Before true winter besets us and the deep darks of midwinters eve are upon us, in early December I visited a darkness even stranger and deeper than the longest night of the year. In Rotterdam, there was a delectable lineup, granted us mostly by the formidable Season of Mist. So of to the cold harbor, I went to see the dark strangeness that this eve on black metals fringes had to offer.Continue reading
Each year at Easter, when the western and Christian world celebrates the rebirth of Jesus over the dates of an ancient fertility festival, in Norway’s capital the mandatory days off are used by the metal community to celebrate a darker get together: Inferno Metalfest. The festival and the connected Inferno Metal Conference celebrates Norway’s role and focus on Metal Music from its own stables as well as new things and greats from abroad.Continue reading
The spring festival season kicks off in earnest this weekend in Oslo, Norway with the amazingly kvlt experience that is Inferno Metal Festival. The four-day festival of extreme music and culture takes over one of the birthplace cities of heavy music in the world. The fest is sold out once again, adding to the excitement. It’s great to see this scene surviving and thriving after many years. Continue reading
On day two of Eindhoven Metal Meeting, a surprising amount of energy has been drained by the inevitable afterparties that spread through Eindhoven, but also to the neighbouring town of Tilburg. Metalheads simply cannot stop a party once they get going, and so the next day starts up a little slower. Thinking I may be able to skip the long line for the pat downs if I arrive a bit later, I’ve decided to arrive between the first and second band. Nope. There is still a line as many more of the partying metalheads had a similar idea, as did many of the day ticket holders. Thankfully the line is a fair bit quicker today though than it was yesterday, and I manage to get the first band of the day.
Every year as people around the world gather to celebrate their own midwinter celebrations, usually focussing around light and warmth, the Effenaar venue in Eindhoven instead celebrates the dark and heavy. Eindhoven Metal Meeting is seen by many as the Christmas party of the Benelux metal family. As in previous years, Ghost Cult Magazine sent me to report, and take some snaps.Continue reading
Enigmatic Swedish metal band Shining has been added to Inferno Festival 2018, as a replacement for Katatonia, who canceled their appearance after going on hiatus. Shining is still touring in support of their tenth album X , Varg utan flock (Dark Essence/Season Of Mist) from 2016. Inferno Metal Festival is the longest-running and most extreme metal festival in Norway and one of the most important extreme metal festivals in the entire world. The festival still has 8 more bands to add between now and March 29t,h. When the fest kicks off. Continue reading
With just over a month to go, the 2017 Eindhoven Metal Meeting approaches The lined up boasts the likes of Venom, Dark Tranquility, Coroner, Carpathian Forest, Master’s Hammer, Destroyer 666 and many more. The full lineup is listed below and tickets are still available but expected to sell out. As always, the “longest-running indoor extreme metal festival” in the Netherlands will take place Friday 15 & Saturday 16th of December 2017 at the Effenaar venue in Eindhoven. Continue reading
Due to unforeseen personal circumstances, My Dying Bride has dropped out of this December’s Eindhoven Metal Meeting. Apparently, the cancellation was beyond the control of both the band and the festival. The good news is, Dark Tranquility has been added as an exclusive headliner on December 15th, the first night of the fest. More details, ticket links, and the full lineup so far are listed belowContinue reading
Swedish death metal titans Grave have been added to Norway’s Inferno Metal Festival 2018! They will play a special “30th anniversary old school set 1988 – 91” for their set during the fest. Also added to the impressive bill are Icelandic black metallers Naðra and Netherlands avant-garde black metal band Dodecahedron.Continue reading