Reviews

The gruesome and unfair… Roadburn 2019 Highlights!

Accepting the inevitable and gruesome, the saying goodbye to a festival we love with all our hearts – for about 360 days – and to make matters worse, to rub it in and make the pain even more tangible: we’ve asked our staff to give us their Roadburn 2019 Highlights. And to confine those picks to just 5… sheer torture, we know. But here goes.  Also; the video crew let

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Changing the game: Emma Ruth Rundle at Roadburn 2019

Roadburn had no shortage of female musicians showcasing their sonic art this weekend. Whether it is the otherworldly bass work of Tamaki Kunishi (MONO), the multi-layered keyboards of Helen Stanley (Crippled Black Phoenix) or Amalie Bruun (Myrkur) achieving two critically acclaimed black metal albums. Of course, it seems redundant writing about female representation in heavy music today, let alone in regards to a massively diverse festival such as Roadburn. However,

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Rawkward Steve reaches nirwana with the psychedelic wizardry of Temple Fang

Walking on planet Roadburn can make you find yourself ‘living in the moment’, realizing what a lucky bastard you are to be there. Which can lead to an overwhelming sense of gratitude of having the privilege to be there, alive, in this corner of time. But the true power of this festival lies not it’s capacity for creating some kind of awakening and humbling experience. For me it ultimately lies

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Black Skies over Roadburn – Part III

The darkness is not done with us and Sunday starts early with Fear Falls Burning playing the Patronaat. But today will also show a number of black metal bands playing sets and even closing down the legendary Roadburn venue tonight. Not all of them are part of the Maalstroom project, but all do connect to the blackened sound that slithers through the day. Editor: Guido Segers In that same venue,

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Have a Nice Life’s Deathconsciousness at Roadburn

The existence of Have a Nice Life is almost an anomaly. What started as a musical project in a bedroom, turned into Deathconsciousness, a debut double album, critically acclaimed and achieving a cult following. However, even after such a phenomenal start the band is shrouded in a certain mystique and anonymity, with live shows and musical output being scarce. This makes their two shows at Roadburn simultaneously befitting as well

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Black Skies over Roadburn – Part II

As the day progresses, the Patronaat gets more crowded and some visitors would appear to have set up camp in the front of the classic venue. Some curse the venue for its tricky entrance and lack of tasty drinks. Yet, no one can deny the beauty of live shows in the hallowed church and its sad we have to see it go soon. Editor: Guido Segers Laster has just released

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Roadburn pulling another daring move with Seven That Spells’ Croatian Krautrock trilogy

Sure, we could have focussed on countless impressive, taintingly ambitious projects here at Roadburn, but this one definitely caught our eye. Allowing one band to play three sets in a row in one venue, it’s daring to say the least. Croatian space-, psych- and progressive rockers Seven That Spells played their The Death and Resurrection Of Krautrock Trilogy in full in the Green Room on Friday. Editor: Ingmar Griffioen /

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Roadburn Recap: The Burning Darkness in full swing on day 2

So far Roadburn has been treated to the black metal stylings of Slaegt at Patronaat and the emotional rollercoaster ride MONO featuring the Jo Quail Quartet at 013. But Thursday proved just to be the start of Tomas Lindberg’s curation. The second day of Roadburn is chock-full of bands straight out of The Burning Darkness selection. With, among others, Anna Von Hausswolff, Loop and At the Gates themselves. Such a

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Black Skies over Roadburn – Part I

Tilburg turns a little colder and darker on Saturday. Both in skies and bands, as we move early into Patronaat for the first part of Maalstroom. Everyone looks a bit more haggard, a bit more pale, but with one of those Maalstroom beers in hand, one is ready for the day. Editor: Guido Segers / photo’s: Justina Lukosiote and Paul Verhagen Opening up in the Patronaat is Witte Wieven. The

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Ripples in the water: Maalstroom at Roadburn and the passing of Michiel Eikenaar

When you’re facing a day of black metal, it’s best to come prepared. Roadburn’s Friday had plenty of heavy and dark bands, but also saddening news during the day on Friday that affects the project that is Maalstroom. Editor: Guido Segers News broke yesterday that Michiel Eikenaar had passed away, which is greatly saddening. You may have noticed bands dedicating their show to him, such as Molasses on Thursday. From

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