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Desertfest Belgium 2019 Highlights Belgian Acts; Fire Down Below, The Progerians, Vonnis & More Playing

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

desertfest belgium 2019 banner

Desertfest Belgium 2019, as noted just the other day, is getting pretty close to its final lineup, and as they do, they’re making sure they support the native Belgian scene with a number of acts being highlighted for the broader audience they’ll draw. Both Fire Down Below and The Progerians might be familiar to some who’ll hit up Antwerp this October, and 30,000 Monkies have been making the rounds of festivals, but VonnisGrotto and Crayon Sun are probably going to be new to most people who show up, and so all the better they’re getting a showcase at an event like Desertfest. Of course, the broader lineup isn’t short on big names, with Sleep and PelicanBongripper and Zeal & Ardor, etc., so there should be plenty of draw to get heads in front of the stage for these bands, and it’s among the most admirable things an international fest can do to shine a light on the local types. You know this already, but it’s worth saying.

The PR wire has it like this:

desertfest belgium 2019 belgians

BELGIAN BANDS AT DESERTFEST BELGIUM 2019!

Each year at DF Antwerp, we present you with a number of upcoming local acts that deserve to shine in front of our esteemed international crowd. Absolute bosses, each and every one of them!

Fire Down Below have been making waves in the worldwide stoner community from day one, drawing comparisons to anything from Kyuss to Red Fang to Soundgarden. Likewise, The Progerians from Brussels have built a steady reputation for their uncompromising yet fiercely exciting mix of punk anthems and sludge stomp.

Some leftfield choices that are bound to raise heads: VONNIS – sheer brutality poured into a Molotov cocktail of hardcore, grind and noise. On the flipside we have Crayon Sun, the new project of Aldo Struyf (Millionnaire, Mark Lanegan Band) and the Antwerp blues singer Big Dave.

We already announced the merry noise pranksters of 30,000 Monkies earlier this year, and we close off this chauvinist list with a fine slab of supreme instrumental spacerock, courtesy of Grotto.

Go forth and check out these great bands!

http://www.desertfest.be/tickets
https://www.facebook.com/desertfestbelgium/
https://www.facebook.com/events/2260579413999993/

Vonnis, Bikini Season (2019)

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The Progerians Premiere “Destitute” Video; Crush the Wise Men Who Refuse to Submit out Friday

Posted in Bootleg Theater on May 22nd, 2019 by JJ Koczan

the progerians

Whatever else might be going on in The Progerians‘ second album, there’s plenty of crushing to be had. The Belgian four-piece will issue Crush the Wise Men Who Refuse to Submit this Friday, May 24, through Mottow Soundz, and as its willfully unmanageable 62-minute run is set out across four sides of a double-LP, the band bask in a more atmospheric roll lent an immediately socio-political context through from the album’s title. I won’t claim to know where the band stands the right-left spectrum — they’re not wearing yellow vests in their press shot, so that’s something, I guess — but the cover art depicting industrialists as devils, the title and the lumbering atmospheric noise rock that pervades the album itself certainly speak to a given perspective, and though they seem to be treading a fine line in the album’s aesthetic as regards Europe’s history of who takes the blame for such things, delving into that particular discrimination does not necessarily automatically follow from an anti-capitalist stance.

Opening cut “Frankie Leads to Death” and the subsequent “Destitute” set the tone for the rest of what follows in a viscous groove and moments of harsher bite, shouted vocals presaging some of the more spoken approach on “Hold Your Cross” The Progerians Crush the Wise Men Who Refuse to Submitbefore the drift of “Oceania” on side B. The most intense moment is reserved for the early going of the semi-title-track “Crush the Wise Men,” but The Progerians demonstrate on the whole a rich take that moves beyond the foundations of noise rock into more complex territory, trading off volume and thrust throughout “Hello World” and “Netjeret” while continuing to stay within the central aggressive mood of “Frankie Leads to Death” — which liquor might be called “Frankie?” — and “Destitute” back on side A. As the album unfolds, it successfully builds a linear course on this, leading to the closer “Your Manifest,” which feels extra weighted despite its melodic vocals and lead guitar cutting through the low-end morass.

Is it very, very heavy? Why yes, it is. Thank you for asking.

And it’s timely, not just for the prior-alluded unrest among Europe’s working populace, but also for the manner in which it presents its take, emphasizing heft and groove but not forsaking melody any more than it wants to in order to do so. It is a consuming offering that by the time it digs into the foreboding layering of guitar in “Hello World” and the subsequent near-mathy chug and big chorus of “Graven” on side C makes its presence felt in a way that would almost seem to indicate The Progerians have outgrown their moniker — they started out as The Fabulous Progerians for their 2015 debut (discussed here) — or at least that they would have were they still not so gosh darn progressive in their approach.

Dig the satisfying brutal blend for yourself on “Destitute” by checking out the video premiere below, followed by more album info from the PR wire.

And please enjoy:

The Progerians, “Destitute” official video premiere

Formally known as ‘The Fabulous Progerians’ and ‘The Mighty Progerians’, the band’s first official release in 2012 was the 6-track EP, Degeneration (Hannibal’s Records). Over the years they worked to hone their sound into a unique sonic signature, one which was crystalized forever more on their 2015 debut album, The Fabulous Progerians. Widely known for their powerful live performances, following the critical success of their debut the band were invited to perform at legendary festivals across Europe, appearing on bills at DesertFest and Roadburn.

Fast forward to 2019 and with the help of Mottow Soundz – another Belgian rock institution and home to heavyweights like My Diligence and cult rockers, La Muerte – The Progerians will serve their second and most ambitious record to date. Standing on the shoulder of sheer ambition, Crush The Wise Men Who Refuse To Submit, invites listeners on a hour-long journey, deep into the depths of spirit and substance in an attempt to sever all ties with inner demons. In no uncertain terms, it’s a devastating record and one you’d be crazy to miss.

Crush The Wise Men Who Refuse To Submit, the brand new album from The Progerians is released on 24th May 2019 on Mottow Soundz and can be pre-ordered here – https://www.mottowsoundz.com/music/progerians-vinyl

THE PROGERIANS:
Fabe – Vocals, Guitar
Piotr – Vocals, Bass Guitar
Thomas – Vocals, Drums
Barto – Guitar

The Progerians on Bandcamp

The Progerians on Thee Facebooks

Mottow Soundz website

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The Progerians Post “2+6” Video

Posted in Bootleg Theater on January 2nd, 2017 by JJ Koczan

the progerians

Crunching riffs and crunching numbers, Belgian heavy noise rockers The Progerians return with a brand new video to teach us all some basic addition. The track comes from the Brussels-based trio’s 2015 debut full-length, The Fabulous Progerians, and is a quick burst at an instrumental three minutes, but gets the point across that a lot of that album was making in its overarching sense of rush and the forward-coursing winding riff it uses to create such motion. It was posted in the late hours of last year (one is trying to get used to 2017 as the present instead of the future tense), but the band has said that they’ve got a new record in the works for this year as well, so it could be that “2+6” is their way of kissing their debut goodbye.

If so, it’s a grim farewell. I’m not entirely sure what’s happening in the plot, but the main character is being chased by a series of flying rocks — stoner rock itself? I sometimes feel that way — back to his living room where he seems to try to fight off an attack with a knife and maybe some occult spells? I don’t want to spoil the ending, because frankly, three minutes isn’t too much for the band to ask of your time without me giving it all away, but let’s just say it doesn’t turn out so hot for the dude in question. I guess according to The Progerians, stoner rock wins. You won’t find me mounting a counterargument.

On the off-chance you missed their record — which I know you didn’t, because you’re on your game like that all the time — it can be streamed via the Bandcamp page linked below, and I’ve included their bio, just for background should you want some.

And by way of another spoiler, “2+6” makes eight.

Enjoy:

The Progerians, “2+6” official video

Directed and edited by Nicolas de Viron
Starring Xavier “Xray” Decoster
Cinematography: Yassin Serghini
Assistant Camera: Lucas Sevrin

The Fabulous Progerians are a three-piece that radiates throughout the Brussels’ underground and its surroundings. This heavy and fat paving block seeks to translate youth’s anxiety, agonising in unemployment and lust offered by the modern world for lack of a future.

Their influences go far back into prehistory, but it’s somewhere between Punk and Sludge that the band likes to find its secret harmonies.

Known for powerful performances, they are usually joined by other musicians who widen even more the sound spectrum and universe of the band.

The Progerians on Thee Facebooks

The Progerians on Bandcamp

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The Fabulous Progerians Post “Black Storm” Video

Posted in Bootleg Theater on February 22nd, 2016 by JJ Koczan

the progerians

Belgian sludge rockers The Progerians — AKA The Fabulous Progerians — released their full-length debut, titled The Fabulous Progerians, last October. Their new video for the song “Black Storm” highlights a lot of what worked on that record, the band bolstering classic structures with thick tones and hints of noise rock throughout but not losing sight of the song they’re serving. They’ve been playing sporadically since the record came out and will continue to over the course of the next couple months, but the clip does a lot of the talking for them, in both its slick production value and of course in the song itself.

I’ll assume that the female lead in the “Black Storm” video is meant to embody chaos somehow, or perhaps some definitively human version of enmity, since every time she goes somewhere and walks slowly toward the camera, fights seem to break out. Fair enough. People getting pushed around throughout and “Black Storm” itself makes a fitting companion for that, but it’s hardly the sum-total of what The Fabulous Progerians has on offer, whether it’s the horn-laced “Collapse” or the more purely raw “2+6” and “I am Icon,” which border on metallic in their aggression but keep the pace moving all the same. Not that metal doesn’t, but you know what I mean.

I’ve included their bio below in case you missed the record and would like to be filled in. Enjoy:

The Fabulous Progerians, “Black Storm” official video

Video by The Fabulous Progerians for the song BLACK STORM from the FABULOUS PROGERIANS LP (2015). Starring: Julie Vdp – Directed and edited by Piotr Szlachta – Cinematographer: Yassin Serghini – Assistant Director: Nicolas de Viron – Photography Assistants: Dave Decat, Lény Bernay & The Progerians – Extras: Friends & Family.

“Black Storm” was recorded, mixed and mastered at Studio Six by Nicolas Vandeweyer.

The Fabulous Progerians are a three-piece that radiates throughout the Brussels’ underground and its surroundings. This heavy and fat paving block seeks to translate youth’s anxiety, agonising in unemployment and lust offered by the modern world for lack of a future.

Their influences go far back into prehistory, but it’s somewhere between Punk and Sludge that the band likes to find its secret harmonies.

Known for powerful performances, they are usually joined by other musicians who widen even more the sound spectrum and universe of the band.

The Progerians on Thee Facebooks

The Progerians on Bandcamp

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Roadburn 2016 Goes Apeshit and Adds Like 30 More Bands to Complete its Lineup

Posted in Whathaveyou on February 18th, 2016 by JJ Koczan

Every year, without fail, there comes a point at which one is forced to wonder if Roadburn has lost its damn mind. So it is today as the news hits the inbox of Roadburn 2016 “rounding out its lineup” with more bands than most festivals manage to host in a weekend. Unbefuckinglievable.

Over 30 acts have joined the bill for Roadburn 2016, which I’m thrilled and proud to say I’ll be attending and covering while also editing the Weirdo Canyon Dispatch daily ‘zine once again, including Scott Kelly and Sanford Parker‘s Mirrors for Psychic Warfare, Buried at Sea (also featuring Parker), New Keepers of the Water Towers, Usnea, Death Alley, Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell, Beastmaker, Gomer Pyle, Carousel, Zone Six, The Progerians (who have a new video out that’s getting posted in just a bit, Menhir and of course many others.

Oh yeah, and Jucifer are playing the pre-show. Pure madness.

I can’t wait:

Final additions to the Roadburn bill, including full Cul de Sac line up

New additions to the bill include BURIED AT SEA, MIRRORS FOR PSYCHIC WARFARE, INVERLOCH, CULT OF OCCULT, CHVE, and USNEA.
Full line up for Cul de Sac venue announced, including ‘Roadburn Introduces…’
JUCIFER announced for the Hard Rock Hide Out pre-Roadburn part

BURIED AT SEA

From the beginning surge of feedback through the last filth-caked rumble, BURIED AT SEA’s sound is a monument to the notion of tone as weight. Abrasive in the extreme and matched in aural largesse only by the sway of its rhythm, it surrounds completely and oppresses mercilessly. Here at Roadburn Festival HQ, we are beyond excited to announce BURIED AT SEA will bring their one-of-a-kind dirges to Roadburn 2016 on Sunday, April 17 at the 013 venue in Tilburg, The Netherlands.

MIRRORS FOR PSYCHIC WARFARE

We always knew they were unusually talented musicians, but in the last few years Scott Kelly and Sanford Parker have also become remarkably prolific, showing a wonderfully multi-faceted aspect to their artistic expression throughout a multitude of projects. They now appear as the sole members of this latest endeavour, MIRRORS FOR PSYCHIC WARFARE. A sort of reverse side of the coin to the unfettered, confrontational aggression of Corrections House, the five songs on their self-titled debut, are more insidious. MIRRORS FOR PSYCHIC WARFARE perform on Sunday, April 17 in the Green Room.

For more information about the above bands click here.

FURTHER ADDITIONS TO THE BILL

In addition to the above, the following bands have also been added to the Roadburn 2016 line up.

CHVE – click here for more info

SIR ADMIRAL CLOUDSESLEY SHOVEL (part of Lee Dorrian’s curated event)
BEASTMAKER (part of Lee Dorrian’s curated event)
CAROUSEL
click here for more info on these bands

CULT OF OCCULT
DANIEL PAYNE
HELL
INVERLOCH
USNEA
click here for more info on these bands

CUL DE SAC LINE UP

Once again, Roadburn Festival is very happy to be hosting our fifth at the Cul de Sac in collaboration with Never Mind The Hype, an independent Dutch music platform (think: rock meets alternative, or stoner rock meets psych). At Cul de Sac, we will focus on showcasing promising Dutch and Belgian bands, plus some acts from further afield. Positioned just around the corner from the 013 venue, the intimate surroundings of the Cul de Sac mean you can get up close and personal with some of the best up and coming bands we could get our hands on.

Once again we have picked one band to showcase under the Roadburn Introduces… banner, and in association with Nevermind The Hype, we’re pleased to announce that the showcase band for 2016 is DOOL. Hailing from Rotterdam, DOOL will lure us into their spiraling netherworld, and connect with the international Roadburn community during an intimate show at the Cul de Sac on Saturday April 16 in Tilburg,The Netherlands. DOOL starts at 2 pm. Click here to read more about DOOL.

Thursday April 14
MOLOKEN
NEW KEEPERS OF THE WATER TOWERS
ZONE SIX
DEAD NEANDERTHALS
GOMER PYLE
MANTRA MACHINE
Click here for more info

Friday April 15
HERDER
ALKERDEEL FEATURING GNAW THEIR TONGUES
COCAINE PISS
NOCTUM
OBESE
CONCATENATUS
Click here for more info

Just as we did last year, Roadburn will focus on Belgium, and in collaboration with one of the country’s foremost bookings agencies, RuffStuff Music, we welcome some fantastic bands hailing from just next door in Belgium – bands that embodied the spirit of Roadburn. Together we will host some exciting, cutting edge bands, alongside Roadburn’s established acts, for the second year in a row.

Saturday April 16
HEMELBESTORMER (click here for more info)
GRIMMSONS
PARTISAN
THE PROGERIANS
WE’REWOLVES
VVOVNDS
Click here for more info

Sunday April 17
SYNDROME
CHAOS ECHOES
MENHIR
WITCH TRAIL
And finish your Roadburn experience with DEATH ALLEY
Click here for more info

HARD ROCK HIDE OUT

In keeping with what has become Roadburn tradition, we’ll be welcoming keen Roadburners to Tilburg on Wednesday, April 13 with a party at Cul de Sac. Whilst newcomers get their bearings, return visitors will slip straight back into old habits. Welcoming Roadburners to Tilburg this year will be none other than our our favourite pair of highly-amplified nomads – JUCIFER. They will park up at the Cul de Sac for the evening and rip through their harsh, thrashy, sludgy, doomy, downright massive tunes.

TICKETS

Day tickets for Thursday and Friday remain on sale, but all other ticketing options are now SOLD OUT. For a full rundown of the line up and to view the line up posters, please click HERE.

Buried at Sea, Ghost (2007)

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Desertfest Belgium 2015 Adds Goatsnake, Dozer, Ruby the Hatchet, Sunder, Moon Duo and The Progerians to Lineup

Posted in Whathaveyou on July 23rd, 2015 by JJ Koczan

desertfest belgium 2015 banner

Well shit, Desertfest. If you wanted me to come that badly, you could’ve just booked a flight. I’d show up. I guess going out and getting Goatsnake to headline is a pretty badass way to send the message as well though, so I won’t argue. I’m not sure I’ll actually be able to make it — do you have any idea how much a week in Europe costs? It’s insane — but it’s nice to feel wanted, even in this most abstract and completely imaginary of ways.

Along with Goatsnake, the golly-I-wish-they’d-do-another-record Swedish heavy rockers Dozer will be brought in for an appearance — oddly enough not accompanied by Lowrider — and Ruby the Hatchet, Sunder, Moon Duo and The Progerians have been added to the bill as well, which, if you’ll recall, wasn’t exactly hurting, with Ufomammut, Orange Goblin, Greenleaf, Siena Root and so on already confirmed.

Still, if the question is “Goatsnake?” then the answer is definitely Goatsnake.

This from the PR wire:

desertfest belgium 2015

Goatsnake, Dozer, Moon Duo and more added to the DESERTFEST BELGIUM lineup!

We are happy to announce that Californian sludge-blues royalty GOATSNAKE have been added to the DESERTFEST ANTWERP 2015 line-up! Additionally, we have confirmations for the touring beast that is DOZER, the face-melting psych of MOON DUO, those fine purveyors of stoner SUNDER and RUBY THE HATCHET, and another slice of Belgian psych with THE PROGERIANS. Spread the news!

Bands already confirmed are: Goatsnake, Orange Goblin, Fatso Jetson, Dozer, Moon Duo, Greenleaf, Valient Thorr, Ufomammut, Causa Sui, Siena Root, Glowsun, Carlton Melton, Child, Ruby The Hatchet, Planet Of Zeus, Psychonaut, The progerians, Wheel Of Smoke, Sunder, Fever Dog and 3rd Ear Experience.
More acts to be announced in the coming weeks…

DESERTFEST BELGIUM 2015
October 9-11th at Trix Muziekcentrum – Antwerp
3 day tickets (96€) on sale HERE

More infos at www.desertfest.be

After a great first edition that saw the likes of Electric Wizard, Brant Bjork, Yob, Kadavar tear down Antwerp, the DESERTFEST promoters decided to run their second Belgium edition this fall. Located in Antwerp outskirts, the Trix venue will once again host the world’s best heavy bands, spread over three stages drenched in that underground atmosphere we all love. Beware of the sandstorm!

https://www.facebook.com/desertfestbelgium
https://twitter.com/desertfestBE
http://www.desertfest.be/

Goatsnake, Live in Glendale, CA, May 21, 2015

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