Live Review: Thursday at Roadburn 2025

Posted in Reviews on April 18th, 2025 by JJ Koczan

Roadburn main stage

Not too much wandering for today, but I did check out the Archiving Heaviness showcase downstairs at the 013 full of the cultural detritus of past editions. There were even a couple old Weirdo Canyon Dispatch issues in there. It’s nice to think of that as being a part of this whole thing when it was. It was a ‘zine in the truest sense of being a labor of love, and apart from the fact that it was about the fest, I think that’s what tied it most into the fold of Roadburn.

I missed the opening of the art gallery by minutes, but got to see Walter say a few words to the first-timers meeting, welcoming them to the festival and encouraging them to interact with each other, go off schedule and wander, and so on. I also signed the guestbook. The meeting was downstairs at the 013 at the bar near the Archiving Heaviness displays. Walter’s right, of course, about all of it, and it’s the most Roadburn thing ever that the guy who started the fest would take time 25-plus years later to greet the people who’ve never been here before. Roadburn is a lot. It can be overwhelming. Walter radiates a warmth and kindness few people know. When he welcomes you, you stay welcomed.

Xiu Xiu were going on up at the Koepelhal, on the The Terminal stage, but I hadn’t had endnote half a meal since Tuesday, so I grabbed a few slices of kaas and some greens for nutritional reconciliation. Lee and I had come to the office this morning to put some shortb text in the TMSQ app that has the schedule and all that info, and that went quickly enough that I’d gone back to the hotel to sit quietly for a bit, nod off, answer email, etc. I was dragging before food. Headache, a little nauseous. But the thing about Roadburn is no matter how crowded it gets, there are always pockets and places where you can be. If it feels like the whole world is in one place and the line’s out the door and it feels like too much, all you ever have to do is step back, realize that, and find a corner, or a chair, or a bench, whatever it is, and take the minute you need.

For me, that’s usually up on the balcony of the 013, though of course there are times where that’s packed as well. You make it work.

In the main hall, Costin Chioreanu’s animated film ‘The Hunter’ screened to open the day. Oranssi Pazuzu were soon to go on to perform last Fall’s Muuntautuja in its entirety. The one led very well into the other. I remember when Oranssi Pazuzu were here last, circa 2012 or thereabouts — Archiving Heaviness has a wall outside Koepelhal with all the years’ lineups printed on it; I should check that — they were at Het Patronaat, and it was a very big deal. Line down the block. Good to know the ensuing decade-plus hasn’t dulled the reception. I took one song’s worth of pictures in the photo pit, and made my way up to the balcony, because when engaging with intermittently furious groundbreaking cosmic experimentalist black metal, I’ll take the bird’s eye view anytime.

No doubt I was in the minority among the room for not knowing the album, but I was fine hearing a thing for the first time and appreciating the unexpected twists that have helped the band become a generational presence, like the intro to the first song sounding like Nine Inch Nails’ “Mr. Self-Destruct,” or how prone they were to locking in a bigger groove when not channeling dissonance or shred, or, more likely both. I don’t know that they’ll ever be my ‘thing’ as far as that goes, but that didn’t keep it from being awesome.

Spent a few minutes in my own head sitting upstairs on the balcony. Shit self-talk, just tearing myself down because I worry about THINGS and it’s a terrifying moment. Thinking of seeing Dool on the big stage last year, feeling that empowerment resonating, was restorative. Oranssi Pazuzu are on a different trip entirely, and I didn’t expect the same experience twice because I’ve been to Roadburn before and I know better, but there was a sense of freedom conveyed alongside so much catharsis, and I tried my best to home in on that. Also this weird thing had been happening where every time I sat in a place for more than five minutes, no matter what else was going on or its volume level related to human tolerances, I started to fall asleep. I assure you that’s not a dig on the set.

Oranssi Pazuzu finished droned out and fair enough. I thought about popping over to the Next Stage for Toby Driver’s new trio, Alora Crucible, but there was a line outside the room by the time I got there, so I broke off downstairs for a water and then was back up to the Main Stage for the coming of Kylesa. I don’t know how many times I saw them during their ‘original run’ in various lineups and constructions of the band, mostly because I was drunk and it was a long time ago (having a archive of nearly every show I’ve seen in the last 16 years has its advantages in not relying on my memory; Kylesa and my affection for their work pre-date this site), but with Phillip Cope and Laura Pleasants reigniting the band now completed by journeyman metaller Roy Mayorga (Ministry, Stone Sour, Soulfly, etc.), who hits hard enough to remind you Kylesa once had two drummers, and NY-based artist John John Jesse (Nausea) on bass, they were a must-see for me. Something of a silly feeling, being nostalgic for the aughts, but it was 20 years ago. Brains are ridiculous.

Kylesa were last at Roadburn in 2010, but I missedKylesa (Photo by JJ Koczan) them because volcano. One assumes the irony of “Keep moving/Don’t look back” as a signature hook at a reunion show isn’t lost on Kylesa, but never mind that shit, here comes Mongo, and in this case, Mongo is the guitar tones of Pleasants and Cope at the forefront of this band. And hey, sometimes a path brings you somewhere you’ve been before. With punk in their metallic hearts as it always was, Kylesa renewed their individual blend of elements, influences and craft, dug into some of the rawer ends of their catalog as well as the later and proggier fare, and though it was their first Euro show in more than a decade, I don’t think it took long for them to remind the room who they were and what they were about. That space was packed and rightly so. Kylesa was always just a little different than everybody else, sound-wise. Cope and Pleasants sharing vocals was always part of it, for sure, but for me it goes to the shape of their riffing and their ability to take what seem like straightforward ideas like “here’s a fuggin’ thrash riff in your face,” and beat them into more complex shapes.

As to what their going-forward plans might be, I haven’t a clue, but there’s life in them, and where I can think of an act like Jesus and Mary Chain, who were here for a reunion last year — different band and context, but still — and it felt pretty hollow. Kylesa, on the other hand, were always about the soul and the charge put into their songs, and they remain so. And the lineup, in the parlance of 2023, is fire. But of course it is. Nodding heads front to back. A mosh opened up. Dudes were dancing on the balcony. Hail hail.

They closed with “Running Red,” which, yes. I lurched my sad physicality up to Koepelhal when they were done Faetooth (Photo by JJ Koczan)to catch Faetooth at The Terminal. The Los Angeles three-piece self-tag as ‘Fairy Doom,’ and I wouldn’t argue if I could. Bringing together doomed nod, sludge nod and, indeed, some more nod, their dual-vocal approach moved between harsh and cleans, and the songs didn’t want for dynamic, but the overarching impression was heavy and dug-in. I think this is their first time in Europe? I don’t know that, so don’t quote it, but yes I just checked and it’s true. Quote away, I guess. In any case, they drew a massive crowd to bask in the largesse of fuzz, and the darker shoegaze side of what they were doing was balanced by both the screams and the tonal heft. They didn’t look like a band to fuck with. Someone yelled out they were beautiful before they played and I was embarrassed to be a dude. Cringe shit.

Speaking of, walking back to the 013 after Faetooth, there was a street preacher in a tshirt with a cross on it yelling about god in Dutch. He started in on me and I let him go a few seconds before I told him I didn’t even speak his language and to fuck off. He switched to English to thank me and say god bless you, to which my shouted reply was “only if he gives me a handjob first — again, fuck you.” I could live a thousand years and there would be no time in my life for that fucking garbage. I was completely lucid. I didn’t hit him.

An abrasive noise wash after that kind of adrenaline spike turned out to be just the thing, and after breaking a kick drum pedal right off the bat, like, with the first kick, The Body and Dis Fig tapped electronic and organic malevolence. I knew it would be heavy. But feeling the bass wub in my chest was nonetheless affecting. There was a big part of me that was ready to call it a night — arguably it was still evening — but I was scared to go back to the hotel and crash too hard, lest IThe Body and Dis Fig (Photo by JJ Koczan) sleep then instead of overnight. I had screwed up Wednesday so much in how I did and didn’t sleep that I’d been feeling it all day, but the lonely conscious fragment of my mind knew the room was a trap. Brutal noise, drone, thud and melodic-vocal cutthrough it is. Roadburn means I’m lucky to be alive. I can sleep later. I hope.

I hid my face in my arms at one point to get away from the strobe. They were droning at the time and yeah, I kinda nodded off. That’s how it was today. Adrenaline and lots of coffee were a help, likewise good music, but at no point in the day did I feel like I was at my best or even functioning beyond the basics and yelling at that jeezaroo. I know that’s not rock and roll. It’s not cool. It’s not positive. It’s not hey I’m here and let’s be an influencer and here’s some content isn’t it contenty? It’s real life. If you’re going to be a lifer at this shit or anything else, including just life itself, some days are going to be easier than others. Did not the Ben Ward sayeth, “Some you win, some you lose?” Well I won today outright, even if I had to pull myself by my collar to do it.

Back at the room afterward, I put in a video call to home, got to talk to The Patient Mrs. and The Pecan, which was a treat, I’d gotten myself one more espresso from the machine in the lobby of the hotel, of which I drank about half in a single sip and poured out the rest. Yes, absolutely for all my Nespresso homies. You know who you are, you classy bastards.

Sorting photos and finishing the writing were precursors to screwing off and going to bed, so that was the order of it. Tomorrow and Saturday nights are more packed for me, so resting while I can while my body gave me fewer and fewer choices in the matter anyway made sense. In the end, I slept like a bastard for like nine hours, which I very much hope brings me closer to whatever vision of ‘caught up’ might apply.

Thanks for reading. A couple more pics after the jump.

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Roadburn 2025 Adds Cave In Playing Jupiter, The Body, Insect Ark and More

Posted in Whathaveyou on December 23rd, 2024 by JJ Koczan

That Uniform full-album performance is going to be vicious, and that’s barely scratching the surface of the 25 new additions to the lineup for Roadburn 2025. To wit, Lane Shi is the first artist I’ve ever seen in the 15 years I’ve been covering the festival’s doings to have been announced for more than one edition of the fest. She’ll play the next three years in a row, if I read right. Cave In doing Jupiter is sure to be nostalgic, and the likes of Insect Ark, The Body, and Xiu Xiu — who I guess had a good enough time to come back — offer further assurance of a packed schedule.

It’s all over the place and I haven’t heard half these artists before. Would you really have Roadburn any other way?

From the PR wire:

roadburn 2025 latest announce

Roadburn adds 25 new names to the 2025 lineup including Cave In, The Body, Dis Fig, Uniform, The Bug, Xiu Xiu and more

Having recently announced Cave In performing their seminal album Jupiter in full, as well as the festival’s first ever three-year artist in residence, Lane Shi, Roadburn has today added a further 23 names to the 2025 line up. Among those names is a commissioned project from Warrington Runcorn New Town Development Plan, a full album playthrough of American Standard by Uniform, and a collaborative set from The Body and Dis Fig.

Roadburn’s artistic director, Walter Hoeijmakers comments:

“With this announcement, the lineup for Roadburn 2025 is almost complete. Looking at it as a whole, we have achieved a genuine reflection of the current underground. We have reached the crossroads where 2024 and 2025 come together, whether it’s with album performances, released or unreleased, Roadburn luminaries or younger up-and-coming bands, we are giving a platform to a wide spectrum of artists, redefining heaviness, showcasing growth and the future of our beloved underground.”

The new names added to Roadburn 2025 are as follows:

Buffalo Nichols brings the blues from America all the way to Tilburg

Cave In will perform their iconic album Jupiter, and mark its 25th anniversary.

Dame Area’s double trouble is signaled with chaotic energy and rhythmic percussion

Dis Fig feat. Spooky J – Dis Fig will be joined by a live drummer for this stand alone performance in addition to her set with The Body

Doodseskader merge hip hop, hardcore, metal, electronics and more

Endon return to Europe for the first time in five years, on the back of their latest album, Fall of Spring.

Foudre! Blend post-punk, world music and psych- this will be their Roadburn debut

Gott were forced to cancel their Roadburn performance in 2022; now they’re back and raring to go

Greet present harmonium-heavy, pastoral folk from the North of England

Haunted Plasma play their first live set outside of Finland

Insect Ark are now a three piece when they play live, enabling them to do full justice to the nuances of their ominous sounds.

Kaukolampi fuse the headiness of kosmische with the visceral impact of techno, the intensity of metal and the churning power of dark ambient.

Lane Shi is Roadburn’s first ever Triennium Artist In Residence; she will perform at each of the next three editions of the festival.

LustSickPuppy is an unholy mashup of digital hardcore, rap, acid electronica and noise with an eye for art and a brain full of big ideas.

Maquina. is a Portuguese trio who specialise in driving beats and hypnotic Krautrock

Silver Godling hails from New Orleans, and creates beautiful songs utilising voice, piano and looping.

Supplicate is the project of Andy Gibbs from Thou; he will make his European debut at Roadburn

The Body return to Roadburn, this time on the main stage.

The Body & Dis Fig unite on the Roadburn main stage for their electrifying collaborative performance.

The Bug will draw heavily from his Machine release for this special show.

The Ex will highlight exactly why they’re so iconic after 45 years in the game

Uniform expand to a six piece for a full performance of American Standard in its entirety.

Warrington Runcorn New Town Development Plan is a commissioned artist for 2025 and will present new work titled Industrial Growth.

Xiu Xiu will make a triumphant return to Roadburn off the back of their new album

Youniss is a Belgian-based artist that blends a mix of hip hop, experimental noise and post-punk with his poetic commentary

More information on these artists can be found HERE: https://roadburn.com/line-up/

They will join a slew of previously announced artists including Chat Pile, envy, Thou, Oranssi Pazuzu, ØXN, Sumac, Altin Gun, Kylesa and many more.

All ticket and accommodation options for Roadburn are now on sale. For all information including tickets, please visit www.roadburn.com

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Insect Ark, Raw Blood Singing (2024)

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Video: Mutants of the Monster 2020 Virtual Festival with -(16)-, Deadbird, The Body, Hull, Heavy Temple, Oakskin, Dirty Streets & More

Posted in Bootleg Theater on August 31st, 2020 by JJ Koczan

mutants of the monster virtual poster

Alright, I’m not going to sit here and pretend that I’ve watched the complete five-and-a-half-hour, two-part span of the Mutants of the Monster 2020 Virtual Festival. That’s just not where my life is at. It was the Hull reunion that brought me to the Arkansas-based fest’s digital incarnation, and even conducted in separate spaces via Zoom, it was great to see that band again — guitarist/vocalist Nick Palmirotto splurged for the green-screen-style Zoom backgrounds and made the most of it in the clip of “Viking Funeral,” but the whole five-piece ripped in a way that only made me wish all the more they had done a third record before calling it quits in 2015.

But though Hull were the hook, once I was in, it was easy to stay that way. Two nights’ worth of viewing, with L.A. aggro-sludgemasters -(16)- headlining one evening and The Body unleashing their apocalyptic destruction the next, sets from Windhand‘s Dorthia Cottrell (joined by bandmate Parker Chandler), Philly’s Heavy Temple, as well as the likes of Memphis’ Dirty Streets — who played in someone’s very nice living room (I noted the Edison turntable, with speaker horn, behind bassist Thomas Storz), the joy-to-behold Little Rock hometown team Deadbird, hardcore pushers SixKillsNine, the noise crush of Eye Flys — who advocated at the outset for dismantling and defunding the police — as well as ex-Kylesa guitarist Phillip Cope‘s new project Oakskin, who were an atmospheric sludge highlight, spoken introductions, between-band videos, and a ton more. Put together by Christopher Farris Terry — of Rwake, Iron Tongue, Deadbird and the Slow Southern Steel documentary — it not only raised funds for worthy causes, but celebrated a diverse range of sounds and styles and creativity that, while it could never be the same as being in a place and witnessing it all in-person for two nights, utilized the visual medium in an intelligent and exciting way that a lot of live streams simply haven’t been able to do. It had a flow, and for all the geography it drew upon — aesthetically and literally — it was not clumsy in its shifts or nonsensical in its progressions from one set to the next.

Some performed with masks on, some didn’t — even in the same band, as seen with Wvrm — and Heavy Temple played en rouge. I don’t think any of it happened live as it was airing, but the sense of it as a premiere and a presented-live event came through fine. While we’re talking about things I don’t know — there’s so much — I also don’t know how long these streams are going to stay up, and it’s entirely possible that by the time this is posted they’ll be taken down in order to emphasize the ephemeral, it’s-over-now nature of the virtual festival. I hope that’s not the case, and not just because I’d feel dumb posting empty YouTube embeds. Wouldn’t be the first time.

But the bottom line is that while you can you should check out what you can. I’m not gonna try and claim five and a half hours outright from your busy day and your busy life, but, well, maybe I am. Even if it takes you more than two days to get through as you peruse one brief set into the next, the reward is easy justification for the effort.

And maybe next year, in person.

Enjoy:

Mutants of the Monster 2020 Part I

Mutants of the Monster, a Central Arkansas festival helmed by Chris Terry (Rwake, Deadbird, Iron Tongue) that has championed heavy sounds for years, is going virtual in 2020.

We are also raising funds and awareness for two local organizations that support transgender rights and immigrants here in Arkansas. Please take some time to learn about their stories and support the good cause,

Intransitive’s Brayla Stone microgrants
https://www.intransitive.org/brayla-stone-microgrants

El Zocalo Immigrant Resource Center
http://www.zocalocenter.com/

Lineup for Part I:
Dorthia Cottrell
Heavy Temple
Barishi
Redbait
Rebelmatic
Hull
Wvrm
– (16) –

Speakers:
Laina Dawes (Music Journalist/ “What Are You Doing Here?”), Michael Alago (Music Producer/ “Who The F**k Is That Guy”), Chris Terry (Rwake, Deadbird, Iron Tongue).

Mutants of the Monster 2020 Part II

Lineup for Part II:
Dirty Streets
SixKillsNine
Oakskin
Eye Flys
Deadbird
Terminal Nation
The Body

Speakers:
Jason McMaster (Dangerous Toys), Madeline/Rebecca (Redbait), Nate Garrett (Spirit Adrift), Matt Besser (Actor/Comedian), Elliott Fullam (Little Punk People), Ashlie Atkinson (“BlacKkKlansman,” “Mr. Robot”).

Mutants of the Monster 2020 Event Page

Christopher Farris Terry on Thee Facebooks

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Roadburn 2018 Announces Boris Playing Absolutego, Godflesh Playing Selfless, Hooded Menace Playing Fulfill the Curse, Commissioned Oranssi Pazuzu and Dark Buddha Rising Collaboration, and Much More

Posted in Whathaveyou on December 14th, 2017 by JJ Koczan

Well, here’s Roadburn 2018 wishing you happy holidays as pretty much only Roadburn can. With Boris and Stephen O’Malley playing Absolutego in full, a one-off collaboration between Oranssi Pazuzu and Dark Buddha Rising kicking off the festival, additional whole-record performances from Godflesh and Hooded Menace, a European debut from Khemmis, plus the likes of Thou & The Body, Motorpsycho, Fuoco Fatuo, Forgotten Tomb, Wolfbrigade and of course a completely overwhelming ton of others. So yeah, happy holidays from Roadburn, I guess. Probably even happier if you already have your tickets for next April.

If you don’t, gadzooks, I hear it’s the holidays.

From the PR wire:

roadburn 2018 new flyer

Further artists confirmed for 2018 edition of Roadburn Festival; including details of specially commissioned performance

– Dark Buddha Rising and Oranssi Pazuzu collaborate on commissioned project, Waste of Space Orchestra
– Boris join forces with Stephen O’Malley for Absolutego performance
– Jacob Bannon adds Godflesh, Motorpsycho, Thou x The Body and Forgotten Tomb to his curation
– Justin K Broadrick and Kevin Martin unite as Zonal, with Moor Mother
– Hooded Menace to play Fulfill The Curse in its entirety

COMMISSIONED PROJECT: WASTE OF SPACE ORCHESTRA

Artistic Director Walter Hoeijmakers commented:

“Roadburn has always been about bringing people together, creating a network where the line between friend, fan, performer and artist is blurred. The very foundation of Roadburn is the community that it is built upon, around, and within. Alongside this, Roadburn has always sought to push the boundaries of creativity and expression.

These two defining facets of Roadburn have been brought together for a brand new project – or rather, two brand new projects – for 2018. For the first time, we have commissioned a two groups of entirely separate musicians to create music to be performed specifically at Roadburn. Today we’re thrilled to announce the first of those groups of musicians.”

Familiar to most Roadburners, Dark Buddha Rising and Oranssi Pazuzu are combining their forces to write and perform a new concept piece especially for Roadburn 2018. The collaboration will be titled the Waste of Space Orchestra.

The performance will include ten musicians onstage plus an original video accompaniment, designed to tell a parallel story with the music. The ten-part, one hour piece is a dive into the consciousnesses of three beings – all of whom are on a search for deeper truths in comprehending reality.

The Waste of Space Orchestra performance will open the main stage on the first day of Roadburn 2018 – Thursday, April 19.

BORIS AND STEPHEN O’MALLEY PERFORMING ABSOLUTEGO

It was Absolutego that kickstarted everything for Boris in 1996 and put that strange little band from Tokyo named after a Melvins song on the map. If you further exercise your memory, you will surely recall that Absolutego was – above everything – a drone album, one single track that took the listener on a strange, intense and very dark trip.

We’ve invited Boris to come and perform that whole Absolutego giant of sound, and they said yes. Joining them for this exclusive, one off performance is none other than Stephen O’Malley.

Boris with Stephen O’Malley will play Absolutego on Saturday, April 21 at the 013 venue, Tilburg, The Netherlands.

JACOB BANNON’S CURATION

MOTORPSYCHO

“When discussing with Walter potential artists that fit the experimental spirit of Roadburn Festival, we both landed on the idea of Motorpsycho. I was first exposed to the band through their Demon Box album and have attempted to follow their unique twists and turns since. Their output is legendary and their need for experimentation has been inspiring to follow over the years. It is a true honor to help bring this diverse voice to the Roadburn audience.”

– Jacob Bannon.

GODFLESH

As part of Jacob Bannon’s curation, Godflesh will perform their groundbreaking album Selfless at Roadburn Festival 2018.

“I first experienced Godflesh when I picked up the Grindcrusher compilation from Earache Records as a teenager. The otherworldly power of Streetcleaner effected me in a way that I still find hard to describe. Since then I have been an avid follower of all music that Justin creates. Though I celebrate the expansive Broadrick catalog as a whole, it is his forays into melody under the Godflesh name I really connect with. Selfless as is an album that has everything for me. Punishing heaviness, incredible hooks, and limitless emotional depth. It is a true honor that they have agreed to play this album in its entirety at Roadburn 2018.”

– Jacob Bannon.

CURATION: THOU X THE BODY

“Since their inception I’ve been following Thou. Their restlessness and drive for experimentation has been inspiring to follow. The same goes for The Body. They’ve been such an incredible band to watch evolve from release to release. When they joined together on their Released From Love and You Whom I Have Always Hated collaborations I was floored. Together, they amplify the best parts of each band’s individual output. Making some of the heaviest and most intense music of the last few years. This collaboration is a must listen and perfect fit for Roadburn Festival.”

– Jacob Bannon

CURATION: FORGOTTEN TOMB

“I was first exposed to Forgotten Tomb through their incredible Springtime Depression album. To me, Herr Morbid’s vision was immediately appealing. Carrying a relatable sadness and inescapable darkness unequaled by other artists of the time. Since then I’ve been following his growth as an artist and the evolution of the band. I feel that artistically Forgotten Tomb are a perfect fit for the core Roadburn audience. They are a musical black hole that claims everything around it. I can’t wait to experience their set at Roadburn Festival 2018.”

– Jacob Bannon

ZONAL WITH MOOR MOTHER

Justin K. Broadrick is such an integral part of the Roadburn backbone by now that he needs little introduction. When it was announced that Justin and Kevin Martin, aka The Bug – who already made himself part of Roadburn with a staggering show alongside Dylan Carlson of Earth this year – would reunite under the name Zonal (a spiritual continuation from their iconic Techno Animal duo) it registered on our always-on radar. They will be joined by Camae Ayewa, the musician, activist and poet from Philadelphia who also goes by the name Moor Mother.

HOODED MENACE

Since their earliest rumblings, Finnish cult doomsters Hooded Menace have held an astonishingly high profile in the underground realms. Their uniquely energetic take on the classic hybrid of doom and death metal has been invigorating audience since the release of their 2008 classic, Fulfill the Curse. We’re thrilled to announce that the band will perform this classic album in full at Roadburn 2018.

ALSO CONFIRMED

Classic heavy doom from Khemmis

Move or be moved by Wolfbrigade 

Tribulation’s Jonathan Hultén will haunt Het Patronaat

Worship will perform Last Tape Before Doomsday in its entirety

Get sucked into a cold, dark void by Fuoco Fatuo 

Welcome the wild and unrestrained spirit of Alda

Zuriaake will be the first Chinese band to perform at Roadburn Festival.

Some nightmares take us towards Vampillia

VMO will prove they are more than “just” a side project

Head out on an exhilarating ride with Watter

Allow yourself to shape shift with Hail Spirit Noir

Watch Kairon; Irse! defy time and space

Dive headfirst into Hortes dreamy slumber

Old Tower make their live debut at Roadburn 2018.

TICKET ONSALE INFORMATION
Roadburn 2018 tickets are on sale now. 3 and 4 day tickets are currently available, with day tickets going on sale at a later date.

4-day-tickets €198,40 (including €3,40 service fees)
3-day-tickets €175,40 (including €3,40 service fees)

Camping tickets are also available to purchase, with additional options (such as Festipis and camper vans) also possible. This year the urban campsite will be in a new location – but still within walking distance to the 013 venue – providing a comfortable and affordable option for Roadburn attendees.

Click here for more information on tickets and the campsite

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Roadburn 2018 Fourth Announcement Video

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Roadburn 2016: Bang, The Body, Blood Ceremony, CHRCH, Repulsion, Behold! the Monolith and More Added to the Lineup

Posted in Whathaveyou on November 19th, 2015 by JJ Koczan

Another day, another sigh heaved by Roadburn 2016 and a list of, I don’t know, like, 45 lineup additions expelled. Like it’s just happenstance, no big deal. Oh, Repulsion are playing Lee Dorrian‘s curated day. Oh, Bang are doing their first European show ever and they’ve been a band since 1970. Oh, G.I.S.M. are playing outside Japan for the first time ever. Ho hum. Meanwhile skulls around the planet cave in simultaneously, mine included.

Particularly noteworthy? CHRCH. The Sacramento five-piece released their devastating full-length, Unanswered Hymns (review here), earlier this year, and it’s quite simply one of 2015’s best debut albums. Also Blood Ceremony, who’ll reportedly have a new record out by then, and Behold! the Monolith, whose new one, Architects of the Void (review here), came out this fall.

All this and more. Here are words from the PR wire:

Cult of Luna, G.I.S.M, Repulsion, Bang, and more added to Roadburn 2016 lineup

• CULT OF LUNA to celebrate tenth anniversary of Somewhere Along The Highway with a special performance.
• G.I.S.M, REPULSION, and BLOOD CEREMONY added to Lee Dorrian’s curated events
• BANG play their first show in Europe at Roadburn 2016.

CULT OF LUNA

2016 will mark a decade since CULT OF LUNA unleashed Somewhere Along The Highway – catapulting them to the top of end of year lists, and in to prized positions in record collections the world over.

Whilst the last ten years has seen the ascendency of CULT OF LUNA’s star, as well as two further stunning albums, Somewhere Along The Highway remains something of a marker in this history of the band. It seems fitting then, that just a week shy of the album’s official anniversary, CULT OF LUNA will be performing the album in full at the 013 venue on Thursday 14 April 2016.

It’s an honour to welcome back CULT OF LUNA to Roadburn Festival; the threads of their influence are weaved throughout many of the bands that have appeared on our line ups over the years. Join us as we honour the seminal importance of Somewhere Along The Highway, and celebrate all that CULT OF LUNA have achieved since its inception.

To find out more about CULT OF LUNA at Roadburn, click HERE

LEE DORRIAN’S RITUALS FOR THE BLIND DEAD

Joining Pentagram, Galley Beggar and With The Dead at Lee Dorrian’s curated events will be three newly added bands.

• G.I.S.M

Over a decade after ceasing activities, G.I.S.M. reappear for their first concert ever outside their native Japan – at Roadburn 2016. The absolutely legendary Japanese band embody the true meaning of cult – one of the first acts to bridge the gap between hardcore punk and metal, and in the process redefined danger and unpredictability with violent stage antics and the insane aggression of their music

Lee Dorrian comments: “I thought it was an extremely long shot for many reasons. Mainly because I knew that they had never performed outside of Japan but also, they hadn’t even performed a show in Japan for over a decade. I still can’t quite believe that this is actually happening but the flights are booked and they are getting ready to come and boot you so brutally fucking hard in the ass!”

G.I.S.M’s Sakevi added: “It’s my pleasure to be involved and to be part of such a cool festival. It’s our first time ever playing outside of Japan, and it will be our fist show at all since February 2002! We’ll be playing a so-called “classic set” – and I’m already looking forward to having a lot of fun at Roadburn.”

To find out more about G.I.S.M click HERE

• REPULSION

Over 25 years after the release of REPULSION’s standalone masterpiece Horrified, still stands as one of the major cornerstones of not only grindcore, but extreme metal as a whole.

Lee Dorrian, a pioneer in the scene himself, says: “The line-up for my curated event is getting more and more exciting as we go along. I can’t tell you how happy I am that REPULSION are still playing live and crushing skulls wherever they appear. The legacy of this amazing and extremely influential band continues to grow and spread like wildfire as the years go on. It is a great honour that Matt and Scott accepted my invitation to come and destroy you all at Rituals For the Blind Dead.”

REPULSION will rip the 013 venue apart on Friday, April 15.

To find out more about REPULSION, click HERE

• BLOOD CEREMONY

Canada’s BLOOD CEREMONY delivers the finest progged-out, occult-inspired acid folk this side of the early 70s, replete with an atmospheric Wickerman vibe, Hammer Horror organ, seriously doomy guitar riffage, and the sometimes soft, sometimes soaring vocals of Alia O’Brien, who’s also BLOOD CEREMONY’s flautist.

The band’s tales of witch-cult gatherings in wooded glens, pacts made in torch-lit abbeys and Victorian magic made such a huge impact on Roadburn back in 2011, thus we’re spellbound to report that Lee Dorrian has invited BLOOD CEREMONY to return to the 2016 festival on Saturday, April 16 as part of his curated Rituals For The Occult Pt.2 event.

To find out more about BLOOD CEREMONY, click HERE

BANG

Unsung heroes of the heavy ‘70s may be plenty in number, but few can offer the sweetness of groove that BANG bring to the stage, and we’re thrilled to announce they’ll be playing their very first European show ever at Roadburn 2016!

Says BANG of playing Roadburn, “We are incredibly excited to play Roadburn and for BANG to rock Europe for the first time. We know we have a lot of fans across the pond who are excited as well, and it’s going to be amazing to connect to that audience. We even heard they have amps over there that go to 11, so we will be extra loud!”

To find out more about BANG click HERE.

ALSO CONFIRMED:

Naðra, NYIÞ and Grafir – click HERE
The Body – click HERE
Full of Hell – click HERE
John Haughm – click HERE
Behold! The Monolith – click HERE
Chrch  – click HERE
Night Viper – click HERE
Sinistro – click HERE
Hair of the Dog – click HERE

FURTHER TICKETING INFORMATION

Tickets to Roadburn Festival 2016 are now on sale! Ticket sales got off to an incredible start with many of the available weekend tickets being snapped up within the first few days. There are still 3-day, 4-day, and Sunday tickets on sale. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday day tickets will be released at a a later date.
It is also possible to book camping tickets via Ticketmaster.

Click HERE for all the details.

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

CHRCH, Unanswered Hymns (2015)

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Day of the Shred 2015 Announces Lineup

Posted in Whathaveyou on July 21st, 2015 by JJ Koczan

day of the shred banner

Thief Presents continues to throw down a gauntlet with its festivals. It seemed fair after so thoroughly upping the game earlier this year with Psycho CA that big things would be in store for that fest’s autumnal counterpart, the Day of the Shred, but when you come out of the gate like it’s no big deal and be like, “Oh hey Captain Beyond is playing our fest year whatever,” you’re officially killing it. You’ve got John Garcia, Yawning Man and Ides of Gemini together, which makes me wonder if Zun won’t make an appearance, and Spirit Caravan, Elder and Crowbar, along with a righteous ton of others, up to and including Portugal’s Black Bombaim. It gets a hearty and heartfelt fucking a.

Details from the PR wire:

day of the shred 2015

Day of the Shred Festival to Light Up Southern California November 1

Dia de los Muertos-themed Concert Event to Feature Performances from Captain Beyond, Spirit Caravan, Crowbar, John Garcia, Mondo Generator, Torche and More

This fall, The Day of the Shred Festival returns to Southern California, presenting a diverse lineup of heavy music acts. Billed as an experience “to gather the living and remember the dead”, The Day of the Shred will take place on November 1 (Dia de los Muertos) in Santa Ana, CA. Celebrating monolithic riffs, skateboarding and the souls of the departed, the second annual festival will be an all day, all ages event. Presented by Thief – also the creators of the annual Psycho California Festival — The Day of the Shred will feature headliners Captain Beyond, Spirit Caravan, Crowbar, Torche, John Garcia (of Kyuss fame), Elder, Saviours, Mondo Generator and more.

Tickets for the 2015 Day of the Shred Festival are on sale now at this location. Early bird general admission tickets are $59 (+ tax) and a limited VIP ticket package (which includes express entry, a signed festival screen print, access to the artist lounge, complimentary microbrew and snacks, a limited edition record bag and an exclusive Thief X Obey concert shirt) is also available.
What: Day of the Shred Fest 2015
Where: The Observatory, Santa Ana, CA
Time: 2PM – 2AM
Tickets: Eventbrite.com/e/day-of-the-shred-2015-tickets-17017683349

The just-announced lineup for The Day of the Shred 2015 is as follows:

CAPTAIN BEYOND
SPIRIT CARAVAN
CROWBAR
JOHN GARCIA
MONDO GENERATOR
TORCHE
ELDER
SAVIOURS
OXBOW
FULL OF HELL
THE BODY
YAWNING MAN
KOWLOON WALLED CITY
BLACK BOMBAIM
FIGHT AMP
THOU
NIGHT DEMON
IDES OF GEMINI
MOS GENERATOR
GREAT ELECTRIC QUEST
WHITE MANNA
POOBAH
COMMUNION
BLACKWITCH PUDDING
DUEL
Stay tuned in to The Day of the Shred Fest via the Facebook event page and follow THE DAY OF THE SHRED on social media:

https://www.facebook.com/dayoftheshred
https://twitter.com/thiefpresents
https://instagram.com/thiefpresents/
www.DayoftheShred.com

Weedeater, “Gimme Back My Bullets” Live at Day of the Shred 2014

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Live Review: The Body, Whitehorse, Rozamov and SET in Boston, 05.09.14

Posted in Reviews on May 13th, 2014 by JJ Koczan

It wasn’t a house show exactly, and it wasn’t a secret show exactly. Dragon’s Den is a studio/arts space in a building somewhere in South Boston that prefers its exact location to be kept quiet and that does shows sporadically with the hope of not attracting too much attention. It is decorated like an arts space and has a theatre-style stage, deep and wide, that, in the case of a show like this one with The Body, Whitehorse, Rozamov and SET, held audience and band alike. Still, it was a small, personal space, so while it wasn’t a house show, it had that vibe, and while it wasn’t a secret show, neither was it one promoted to bring out as many people as possible. It was somewhere in between.

The start time was listed as 7PM sharp, and fool that I am, I believed it. I left at 4:50 for what’s usually a half-hour trip and sat in two solid hours of traffic to get into town, thinking I was pushing it as I walked into the building. Not quite. Neither SET, nor Rozamov, nor half the people volunteering their time to run the gig were there yet. I found a chair and sat in it and killed time on my phone while The Body and Whitehorse loaded in their merch, set up on long tables to my left — The Body with a vinyl collection all their own and a tote bag to put it in and Whitehorse with a limited tape recorded on the other side of the planet in their native Australia. I thought about doing some shopping, refrained. I’d paid for parking already and cash is scarce.

A little over an hour passed before SET went on, shortly after eight. At that point, it was still less than a week since I’d last (and first) seen the Worcester four-piece at The Eye of the Stoned Goat 4 (review here) in their hometown, so although I hardly know their stuff, songs like “Valley of the Stone” and “Sacred Moon Cult” — Tom from Rozamov doing an impromptu guest spot on vocals for the latter — rang familiar nonetheless. They had left one of the Stoned Goat fest’s most favorable impressions, particularly as one of the few acts on that bill I’d never caught before, and Dragon’s Den found them no less impressive, a little more stoned-out than thrashing, maybe, but still with a subtly complex blend of Sleep-y impulse and more metallic tendencies. They’d struck me as a quality band the first time out and they did so again, which is always reassuring.

People were starting to fill up the room. Most of those who’d show up for the show were there by the time Rozamov went on, BYO’ing sixers in brown paper bags for liberal enjoyment on some found-looking furniture in front of the LED lightboard or off in some corner, otherwise standing around, chatting amiably about the shifting of this or that paradigm in the way that young white people do when they’re in it, of it. I flipped through photos and waited for Rozamov, who — also at Stoned Goat (review here) — had demonstrated trio proficiency the weekend prior and whose more brutality-minded metallurgy served as a fitting transition from SET‘s opening push into the two touring acts who’d cap the night.

Also making a highlight of “Famine” from their 2013 Of Gods and Flesh EP, Rozamov rounded out with the same new song that had left a mark the weekend prior, their blend of thrash, sludge and periodic stoner groove hitting like an adjustment of the balances at work in SET‘s aesthetic, both bands using two vocalists to their advantage, guitarist Matt Iacovelli and bassist Tom Corino — who traded out instruments smoothly mid-song after breaking a string — perhaps most effective in driving Rozamov as they worked in tandem screams on the aforementioned closer, drummer Will Hendrix holding a steady, quickened pulse behind. For an evening that held the promise of overwhelming volume, Rozamov fit right in.

My understanding is that Whitehorse were/are in-country to play Maryland Deathfest. So be it. I had missed them at Roadburn, and while I dig The Body, I’ve seen them before, so along with the locals, Whitehorse were what drew me to the show. Playing almost completely in the dark, the Melbourne six-piece unleashed a vicious, molasses-toned barrage of extreme sludge, lurching groove topped with burly growls. Their appeal was as immediate as their rumble, two guitars, bass, noise, drums, vocals all working toward a single goal of sonic annihilation. In decibels and extremity, they were every bit a match for The Body, and their huge, slow-running tones only made the material more consuming. Fucking heavy. Very fucking heavy.

There were three, maybe four photographers taking pictures up front, where I also was, most of them using flashes to do so. I’ll admit I turned mine on to try and get a couple shots as well, it was so dark. About three songs in, impressively-bearded Whitehorse vocalist Peter Hyde pointed to two or three photographers and me — literally, pointed his finger — and said they’d had enough of the flashes, told us we needed to leave so that people who actually wanted to see the show could move forward. It was belittling and humiliating, a first for me, and it felt utterly needless. I’d sat in an awful lot of traffic to show up an hour early for somebody who apparently didn’t want to see the show, and if the flash photography was a problem, an easy fix might’ve been to ask for no more flash. I guess that wouldn’t have been punk rock enough. Melbourne to Boston is a long way to go to make someone feel like an asshole for liking your band.

I bummed out pretty quick and pretty hard, made my way to the back and would’ve headed out the door but for reminding myself of those two hours I’d spent getting to the show, so I stood instead and watched Whitehorse finish and waited for The Body to go on. I took a couple pictures of the Portland-by-way-of-Providence duo, stayed for maybe three songs and then left, feeling mostly like a jerk for having shown up in the first place. Still audible from the ground floor outside the Dragon’s Den building, The Body were delivering the aural punishment that has served as the basis of their well-earned reputation, but any chance I had of being into it had evaporated. I was glad I got to see SET and Rozamov again, Dragon’s Den was a cool space and if I caught wind of another gig there, I’d go. I guess that after the Stoned Goat fest and the Floor show earlier in the week I was behind on my quota of unnecessary bullshit, but whatever. Some you win, some you lose. At least the roads were clear on my way home.

Some more pics of SET and Rozamov after the jump. Thanks for reading.

Read more »

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The Body Announce US Tour Dates

Posted in Whathaveyou on April 24th, 2014 by JJ Koczan

I have no confirmation of this — pure speculation on my part — but it seems likely to me that The Body are getting ready to do some recording while they’re on the East Coast. My understanding is they’ve still done stuff in their former hometown of Providence, Rhode Island, since relocating to the other side of the country in Portland, Oregon, and though they’re coming fresh off an appearance at Roadburn and they’ve got a brand new collaborative effort with New Orleans sludge devastators Thou, history has shown the duo are never far off from the next project, album, EP, whatever it might be.

And not that they haven’t spent plenty of time on the road over the course of the last few years anyway, and not that Christs, Redeemers isn’t worth the extra support, but they’re at the St. Vitus Bar on May 8, then they break for nine days, then pick back up in Ithaca on May 17 before heading west and south. Again, I’ve got no solid word on anything, but if they wanted to put something to tape in or around Providence at that time, they’d be able to do so. I guess we’ll see.

Dates and info follow, fresh off the PR wire:

The Body Announces US Dates in May

Christs, Redeemers is out now

The Body have announced a string of US dates following their first-ever tour of Europe and a performance at the famed Roadburn festival, which kick off at Saint Vitus in Brooklyn on May 8th. The avant-doom duo released their third LP, Christs, Redeemers, last October on Thrill Jockey, and have followed it with collaborative one-offs with electronic producer The Haxan Cloak and doom band Thou.

The Body US tour dates
Thu. May 8th – Brooklyn, NY – Saint Vitus
Sat May 17th – Ithaca, NY – Just Be Cause
Sun May 18th – Pittsburgh, PA – Abandoned Store
Mon May 19th – Cincinnati, OH – 3 Kings Bar
Tue May 20th – Bloomington, IN – The Bishop
Wed May 21st – St. Louis, MO – Apop Records

http://thrilljockey.com/thrill/The-Body/Christs-Redeemers
https://www.facebook.com/pages/the-body/334047229514

The Body, “An Altar or a Grave” official video

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