Zeal & Ardor is the brainchild of the visionary Manuel Gagneux, an American of Swiss descent. Their debut album ‘Devil is Fine’ made a significant impact in the underground metal scene. The electrifying fusion of black metal and African American spiritual music is groundbreaking and defies boundaries. Industrial rhythms, gently plucked guitars and synthy soundscapes may haunt these realms, but the blood and fire reverberating through history’s dark corridors remains on the albums that followed. Blending haunting melodies, blistering riffs, and powerful lyrics that delve into themes of struggle, defiance, and redemption. Prepare to be mesmerized by their raw energy and unique sound that challenges conventions and ignites the soul.

Born in the heady grime of downtown L.A.’s noise scene, HEALTH distinguished themselves with their unique blend of noise, rock, and electronic music. Their early shows were characterized by intense, chaotic performances that quickly garnered attention. Throughout their career, HEALTH has collaborated with various artists and musicians, expanding their sonic palette, exploring new sonic territories. This long and willfully unconventional career arc has coalesced in their latest album ‘RAT WARS’. It showcases a cacophony of aggressive noise, pulsating electronic beats, and haunting melodies that encapsulates the band’s signature sound while venturing into darker and more experimental realms.

It is with a great anticipation to welcome the indigenous black metal project Blackbraid as it is their first ever NL appearance. The American indigenous black metal project caused quite a stir the last few years with their riveting music. Hailing from the depths of the Adirondack wilderness creating music as raw and powerful as the mountains from whence it came…The music of Blackbraid is inspired by the forces of nature in the land around us, overpowering emotions of rage and sadness, and the deep spirituality of the project’s creator, Sgah’gahsowáh; a southern native raised in the mountains of the northeast of the United States. His stage name was chosen to honor the Mohawk land which inspires much of Blackbraid’s music.

Originating from Auckland, New Zealand, the unorthodox ensemble Ulcerate artistry is characterized by a whirlwind of scything art-metal guitars, thunderous, intricate drumming, and guttural vocal roars which create an overwhelming sense of impending doom. Their initial intention was to craft dark, oppressive death metal – a vision that subsequently evolved into an innovative, nuanced approach embracing atmospheric and mood-rich elements. All of the released records so far garnered widespread acclaim, noted for its unique mixture of emotive melodicism and crushing darkness. The year 2024 will herald the arrival of ‘Cutting The Throat Of God’, the next step and mind-bending new album from these unparalleled crushing titans. Proving Ulcerate to be at the vanguard of modern extreme metal.

For nearly two decades, the boundless Richmond metal band Inter Arma has emerged as one of the most inspired and fearless acts in or around American metal. Its thicket of ever-dense layers of doom, death, and black metal occasionally let bits of light slip in, fleeting reminders to keep going amid the tumult. You can toss any number of adjectives at the Richmond metal band — psychedelic, progressive, dissonant, sludgy, doomy — but few acts capture the sublime wonder and terror that Inter Arma evokes. With a reputation for innovation and a commitment to artistic integrity, Inter Arma stands as one of the most compelling and influential bands in the contemporary underground metal scene. Their live reputation is second to none, an absolute crowd favourite and also one of ours. This is definitely a one to watch.

Mizmor, or מזמור in their original Hebrew name, is an entity hailing from Portland, Oregon that has been at the forefront of those who look to redefine black metal’s barriers, erasing them with ashes of drone, sludge and doom. The content behind the project is that of the existential – primal and innate musings about cause, purpose, self, and god. It is the search for light and truth, or the fact that there is none. It comes from an embittered, burned, confused, and broken heart. It is the fight for survival when reason and foundation has turned to nothingness. It is the crashing down of towers of falsehood and the freedom that comes through a certain kind of grief. Ultimately, Mizmor is the manifestation of a long-felt depression with no end in sight. But still it is hauntingly beautiful and thus comforting nonetheless.

Margaret Chardiet is an interdisciplinary sound artist born and based in New York City. Pharmakon as a project, entity, and process exists and evolves in true protean form, developing alongside and within Margaret’s personal experience and auto-didactic philosophies. Her work as a whole is a forced self-possession: a celebration of ferality and viscereality, abandoning a society that has never accepted anything it couldn’t also exploit. Chardiet uses electronic synthesis as a tool to transfer this self-possession physiologically and intra-spatially into the bodies of their audience. Pharmakon’s live musical act has been described as confrontational and concise, attempting to ‘cross the boundary between performer and audience’.

In terms of quality, if not international recognition, DVNE has undergone what one could describe as a meteoric rise showcasing an astonishing array of performances and songwriting prowess since their debut. The Scottish band are masters in fusing rugged metallic textures and rippling melodic soundscapes. The post- sludge metal is submerged in prog elements and has a very organic and natural feel. The instrumentation is sublime, the production choices enhance the experience even further and most fundamentally of all: the journey their music carries its listeners on makes for an immensely rewarding experience.

Initially coming from the DIY hardcore scene, Coilguns have crafted since then their very own blend of pissed-off punk and extatic noise-rock. The band is known for its raw, uncompromising and euphoric live performances, proudly serving the dancing freaks and the crowd-surfing weirdos. The blend of sludge, hardcore, noise, industrial, punk and hardcore is exhilarating, mechanical and brutal. Shows by these Swiss often derail into tight chaos. It’s as if a wrecking ball is hurtling through the room. As they have proven earlier as closers of Soulcrusher 2021.  It’s almost unnecessary to say that you don’t want to miss them this year.

Emerging from the shadows of the underground electronic music scene, GOST is a one-man synthwave powerhouse that has been captivating audiences worldwide with his unique blend of darksynth, retrowave, and industrial influences. With a haunting aesthetic and a penchant for cinematic soundscapes, GOST delivers a sonic experience that transports listeners to a dystopian realm where nostalgia collides with futuristic sounds. Known for his electrifying live performances, GOST brings his music to life on stage with a visually stunning show that combines dynamic lighting, mesmerizing visuals, and raw energy.

Few artists in recent memory have swept through the dark underground with the excited fervour that Lamp of Murmuur has achieved since first appearing with a string of demos in 2019. Despite the project’s quick rise to renown, little is known about the band except that the project hails from Los Angeles, CA, and is led by an enigmatic man known as M. There is no shortage of raw black metal projects around the world but the way that M. approaches the genre sets Lamp of Murmuur on a different path than many of its contemporaries. With two albums already under his belt (and a third one set to be released early in 2023) M.’s explorations in black metal stray enough to keep his approach fresh and mysterious, without compromising the extreme core of the project. Truly a driving force in modern-day underground metal. One to watch during Soulcrusher.

Dubbed avant-garde black metal by some, Thantifaxath surpass such mundane press-tags, instead conjuring forth an expansive, discordant, and mind-altering . This Canadian outfit sets out to confront and frighten its listener, it succeeds marvelously. Lurching riffs and infinitely escalating guitar scales decorate the restlessly beating, rolling percussion, bringing songs to points of unbearable tension. Thantifaxath prefer to shift it into another form to keep this tension intact, turning anxiety-inducing climbs and ringing dissonance into equally unsettling drawn-out notes, or suffocating blastbeat density. Live shows are intens and grim mto say the least, prepare yourselves to be submerged into crushing darkness.

From the shadowy desolated woods of Borlänge, Sweden and the rusting urban lechery of Amsterdam, The Netherlands comes Dödsrit, a maelstrom of soul tearing blackness and cacophony. Whether painting landscapes of storming riffs, crescendos of pulsing intensity, or immersing mournful wails, Dödsrit’s crushing devotion to the visceral element in men and nature allured from its very inception. While rooted in the black metal scene, the group’s sonic traits expand wide and beyond, from repetitive and atmospheric upsurges of misty ambiance to melancholic yet triumphant infused outbreaks, a pallet of sorts that provides this journey with an uproar of emotions.

Morne sit at the intersection of post-metal and doom with the residue of crust and sludge corroding any exposed surfaces. The American band have mastered the art of heaviness. Their style blends doom metal and classic british crust but stretches beyond those boundaries, combining a bleak lyrical style with driving riffs. Morne play the style particularly well as has been proven on their five albums released thus far. The unsettling effects create an enticing atmosphere. Layers gradually build, with percussive elements increasing the discomfort. The guttural vocals only serve to add to this overwhelming weight. Their music is raw and honest, yet the production and musicianship keep the tracks approachable and utterly compelling.

Hippotraktor are one of the up and coming juggernauts in the Belgian underground scene, renowned for their intricate compositions and powerful live performances. The band blend their various influences together with skill and a modern twist. It all fits together with engineered precision, contributing to the feeling that there’s a greater-than-the-sum-of-its-parts thing going on here. Hippotraktor delivers a unique auditory experience that captivates audiences and critics alike. There’s a depth that’s compelling with it’s mood-rich and atmospheric progressive sludge sounds which is frequently harsh and unconventional. A journey through complex rhythms, dynamic melodies, and evocative lyrics balancing heaviness, melodic colour, and complex texture with ease, merging them into a holistic mixture that emphasises songwriting over ostentation.

Hailing from the depths of the American black metal scene, Woe emerges as a force to be reckoned with. With blistering riffs, relentless drumming, and raw, emotive vocals, Woe crafts a sound that is both punishing and cathartic. Their music delves into the darkest recesses of the human experience, exploring themes of despair, isolation, and existential anguish. With each release, Woe pushes the boundaries of the genre, evolving and refining their sound while maintaining their uncompromising intensity. With the latest ‘Legacies of Frailty’ as the latest proof of this.

Five The Hierophant is a boundary-pushing instrumental trio that defies categorization, seamlessly blending elements of doom metal, avant-garde jazz, and experimental soundscapes. Hailing from London, the band has garnered international acclaim for their innovative approach to music, creating immersive and atmospheric compositions that challenge conventions and captivate audiences. a sonic tapestry of dark and brooding textures, intricate rhythms, and haunting melodies. With influences ranging from traditional doom metal to free jazz and world music, the band crafts a unique sound that is both hypnotic and unsettling. The British band have been praised for their depth, complexity, and fearless experimentation. It earned them a dedicated following and recognition as one of the most exciting and forward-thinking acts in the underground music scene.

Read any article or comment thread about the Seattle noise-rock outfit Great Falls and you’re likely to see descriptors like cathartic, heavy, crushing, and unhinged. Maybe even psychotic. And sure, those are all apt. For over a decade, Great Falls have honed their sludgy, overwhelmingly intense brand of heaviness, punctuated by delectably discordant riffs, terrifyingly low, thwacking bass lines, and mesmerizingly tight percussion. They’re also notorious for their energetic and confrontational stage presence. But the most striking aspect of Great Falls, setting them apart from the murky sea of sludge metal and AmRep-inspired noise-rock bands, is their ability to paint a deeply, utterly human story through an all-out assault on the senses. Something that is showcased to perfection on their latest album ‘Objects Without Pain’ released by Neurot records.

Australian post-industrialists Kollaps are a three piece creating a unique brand of primitive noise ‘intended for degenerates and outsiders’. The band’s distinctive primordial tones are created using appropriated waste materials like scrap metal, raw plastics and steel plates combined with blistering percussion, bass and vocals. This is no empty ‘industrial’ gesture, for the band this process of creation facilitates the literal use of postmodern society against itself.

Lana Del Rabies, conceived by artist Sam An, is a captivating force in underground dark electronic and fringe heavy music. Merging industrial, gothic noise, and metal with experimental elements, Lana Del Rabies explores the esoteric brutality of what it means to be human in a world consumed by the threat of apocalypse. Known for her intense and immersing live performances that hold the audience in captive catharsis. Described as constructively destructive, Lana Del Rabies’ music outcries from beyond, with surprising melodic and melancholic moments emerging from the noise and anguish.

Norna is the new and devastatingly punishing outfit with members from Breach, Ølten and The Old Wind. The overall sound of the band is one that is shot through with the kind of nihilistic vigour that can only be conjured up by those that really mean it; there’s no phoning it in here. Unforgiving density and an emphasis on slow-motion devastation is key for Norna. Doom-infused riffs hit like a ton of bricks, punishing and uncomfortable. The sheer heft of their songs are capable of suffocating, crushing, and turning out a slightly altered human at the other end of it. A transcendental and cathartic experience; one which you will definitely not regret taking.

Reykjavík, Iceland-based black metal act Nyrst was formed with the aim of creating the coldest, most eerie and barren soundscape possible. After the release of their debut album in 2020, a dense atmospheric experience which gained much praise for perilous melodies and intense vocals, nyrst display a vicious prowess in the craft uncharacteristic of a band so young into their career.

Spectres have been stirring in the shadows for years now. Dark eyes watching from pallid faces. Siren songs calling to lost souls. In the blackest corners of the UK underground, a name whispered relentlessly amongst the faithful, first with curiosity, then soul-shuddering awe: Zetra. Bringing  blend of shimmering shoegaze, electronic ambient and pulsating goth-metal work deep beneath the skin, it is a masterclass in intimate dark romanticism and sweeping elemental beauty. A dark gospel unpicking all manner of psychological knots and existential truths.

Ponte del Diavolo from Turin, Italy have spliced their blackish doom style with their own unique flavor, resulting in post-punk urgency, loads of personality, and a grimly urban approach to goth. Hauntingly beautiful and driven by deep emotive expression, the songs are well-crafted exemplars of how to take common influences and apply them in uncommon ways. Debut album ‘Fire Blades from the Tomb’ makes for a characterful, idiosyncratic approach, but one that Ponte del Diavolo fully own and push hard.

Hailing from the Netherlands, Deathless Void create a vacuum of violent, post-modern death energy. Their foundation is undoubtedly black metal, but their vision is not blinkered upon the past; if anything, the jet-stream of crushing chaos across their debut EP is futuristic, albeit a ruined vision of such. Mutating physicality into cold, cutting, gleaming-yet-bloodstained steel, Deathless Void verily approximates its namesake, literally attacking the listener across three cocaine rushes of sound. Debut full-length ‘The Voluptuous Fire Of Sin’ will see the light just before their Soulcrusher appearance. This is but the start…of the end.