Good evening dear friends, ready for another batch of confirmed bands? This time we shall introduce primarily new guests from abroad, though names from the local scene are not missing.
So, get ready for:
RAVENCULT (gr)
Black-thrash metal horde from Athens, established in 2001. Though we did not yet have the pleasure of welcoming them to MGCDF, you may remember them, if you visited the debut installment of the Hellenic Darkness festival in 2013. Back then, RAVENCULT visited us with their 2011 album “Morbid Blood”, which marked the turn from classic black metal (as on the debut “Temples Of Torment” from 2007) precisely to the current macabre fusion. It was reinforced by the current album “Force Of Profanation” from last year, which combines the rawness and darkness of 90s black metal with the mayhem of 80s thrash. Lyrics-wise, the piece continues the conceptual axis of morbidity, horror and mockery of all that is Holy. That RAVENCULT are on the rise is attested by shows in more than 20 countries, as well as by supporting the big names of the scene, such as the legendary Mayhem. Thus, their premier appearance on our festival should be for all of you a must!
DARKFALL (at)
This Austrian melodic death/thrash horde, which began in 1995, returns to MGCDF after three years, though you could say that DARKFALL are in Czech Republic almost at home, since they played here several more times afterwards, including the show that celebrated the 25th anniversary of Tortharry, co-organizers of MGCDF. Back then, DARKFALL presented their fifth full-length album “Road To Redemption”, which received wide acclaim after its release and in a way concluded one chapter of the band’s history. This summer, said album saw its second release, followed in autumn by a new studio piece “At The End Of Times”, which will no doubt be the centerpiece of their return to our festival stage, whereby you would do well not to miss their show!
MURDERLINE (mx)
It is becoming something of a tradition that MGCDF showcases also a representative from, for us exotic, Latin American metal scene. The tenth installment shall continue with this trend, welcoming the Mexican death metal warmachine MURDERLINE. This all-female quartet began in Mexico City in 2013, releasing its first eponymous demo, filled with old school death metal mayhem, a year later. First live shows followed in 2015 after the band line-up got stabilized. The new chapter for MURDERLINE began this spring with the release of their debut album “Evil Has No Shape”, followed by their first tour in summer. And to further expand the list of first times, MURDERLINE shall have their premier visit to Europe and to our festival next year, so we hope you give them a great welcome!
WAR FOR WAR (cz)
The iconic figure of the Pilsen (mostly) black metal underground, Lord Morbivod, already appeared on MGCDF before, although we have not yet had the pleasure of hosting his industrial metal mining consortium WAR FOR WAR. Initially, it was a one-man studio project of purely black metal character, permeated with, as evident by the name itself, the motif of war. However, the third studio album “Kovy odjinud” from 2007 saw not only a significant inclusion of industrial elements, but also Morbivod redirecting the lyrical focus underground, as it is from this piece that WAR FOR WAR deals in all sorts of ways with the subject matter of mining. Their latest effort is the fifth full-length “Illud Tempus”, released this year by MetalGate Records, wherein Morbivod joined forces with Lenka Machová, a former vocalist of Ador Dorath, thus giving his industrial metal an atypical, yet all the more interesting, dimension. Since WAR FOR WAR also crystalized into a full-fledged band, we invite you to see for yourself the grace with which Morbivod navigates the waters outside black metal!
POSTCARDS FROM ARKHAM (cz)
The next representative of MetalGate Records that surely needs no special introduction, since its unquestionable musical qualities were showcased on MGCDF for several times already, most recently in 2016. Since then, a lot has happened in the camp of this Czech Lovecraftian post-rock project – be it in terms of a myriad of live shows, including another appearance on Brutal Assault, a successful invasion of Poland, or an unconventional acoustic tour Busking Ritual, but more importantly in terms of the release of the third full-length album “MANTA”, which came out this summer and presents POSTCARDS FROM ARKHAM in a different, rawer, light. One could almost say that besides post-rock we can now, their music-wise, also speak of post-black, which only proves how rich the music of POSTCARDS FROM ARKHAM can be. Simply put, you need to hear this live, and if you count yourself among the fans of the American novelist H. P. Lovecraft, all the better!
Enjoy!