Roadburned: Fell Voices, Ruins of Beverast, Asphyx, Nihill

Roadburn is like doom metal Disneyland. The attendees are ecstatic (in more ways than one — the recreational substances flowed like wine this year), the bands are delighted to be there, the hardworking staff make sure everything’s running smoothly, the locals range from welcoming to politely ambivalent, and everyone spends way too much money on vinyl and booze. The lineups are always jaw-dropping, and not even nature’s fury (remember the volcano?) will keep Roadburners from flocking to the small, charming Dutch town of Tilburg every April. 2013 marked my fourth voyage to the village of the doomed, and while I was lucky enough to witness tons of awesome performances, the following four bands made particularly big first (or second) impressions.

FELL VOICES

One of the best black metal bands the United States has to offer, and an unbelievably intense live act. Fuck microphones — vocalist Joseph howls mockery at the cross unaided, and can still be heard with absolute clarity even above his bandmates’ furious racket. Raw as fuck, beautifully demented.

“Flesh From Bone” from the upcoming album Regnum Saturni (Gilead Media):

Stream a few more new songs here.

THE RUINS OF BEVERAST

Eerie, intoxicating, intense — for their first-ever live gig, these German black/doom misanthropes stood and conquered, filling Het Patronaat to the rafters with smoke and bad energy. Absolutely amazing.

“Maleficia” from the upcoming album Blood Vaults (Ván Records):

ASPHYX

The gods of Dutch death metal barreling through a specially selected setlist of their heaviest, doomiest numbers, with the inimitable Martin van Drunen at the helm? HELL yes. They leveled the joint.

“We Doom You to Death” from their latest album Deathhammer (Century Media):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1-dqkzDe8s

NIHILL

Nightmarish black metal from Roadburn’s own backyard, featuring Michiel Eikenaar from Dodecahedron on brutishly snarled vocals; they laid down the kind of performance that bands with decades more experience would slit their own wattled throats for.

“Gnosis Pt. I” from their first album Krach (Monumentum):

Massive kudos as well to Pallbearer, The Atlas Moth, Royal Thunder, John Baizely, Nate Hall, Mournful Congregation, Witch Mountain, Ash Borer, Mournful Beloveth, High on Fire, Primordial, Intronaut, Lord Mantis, Cough, Alcest, Dread Sovereign, Antisect, Amenra…fucking hell, the list goes on and on. If that alone hasn’t convinced you to start pinching pennies and watching the Roadburn website for next year’s tickets to go on sale, I don’t know what will!