The Obelisk Questionnaire is a series of open questions intended to give the answerer an opportunity to explore these ideas and stories from their life as deeply as they choose. Answers can be short or long, and that reveals something in itself, but the most important factor is honesty.

Based on the Proust Questionnaire, the goal over time is to show a diverse range of perspectives as those who take part bring their own points of view to answering the same questions. To see all The Obelisk Questionnaire posts, click here.

Thank you for reading and thanks to all who participate.

The Obelisk Questionnaire: Behrang Alavi of Samavayo

—

How do you define what you do and how did you come to do it?

Since 2000 I am now the singer and play guitar for Samavayo. I began more as a singer, because that is where I musically come from and had to play some rhythm guitar but later I developed my guitar playing and the interest for equipment and sound.

In side-projects or other bands I also play guitar without any singing or play drums, but I see myself mainly as a singer and vocalist. I had just met Andreas (bass player of Samavayo) and Marco (ex-lead guitar Samavayo) at my school and was playing some acoustic guitar when they came up with the idea to have me sing in their band and play guitar. That’s how I suddenly came into the situation of playing in a band. Though I already had some major interest in heavy music. At that time I was listening to Body Count, Clawfinger, Metallica and other stuff.

Describe your first musical memory.

My first musical memory is my mother singing at Persian gatherings. That’s a Persian tradition and she was a great singer. She was often asked for singing at such parties.

When I was around 12yrs old my cousins from London gave me my first MCs, among them Michael Jackson, M.C. Hammer, Rick Astley and Paul McCartney. My oldest cousin is also a huge Queen fan, so he played a lot of that on his Piano and we sang to it.

I was 15 or 16 when I started learning playing guitar, my parents told me I can choose and I chose.

Describe your best musical memory to date.

In 20 years there have been plenty of great memories.

So many cool bands we played together and got friends with.

I think one of the great memories is our trip with Samavayo to Brazil 2014. All that excitement of flying a long trip to another continent, being there and playing shows and festivals, getting to know new people, that was amazing!
Same but quite different was our trip to Albania 2013. Besides the show we played we were on the biggest TV show and played our song “Rollin’” and people were so enthusiastic and nice.

I must admit the idea of touring with the band across the countries gives me a very good feeling in general that is why when I think of the last 20 years as a musician these images of touring and clubs and festival stages come in my mind. Definitely playing the PALP festival this year in the Alps on a Col du Lein in Switzerland belongs to the best memories!

When was a time when a firmly held belief was tested?

As a band we’ve done some major things wrong and there were times (around 2010) when I thought maybe quit it and restart with something new. I think as a musician your belief is tested quite often.

Where do you feel artistic progression leads?

It leads to the answer whether there is still something to say. Do I have ideas and output? Is there something I want to try/explore? Do I enjoy expressing what I express.

For me progression is rather transformation or development.

How do you define success?

As a musician I feel success when I have any sort of impact on anybody. Also as a band you set some goals you want to achieve like play that club, play with that band, play that festival and it’s great to be successful to do that.

What is something you have seen that you wish you hadn’t?

Watch my mother die.

Describe something you haven’t created yet that you’d like to create.

I would like to sing on a black or death metal track. So that’d be something I have to learn to do first.
There a some songs I would also like to cover, some great tracks of music history. Also I would love to a track in German or Russian.

What do you believe is the most essential function of art?

To extend people’s minds, to make them step into another world (at times), but I think it is also an essential function to define values. So it depends from what point you look at it. As a musician one essential function of art is obviously to express my self and have good times. As a consumer I want distraction and just a good feeling, being in a mood I like. I enjoy heavy riffs, great melodies, awesome rhythms, but I enjoy them a lot more when I enjoy the values that the lyrics or the band behind that riff is transporting.

Something non-musical that you’re looking forward to?

Our wedding party in 2022 that my wife and me had to postpone 2 times already and the honeymoon!

https://www.facebook.com/samavayo/
https://www.instagram.com/samavayo/
https://www.samavayo.com/
https://www.youtube.com/user/samavayo
http://www.noisolution.de/
https://www.facebook.com/noisolution
https://www.instagram.com/noisolution/

Samavayo, “Afghan Sky” official video

Berlin three-piece Samavayo have unveiled the first single from the forthcoming Pāyān LP in a new video. “Afghan Sky” is the first audio I’ve heard from Pāyān — which is out March 25 through Noisolution — and, uh, it’s pretty sick. This is going to sound weird to say, but I always kind of forget how much I actually like Samavayo. I post a fair amount about them, updates and whatnot, and I talk to frontman Behrang Alavi on the regular, usually when I’m bugging him about something site-related since a few years back when he generously offered to host The Obelisk — efforts on his part that are continually appreciated — but, well, I dug Samavayo a lot before then, as the review archive shows — 2018’s Vatan (review here) was preceded by 2016’s Dakota (review here), 2012’s Soul Invictus, etc. back to their 2005 Nasoni-delivered debut, Deathmarchmelodies! — and I continue to dig them a lot now.

Among the more admirable threads they’ve woven through their career is a willingness to be brazenly political in a relatively conservative underground. Guess what “Afghan Sky” is about. It’s about the fucking sky in Afghanistan, under which my home country, the US, waged 20 years of needless war in order to… ?… before abandoning the population to their fate under a quickly-established Taliban rule the oppression of which was one of the several things we claimed to be fighting against. My generation fought that war. It was pointless, a war of aggression in response to a single attack the effects of which will continue to ripple out through the decades that will comprise the rest of my life and probably beyond that, like Vietnam for the generation before mine. Like whatever the next war will be 10 years from now. Russia? China? Some proxy invasion? That second civil war that keeps getting teased in the newspapers?

Look. Before I go way off any further on social issues — there are so many, so shitty, for so many — the point I was making was that Samavayo measure the stakes of playing it safe vs. saying what they want to say and choose the latter. That is deeply worthy of respect in itself, but the song’s also killer. Alavi‘s vocals have grown more confident in melody over the last half-decade, and he nails the hook in “Afghan Sky” with apparent ease while still pushing himself in a way that underscores the passion with which the lyrics are written. Meanwhile, it’s a suitably brotherly chemistry between drummer Stephen Voland and bassist Andreas Voland (both also contribute vocals) that set the urgent groove in motion, and there’s a guest spot from Elder‘s Nick DiSalvo that adds a classic-style guitar solo for emphasis.

Solid, front to back. The clip can be found below, having been premiered the other day. The lyrics have subtitles as well, so you can follow along.

Dig it:

Samavayo, “Afghan Sky” official video

We are proudly presenting our 1st single Afghan Sky of the upcoming new album “PĀYĀN” released in March 25th 2022 on Noisolution records. Featuring Nick DiSalvo (Elder, Delving), who played a guitar solo in Afghan Sky.

“The song Afghan Sky is about the capture of Afghanistan by the Taliban in 2021”, Behrang Alavi, singer and guitarist of Samavayo says. “It is about the failure of the rest of the world to save the Afghan people and about their fears and horror, so much that people would hold onto a plane to escape and fall down from the sky of Afghanistan. I chose the topic because it makes me sick – I lived in Kabul before the 1990s, before the Taliban conquered the city. Afghanistan is a country that has suffered for decades and is left so alone by the rest of the world at such a crucial moment.”

“The solo in the song Afghan Sky is kind of special for a Samavayo song, as we usually don’t have specific solo-parts in our song. We invited Nick DiSalvio, a friend of ours, known from bands such as Elder or Delving to play it.”

It is the first time we have worked together with palantirvisuals (https://www.palantirvisuals.com, well known for great videos for Elder, Delving and Eldovar) and it has been an amazing experience! We are very happy with the result and looking forward to future collaborations.

It’s also the first time that we have put subtitles on a video. It was important for us, because of the message of the song. Also it has been exciting to find many different languages among our friends and network. In the end we managed to add 18 languages including Persian, Hindi, Pashtu, Arab, Vietnamese and many more.

Song taken from album “Pāyān” (2022) / Noisolution
Music, Production and Lyrics by Samavayo.
Guitar solo by Nick DiSalvo (Elder, Delving).
Recorded and Mixed by Richard Behrens / Big Snuff Studio Berlin
Mastered by Pascal Stoffels

Afghan Sky Credits:
Created by Malachi Cull
https://www.palantirvisuals.com/
Camera (Band) by Danny Kötter
https://www.instagram.com/thezitterman/

Tour dates with Stoned Jesus in April:

08.04.22 – Hannover | CAFE GLOCKSEE
09.04.22 – Siegen | Vortex Surfer Musikclub
10.04.22 – Wiesbaden | Schlachthof Wiesbaden
11.04.22 – Hamburg | Knust Hamburg
12.04.22 – Nijmegen | Doornroosje
13.04.22 – Aachen | Musikbunker Aachen
14.04.22 – Dortmund | JunkYard
15.04.22 – Amsterdam | Melkweg Amsterdam
16.04.22 – Gent | Kunstencentrum Vooruit
17.04.22 – Paris | Petit Bain
18.04.22 – Nantes | Le Ferrailleur – Club Concert
19.04.22 – Toulouse | Connexion Live
20.04.22 – Bilbao | Kafe Antzokia
21.04.22 – Porto | Hard Club
22.04.22 – Madrid | SALA CARACOL MADRID
23.04.22 – Barcelona | Razzmatazz
25.04.22 – Martigny | Caves du Manoir
26.04.22 – München | Feierwerk
27.04.22 – Vienna | Chelsea
28.04.22 – Zürich | Dynamo Zürich (offiziell)
29.04.22 – Nürnberg | MUZclub
30.04.22 – Dresden | Beatpol

Samavayo is:
Stephan Voland (Drums, Vocals)
Andreas Voland (Bass, Vocals)
Behrang Alavi (Vocals, Guitar)

Samavayo on Facebook

Samavayo on Instagram

Samavayo website

Samavayo on YouTube

Samavayo on Twitter

Noisolution webstore

Just when I begin to think maybe the Samavayo in-studio documentary below that covers the making of their new album, Pāyān, is glossing over some of the less-thrilling moments of a given recording process — the times where you’re waiting for something to be set up, or fixed, or reset, or whatever — on the screen there flashes a sign that says ‘2000 Years Later,’ and that about sums it up. Still, the Berlin-based trio look like they had a blast making their latest outing with producer Richard Behrens, which will be out on Noisolution on March 25 and their first record since 2018’s Vatan (review here), and the documentary is a good look at their process, all the way down to celebrating Stephen Voland‘s birthday while they’re there.

Pāyān, the Persian word, translates to ‘the end’ in English, and though I raise an eyebrow anytime a band names a release in some reference to a kind of conclusion — does this mean they’re breaking up? and so on — the release announcement below makes sure to point out that, no, it’s not necessarily the end of Samavayo after some 22 years. There are plenty of other endings around to focus on. Noteworthy contributions from Greenleaf/Dozer‘s Tommi Holappa, Stoned Jesus‘ Igor Sydorenko, Elder‘s Nick DiSalvo and Coogans Bluff‘s Willie Paschen, as well as a cover of Iranian pop singer Googoosh add intrigue to the proceedings, and it would seem that the lesson Samavayo have learned in the last few years of tumult is that if you’re going to do a thing, go all in.

So be it. March 25 is the release. In the spirit of looking forward, here’s the documentary and album announce — complete with cover art featuring the band’s enviable new logo — as well as the previously announced tour dates with Stoned Jesus for this April.

Enjoy:

Samavayo, “Pāyān” Studio Documentary

“Pāyān”. The end. Persian.

SAMAVAYO deals a lot with “the end” in terms of content on their new album. The end of the bad, of the good, the end of humanity, end of the way we treat our planet. It’s about the destruction of our planet, division, racism, greed, exploitation, war, isolation, loneliness. But every end means at the same time a beginning, a new start and beginning. “Payan” – the seventh album of SAMAVAYO in the 22nd year of its existence is fresh and full of energy and power!

“Our sound has never been so clear from the ground up as it is on this album. We definitely can say that after 22 years we have finally found our sound.”

Musically, the record is different from its predecessors: more heavy, more prog, lots of anger and a pinch of punk, Alice In Chains vocals, and last but not least some unusual guitar soli are added by a illustrious bunch of guests who visited the studio: Igor Sydorenko (Stoned Jesus), Tommi Holappa (Greenleaf, Dozer), Nick DiSalvo (Elder) and Willi Paschen (Coogans Bluff) didn’t take long to contribute.

Without too much “world music” sounds, the trio has continued to incorporate oriental sounds, including two songs with Persian vocals again. The title track, as well as the cover version “Talagh” by Iranian pop superstar Googoosh have become extremely gritty versions that rhythmically would also suit Tool well.

“Shot Shot Shot” is, as the song title says, straight in the face. A hard uptempo number that leaves no questions unanswered. “Transcend! Exceed!” comes ingratiating, melodic, riff-heavy and compact. One album. Seven songs. No failure. Extensive arrangements, a grandiose production by Richard Behrens (Kadavar, Silvershark, among others). More versatile than ever, uncompromising and hard-hitting.

But also otherwise the band looks beyond the horizon and has ideals and goals that definitely show that you have grown not only musically. “As a musician, you often travel long distances to concerts. That’s why we decided to compensate our CO2- emissions by investing in sustainable projects. Our website server runs on “green electricity”, we produce fair trade shirts and we look to use as little plastic or recycled material as possible in the production of the records.”

An extraordinary album and a special band that has not stopped for more than two decades and always has new goals. More than remarkable and no end seems in sight.

Tour dates with Stoned Jesus in April:

08.04.22 – Hannover | CAFE GLOCKSEE
09.04.22 – Siegen | Vortex Surfer Musikclub
10.04.22 – Wiesbaden | Schlachthof Wiesbaden
11.04.22 – Hamburg | Knust Hamburg
12.04.22 – Nijmegen | Doornroosje
13.04.22 – Aachen | Musikbunker Aachen
14.04.22 – Dortmund | JunkYard
15.04.22 – Amsterdam | Melkweg Amsterdam
16.04.22 – Gent | Kunstencentrum Vooruit
17.04.22 – Paris | Petit Bain
18.04.22 – Nantes | Le Ferrailleur – Club Concert
19.04.22 – Toulouse | Connexion Live
20.04.22 – Bilbao | Kafe Antzokia
21.04.22 – Porto | Hard Club
22.04.22 – Madrid | SALA CARACOL MADRID
23.04.22 – Barcelona | Razzmatazz
25.04.22 – Martigny | Caves du Manoir
26.04.22 – München | Feierwerk
27.04.22 – Vienna | Chelsea
28.04.22 – Zürich | Dynamo Zürich (offiziell)
29.04.22 – Nürnberg | MUZclub
30.04.22 – Dresden | Beatpol

Samavayo is:
Behrang Alavi, Andreas Voland & Stephan Voland

Samavayo, Vatan (2018)

Samavayo on Facebook

Samavayo on Instagram

Samavayo website

Samavayo on YouTube

Samavayo on Twitter

Noisolution webstore

Both Stoned Jesus and Samavayo have new records impending for 2022. That’s good news out of Kyiv and Berlin, as far as I’m concerned. That the two heavy rock units will pair up for a run of European tour dates? Well, that’s pretty nifty as well.

And Stoned Jesus? They’re well within their rights to take out 2012’s Seven Thunders Roar (review here) for another go for its 10th anniversary. However many millions of YouTube plays later for “I’m the Mountain,” it’s safe to say they’ve inspired a fair amount of riffage in the years since Seven Thunders Roar came out — and I’m not saying I’ve heard anything from their next full-length or something like that — but some of their new stuff blends those heavy-rolling impulses with the band’s newer, more progressive style as well. From what I (haven’t) heard, in any case.

This’ll be a good run. I hope it happens, and if you get to go, I hope it’s a killer time. Shows presented by Sound of Liberation.

Dates were posted as follows:

Stoned Jesus – 10 Years of Seven Thunders Roar tour with Samavayo

This is happening!!! With our first tour in 2+ years we’ll be celebrating 10 Years Of Seven Thunders Roar all over Europe in April of 2022 #10yearsofSTR

The rest of the world – no worries, we’ll try to get to you as well. Keep an eye on Sound of Liberation updates!

Our pals from Samavayo will be supporting us – their new album arrives in late March! Our new album, btw, arrives a little later in 2022

Sound of Liberation proudly presents:
Stoned Jesus + very special guests Samavayo
10 Years Of Seven Thunders Roar – Europe 2022

08.04.22 – Hannover | CAFE GLOCKSEE
09.04.22 – Siegen | Vortex Surfer Musikclub
10.04.22 – Wiesbaden | Schlachthof Wiesbaden
11.04.22 – Hamburg | Knust Hamburg
12.04.22 – Nijmegen | Doornroosje
13.04.22 – Aachen | Musikbunker Aachen
14.04.22 – Dortmund | JunkYard
15.04.22 – Amsterdam | Melkweg Amsterdam
16.04.22 – Gent | Kunstencentrum Vooruit
17.04.22 – Paris | Petit Bain
18.04.22 – Nantes | Le Ferrailleur – Club Concert
19.04.22 – Toulouse | Connexion Live
20.04.22 – Bilbao | Kafe Antzokia
21.04.22 – Porto | Hard Club
22.04.22 – Madrid | SALA CARACOL MADRID
23.04.22 – Barcelona | Razzmatazz
25.04.22 – Martigny | Caves du Manoir
26.04.22 – München | Feierwerk
27.04.22 – Vienna | Chelsea
28.04.22 – Zürich | Dynamo Zürich (offiziell)
29.04.22 – Nürnberg | MUZclub
30.04.22 – Dresden | Beatpol

Stoned Jesus is:
Igor Sydorenko – Vocals & Guitars
Serhij Sljussar – Bass
Dmytro Zinchenko – Drums

Samavayo is:
Behrang Alavi, Andreas Voland & Stephan Voland

https://www.facebook.com/stonedjesusband
https://www.instagram.com/stonedjesusband/
http://stonedjesus.bandcamp.com/
https://stonedjesus.bigcartel.com/

https://www.facebook.com/samavayo/
https://www.instagram.com/samavayo/
https://www.samavayo.com/
https://www.youtube.com/user/samavayo

Stoned Jesus, Live at Green Theatre

Samavayo, Vatan (2018)

Spoiler alert: After he kills you, he’s gonna wear your skin.

That particularly gruesome image serves as one of the final lyrical impressions on “The Serpent,” a remote-collaborative single composed online from riff to demo to completion by Czechia’s Acid Row and Germany’s Samavayo, which tells the story or at least explores the mindset of French serial killer Hotchand Bhawnani Gurumukh Charles Sobhraj, whose name is an argument for cut and paste if ever I’ve seen one and whose tourist-murdering/robbing exploits in Thailand were recently made into a BBC/Netflix drama also called The Serpent. I haven’t seen the show, but I can’t imagine it’s half as groovy as the song.

The pairing of Acid Row and Samavayo isn’t happenstance so much as born travel itself — the bands met while Samavayo were on tour — and as their first work written completely virtually together, “The Serpent” hits with a decidedly sure sense of structure and style. There’s something raw about the drums and the artwork feeds a kind of ’60s lysergic vagary — take acid, do murder, etc. — but the tones of the guitars and bass and the vocal melodies pull more from a ’90s alternative aesthetic, bringing about a balance that’s exploratory in its affect while traditionalist in its verse/chorus presentation. Solos trade over international borders, and the hook returns, duly methodical in its escalation.

Of course, when it comes to serial killer thematics in heavy music, one can’t get past however many sentences this is without a mention of Church of Misery, but there’s nothing so directly doom-loyalist happening in “The Serpent” itself. That is, all heavy roads may lead to Sabbath, but Acid Row/Samavayo take their own to get there.

You’ll find the track premiering in the visualizer/video below, followed by more background on its making.

Please enjoy, and watch your skin:

Acid Row & Samavayo, “The Serpent” premiere

SINGLE RELEASE ANNOUNCEMENT – THE SERPENT: 15.12. 2021 // Acid Row feat. Samavayo

Acid Row and Samavayo are releasing a feature single about a serial killer

Czech stoner-rock band Acid Row in cooperation with Samavayo from Berlin (Germany) are releasing a feature single The Serpent. A record about a serial killer arose from two different distant places, two countries and both bands participated in the production of it. The Czech unit recorded their parts at Golden Hive Studio in Prague and the German unit at their HQ in Berlin. The single is accompanied with minimalistic “Music Video”, more likely a gentle animation of a moving demonic snake with a human head created by the guitarist from Acid Row, Dominik Klesa.

“This cooperation with Acid Row (CZ) is the first time we wrote a song with another band. Before that we had done cooperations where each band contributed songs to a jointly release. But this time we composed together and the challenge was to do that spaced apart in different countries. We managed well and created a unique piece of Rock music with creative input of both bands! We did that because the project sounded like fun, we knew it’d be a challenge and Acid Row are friends from Brno/Prague, where we had a lot of fun on previous shows!” says the frontman from Samavayo Behrang Alavi about the collaboration.

Members of both bands did the whole songwriting process online. They shared their ideas, created together a demo version of the song, discussed everything from pre-production, production to final release and promo of the song. The theme of the song depicts French serial killer Hotchand Bhawanani Gurumukh Charles Sobhraj, who killed around 20 people in an area of South Asia. In media the criminal got a nickname The Serpent. This is also symbolized in artwork made by Daniel Gerhard Holc with the central motif of a dancing snake with a human head of the mentioned killer mixed with slightly psychedelic background which also includes some shots from liquid light show made by a creative group called Weird Visuals from Prague.

“Psychology, especially the psychology of serial killers interests me both personally and also on the level of musical inspiration. Some cases encourage specific imagery, symbolics and so on. Like in case of a serpent. Sobhraj was stealing from their victims their property and identity, which is similar to skin changing of a snake. He was also poisoning their victims very slowly. People have behind their social masks a lot of different animal instincts. What I like to do in some songs is to reveal what’s actually hidden behind those masks.” says Alex Fonar, the frontman from Acid Row, in connection to the topic.

German trio Samavayo plunder European venues and festivals for more than twenty years. Touring f.e. Ukrainian Stoned Jesus or Greenleaf from Sweden brought them to most of the European countries including Czech Republic where they also met with Acid Row on one of their together shows. They also played together at Setalight Festival in Berlin, which is organized by members of Samavayo.

Across border collaboration came to life thanks to support of the proexport office caller SoundCzech under the Ministry of Culture Czech Republic. Mixed and mastered by sound engineer Jens Güttes.

Dominik Klesa (Acid Row): Guitars, Animation-Video
Alex Fonar (Acid Row): Baritone, Vocals
Stephan Voland (Samavayo): Drums
Andreas Voland (Samavayo): Bass and Synthesizer
Behrang Alavi (Samavayo) Guitar, Vocals
Mix/Mastering: Jens Güttes
Artwork: Daniel Gerhard Holc
Recording (Acid Row parts): Golden Hive Studio

Samavayo on Facebook

Samavayo on Instagram

Samavayo on YouTube

Samavayo website

Acid Row on Facebook

Acid Row on Instagram

Acid Row on Bandcamp

Acid Row links

Berlin trio Samavayo have finished recording their seventh full-length album and the follow-up to 2018’s Vatan (review here) and as of today are also due to have finished the mix. They’ve worked with Richard Behrens at Big Snuff Studio — pro shop, duh — and Noisolution will have the record out in March. I asked founding guitarist/vocalist Behrang Alavi for an update, which he kindly provided along with copious studio photos like that above shot by Danny Kötter.

That’s the first group of pictures below. You’ll also note the second, the last four shots, which are of guests appearing on the record in some capacity or other. Recognizable faces for sure in Igor Sydorenko of Stoned Jesus, Tommi Holappa of Dozer/Greenleaf (with Fredrick Nordin in the background, no less), Willi Paschen of Coogans Bluff and Nick DiSalvo of Elder, recording in various spots. All four of them are holding guitars — which should probably tell you something about what they’re doing on the album — but as to the particulars of the particulars, your guess is as good as mine.

Alavi, as well as bassist/backing vocalist Andreas Voland and drummer/backing vocalist Stephan Voland will tour in April to celebrate the release of the new album, and they’ve already been confirmed for Desertfest in Berlin and SonicBlast in Portugal. Good times on the horizon. If you want a sneak peak at the new material under construction, the band very handily posted a series of ‘New Riffs Burnin” videos through their YouTube that you’ll find below as well.

Here are the pics and the update:

Guests:

Samavayo – 7th Album Studio Update

We are now at Big Snuff Studio (Richard Behrens) and recording our 3rd album as a trio with him and our 7th album from October 8th until 26th.

Right now we are doing the final mixes, the recording is done!

The album will be released in March 2022, a 3 week European Tour in April 2022 and Festivals like Desertfest and Sonic Blast Moledo are following.

In the process of the album making we had some guests involved. We don’t want to reveal too much but have pictures of them attached.

The album will be released on Noisolution on CD and Vinyl, also having a special limited “Club 100” edition.

We will be revealing the Album name and more information about our guest musicians in the next weeks!

Samavayo is:
Behrang Alavi, Andreas Voland & Stephan Voland

https://www.facebook.com/samavayo/
https://www.instagram.com/samavayo/
https://www.samavayo.com/
https://www.youtube.com/user/samavayo
http://www.noisolution.de/
https://www.facebook.com/noisolution
https://www.instagram.com/noisolution/

Samavayo, New Riffs Burnin’ series

Samavayo, Vatan (2018)

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

https://www.facebook.com/events/520164272080736
www.desertfest.de
www.facebook.com/DesertfestBerlin
www.instagram.com/desertfest_berlin

Desertfest Berlin 2019 official aftermovie

SonicBlast Fest announced its 2021 edition was being postponed at the end of the month, and already they’re turning around and making a first announcement for 2022. That’s kind of comforting. Some of these acts — looking at you, Psychlona — have been waiting to play the Portugal-based festival since being announced for 2020 — but barring disaster, there’s a reasonable expectation that 2022 might be a return year, so in addition to them, SonicBlast Fest 2022 is rolling out the formidable likes of Green Lung, Electric Wizard, Pentagram, Weedeater, 1000mods, The Machine, Samavayo, The Devil and the Almighty Blues, Tia Carrera, Slift, and a ton of others with more to come. If you’re going to do a thing, get in there and do it.

Tickets are on sale now, or if you’ve already got them either for 2020 or 2021, they’ll carry over. 2020 was supposed to be my year to hit this fest, as well as a whole bunch of others. So it goes. If you make it to Âncora for the three-dayer next August, you go with my respect and admiration, and no shortage of jealousy.

Lineup info follows here, as per socials:

Come fanatics, come to the sabbath

We’re totally psyched to announce Electric Wizard, Weedeater, Pentagram (official), 1000mods, W.I.T.C.H We Intend To Cause Havoc, Night Beats, Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs, Meatbodies, SLIFT, The Devil And The Almighty Blues, BALA, Mythic Sunship, GREEN LUNG, Frankie and the Witch Fingers, Psychlona, Toxic Shock, The Machine, Tia Carrera, The Goners, Samavayo, Rosy Finch, We Hunt Buffalo and 24/7 DIVA HEAVEN to SonicBlast Fest 2022.

*** more to be announced soon***

SonicBlast Fest 2022
11, 12 and 13th August
Praia da Duna dos Caldeirões
Âncora, Portugal

Tickets bought for the 2021 edition are automatically valid for 2022.

Tickets are now on sale at BOL (Fnac, Worten, Ctt’s…)
or at https://garboyl.bol.pt/Comprar/Bilhetes/92523-sonicblast_festival_2022_full_festival_ticket-garboyl_lives/Sessoes
and Masqueticket https://www.masqueticket.com/entrada/835-sonicblast-fest-2022

Artwork by Branca Studio
Supported by Antena 3

https://www.facebook.com/events/193315945704188/
https://www.facebook.com/sonicblastmoledo/
https://www.instagram.com/sonicblast_fest

Psychlona, “Resin” official video