killer band. I’ve spent much time with Light up and Live since April, and I’m glad to have the chance — thanks, as always, to Marcel van de Vondervoort and his crew — to relive their show. That’s not to mention YOB doing The Great Cessation, which was hypnotic to the point of being trance-inducing, and Morne and Indian and The Vintage CaravanLord Dying and Obliteration, the last two adding a malevolent, lurching extremity. Very cool mix.

No big surprise there, I guess, since the festival has become so eclectic. Plenty to dig into here so I won’t delay further:

Harsh Toke – Live at Roadburn 2014

Horse Latitudes – Live at Roadburn 2014

Indian – Live at Roadburn 2014

Lord Dying – Live at Roadburn 2014

Morne – Live at Roadburn 2014

Obliteration – Live at Roadburn 2014

The Vintage Caravan – Live at Roadburn 2014 (Friday, April 11th)

Yob – Live at Roadburn 2014 (The Great Cessation)

Thanks to Walter and Roadburn for letting me host the streams. The first and second batches are still available as well, and for all of the Roadburn 2014 coverage, click here.

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Roadburn 2014: Candlemass to Play Ancient Dreams in Full; Promise and the Monster, Avatarium, Elephant9 with Reine Fiske and More Added to Lineup

Posted in Whathaveyou on December 5th, 2013 by JJ Koczan

This morning brought a barrage of news from the Roadburn 2014 lineup and Mikael Åkerfeldt of Opeth‘s curated event. Swedish doom maestro Leif Edling will bring Candlemass aboard for a set that contains Ancient Dreams in its entirety, as well as play with his new band Avatarium, and Promise and the Monster, Elephant9 with Reine Fiske and Obliteration have also been confirmed as appearing on a roster of acts that continues to impress in both scope and profile.

Here’s the latest off the PR wire:

Swedish Doom Metal Legends Candlemass to play Ancients Dreams in its entirety at Mikael Åkerfeldt’s 2014 curated Roadburn Event; Leif Edling’s Avatarium to redefine doom at the 2014 Afterburner; Elephant9 with Reine Fiske, Promise and the Monster, Obliteration and Trettioariga Kriget also confirmed for Mikael Åkerfeldt’s curated Roadburn event on Friday April 11th at the 013 venue in Tilburg, The Netherlands

We’re beyond excited to announce that Swedish doom metal legends Candlemass will perform Ancients Dreams in its entirety at Mikael Åkerfeldt’s 2014 curated Roadburn Event on Friday April 11th at the 013 venue in Tilburg, The Netherlands.

“Wow, just wow!”, says Mikael Åkerfeldt, “I am friends with the entire band, and especially boss/bassplayer Leif Edling. He is just a text message away and we meet up frequently to talk music and eat spicy food. Under the influence of… beer. And fine Italian wine. When Opeth started, myself and founder David Isberg agreed that our sounds should be a mix of Mercyful Fate, Bathory, Mefisto and Candlemass. It’s such an amazing honour for me to share stage with one of my primal influences since the dawn of Opeth. Leif has always had a chip on his shoulder when it comes to their timeless masterpiece; ‘Ancient Dreams’. I don’t know what it is, since I’ve always held that record in such high regard. At Roadburn we’ll get a rare chance to witness it performed in its entirety. Maybe Leif has changed his mind, I don’t know, but I won’t f*cking complain though, that’s for sure.”

“It will be a total joy to perform Ancient Dreams at Roadburn!”, says Leif Edling, “It’s a classic record that has been a bit overlooked through the years, and quite truthfully, I haven’t been in total love with it since the production doesn’t reach “Nightfall” standards. But nevertheless, the music is good. Songs like ‘Mirror Mirror’, ‘Darkness in Paradise’, ‘Bearer of Pain’ and the title track are really cool pieces that we’ll love to play once again. Slow, heavy and majestic… they’re my own key words to describe this album, and to play ‘Incarnation of Evil’ and ‘The Epistle’ live for the first time will be interesting… hehe! I could never imagine that I would still be playing this weird doom metal that we started over 25 years ago, and to have a special performance doing Ancient Dreams is totally surreal if you ask me… but FUN AS HELL!! Maybe I can persuade Mikael Å to grab the microphone and join us on stage… I’ll work on it :-)” More info on Candlemass: http://wp.me/p1m0FP-8uN

In collaboration with Roadburn’s 2014 curator Mikael Åkerfeldt, we can’t wait to welcome Avatarium to the 2014 Roadburn Afterburner on Sunday April 13th at the 013 venue in Tilburg, The Netherlands.

Avatarium’s striking debut full-length (out of Nuclear Blast) easily ranks among the best Roadburn-related albums of 2013, and it also strikes the perfect balance between epic doom and classic rock, reminiscent of Jethro Tull, Black Sabbath and Rainbow. The crushing doom of Candlemass may be prevalent through the album, but Avatarium’s 60s/70s feel is also trippy, with a creepy and haunting vibe that makes space for moments of beautiful tranquility before pummeling you with surgically precise riffs of sheer Edling brilliance.

“Roadburn 2014 will be the first time ever I do gigs with two different bands in the same weekend”, says Leif Edling, “But playing with Avatarium at the Roadburn Afterburner show will be exciting as it will be one of our first gigs outside Sweden, and a rendezvous with the international press and fans. I hope we can pull it off!

The album has received great reviews – it feels like I’m 20 and about to make my live debut again. What’s cool is that many of the songs from the first album are written for a live situation, specially arranged to grow and become something more than the recorded versions, and now we have the opportunity to play them as we thought they could be played… or fail completely doing it, hehe. Well, guess we’ll find out at Roadburn!

Anyway, I’m thrilled, stoked and honoured about the whole thing. ‘Moonhorse’, ‘Boneflower’ and ‘Lady In The Lamp’ are songs that have the potential to capture an audience and it will be a thrill to present Jennie-Ann’s voice to the RB crowd as well! See ya soon!”

Mikael Åkerfeldt comments: “At another metal talk / wine session Leif once suggested we should write music together. I said ”of course”, not really aware that I had little time for anything apart from my current business. Leif is a workaholic and all of a sudden he texted me saying; ”I’ve got 2 songs ready! Come on!” I got somewhat stressed out and gradually it was understood between the both of us, that I would not be able to find the time to participate. However, Leif soldiered on, found an amazing line up, fronted by the charismatic genius vocalist-ess, Jennie-Ann Smith and has now released a 12” single as well as their debut album. Hearing some of the early demos made me go ”What the f*ck?!” Wishing I’d shuffled my priorities around. It was / is so good. So fucking good! Is it doomy? Goddamn right it is! Avatarium got a sound that is both traditional metal and something ”new” that I can’t put my finger on what it is. I think it might be the elusive ”magic”! They’ve got it.”

By the time Avatarium hit the main stage on Sunday April 13th, we’re certain that you’ll be enchanted and mesmerized by the band’s psychedelic atmosphere, classic-yet-timeless doom and perfect production. More info on Avatarium: http://wp.me/p1m0FP-8uR

Elephant9 with Reine Fiske, Promise and the Monster, Obliteration and Trettioariga Kriget have also been confirmed for Mikael Åkerfeldt’s curated Roadburn event on Friday April 11th at the 013 venue in Tilburg, The Netherlands.

http://www.roadburn.com/roadburn-2014/

Avatarium, “Boneflower” official video

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