Ghost Cult’s Albums of the Year 2023 – Part 3 (20-2)


Thermal count is rising in perpetual writhing, the primordial ooze of albums continues, and the sanity they lose choosing their favorites of the year. Awakened in the morning, to more ear-pollution warnings…

Now I can only laugh, as I read our epitaph – we end 2023 with cheer, in the light of our Albums of the Year.

May you all rust in peace…Continue reading


Pupil Slicer Parts Ways With Bassist Luke Fabian and Live Guitarist Alex Brown


Pupil Slicer, on the back of one of the most acclaimed releases for UK Death Metal, have parted ways with long-time bassist/backing vocalist Luke Fabian. In a post to social media they claim the reason is they have “mutually agreed that working together professionally is something we can no longer continue with.” In addition, touring guitarist Alex Brown has also been relieved of his role with the band. Read the post here.

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FESTIVAL REVIEW: ArcTanGent Festival 2023 Live at Fernhill Farm


 

ArcTanGent Festival, a yearly outdoor four-day fixture at Fernhill Farm near Bristol, attracts a devoted following to its niche yet eclectic lineups of artists who generally have an association with post-rock, progressive metal, or experimental rock. It’s “sort of” a metal festival, but the range of acts it showcases steers towards the more left-field and eccentric end of heavy music and at times stretches beyond what could reasonably even be labelled as “rock”.

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FESTIVAL REVIEW: Download Festival 2023 Part 2, Live at Castle Donnington


 

Saturday, and as will be of no surprise to anyone, it was pretty damn hot today too, people were noticeably moving much slower through the arena, and people were checking their phones for the forecast of tomorrow’s storm with excitement.

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FESTIVAL REVIEW: Download Festival 2023 Part 1, Live at Castle Donnington


 

After hearing horror stories about the queues I was pleasantly surprised to arrive at the hollow turn of Donington for Download Festival 2023, and was parked up within 10 minutes. Not to dismiss the stories is it close the rather excellent download festival app a tool which I would find invaluable during my visit constantly advising incoming travellers of reach to avoid owing to congestion.Continue reading


INTERVIEW: Luke Fabian of Pupil Slicer Talks “Blossom” and The Pressure That Comes with Success


(Note to fans: we had some issues with the video quality on this one, so it is our interview with some visuals only. Sorry.)

Luke Fabian and of rising Death Metal band Pupil Slicer just released their new album Blossom via Prosthetic Records! The band has been making a name for themselves for years in the underground, with Blossom being one of 2023’s most-anticipated albums. Luke chatted about the last few years for the band, if they felt pressure to make this new album following their debut Mirrors, the shocking effect of hearing their name out loud, and the high cost of touring. Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Pupil Slicer – Blossom


 

Pupil Slicer announced themselves in style with a sea of aggression, when their debut album Mirrors landed in 2021, and they immediately found themselves at home in the UKs thriving post-pandemic underground Metal scene, which saw them hitting the road the following year on a salivating and high-profile tour with Rolo Tomassi and Heriot. Mirrors was an accomplished debut performance of relentless raw energy and anger, with Pupil Slicer hinting at their full potential on the album’s final song ‘Collective Unconscious’, which was deeper and slower in pace, showing a maturity in their song-writing that extended beyond the abrasive math/deathcore on the rest of the record.

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Download Festival 2023 Sells Out In Record Time, Headlined by Metallica, Slipknot, and Bring Me The Horizon


 

Download Festival 2023 has broken their own record this summer with weekend, day and camping tickets now completely sold out. Metallica, Bring Me The Horizon and Slipknot headline a remarkable year for the UK’s biggest rock festival. Download Festival’s 20th anniversary has become a double celebration, as today the festival sells out, marking 2023 as the fastest-selling year of all time. Day, weekend and camping tickets have been snapped up by fans eager to celebrate an incredible 20 years for the legendary festival. The special anniversary edition, taking place for the first time over four days on 8-11 June 2023 at Donington Park, will feature headliners Bring Me The Horizon, Slipknot and Metallica, who will perform two headline sets with no repeat songs.

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Arctangent Festival 2023 Announces Their Final Main Stage Headliner Devin Townsend


The mighty Arctangent Festival 2023 today announces their final main stage headliner for this year’s event, The incredible, truly one-of-a-kind Devin Townsend will be closing out the whole festival on the main stage, Saturday night. The festival will be taking place between August 16th through to August 19th, at Fernhill Farm, a short drive from Bristol City Centre. Also announced today include Haken, Yourcodenameis:Milo, Ashenspire, Clt Drp, The Guru Guru, and many more. Acts already announced include Heilung, Converge, Deafheaven (playing ‘Sunbather’ in full as a UK exclusive), Swans, Empire State Bastard, Sikth, The Fall Of Troy, Cave In, Igorrr, Pigs7, Elder, Russian Circles, Chat Pile, Svalbard, Jaga Jazzist, Brutus, Loathe, Rolo Tomassi, Svalbard, and many more.Continue reading


Pupil Slicer Shares a New Single and Video for “Blossom” – New Album Incoming


Pupil Slicer have today announced their upcoming sophomore album, titled Blossom, due to be released via Prosthetic Records on June 2nd. Alongside the album announcement, the London, UK band have shared the title track with an accompanying music video directed by David Gregory. The futuristic visual serves as an introduction to Blossom’s conceptual world of sci-fi and cosmic horror, with central themes of abject despair, reincarnation and a fascination of hell. Watch it now here: Continue reading