I guess among Boston-area summer underground fests, Grub, Sweat & Beers is where the shenanigans are at. Somergloom‘s vibe is darker — could it be the name? — and that becomes an underlying thread for their curated lineups. This year’s, with Sumac at the top of the bill as Aaron Turner of Sumac returns to Beantown for the first time (no, not really) since Isis was putting out demos with Godflesh art on the cover, runs a gamut in terms of sound from post-everything to grind, and as with the last few years, the bill is thoughtfully constructed.

The fest is set for Aug. 7-9, which I was like “oh crap that’s this week” but no, it’s next week. Because I have no idea what time is and maybe I’m a little bit grasping toward the end of summer. In any case, this will be the first time The Keening are in Boston, and there’s Nepalese-rooted grindcore outfit Chepang and Body Void, who’ve gone industrial? I had no idea. I bet that’s harsh as hell. Good thing one appreciates a bit of homework.

From the PR wire:

Somergloom Festival Returns for Year 5 – Aug. 7-9

Somergloom Festival enters its fifth year of doom and gloom with its most ambitious lineup to date. Formed in 2021 on the heels of the pandemic and a year without shows, each year Somergloom brings together a diverse lineup of artists from the underground heavy and dark music scenes in New England and beyond. From its early years in a parking lot, to local breweries and Somerville’s Arts at the Armory, Somergloom finds its home for year five at Crystal Ballroom in Somerville and Deep Cuts in Medford.

A collaboration of Somergloom founder and Artistic Director Stephen LoVerme and Executive Producer JJ Gonson of ONCE Somerville, Somergloom’s curatorial approach showcases the richness of the heavy music scene, centering around music that is introspective, creatively ambitious, and evoking a melancholic quality that we like to call “gloom.”

“Sadness and dark feelings are legitimate emotions. They’re part of a whole range of human emotion and experience. Some people will say, ‘I can’t listen to sad or depressing music because it just makes me feel bad.’ But for me, it’s always had the opposite effect. It lifts me up.” – Stephen LoVerme, Somergloom Artistic Director

This year’s lineup celebrates the vibrant and increasingly diversifying underground heavy music community, with artists from Boston’s own doom scene sharing the bill with established and emerging artists from Puerto Rico, the Pacific Northwest, New York, and across New England. This intriguing interplay of sounds and artistic approaches is something audiences can only experience at this kind of multi-day festival, when there’s a chance to experience 16 bands across three days.

Expressionistic metal ensemble SUMAC finish their tour of the northeastern US headlining Somergloom on Saturday 8/9 at Crystal Ballroom. Featuring Aaron Turner of foundational Massachusetts post-metal bands ISIS and Old Man Gloom, Russian Circles bassist Brian Cook, and Baptists drummer Nick Yacyshyn, SUMAC continues to push musical boundaries and genre expectations through bold collaborations and fearless experimentation.

Year five welcomes the return of sludge titans Body Void, who since headlining year one have fully embraced industrial noise and electronics as a key element of their world weary doom. Reflecting “the nightmarish reality of a country seemingly built only to exploit and punish,” Body Void’s vision of doom is both oppressively bleak and satisfyingly cathartic.

The Keening, the brainchild of ex-SubRosa singer and guitarist Rebecca Vernon marks its Boston area debut with an intimate solo performance by Vernon. On record, The Keening’s American Gothic inspired “chamberdoom” brims with lush orchestration; at Somergloom, audience members will experience Vernon’s “wintry murder ballads” at their purest and most direct.

The festival takes on a global scope with appearances by San Juan, Puerto Rico-based progressive metal outfit MOTHS and NYC’s Nepalese language and self-described “immigrindcore” band Chepang. Each band excels at their genre and infuses their culture into it, inviting audiences to look beyond borders to our shared humanity and reverence for the almighty riff.

Boston doom veterans Morne will make a rare local appearance, imbuing the festival with their trademark crust-tinged, brooding atmospheric doom. The rest of the lineup is stacked with artists from a diverse array of genres ranging from black metal to shoegaze to post-metal to gothic folk, each bringing their own unique life experience and artistic vision to their craft.

Over its first four years, Somergloom has hosted over 40 bands at 6 different venues. 2025 brings 16 bands to 2 new venues, supported in part by the Somerville Arts Council, and continues to create a space for lovers of dark music to commune with one another in sound and let their gloom flag fly.

Thursday, August 7 at Deep Cuts, Medford:
Slow Quit
Main Era
GUHTS
Lesotho

Friday, August 8 at Crystal Ballroom at Somerville Theatre, Somerville:
Body Void
The Keening
Lepra
Vudu Sister
Tears from a Grieving Heart

Saturday, August 9 at Crystal Ballroom at Somerville Theatre, Somerville:
SUMAC
Morne
Chepang
Moths
A Monolithic Dome
Cowardice
Chainlacing

https://somergloom.com/
https://somergloom.bandcamp.com/merch
https://www.instagram.com/somergloom
https://www.facebook.com/somergloom

The Keening, “Hell is a Mirror”

Body Void, Atrocity Machine (2023)

The lineup for the fourth edition of Somergloom, held in Somerville, Massachusetts, on Boston’s neighborhoody fringes, brings together locals and out of towners for a varied three-days later this month. You’ll note Royal Thunder and Big Brave in the top spots, as well as Stephen Brodsky and Adam McGrath from Cave In and others across a range of styles and moods from the exploratory to the crushing. I’m particularly curious to know what Marc Gaffney from Boston heavy rock forerunners Gozu has in store for a solo set. Acoustic interpretations? Laptop-backed classic soul vocal revue? Spoken word laced with dry sarcasm? Dude could go any number of directions and not miss. I hope somebody gets video.

And as a note to self, Strawberry Coffin seem like a band I should check out. If you’re going to this one, heads up on Oldest Sea as well. They’ve spent a decent portion of the summer on tour at this point and I don’t imagine that’s hurt their on-stage resonance any. Should be a killer time.

Info came down the PR wire:

Somergloom Festival – Aug.22-24, 2024

Get tickets: https://dice.fm/bundles/somergloom-3vdx

Somergloom Festival enters its fourth year, gloomier than ever, on two stages at The Center for the Arts at the Armory in Somerville, MA and Event Them in Medford, MA, August 22-24, 2024. Showcasing the richness and diversity of the heavy music scene, the festival centers around music that is introspective, creatively ambitious, and evoking a melancholic quality that we like to call “gloom.” From beautifully haunting dark folk to harrowing doom metal, Somergloom offers festival goers a sampling of sounds from the underground.

Since its inception in 2021 as part of the ONCE Summer Concert Series, Somergloom has grown from a one day show to a multi-day event, bringing in international touring acts to play alongside established and emerging local talent. This year, the festival will feature artists on two stages at Center for the Arts at the Armory.

“It’s important to us to keep Somergloom in Somerville because we have a strong connection to this place,” says festival founder and Somerville-based musician Stephen LoVerme. “Having it at The Center for Arts at the Armory allows us to keep the festival here while working with an organization with a similar goal of nurturing art and culture in the city. It’s a beautiful, historic building that’s full of character, and having multiple venues – the performance hall and the Rooted cafe – allows us to feature more artists.”

“Somergloom has always been about including artists. Local craft, vintage, and other vendors will have the balcony in the main room, as well as the entryway, to show their wares. It’s an opportunity for artists, audio and visual, to show their skills, and we are thrilled to be able to offer it” -JJ Gonson, ONCE owner and Somergloom Executive Producer.

“Somergloom is impressive, joyful, and inspiring. Such gatherings are priceless for developing the soul and identity of regional arts, and in turn, the culture and ideas of the community.” – Indy Shome, Queen Elephantine

VIP, two-day, and single-day passes are now available. VIP pass holders this year will enjoy access to a special pre-party at EventThem in Medford and premium viewing space at Arts at the Armory.

VIP Pre-party Thursday, August 22, Event Them, will feature appearances from Marc Gaffney from Gozu, Oahk and Kira McSpice.

Friday August 23 Center for the Arts at the Armory Montreal’s Big Brave headline, playing their new album A Chaos of Flowers in full. Spiritual Poison, featuring Ethan McCarthy of Primitive Man, brings a heavy dose of atmospheric drone to the evening, while Boston deathrockers Final Gasp bring the energy and grim charisma of harcore, goth, and post punk. Also featured: Lesser Glow, Circus Trees and Luci Dead Limb.

Saturday August 24, Center for the Arts at the Armory Atlanta’s Royal Thunder headline back in Boston after a seven-year absence. GIRIH and The Infinity Ring bring brooding post metal and gothic folk respectively. Playing in the Rooted Cafe are Stephen Brodsky and Adam McGrath of local legends Cave In and psychedelic doom rockers Strawberry Coffin.

Thursday, August 22, EventThem, Medford, MA
Marc Gaffney of Gozu
Kira McSpice
Oahk

Friday, August 23, Center for the Arts at the Armory, Somerville, MA
Big Brave
Final Gasp
Spiritual Poison
Lesser Glow
Circus Trees
Luci Dead Limb

Saturday, August 24, Center for the Arts at the Armory, Somerville, MA
Royal Thunder
Stephen Brodsky and Adam McGrath of Cave In
Girih
Oldest Sea
The Infinity Ring
Strawberry Coffin

https://www.facebook.com/somergloom
https://www.instagram.com/somergloom
https://somergloom.bandcamp.com/merch
https://somergloom.com/

Oldest Sea, “Sacred Destruction” official video