FESTIVAL PREVIEW: Damnation Festival Kicks off Today with Cradle of Filth, Bleeding Through, Russian Circles, Nails, Decapitated, The Ocean, Employed To Serve, Morne, Mizmor, and More


 

Ghost Cult is once again honored to cover Damnation Festival this year, kicking off with A Night of Salvation pre-party, and tomorrow proper all-dayer. The fest has been around almost as long as Ghost Cult has, and we love supporting this music and staff! Taking place at Manchester, UK’s BEC Arena once again, our expert team will bring you the coverage of some of the best underground Metal and metal-adjacent bands in the world in a curated setting with many unique one-of-a-kind shows. The usually sold-out event still has tickets on sale at the links below, and they even have a great app (we tested it). Let’s delve into a quick preview of the fest for those attending or curious about one of the best metal festivals we have covered (check out our 2023 coverage here)! Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Wolfbrigade – Life Knife Death


Sweden’s Wolfbrigade occupies a very specific place in hard-core. The band’s 11th album Life Knife Death might be their first for Metal Blade Records, but it does not venture far from the sonic ground they covered on the previous ten albums. This aligns them closely to Motorhead in a few ways, the first being they are steadfast in their dedication to burly hardcore champs. It charges at you with all the Punk and rocking fury you might expect from this band who infuses Entombed’s dense guitar tone with Motorhead’s reckless energy. The raw-throated vocals are more Lemmy-influenced than metal. There is a scant trace of the stomping sections you might expect from hardcore, though this is way heavier than punk, thus making it hardcore. Ten albums in they know what they are doing.Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: False Fed – Let Them Eat Fake 


 

To say that a line-up which features Discharge vocalist Jeff (JJ) Janiak, guitarist Stig Miller (Amebix), drummer Roy Mayorga (Nausea/Amebix) and bassist JP Parsons is an enticing prospect would be an understatement. This type of musical pedigree promises us that something special looms on the horizon in the form of Let Them Eat Fake (Neurot Recordings).

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FESTIVAL REVIEW: Bloodstock Open Air 2022 Part 2


Catton Park, United kingdom, 14 Aug 2022, Lamb of God performing on the Ronnie James Dio Stage at Bloodstock Open Air Festival Credit: Rich Price/Ghost Cult Magazine

 

SATURDAY

Considering most people are already feeling like overcooked baked potatoes wrapped in tin foil, the fact that today is meant to be the hottest day of the festival really isn’t the best news. Still, that certainly doesn’t deter a healthy crowd from shaking off the hangovers and getting on with the business at hand, Baest and Lost Society both grabbing the main stage by the scruff of the neck while Sister Shotgun and Mastiff do the same on the Sophie stage.Continue reading


FESTIVAL REVIEW: Bloodstock Open Air 2022 Part 1


Catton Park, United kingdom, 12 Aug 2022, Behemoth performing on the Ronnie James Dio Stage at Bloodstock Open Air Festival Credit: Rich Price/Ghost Cult Magazine

Main Stage and Sophie Lancaster Stage

 

THURSDAY

If there are two things we love doing in the UK, it’s complaining about the weather and queuing for things. Well, this year at Bloodstock Open Air, both are freely available and at no extra charge. Not a moment goes by without a comment on the sweltering heat or about having to wait to cross the road to the festival ground. Yes, not content with spending two hours in the main queue, campers have now invented a brand new line to join before even getting that far. For the first time ever, a line has formed for people pulling trolleys and sack carts. Almost a quarter of a mile of people waiting in a surprisingly orderly queue before joining an even bigger queue. England, never change.

 

With the heat already playing its part, I finally arrive at the Sophie Lancaster Stage in time to catch Italian nutters Nanowar of Steel who send the audience into hysterics with daft costumes and a “Wall of Love” (a traditional wall of death that climaxes with people hugging each other to George Michael’s ‘Careless Whisper’). Preceding the infuriatingly catchy ‘Norwegian Reggaeton’ with Burzums outdoor recipe for roasted salmon (“you place the freshly caught salmon on a rock and burn down the church next to it”) the band then take the opportunity to use the mighty ‘Valhalleluja’ to build an Ikea coffee table, holding it aloft for the elated crowd. Accompanied by an actual goblin for the duration of their set, US act Nekrogoblikon certainly put on an enjoyable show but find it tough following such a display of irreverent insanity. 

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FESTIVAL PREVIEW: BLOODSTOCK OPEN AIR 2022


Bloodstock Open Air (BOA) 2022 is almost upon us. Kicking off on Thursday the 11th of August, this most metal of all festivals runs until Sunday the 14th, damaging necks, air guitar strings, and bank accounts along the way. After Covid put paid to the 2020 festival, an admirably safety-conscious BOA returned with a five day bang last year! (read our review of BOA 2021 review here), selling out weekend passes well in advance and things  promise to be just as busy this time.

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Super7 Toys Releases a ReAction Figure of Cal Morris of Discharge


Super7 Toys has released a Cal Morris of Discharge ReAction Figure! Icons of old-school Hardcore Punk that left a mark on Metallica, Slayer and others, this is a must have for fans of heavy music! The Cal figure comes in his classic leather jacket and microphone, with an awesome die-cut cardboard back with the full jacket image. In addition to the ReAction figures, Super7 has released a Slayer Live Undead playset as well as figures based on  other music, movies, toy lines, and other pop culture icons. Other reaction figures in the line include Ozzy Osbourne, Cliff Burton of Metallica, Johnny Cash, Misfits, Alice Cooper, several versions of Papa Emeritus, Iron Maiden, Slayer, Agnostic Front, Anthrax, Motörhead, Venom, Circle Jerks, Gorilla Biscuits, King Diamond, Megadeth, Rancid, Judas Priest, Napalm Death, Paul Baloff of Exodus and many more! Order right now since these usually sell out.Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Soulfly – The Soul Remains Insane The Studio Albums 1998 – 2004


 

Whenever an established act loses its frontman, especially one as talismanic as Max Cavalera, fans are usually left choosing sides. Do you go with the musician striking out on their own or do your allegiances remain with the band? Largely dependent on the situation, an amicable split can leave listeners happily following both parties down separate paths to the promise of glory but when open hostility is at the heart of the separation, loyalties are often put to the test.Continue reading


Bloodstock Reveals Bands, Club Nights, and Plans With Sophie Lancaster Foundation and Derbyshire LGBT+


Bloodstock Open Air 2022 has shared a big update. including their plans for their Club Nights, and Plans with Sophie Lancaster Foundation and Derbyshire LGBT+, as well as added  2 more bands to the lineup. Static-X and Tallah have dropped out, replaced by Dark Tranquility and Defects respectively. The comeback of the fest in 2021 was great and you can read our review here. Headliners for BOA 2022 are Lamb Of God,  Mercyful Fate and Behemoth. Bloodstock will take place at Catton Park, Derbyshire on 11th-14th August 2022.

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Avatar, Thrown Into Exile, Pupil Slicer, Cage Fight, and Ill Nino Booked for Bloodstock 2022


Bloodstock Open Air 2022 has added 12 more bands to the lineup for this summer, including Avatar, Thrown Into Exile, Pupil Slicer, Cage Fight, and Ill Nino, Vended, Sorcerer, Red Method, and Baest. More bands will be added soon and the festival has announced their ticket deposit plan.  Day tickets will go on sale in the ticket store on Friday 4th February at 9am, priced £65 (+bkg fees) for adults and £20 (+bkg fees) for children (4-11 years). Kids under 4 go free! The comeback of the fest in 2021 was great and you can read our review here. Headliners for BOA 2022 are Lamb Of God,  Mercyful Fate and Behemoth. Bloodstock will take place at Catton Park, Derbyshire on 11th-14th August 2022.

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