Graspop Metal Meeting, one of the most acclaimed metal festivals in the world has finalized more names for their 2024 new lineup. Final headliner Alice Cooper has joined the bill with 83 other bands for year 27! Bruce Dickinson, Corey Taylor, Deep Purple, Electric Callboy and Megadeth as part of 130+ other bands. The fest takes place from Thursday 20 June through Sunday 23 June 2024 at Graspop Metal Meeting in Dessel, Belgium. Tickets go on sale this Saturday, November 25th at the link below.
Friday:
A challenge of being a concert photographer is seldom experiencing a full set. Often, I dash between stages, trying to capture each band as if on a Pokémon quest – though “gotta shoot ’em all” has a different ring to it. Nonetheless, the silver lining is I often witness a good portion of every set over the weekend. Here are my top picks and suggestions from Bloodstock’s two smaller stages, showcasing their stellar support for the underground scene and nurturing emerging metal talent in the UK and beyond.Continue reading
Formed in 2019, it didn’t take Peruvian death metallers Spectral Souls long to feel the effects of Coronavirus, the global pandemic throwing their plans into chaos within months. After eventually completing work on their full-length debut, the Lima-based act released Towards Extinction (Hammerheart Records) digitally last year but are now reissuing the album in a variety of more traditional physical formats.
Luminous Vault consists of guitarist/vocalist Mario Diaz de Leon (Oneirogen, Bloodmist) and bassist/vocalist Samuel Smith (Artificial Brain, Aeviterne), and, as is a current common theme recorded, this pre-pandemic, with the fascinating results only now seeing a release.
Within deepest, darkest Buckinghamshire, in the mighty English town of Milton Keynes, something has awoken. For six years the warning signs have been there. Dark, viscous rumblings emanating from rehearsal rooms, recording studios and the most blackened corners of the internet. In 2017 there was the Venomous Tongues EP. The following year there was second EP Scalps (Hibernacula). And then, silence.Continue reading
Maryland Deathfest held their annual festival in the venerable city of Baltimore a few weeks back. The four-day is one of the best-run independent underground metal festivals in the world. As usual Ghost Cult was on hand for the festivities, with Hillarie Jason bringing you her spectacular eye on bands through photos. Continue reading
The first ever Quebec Deathfest took place last month, from the folks that brought you Maryland Deathfest, Netherlands Deathfest, and more. Taking place across several venues in the metal capital of Canada, Quebec, the fest had many of the highlights of other festivals (multiple stages, vendors, lots of beer) that make this a worthy inclusion of your annual concert calendar. Bands on the bill included death metal greats like Autopsy, Demolition Hammer, Exhorder, Uada, Agoraphobic Nosebleed, Malignancy, Unleashed, Skinless, Skeletal Remains, Outre-Tombe, Bell Witch, Dehumanized, Tomb Mold, and many more. Check out these EXCLUSIVE photos by Hillarie Jason Photography and we’ll see you next year! Saluer et tuer! Continue reading
Quebec Deathfest has announced their final bands to complete their lineup. Grave, Pestilence, Necros Christos, Bell Witch, Massgrave, Pessimist, Goolagoon, Profane Order and more. Weekend passes are available at the link below. Continue reading
Reactivated tech-death pioneers Pestilence recently confirmed that their new album, Hadeon, will be released on March 9th via Hammerheart. Along with that confirmation came the ‘Multi Dimensional’ single, and today another new track has made its way online. Continue reading
Reactivated tech-death pioneers Pestilence have relases another new single, ‘Hypnotic Terror’. This track is an exclusive to Decibel Magazine for their flexi-disc series, and not from their forthcoming new Pestilence album, Hadeon, due out this March via Hammerheart Records. Continue reading