As we continue to live in one of the most challenging times in history, one this for certain: music lovers are relieved to have somewhat of a return to normalcy. The return of live music, especially heavy music, provides the cathartic relief we have all been looking for. After over a year of postponements, cancellations, and livestreams, it’s a relief to get to experience live music, and return to experiencing art in the best way possible – together!
Roadburn Festival was unfortunately canceled in 2021 and is coming back as a virtual event in 2021. This online version of the festival, titled Roadburn Redux, will feature performances broadcast live from the 013 venues in Tilburg, as well as pre-recorded and exclusive content, and will take place between April 16-18. The event will still have the same pillars of greatness Roadburn is best known for: the best underground bands in the world, one of a kind supergroups and commissioned pieces of music, art featuring official festival artist for 2021 Lucile Lejoly Land a lot more. Check out the initial program and some of the bands participating such as Hexvessel, Jo Quail, Wolvenest, Gold, and others.
Texas Psychedelic Doom band Wo Fat is back with plans for a new album, their seventh, coming out in the fall of 2021 via Ripple Music. The label is also set to reissue the trio’s first three albums in the coming months, making these long out-of-print classics available to North American fans for the very first time. The band has risen in the desert rock scene over the years and performed at major festivals such as Roadburn, Desertfest, Freak Valley Festival, Hellfest, and Psycho Las Vegas, their latest release and collaboration with Ripple Music, Live Juju: Freak Valley was the follow-up to their critically acclaimed 2017 album Midnight Cometh.
Thou has announced their collaborative album with Emma Ruth Rundle (appearing courtesy of Sargent House), May Our Chambers Be Full which sees its release October 30 via Sacred Bones. The collaboration started out as a project for Roadburn festival 2019 and the combination of all the artists is magical sounding. The lead single, “Ancestral Recall” exemplifies the spirit of the collaboration. Check it out right now!
Ghost Cult scribe Lorraine Lysen caught up with the great Arjen Lucassen of Ayreon for a wide-ranging interview a few months ago. They chatted about The Electric Castle Live project, the visuals of Ayreon Universe live, working with John de Lancie, rock operas, concept albums, Vin Diesel, Star Trek TNG, upcoming new music, and much more.
Continue reading
Ghost Cult scribe Lorraine Lysen caught up with the great Arjen Lucassen of Ayreon for a wide-ranging interview a few months ago. They chatted about The Electric Castle Live project, his entire career, upcoming new music, and much more. Continue reading
Roadburn Festival has exhausted all thoughts of holding a festival in 2020 due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. They have announced that Roadburn 2021 will take place on 15-18 April 2021. Tickets purchased for the 2020 edition will remain valid and fans can just show up next year and enjoy the festival. Announcements about the lineup are forthcoming, and in terms of bands returning for 2021, it looks promising. Roadburn is far and away the best and most vital underground metal festival in the world, Roadburn has announced that the festival is postponed due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic. The fest was scheduled for April 16th and 19th in Tilburg, NL. Curators for 2020 were scheduled to be Emma Ruth Rundle and James Kent (Perturbator) with commissioned pieces including James Kent & Johannes Persson (Cult of Luna), Jo Quail Presents “The Cartographer”, Vile Creature & Bismuth: “A Hymn Of Loss And Hope, and a career-spanning set from Julie Christmas, which included new music-making a debut, and many more. More news about the 2020 fate of Roadburn and plans for 2021 will be announced soon. Read our review of Roadburn 2019 here.Continue reading
Belgian Prog metallers Bear will release their new album Propaganda on May 8th via Pelagic Records. The long-running Antwerp-based crew draws influences from 1990s hardcore metal with their brutality, songcraft, and intellect. The new release will be their fourth in ten years, and the band has raised their international profile in that time touring throughout Europe and India and appearing at festivals such as Graspop, Roadburn, Rock Herk, Euroblast, UK Tech Fest, and Complextiy Fest, Check out the new lyric video for Bear’s new single ‘Kuma’ and pre-order the album at the links below! Continue reading
The best and most important underground metal festival in the world, Roadburn has announced that the festival is postponed due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic. The fest was scheduled for April 16th and 19th in Tilburg, NL. Roadburn 2020 curators were scheduled to be Emma Ruth Rundle and James Kent (Perturbator) with commissioned pieces including James Kent & Johannes Persson (Cult of Luna), Jo Quail Presents “The Cartographer”, Vile Creature & Bismuth: “A Hymn Of Loss And Hope, and a career-spanning set from Julie Christmas, which included new music-making a debut, and many more. More news about the 2020 fate of Roadburn and plans for 2021 will be announced soon. Here is our review of Roadburn 2019.
Roadburn 2020 has made a slew of announcements of news bands! Added to both James Kent and Emma Ruth Rundle’s curated portions of the festival is Alcest, on the strength of their new album Spiritual Instinct (Nuclear Blast). Additional artists added to the fest include Okkultokrati, Inter Arma, Helms Alee, Algiers, Dynfari, Bad Breeding, White Ward, Dommengang, Kungens Män, Darsombra, Tau And The Drones Of Praise and more to come! Continue reading