Desertfest Berlin has announced the first names for its 2023 edition, and is happy to welcome  Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats, The Obsessed King Buffalo, Church Of Misery, Dozer, Blood Ceremony, L.A. Witch, Somali Yacht Club, Gnod, Ecstatic Vision, Daily Thompson, Gaupa and  Psychlona, with many more acts to be announced soon!

     Taking place between May 19 - 21, 2023 will see a venue change from the Arena to  Columbiahalle and Columbia Theater, with additional outdoor space & stage. Weekend tickets for Desertfest Berlin 2023 will be on sale this Friday, October 28th at 12PM CET via  www.desertfest.de   
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www.facebook.com/DesertfestBerlin
www.instagram.com/desertfest_berlin

     Metal On The Hill is on fire for its next round! This year the most popular open-air venue in Graz, the Schlossberg Stage Kasematten, will burn for metal once again. Napalm Records  and  Napalm Events are happy to announce the final line-up of this year’s edition, which will be headlined by #1 charting band Feuerschwanz and metal icons Stratovarius! With melodic death metal force Hiraes, local heroes Watch Them Fail and Ukrainian melodic modern metal up and comers Ignea – who the festival is extremely happy to host after they were finally able to leave their country and the ongoing war – the line-up is finally complete.  

     Metal On The Hill has become a permanent institution on the international festival map with its exclusive and boutique character, high calibre acts and the most beautiful festival location in Austria, which are unmistakably connected with the uniqueness of Styria! The festival will once again take place on the most beautiful stage in Austria: The historical Kasematten. Daily schedules have been announced and are available to view now.     


     VIP tickets are almost sold out and can be purchased exclusively through Napalm Records. Alternatively, weekend or daily tickets can be purchased in the online store. All tickets are available HERE!
 
SEE YOU ON THE HILL IN 2022!
 

www.metal-on-the-hill.com
www.facebook.com/metalonthehill
@metalonthehill
Tickets: https://napalmrecords.com/tickets/metal-on-the-hill

     Members of the European Metal Festival Alliance (EMFA), have today launched a new ‘Metal United’ t-shirt, with all proceeds going to a recognised relief charity to aid Ukrainian people most in need in their current crisis.
 
     The festivals taking part in this fundraiser - Alcatraz Hard Rock & Metal Festival, Belgium; Art Mania Festival, Romania; Bloodstock Open Air, Great Britain; Brutal Assault, Czech Republic;  Dynamo Metal Fest, Holland; Inferno Metal Festival, Norway; Into The Grave, Holland; Leyendas Del Rock, Spain; Midgardsblot, Norway; Motocultor Festival, France; Party.San Metal Open Air, Germany; Resurrection Fest, Spain; and Summer Breeze Open Air, Germany - are all united against war and oppression, and welcome all people, no matter what country they are from, or what race or religion they are. The festivals want to make plain that they are not for Ukrainians and against Russians; that they wish most of all to just help people who are in need in these troubling times.

     The t-shirt is available in a wide range of sizes at https://www.sbtix.de/produkte/45549-charity-shirt-for-ukraine for 16,66 Euro, with proceeds going to Music Saves UA. It can be pre-ordered until March 20th, with shipping beginning at the start of April.
 

Vlad Yaremchuk, Booker of Atlas Weekend Festival, co-initiators of Music Saves UA, states: 

     “We are the All-Ukrainian Association of Music Events, in peacetime we are the largest association of representatives of the music industry of our country.

     Now, normal life in Ukraine has completely stopped. So, we are using all our resources and people to provide humanitarian help to our people who need it the most right now. Our team works 24/7 to help as many victims of this cruel war as possible.

     Humanitarian help centre has already been deployed on the premises of the Atlas venue in Kyiv. We are also working on setting up refugee assistance centres on the borders with Europe to facilitate a safe and robust infrastructure for hundreds of thousands of civilians fleeing the country. Our entire team is currently located in multiple cities of Ukraine, and we are in close contact with volunteers, Ukrainian military, and humanitarian groups so we are aware of the current urgent needs on the ground and are ready to provide immediate help where it is most needed at this very moment.

Therefore, we need financial assistance urgently. For this we have organized a project aimed at raising funds for the humanitarian needs of the civilians in Ukraine. We encourage you to not remain indifferent and to help Ukrainian families to survive this difficult time.”


Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vamp.org.ua
Instagram: https://instagram.com/vamp.org.ua
 

Adam Gregory from Bloodstock Festival on behalf of EMFA comments:

     “We all find ourselves shocked at recent events and wish to do all we can to aid in such harrowing times. All proceeds from the t-shirt will be going to support those in need and our thoughts are with everyone affected by war or oppression.”

     Fans who missed symphonic extreme metal masters Chthonic’s triumphant return to the stage to headline Taiwan’s massive Megaport Festival in March will have the opportunity to experience the show with the release of the Chthonic Megaport 2021 live album and video on May 19.

     Chthonic Megaport 2021 will be available digitally and as a special limited “anti-epidemic bundle” including a physical CD, Chthonic medical-quality mask, a Chthonic mask lanyard, large and small Chthonic mask containers and a small Chthonic spray can for sanitizer will be available. Pre-orders are available at https://ciongzo.com/en/product_detail.php?id=602.

     After making history by successfully managing the COVID-19 pandemic, Taiwan was able to move forward with the Megaport Festival, the first large-scale rock festival since the unprecedented global lockdown. Taking place March 27-28 in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, the festival featured more than 100 artists on 10 stages. Founded in 2006 by Chthonic’s Freddy Lim, who left the organizing team after being elected as a member of Taiwanese Parliament in 2016, Megaport Festival attracts tens of thousands of people every year, with this year’s festival selling out its 20,000 tickets within five minutes. For their performance, Chthonic was joined by Audrey Tang, a long-time Chthonic fan who currently holds the seat of Digital Minister in Taiwan's cabinet.


Lim shared his thoughts on the occasion:-


     “I felt very excited and grateful when I stood on the stage. I cherished the connection between the crowd and me, and I also wanted to cheer up the people around the world who watched the show through the live broadcast so much.”


Lim also used the Megaport appearance as an excuse to reclaim his once-fit body, which he shows off on the album’s cover and in the “Set Fire to the Island” video:-

     “I have always been fit in the past. But after entering politics and having a baby, I didn't have enough time to exercise, so I was a little out of shape. Last year I promised the fans that if the Megaport Festival was held as scheduled, I will get my fit body back and take off my shirt in this show. So, I take off my shirt later in the song! Good to have my fit body back!”

With BLOODSTOCK joining forces with twelve of the best independent European metal festivals to create a unique online event, there’s lots of planning underway.  Today, the full & final line up has been revealed for ‘festival weekend’ of 7th, 8th & 9th August and tickets are now on sale (priced at just €6.66) over at www.MetalFestivalAlliance.com. 

Across the weekend, you’ll be able to watch ‘never broadcast before’ sets of SABATON (their 2019 BLOODSTOCK headline show) and AVATAR (their 2019 headline Alcatraz Festival show), as well as shows from TESSERACT (at BLOODSTOCK 2019), THY ART IS MURDER, NAPALM DEATH, GRAND MAGUS, and BATTLE BEAST (all from Summer Breeze 2019) plus HARAKIRI FOR THE SKY (from Party.San 2015). DEE SNIDER also makes an appearance via two previously unreleased live tracks (from BLOODSTOCK 2019) and neo-folk heroes HEILUNG have recorded an exclusive video especially for the event.

There’s also a wide array of brand new live sets recorded in lockdown, exclusively for the EMFA weekend.  Participating bands are ROTTING CHRIST, BUTCHER BABIES, ORANGE GOBLIN, PRIMORDIAL, KING 810, AMENRA, PARASITE INC., ALIEN WEAPONRY, VENOM PRISON, HEIDEVOLK, MASS HYSTERIA, ANGELUS APATRIDA, EVERGREY, KAMPFAR, VENOM INC., UNLEASH THE ARCHERS, LEGION OF THE DAMNED, DIRTY SHIRT, GUTALAX, KISSIN’ DYNAMITE, EVIL INVADERS, iPENDEJO!, DER WEG EINER FREIHEIT, CULT OF FIRE, LÈPOKA, SPOIL ENGINE, SVART CROWN, DESERTED FEAR, DEAD LORD, ROADKILLSODA, NYTT LAND, WHITE WALLS, and SKYEYE.  

If you’re unable to watch a band at their “stage time”, don’t worry, as you’ll be able to replay all sets for up to 48 hours afterwards.

Besides live performances, there will be a string of brand new video interviews with our festival regulars past and present, recorded especially for the event.  Find out what your favourites have been doing to occupy themselves while they’ve been home and learn if there’s brand new music on the horizon. How do DEE SNIDER, BIFF BYFORD, JAMEY JASTA, DEVIN TOWNSEND, WINSTON MCCALL, CRISTINA SCABBIA, WEDNESDAY 13, PHIL RIND and various others feel about this summer without festivals and how did they keep themselves busy during the lockdown? All the answers and more will be revealed over the EMFA weekend.

The EMFA event is a fundraiser for the beleaguered independent metal festival sector, who don’t have the backing of big corporate money for their ongoing survival, so €6.66 (just under 6 quid) buys you a ‘full weekend festival pass.’ In return, you can enjoy three days of exclusive entertainment from 35+ metal bands from various locations around the world, plus other special content, from the comfort of your own sofa.  The full day splits and running times for the event will be announced in the coming weeks. Tickets are available now at www.metalfestivalalliance.com and you can watch a trailer here.

No festival is without its festival merch either, so grab your exclusive 'Rebooting for 2021' event t-shirt at the EMFA merch store.  Items are available from today (Monday 13th July) so grab yours while you still can at www.metalfestivalalliance.com. 

The European Metal Festival Alliance is a joint venture between BLOODSTOCK and Alcatraz (Belgium), Art Mania (Romania), Brutal Assault (Czech Republic), Dynamo (Netherlands), Into The Grave (Netherlands), Leyendas De Rock (Spain), Metal Days (Slovenia), Midgardsblot (Norway), Motorcultor (France), Party.San (Germany), Resurrection (Spain), and Summer Breeze (Germany). 

To get warmed up, throughout the summer, the newly launched destination website at www.metalfestivalalliance.com will feature a wide range of previous footage from the festival co-operative, including many sets not previously broadcast. 

The European Metal Festival Alliance event takes place over 7th-9th August. Show your support for the European independent metal festivals and be a part of this historic occasion!

Summer 2020 is a very different landscape from the usual event-packed few months, so to maintain a sense of community, Bloodstock has joined forces with twelve of the best independent metal festivals in Europe to create a unique online event for both bands and fans! 

The European Metal Festival Alliance is a joint venture between Bloodstock (UK) and Alcatraz (Belgium), Art Mania (Romania), Brutal Assault (Czech Republic), Dynamo (Netherlands), Into The Grave (Netherlands), Leyendas De Rock (Spain), Metal Days (Slovenia), Midgardsblot (Norway), Motorcultor (France), Party.San (Germany), Resurrection (Spain), and Summer Breeze (Germany). 

A special streaming event will take place across the weekend of 7th-9th August offering exclusive live performances from a selection of yet-to-be-revealed artists chosen by each festival, as well as exclusive new interviews, and more. As a fundraiser for the beleaguered independent festival sector, who don’t have the backing of big corporate money for their survival, viewers will be asked for €6.66 (that’s just under 6 quid) for a ‘full festival pass.’ In return, they will enjoy three days of live performances by 35+ metal bands at various locations around the world and other exclusive content, from the comfort of their own home. Virtual ticket purchasers will also get a discount on a European Metal Festival Alliance ‘Rebooting for 2021’ T-shirt. 

Meanwhile, to get warmed up, the newly launched destination website at www.MetalFestivalAlliance.com will host a wide range of previous footage from this festival co-operative, including many sets not previously broadcast, throughout the summer. 

The line-up & schedule for the streaming event will be announced in the coming weeks. Tickets will be available Friday 10th July from www.MetalFestivalAlliance.com.

Stay tuned for more information soon!

Following the continuing government recommendations on mass gatherings and social distancing this summer, BLOODSTOCK OPEN AIR FESTIVAL has issued the following statement:
 
     "Dear Bloodstockers,
 
     Following the ongoing government guidance on mass gatherings and social distancing, we are extremely disappointed to announce that this year’s BLOODSTOCK will no longer be going ahead. We respect the government’s mandate and recognise it is made with the best intentions, in order to protect the health & safety of not only our audience, but our staff, crew, musicians, and other contractors who work on site at BLOODSTOCK. Safety remains of paramount importance to us.
 
     We know you have been concerned about what the developing Covid-19 situation would mean for BLOODSTOCK and will be as disappointed as we are at this tough decision, but we hope you can appreciate it is the right choice to make at this time. We had been working tirelessly to ensure we could still offer the top quality BLOODSTOCK experience you trust us to provide, year on year - and this year more than ever, when we invited you to celebrate 20 Years of BLOODSTOCK with us. We do not - and never will - take this trust in us for granted. 
 
     We have been reading your comments on our social media, and many of you have said that in this circumstance, you would like the option to roll your 2020 ticket over to 2021’s event - and we can confirm that you are able do that. Rest assured that BLOODSTOCK will return with an almighty vengeance, better and stronger than ever, so to that end and to help assuage your disappointment, next year BLOODSTOCK will be adding an extra day! 

     The festival will be 5 days and start from Wednesday, as opposed to Thursday; the dates for 2021’s event will be 11th - 15th August. This will be at no extra cost to those who have already purchased weekend tickets for 2020 and wish to roll them over. We will also freeze prices at the ticket store until later this year, when prices will then increase by just £10 and a new, longer 6-month instalment plan will launch to make that option even easier to manage. The on-sale date for day tickets and any returns on previously sold out ticket categories, such as camper vans, will be announced in due course. We are happy to report that many artists on this year’s line-up have already reconfirmed for 2021 and we look forward to sharing further plans with you soon. Meanwhile, you can watch an updated trailer for the festival here and a special message from metal overlord Rob Halford, from headliner Judas Priest, here.
 
     Should you prefer a refund, we also wish to state that full, face value refunds will be available to everyone who has already purchased a BLOODSTOCK 2020 ticket from official sellers and assure you of our best efforts to process those refunds within 28 days, where possible. We have a lot to sort out, so please bear with us - everyone who has purchased a ticket already from Seetickets will be emailed in the next 7-14 days. 

     We are also updating our website and have launched a new page to answer your questions about refunds & the roll-over process here.
 
     While we understand the current financial climate is difficult for many, we sincerely hope you will decide to join us to celebrate BLOODSTOCK next year. As an independent, family run festival, we wish to extend our deepest appreciation for your continued and loyal support. 
 
     We know we are privileged to have such a strong BLOODSTOCK community, and as a united family of heavy metal fans, we WILL prevail. "
 
Vicky, Adam, Rachael, Paul, and all at Team BLOODSTOCK.

This year's Wacken Open Air has been cancelled

According to yesterday's decision by the federal German government all major events in Germany are banned until 31 August 2020 to prevent further spreading of the corona pandemic. This means that this year's edition of the Wacken Open Air, which has been scheduled to the period from July 30th to the 1st of August 2020, will not take place.

Wacken co-founder Holger Hübner explains:-

     "We are facing an unprecedented situation and for the first time in 30 years we have to announce with a heavy heart that unfortunately there cannot be a Wacken Open Air this year. Our whole team has been working intensively on the festival these last last months and the more all of us are bitterly disappointed that we are not allowed to celebrate a Wacken Open Air together with our visitors and the bands this year."


His fellow co-founder Thomas Jensen adds:-

     "This administrative order affects us heavily and we will need some time to process the bad news. Nevertheless, we support the decision of the German government in this difficult situation for the whole world. The health and safety of all visitors, artists, employees, tradesmen, security and rescue services, public authorities and all other participants has always been our highest priority. We as promoters are therefore bound to take an even greater responsibility and have to follow the instructions of the experts."

With regard to all other open questions such as W:O:A 2021 and the options concerning the already purchased tickets, we will return with another statement as soon as possible and kindly ask for a little patience.

The promoters of the Wacken Open Air would like to give their heartfelt thanks for the trust received in this unprecedented situation for everyone involved.

More information about the Wacken Open Air can be found at wacken.com.

Midnight, the witching hour – even more so in the final night of October to the 1st of November, when according to the popular American Halloween tradition all sorts of ghosts, vampires, and other nocturnal creatures are roaming around in search of sweets and other treats. 

There is no better time to announce a true metal monster for the upcoming 31st edition of the Wacken Open Air: Slipknot!

The mask wearing metal maniacs from Des Moines, Iowa have not just evolved into massive chart strikers since their foundation in 1995, but have also earned a justified reputation as a most impressive live act. Anyone who has witnessed the 9-piece band fronted by exceptional vocalist Corey Taylor on stage knows  which enormous power their unique baseball bad wielding brand of modern metal can achieve live. Almost one year after the American headliners released their current album "We Are Not Your Kind", Slipknot will enter the main-stage at the Wacken Open Air – for the first time ever at this festival.

Thomas Jensen (festival co-founder and organiser) comments:-

     "We are thrilled and admittedly a little proud that one of our great musical dreams will finally come true next year, when Slipknot will be on stage for the first time at the Wacken Open Air. We are also glad for this opportunity to state once again that being sold out is never a reason for us to stop working on delivering a great billing. We would like to thank our fans for their continued trust and hope that this announcement will be as great for them as it is for us."

This year’s Wacken Open Air will take place from the 30th of July until the 1st of August 2020. Further information can be found at www.wacken.com.

If you tuned into Planet Rock Radio this morning, you’ll have been amongst the first to hear Bloodstock’s hotly anticipated news, revealing the final two Ronnie James Dio main stage headliners for 2020’s event. Devin Townsend was announced as Friday night’s headliner last month. Without further ado… 

Metal legends Judas Priest will headline Sunday night. In a year when Bloodstock celebrates 20 years, we can think of no better place to also celebrate Judas Priest’s 50 Heavy Metal Years! The Grammy Award-winning British icons were recently nominated again for the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame and to date have sold over 50 million albums. Their latest release, 2018’s ‘Firepower’, saw the band return all guns blazing, earning the accolade Best British Album at the Planet Rock Awards. Judas Priest enthuse:-

     “Horns up Bloodstock - the Priest is back to headline the 20th year of Bloodstock with our 50 Heavy Metal Years anniversary show!! A double barrel, once in a lifetime, blast of metal mania 2020....!!” 

You can watch a special message from the inimitable Rob Halford at: https://youtu.be/2VJIsrJf_Mc. 

The mighty Behemoth are set to headline Saturday in a UK festival exclusive for 2020. Having wowed fans across the globe with their phenomenal set on both Slayer’s final US tour and Slipknot’s current Knotfest Roadshow, the Polish metal heavyweights will be upping the stakes by bringing their biggest and best production to date. Don’t miss the spectacle of them closing out the Ronnie James Dio main stage on Saturday night!

Charismatic frontman Nergal tells us:-

     “Bloodstock! The hallowed lands of Catton Park will once again host our Fiendish Festivities. This is Behemoth’s first UK festival headline and that will be celebrated in the only way we know how; Hell will be raised, blood will be shed, and magick will descend! We shall see you there Legions!” 

Hear it straight from Behemoth themselves at: https://youtu.be/oe_1eQyZpXY. 

BLOODSTOCK will be headlined on Friday by DEVIN TOWNSEND and also welcomes PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS, SKINDRED, PARADISE LOST, LIFE OF AGONY, BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, DIAMOND HEAD, JINJER, VIO-LENCE, SACRED REICH, GLORYHAMMER, DARK TRANQUILITY, and BUTCHER BABIES so far. Many more bands performing over the weekend will be announced in due course. 

Discounted Early Bird tickets, VIP tickets, child tickets and car parking tickets for 2020’s event are available now at the ticket store.  Campervan tickets for 2020 are already sold out. 

BLOODSTOCK 2020 takes place at Catton Park, Derbyshire from 6th-9th August 2020.  For more info, click to www.bloodstock.uk.com.