You know, it had been a little bit since a Roadburn announcement came through, and I thought maybe the four days of the fest (three for Roadburn proper and one for the Afterburner) were full, but nope. As it turns out, the addition of British cult doomers The Wounded Kings completes the lineup for Saturday, and there may yet still be more do come. God damn, this thing is huge.

Stoked to see The Wounded Kings as well, as their In the Chapel of the Black Hand (review here) was a highlight of the year in doom. Dig the news:

The Wounded Kings return to Roadburn Festival on Saturday, April 14, 2012 at the 013 venue in Tilburg, Holland (With the addition of The Wounded Kings to Roadburn 2012, the lineup for Saturday, April 14 is complete).

A new era of apocalyptic doom approaches!  Featuring the dark and chilling vocals of Sharie Neyland along with Alex Kearney (guitar), Myke Heath (drums), Jim Willumsen (bass) and founder member Steve Mills (guitar).

Despite, or because of the hardships the Kings have endured over the last 12 months their determination and unique vision for heavy music remains as strong as ever. This new phase in the Kings‘ development undulates with vintage amplification, the riffs seething with menace and danger  – things fans have come to love and expect!

It is a journey to ghostly worlds – suffocating and claustrophobic – where ancient terrors slowly seep into the blood stream. Roadburn will be grateful to get out alive with its soul and sanity intact – just as it should be!

The fun never ends when it comes to Roadburn updates, though I’m pretty sure by now there are enough bands on the bill to fill up five or six days. Hell, Roadburn should just make it a full week and be done with it. This time around we learn that Nachtmystium will play all of Instinct: Decay and Witch, Valient Thorr and Bong have joined the crusade.

Check it out:

Roadburn’s extremely pleased to report that Nachtmystium will be playing a very special show at Roadburn 2012’s Voivod-curated Au-delà du Réel event on Friday, April 13th. For the first and only time, Nachtmystium will play their landmark USBM album Instinct: Decay in its entirety.

“Nachtmystium is extremely honored to be a part of Roadburn again”, says Blake Judd, “The fact that we were picked by one our idols and perhaps the most forward thinking metal bands of all time, Voivod, makes it even more that extraordinary. We decided to do something hopefully just as equally special for everyone there. We’ll be playing our album, Instinct: Decay, from start to finish. We hope you enjoy it.” More info on Nachtmystium at Roadburn Festival 2012 / Au-delà du Réel event here.

Much to the mutual pleasure of Voivod and ourselves, Witch will be playing a one-off show at the Voivod-curated Au-delà du Réel event at Roadburn 2012 on Friday, April 13th, 013 venue, Tilburg, Holland. Founded in 2006, Witch churn out an punk-inspired style of psychedelic stoner doom that features Dave Sweetapple (Sweet Apple), Graham Clise (Annihilation Time/Lecherous Gaze), Kyle Thomas (Feathers), and marks the return of J. Mascis to drums (his first instrument, back in the Deep Wound days). More info on Witch at Roadburn Festival 2012 / Au-delà du Réel event here.

We’re elated to announce a very special one-off show at Roadburn 2012: A heavy jam by J. Mascis, Mario Rubalcaba (drums, Earthless), Mike Eginton (bass, Earthless) and Graham Clise on Saturday, April 14^th. This will be one epic jam session for fans of shredding psychedelia. More info on Heavy Jam at Roadburn Festival 2012 here.

Thorriors of the world rejoice, Valient Himself and his minions from Burlatia have been confirmed for Voivod‘s Au-delà du Réel event at Roadburn 2012 on Friday, April 13th at the 013 venue in Tilburg, Holland. For those who like high-energy speed rock-n-roll, sweat drenched heavy metal or ass-shaking punk gospel, Valient Thorr are here to give you what you need. More info on Valient Thorr at Roadburn Festival 2012 / Au-delà du Réel event here.

Once again, the Roadburn Afterburner scheduled on Sunday, April 15th at the 013 venue in Tilburg, Holland, will be a full-on festival day with bands playing on the Main Stage and the Green Room. Technical thrash metal legends Coroner (headliner), along with YOB, Bongripper, Black Cobra, Internal Void, The Mount Fuji Doomjazz Corporation, Bong, Urfaust, Dragged into Sunlight, Fleshpress and Atlantis have been confirmed for the Roadburn 2012 Afterburner. More info here.

Bong, Farflung, Saturnalia Temple, Year of the Goat, Ancient VVisdom, Priestess, Danava, Conan, Atlantis and Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell have also been confirmed for Roadburn Festival 2012.

Tickets for Roadburn 2012 will go on sale Saturday, November 26th, 10:00 Central European Time. There will be a 2 ticket limit (per order) for 3-day and 4-day passes and Afterburner tickets –the same goes for the Campsite Tickets. Please visit www.roadburn.com for more info.

It seems like only Monday I was posting a kickass Roadburn update. Oh wait, that was only Monday. Well, here’s the next batch: More classic doom and in the true tradition of the fest, a couple European bands I don’t know but will no doubt soon be drooling over and touting as the future of Heavy. So it goes.

Dig it:

We’re thrilled to announce that legendary US doomsters Internal Void will be making a rare European appearance at Roadburn Festival Afterburner on Sunday, April 15 at the 013 venue in Tilburg, Holland.

“We are thrilled to be a part of Roadburn, says the band, “Internal Void can finally achieve our goal of playing overseas, after numerous attempts that sadly fell through this is the best way we can imagine making it happen.”

“Internal Void will be bringing it to Roadburn in 2012!!”

We’re are excited to announce that occult rockers Saturnalia Temple and Year of the Goat have been added to the lineup for Roadburn Festival 2012.

Saturnalia Temple‘s latest album, Aion of Drakon, is far out, mesmerizing and just might be your new favorite slo-mo metal album. Come my fanatics, join the coven, and freak out over Saturnalia Temple on Thursday, April 12 at the 013 venue in Tilburg, Holland.

Just like Saturnalia Temple, Sweden’s Year of the Goat are creating quite a buzz in the rock underground with the release of their much acclaimed debut EP, Lucem Ferre (Latin for The bringer of light / The son of desert fire).

Year of the Goat are inspired by the occult rock bands of the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, however, the inspiration is not so much musical as it is about the subject matter of the lyrics and the picture they paint of pagan rituals, Satanism and the dark arts. Year of the Goat don’t really recreate the musical stylings of that era. Instead, the band adds a modern feel to their ‘70s flavored occult rock, with an almost prog rock or even indie rock approach to it.

Year of the Goat are currently working on their debut full-length, which will be released on Van Records next year.

Both Year of the Goat and Saturnalia Temple will play on Thursday, April 12 at the 013 venue in Tilburg, Holland.

Now I’m just getting nervous. These Roadburn announcements keep coming in, and I keep waiting for a piano to fall on my head. The ultra-low, ultra-dense riffing of Conan added to a bill that already includes Voivod (x2), YOB (x2), The Obsessed, Sleep, Om, Ulver, Ancestors and Church of Misery? When’s the other shoe going to drop?

If anyone needs me, I’ll be cowering in a fireproof lock-box until next April. Here’s the latest news:

UK‘s Conan will be part of Voivod‘s special Au-delà du Réel event (Friday, April 13th) at Roadburn 2012.

Conan approach from the North West of England on a devastating, droning, charging warbeast of heaviness, to lay waste to Roadburn 2012 in a barrage of galloping crust and aching tone. Their performance at Roadburn will be their first ever show outside of the UK and Ireland. Worshipping at the Altar Of The Riff, they summon the Gods of fuzz, distortion and blazing valves to join them in their sonic ritual. In response to the special invitation extended to them from Voivod, Conan will be destroying the innards of all those who enter Stage01 (formerly known as Bat Cave) on Friday, April 13th, 2012.

Priestess and Danava have also been confirmed for Voivod‘s Au-delà du Réel. However, Priestess will play the 013 venue in Tilburg, Holland on Thursday, April 12th instead of Friday, April 13th to accommodate their spring 2012 tour schedule with Red Fang.

UK‘s power-trio Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell will play on Saturday, April 14th, while Atlantis has been added to the lineup for the traditional Afterburner event on Sunday, April 15th.

These updates are quickly becoming the highlights of my week. Although I can’t imagine the room won’t be so packed as to allow one to breathe and exist at the same time, seeing Michael Gira perform a solo acoustic set might just be worth the lack of oxygen. Toss in Killing Joke and Dutch doom innovators Celestial Season and the latest Roadburn news just made my afternoon. Dig it:

Voivod and Roadburn are equally thrilled to announce that seminal post-punk pioneers Killing Joke will perform at Roadburn 2012 on Thursday, April 12th as part of the newly expanded Au-delà du Réel event.

Killing Joke was at the top of Voivod‘s wish list as soon as they accepted the curator invitation.

Unfortunately, Jaz Coleman (vocals, keyboards and arrangements), Geordie Walker (guitar), Youth (bass) and Paul Ferguson (drums) could not make it to Tilburg on Friday, April 13th due to prior commitments. However, in the spirit of Roadburn and true to the Outer Limits theme, it was quickly decided to expand Au-delà du Réel and turn Voivod‘s dream of sharing a stage with Killing Joke into reality.

Please note that Voivod‘s second show originally scheduled for Saturday, April 14th has been moved to Thursday, April 12th as part of the specially extended Au-delà du Réel. The main stage lineup for Thursday, April 12^th (in alphabetical, not official running order): Agalloch, d.USK/diSEMBOWELMENT, Killing Joke, OM, Ulver and Voivod.

While Swans’ intensely heavy headliner performance at this year’s Roadburn is still resonating in our collective minds, we’re elated to announce the return of Michael Gira for an acoustic solo performance on Thursday, April 14th at the Midi Theatre in Tilburg, Holland.

In related news: Reunited Dutch doomsters Celestial Season will perform their influential, groundbreaking second album, Solar Lovers in its entirety for the first time ever at Roadburn Festival 2012 on Saturday, April 14th, Midi Theatre in Tilburg, Holland.

Barn Owl, Jucifer, Urfaust, The Mount Fuji Doomjazz Corporation, Purson, Hammers of Misfortune, Orchid, Sigiriya, Lord Vicar and End of Level Boss have also been confirmed for Roadburn Festival 2012.

Tickets for Roadburn 2012 will go on sale Saturday, November 26th, 10:00 Central European Time. There will be a 2 ticket limit (per order) for 3-day and 4-day passes and Afterburner tickets –the same goes for the Campsite Tickets. More info here.

…Or, if you believe everything you read on rock posters, 1967. I’m not exactly sure what that’s about, but then, that’s always half the fun when it comes to Ulver. They’ve made a career off delighting in the confusion of others, morphing from black metal into avant electro-ambient folk yet somehow remaining grimmer than anything that might dwell in the Scandinavian night forests. I for one look forward to their set being excellent and depressing as hell.

Here’s the latest from Roadburn‘s site:

Ulver‘s music career is a sonic kaleidoscopic epic that saw them start as a lo-fi black metal band, and then begin a continuous morphing through acoustic outsider folk, electronic ambient music, post-symphonic chamber music and electronic post-rock to their current sound which might be called goth, prog, electronic, experimental, art rock.

They are without question one of the most varied, unique and talented bands active today and Roadburn‘s colossally chuffed to welcome them to the 1967 edition of Roadburn, headlining on Thursday, April 12 at the 013 venue in Tilburg, Holland.

Ulver‘s latest record, War of the Roses, adds multi-instrumentalist Daniel O’Sullivan (Guapo, Æthenor, etc.) to the lineup and they are now a seamless amalgamation of the enormous spectrum of sounds that they have prospected during the last decade. It promises to be a wild musical ride at their 1967-performance, we can hardly wait!

EDIT: Justin K. Broadrick has also been announced as artist-in-residence for Roadburn 2012. He’ll do three sets over the course of three days. Leaf Hound will also perform the entirety of their 1971 classic, Growers of Mushroom. Dig the poster to prove it:

Tickets for Roadburn 2012 will go on sale Saturday, November 26, 10:00 Central European Time. There will be a 2 ticket limit (per order) for 3-day and 4-day passes and Afterburner tickets. The new 13% tax increase on concert tickets here in the Netherlands is included.

3-day passes will cost € 177,50 (1000 available), 4-day passes, including Afterburner will cost € 197,50 (1500 available) and single tickets for the traditional Afterburner event (headliner technical thrash metal legends Coroner) will cost € 32,50 (500 available). There will be additional service fees per ticket. More info on tickets for Roadburn Festival 2012 here.

In related news: Anekdoten, Bongripper, Dopethrone, Fleshpress, Gnod, Necros Christos, Necro Deathmort and Spiders have also been confirmed for Roadburn Festival 2012.

You can pretty much file Finnish outfit Dark Buddha Rising in the camp of bands who I never thought I’d be able to see in my lifetime who I’ll now be able to catch thanks to Roadburn. If you’ve never heard them, they’re heavy heavy (that’s twice as heavy). Also added to the bill are folkish fellow Finns Hexvessel and Virus, who I now consider a homework assignment that needs to be done before April. Good fun.

Here’s the latest, straight from Walter:

Avant-garde rock maestros Virus, led by former Ved Buens Ende mastermind Carl-Michael Eide (a.k.a Czral), are one of the finest, most exquisite musical exports Norway has to offer at this very moment. Its very hard to describe the musical universe of Virus… think a vast spectrum of genres, ranging from psychedelic to krautrock and from rock via jazz to avant-metal, but all weird and trippy in an inexplicably elegant way… and then at the same time it’s really catchy, too!

Virus either smothers your inner demons, or gives them new life, as they pull you in all different directions. Their latest album, The Agent That Shapes the Desert, ranks amongst the very best metal albums of the year. To hell with the term progressive, what Virus does is beyond even futuristic — they are otherworldly, sublime. Virus will appear on Thursday, 12 April at the 013 venue, Tilburg, Holland.

Finland’s psychedelic, haunting, folk rock band Hexvessel (Friday, 13 April) and Finnish drone occult metalnecromancers Dark Buddha Rising (Saturday, 14 April) have also been confirmed for Roadburn 2012.

Ticket pre-sales will start Saturday, 26 November, 2011.

For more info, please visit www.roadburn.com.