#The Maryland Doom Fest

[riffrelevant]

MARYLAND DOOM FEST 2019 - Pat Riot's Top Must-See Acts: WARHORSE

MARYLAND DOOM FEST 2019 – Pat Riot’s Top Must-See Acts: WARHORSE

Article By: Pat ‘Riot’ Whitaker, Senior Writer/Journalist ‡ Edited By: Leanne Ridgeway, Owner/Chief Editor

As most people know, it is a little over a month away from the fifth annual edition of the infamous, Riff Relevant co-sponsored MARYLAND DOOM FEST! (more…)

[cinemajunkie70]

Kindness counts with me! David Sherman was always kind to me whenever I saw him. Whether it was at parties or when I would see him in whatever band he was playing in at the time! Love Razor, Heavy Soul, Wretched and several other doom metal gems! This was the early 90s! I was in college. I was very sorry to to hear that he has passed away at 55!! This has given me pause. I am still in shock! I had not seen him maybe since the early part of this century. That is my fault! That whole crowd was always good to me! I am very sorry! My heart goes out to his family and friends! Way too young! A vivid reminder that we are not here that long! Rest In Peace David Sherman! You are missed! ❤️❤️❤️🤘🤘🤘

[ghostcultmagazine]

Maryland Doom Fest 2020 is Canceled Due to COVID-19 and Other Issues

Maryland Doom Fest 2020 is Canceled Due to COVID-19 and Other Issues

Maryland Doom Festival has regretfully pulled the plug on the 2020 event, which was to host fifty-plus bands, but was postponed and rescheduled, before reaching this decision. Among the bands booked were Blood Ceremony, Cirith Ungol, Speedealer, Mondo Generator, The Skull, Witch Mountain. We’ll see you next year! (more…)

[thegingerblaggard]

The Maryland Doom Fest 4: A Day in Pictures

Pending full review, here is Day Four of The Maryland Doom Fest in photo-form

[tisthenightofthewitch]

THE 10 MOMENTS THAT MADE GHOST SUPERSTARS

From humble beginnings to metal scene heavyweights, here’s how Ghost have triumphed to become global super-ghouls…

Words: Amit Sharma

Photo: Paul Harries

Not many bands can honestly say they’ve enjoyed the kind of meteoric rise to stardom that Swedish doom rockers Ghost have. It’s a success that’s been well-earned – some might say due to hard graft and relentless touring, others pointing to the esoteric appeal and masked mystique that helped pave their path to global dominance. Ultimately, however, there’s only one reason why Ghost stand where they do today – Tobias Forge’s knack for writing some of the most devilishly brilliant rock anthems around.

From the humble beginnings in Linköping to selling out London’s prestigious Royal Albert Hall last year, here’s a look at the 10 moments that made them the world’s fastest growing cult…

1. WRITING THE SONG THAT STARTED IT ALL

Though Tobias Forge had been active in the nearby Stockholm scene during his stints in Repugnant, Crashdïet and Magna Carta Cartel, it was the song Stand By Him that gave birth to a new musical ideology in 2006 – one which embraced nightmarish theatrics into its sweetly seductive melodies. Originally sung in their native tongue, its opening line ‘The Devil’s power is the greatest one’ would prove to be incredibly prophetic of the years to come and the first of many odes to Lucifer himself.

2. THE FIRST COMING OF PAPA EMERITUS

It was during these rudimentary stages that Tobias hatched the concept of demonic frontman Papa Emeritus and the Nameless Ghoul musicians backing him. As their popularity later surged, it would be one of the Ghouls conducting the vast majority of their interviews, keen-eared fans on YouTube noting the consistencies in the voice speaking out for the group. Tobias Forge would eventually reveal the group’s aesthetics were inspired by the shock-rock exploits of the bands that dominated his teenage years, citing KISS, Mötley Crüe and King Diamond as the main culprits.

3. SIGNING WITH RISE ABOVE RECORDS

After posting three songs on MySpace, Ghost inked a record deal with UKindependent Rise Above Records (owned by Cathedral/Napalm Death legend Lee Dorrian) for their 2010 debut Opus Eponymous. “Working on the first album was a great experience that ultimately put me on the map,” remembers Jaime Gomez Arellano, who mixed and mastered the recordings in his North London studio. “I realised early on that Ghost were going to be massive, not only because of the exceptionally well-crafted songs, but because of Tobias’ hard work ethics and determination.”

4. PLAYING LIVE EVIL

On October 23 2010, Ghost made their official live debut at the Hammer Of Doom Festival in Würzburg, Germany, though it was their second appearance the following day at London’s Underworld for Live Evil, booked by black metal legend Fenriz, that sent ripples through rock’s underground. Video footage quickly surfaced on YouTube depicting what looked like a zombie priest in the midst of a live ritual like no other, burning frankincense and blessing the front row with his unholy water.

5. WINNING CELEBRITY FANS

It didn’t take long for the Black Sabbath meets Blue Öyster Cult allure of Ghost’s debut to win them friends in high places. Early supporters included Duff McKagan, James Hetfield and Philip Anselmo – who invited some of the Nameless Ghouls to join Down near the end of their main stage set at Download Festival 2011. Dave Grohl was so impressed, he later produced and even performed on first EP If You Have Ghost, which was recorded at his Californian studio. The Nirvana/Foo Fighters man has also masked up to perform with them live, though lips have remained sealed on when exactly that might have been.

6. CONQUERING AMERICA

After making their U.S. debut at Maryland Death fest in 2011, it was the following year’s Heritage Hunter tour with progressive metal masters Opethand Mastodon that gave Ghost a chance to win over American fans in bigger rooms. Which is precisely what they did, impressing audiences enough to land tour offers from the likes of Iron Maiden, Alice In Chains and Avenged Sevenfold.

7. HEADLINING BRIXTON ACADEMY

It took three years for Ghost to go from London’s Underworld club to Brixton Academy, billed above Gojira, The Defiled and Feed The Rhino on 2013’s sell-out Jägermeister Music Tour – the £5 tickets offering fans eye-watering levels of value for money. Papa Emeritus II and his sinister ministers closed the night with Monstrance Clock, as they have been doing ever since, the encore serving as one of many highlights from their more expansive second full-length Infestissumam. It would mark the first release of many under a new deal with Universal imprint Loma Vista.

8. WINNING A GRAMMY

Having won the Swedish equivalent of a GRAMMY on their sophomore album, it was 2015’s Meliora that saw them gain mainstream recognition in America as well as home soil – lead single Cirice scooping the award for Best Metal Performance at the 2016 Grammys. “Thank you so much, this is is a big thing for us, obviously… a nightmare just turned into a dream,” remarked Papa Emeritus III, when picking up the gong on the night.

9. THE ARRIVAL OF CARDINAL COPIA

The years in between Ghost’s third and fourth albums were perhaps their most challenging. After a decade of operating relatively anonymously, four ex-members would publically name themselves and sue Tobias for lost earnings, claiming the main songwriter and leader had turned their band into his solo project. The Linköping District Court would eventually dismiss the lawsuit and appeal. It was these tumultuous times that would spawn the music and lyrics for 2018’s Prequelle – arguably the most mind-blowing Ghost album of them all. Though Tobias had now officially revealed himself as the group’s leader and put an end to the Papa Emeritus bloodline, Cardinal Copia’s tenure was about to begin.

10. SELLING OUT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL

As anyone that attended last year’s Royal Albert Hall show will be able to attest, that night could very well have been the greatest show of their career. With two keyboardists, three guitar players and a rhythm section behind him, as well as a brief stint from Papa Nihil on sax, Cardinal Copia took his final bow safe in the knowledge that this band have never sounded bigger or better. Looking ahead, 2019 will be a busy year for Ghost – though after joining forces with Metallica for their continuing WorldWired Tour what happens next for the young cardinal will remain to be seen. Are his days numbered? Who will replace him? No-one really knows but Tobias Forge himself…

All owned by KERRANG!

[m3t4ln3rd]

The Maryland Doom Fest lineups available for next year

The daily lineups for next year’s installment of The Maryland Doom Fest were recently announced and can be found below. The festival is scheduled to begin with a pre-party on Thursday, June 20th and concludes on Sunday, June 23rd at Guido’s Speakeasy and Cafe 611. Early bird tickets go on sale today, while general sale begins on New Year’s Day.

Thursday, June 20th MD Doom Fest Pre-Party @ Cafe…

[mothershipusa]

Maryland Doom Fest 2019 @marylanddoomfest #tripontheship (at Planet Earth) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bpmh-W4AW0q/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1b8zer4awm4rc

[carcosapr]

COME TO GRIEF (ex-Grief) Release Back Catalog For Free via Bandcamp; Announce East Coast Tour Dates

New England-based sludge supergroup COME TO GRIEF, featuring current and former members of Grief, Disrupt and Warhorse, have made their back catalog available for free via Bandcamp. DOWNLOAD THE COME TO GRIEF DISCOGRAPHY AT THIS LOCATION In addition, the legendary sludge offshoot has announced its first run of East Coast dates in over a year, beginning Nov. 26 in Brooklyn, NY, with Sunrot, False Gods, etc. before wrapping up Dec. 13 in Portland, ME, with Chepang, Yautja and others. Formed in 1991 by Disrupt guitarist Terry Savastano, GRIEF's style of “extreme doom” was seminal to all things slow, doom, and sludge to follow. For more than a decade, GRIEF would release several albums, EPs, splits and compilations before calling it quits in 2001, despite a couple of reunion attempts. Fast-forward to 2014, Terry’s new version of the pioneering sludge band (including former drummer Chuck Conlon) reactivated before playing their first show as COME TO GRIEF two years later. Since then, the band has toured all over the globe with bands like Eyehategod and The Obsessed, including multiple festival appearances at Roadburn, Maryland Deathfest and Austin Terror Fest, among others. COME TO GRIEF resumed its brand of disgruntled, slow-crawling malevolence with the band's first EP, The Worst of Times, in 2017 and the quickly-followed split with Fistula, Take Me In My Sleep / Contusion. The band' second EP, Pray for the End, was released in 2020 just in time for the pandemic to bring things to a halt. Furthermore, the band recently finished recording its debut album When the World Dies at GodCity Studio with producer and tone wizard Kurt Ballou (High On Fire, Gatecreeper). More info to be unveiled at a later time.

FFO: Eyehategod, Iron Monkey, Noothgrush, Buzzoven, Thou East Coast 2021 Tour Dates: Nov. 26 - Brooklyn, NY @ Saint Vitus Bar (w/ Sunrot, FALSE GODS & Cowardice)   Nov. 27 - Washington, DC @ Pie Shop DC (w/ Suppression, Crawler & Low Flesh) Nov. 28 - Philadelphia, PA @ Kung Fu Necktie (w/ MOROS. FALSE GODS & Caged) Dec. 10 - Providence, RI @ Alchemy (w/ CHURCHBURN, EDICT & New Hell) Dec. 13 - Portland, ME @ The Apohadion Theater (w/ Chepang, Yautja & DMT) Web Links: https://www.cometogrief.com/ https://www.facebook.com/extremesludge/ https://www.instagram.com/cometogriefband/ https://cometogrief.bandcamp.com/

[asailorsdrunkeneulogy]

Switchblade Jesus || Heavy Is the Mountain

[riffrelevant]

MARYLAND DOOM FEST 2018 - The Must-See Spotlight: ZED

MARYLAND DOOM FEST 2018 – The Must-See Spotlight: ZED

(By Pat ‘Riot’ Whitaker, Senior Writer/Journalist, RiffRelevant.com)

For last year’s Maryland Doom Fest, both Leanne [Ridgeway] and I ran pieces that took a look at some of our own individual “high priority” bands, ones we were especially excited to see at MDDF. (more…)

[ghostcultmagazine]

Blood Ceremony, Cirith Ungol, Speedealer, Mondo Generator, The Skull, Witch Mountain and More Booked for Maryland Doom Fest 2020

Blood Ceremony, Cirith Ungol, Speedealer, Mondo Generator, The Skull, Witch Mountain and More Booked for Maryland Doom Fest 2020

Maryland Doom Festival has revealed its massive fifty-plus band bill for the 2020 edition. Among the bands booked are Blood Ceremony, Cirith Ungol, Speedealer, Mondo Generator, The Skull, Witch Mountain and many more! Early Bird discounted Weekend Pass tickets are on sale from Dec 17 thru Dec 31, 2019 only. Standard ticket options will be available starting Jan 1, 2020. (more…)

[thegingerblaggard]

The Maryland Doom Fest Day 3: A Day in Pictures

The Maryland Doom Fest Day 3: A Day in Pictures

[metalshockfinland]

DAN LORENZO's Documentary 'It's All About The Riff' Airs Tonight 7PM EST

DAN LORENZO’s Documentary ‘It’s All About The Riff’ Airs Tonight 7PM EST

Back in early March, Vessel of Lightplayed three shows in NY/NJ. Jason Stewart did a video interview with the singer Nathan Opposition. Nathan commented that he’d be flying back to NJ in June to do a five day run with Vessel of Light. They were supposed to be playing at the Maryland Doom Fest plus four other shows last week. Before the corona-virus shutdown we had plans to release the band’s 4th…

[thertrockshow]

The Maryland Doom Fest celebrates its sixth anniversary in 2020, today they confirm a reschedule of the event, now set for Halloween Weekend - October 29th through November 1st, 2020! The official word from JB Matson, founder of Maryland Doom Fest: "In these trying times, we hope each of you are healthy & happy. The current state of the world has forced us to postpone Maryland Doom Fest 2020, so that we can properly party down MDDF style. The new 2020 dates are on Halloween weekend!! OCTOBER 29 thru NOVEMBER 1. We anxiously look forward to a fantastic #4daysofdoom in October!! 💀DooM💀." Maryland Doom Fest brings artists from all over the map into Frederick, MD for a full four days of mayhem, featuring headliners Cirith Ungol, Blood Ceremony, Speedealer and The Gates Of Slumber all set to headline the four nights of top shelf doom metal and heavy underground sounds! This sixth festival year includes over fifty of today's heaviest bands to cover every dark and dank corner of metal sub-genres from start to finish each night. We invite all to become part of the family at the Maryland Doom Fest 2020 events! Please support the Doom and Heavy Music scene and come share in this epic weekend with us. https://www.instagram.com/p/B_xkkFljj58/?igshid=1q1hlk86bkhjk

[theart2rock]

Cirith Ungol mit Details zum neuen Album

Am 24. April 2020 veröffentlichen Cirith Ungol ihr neues Album, Forever Black – die erste Albumveröffentlichung mit ausschließlich neuem Material in 29 Jahren! Für einen Vorgeschmack auf Forever Black, könnt ihr euch hier das Lyricvideo zu “Legions Arise” anschauen:

Das Album wird es in folgenden Formaten geben

– Jewelcase-CD – Digipak-CD (EU exklusiv) – Deluxe Boxset (slip-lid box, 2CD, 2LP mud-green vinyl, Flagge, Slipmat, Pin, Patch – limtiert auf 1000 Stück) – ice blue / black marbled vinyl (US exklusiv – limitiert auf 400 Stück) – purple / black marbled vinyl (US exklusiv – limitiert auf 100 Stück) – 180g black vinyl (EU exklusiv) – light blue / red marbled vinyl (EU exklusiv – limitiert auf 700 Stück) – light olive green vinyl (EU exklusiv – limitiert auf 300 Stück) – white / black marbled vinyl (EU ekclusiv – limitiert auf 200 Stück) – clear / black dust vinyl (EU webshop exklusiv – limitiert auf 100 Stück) – pewter gray/black marbled vinyl – Artist Exclusive (Cirith Ungol Kings Road webshop – limitiert auf 500 Stück) * exklusive Bundles mit T-Shirt und alle digitalen Vorbestelloptionen findet ihr ebenfalls dort!

Cirith Ungol entstand in den frühen 1970ern im kalifornischen Ventura. Die Band machte in der Szene erstmals mit ihrem selbst finanzierten Debütalbum Frost and Fire von sich reden, das im April 1981 auf ihrem eigenen Label Liquid Flame Records erschien. Es klang verschroben und geheimnisvoll, rätselhaft und exzentrisch, episch und weitläufig, vor allem aber kompromisslos und in erdrückendem Maß heavy, finster und unheivoll.

Cirith Ungol brachten zwei weitere Alben heraus, deren Klassiker-Status mittlerweile in Stein gemeißelt steht: King of the Dead und One Foot in Hell. Da sich Anfang der 90er allerdings das Klima für althergebrachten Metal änderte, die Gruppe unter Umbesetzungen litt und die Aufnahmen ihrer vierten LP Paradise Lost als negative Erfahrung verbuchen musste, sah sie sich zusehends enttäuscht. Dieser Frust führte schließlich dazu, dass sie sich im Mai 1992 auflöste.

Über die Jahre hinweg hörten die leidenschaftlichen Forderungen nach Cirith Ungols Rückkehr nicht auf, bis der schlafende Riese im Winter 2015 endlich nach langer Überlegung erwachte. Das Quartett – Drummer Robert Garven, Sänger Tim Baker sowie die beiden Gitarristen Greg Lindstrom und Jim Barraza – schickten sich an, den Rost abzukratzen, und fanden ihren alten Zauber wieder. Da sich Bassist Flint nicht beteiligen konnte, fanden Cirith Ungol in Night-Demon-Frontmann Jarvis Leatherby Ersatz. Ihn als erfahrenen Musiker und Fan seit Urzeiten für den Posten zu wählen, lag auch deshalb nahem, weil er sich maßgeblich für die Reunion starkgemacht hatte.

Am 8. Oktober 2016 feierten Cirith Ungol ihre offizielle Rückkehr auf die Bühne, indem sie als Headliner beim Frost and Fire II Festival im Majestic Ventura Theater auftraten. Sie standen vor einem ausverkauften Rund voller Metal-Fanatiker und Freunde, die in ihrer Heimatstadt zusammengekommen waren, um die Auferstehung der “Kings” zu erleben. In den darauffolgenden Jahren hielten Cirith Ungol an dem Vorsatz fest, ihre Musik möglichst vielen Menschen auf der ganzen Welt nahezubringen. Sie spielten auf ausgesuchten großen Festivals in Nord- und Südamerika sowie Europa.

Nun da ihre Wiedervereinigung fünf Jahre her ist, präsentiert die Gruppe voller Stolz Forever Black: in jeder Hinsicht ein klassisches Cirith Ungol Album! Ihre charakteristisch dunkel dräuenden Riffs, der hämmernde Rhythmus und markerschütternde Gesang entlarven sie sofort als die “Kings of the Dead”. Forever Black legt vier Jahrzehnte nach der Gründung der Band schlicht und ergreifend Zeugnis von Cirith Ungols Langlebigkeit und Vorherrschaft auf dem Classic-Metal-Pantheon ab.

Forever Black Tracklist: 1. The Call 2. Legions Arise 3. The Frost Monstreme 4. The Fire Divine 5. Stormbringer 6. Fractus Promissum 7. Nightmare 8. Before Tomorrow 9. Forever Black

Die Veröffentlichung am 24. April 2020 fällt zusammen mit der historischen Doppel-Headliner Show beim diesjährigen Keep It True Festival in Deutschland. Es wird eine spezielle exklusive Vinylfarbe für das Keep It True (red/black marble) geben und ausschließlich bei diesen Shows verfügbar sein!

Cirith Ungol tour dates: April 24-25 – Lauda Konigshoffen, Germany – Keep It True (headlining both nights) May 9 – Plozevet, Brittany, France – Courts of Chaos Festival (headliner) June 6 – Leon, Mexico – Candelabrum Metal Fest (headliner) June 20 – Baltimore, MD – Maryland Doom Fest (headliner) June 26 – Madrid, Spain – Rock the Night Festival

Cirith Ungol online: https://www.facebook.com/cirithungolofficial https://www.instagram.com/cirithungolband

Quelle: Metal Blade Records

Cirith Ungol mit Details zum neuen Album was originally published on The Art 2 Rock

[carcosapr]

COME TO GRIEF Release New EP “Pray for the End” + Announce New Bassist

New England-based sludge legends COME TO GRIEF are pleased to announce the release of their second EP Pray for the End, out now via Grievance Records, as well as the addition of bassist Randy Larsen (ex-Cable, ex-Isis). Formed in 1991 by Disrupt guitarist Terry Savastano, GRIEF's style of “extreme doom” was seminal to all things slow, doom, and sludge to follow. For more than a decade, GRIEF would release several albums, EPs, splits and compilations before calling it quits in 2001, despite a couple of reunion attempts. Fast-forward to 2014, Terry’s new version of the band (including former drummer Chuck Conlon) reactivated before playing their first show as COME TO GRIEF two years later. Since then, the band has toured all over the globe with bands like Eyehategod and The Obsessed, including multiple festival appearances at Roadburn, Maryland Deathfest and Austin Terror Fest, among others. COME TO GRIEF resumed its brand of disgruntled, slow-crawling malevolence with the band's first EP, The Worst of Times, in 2017 and the quickly-followed split with Fistula, Take Me In My Sleep / Contusion. Now, the band is proud to present its ugliest output yet, Pray for the End. Recorded by Eric Sauter (Fistula, Boghaunter), the three-track EP speaks further for the downtrodden and those likely to succumb to the miserable existence known as life.

FFO: Thou, Eyehategod, Iron Monkey, Noothgrush, Buzzoven

COME TO GRIEF at the time of recording: Jonathan Hébert - vocals, guitar Terry Savastano - guitar, vocals Tim Simpson - bass Chuck Conlon - drums COME TO GRIEF currently: Jonathan Hébert - vocals, guitar Terry Savastano - guitar, vocals Randy Larsen - bass Chuck Conlon - drums Tour Dates: w/ Barishi 6/25 - Brooklyn, NY @ St. Vitus Bar (more info) 6/26 - New Haven, CT @ The State House (more info) 6/27 - Brattleboro, VT @ The Stone Church (more info) https://www.cometogrief.com/ https://www.facebook.com/extremesludge/ https://www.instagram.com/cometogriefband/