Inter Arma are for sure going to be one of the bands on the Roadburn line up that, to some degree, Roadburn attendees will be familiar with. We love that; we love that we can invite bands back time and again and witness different facets of their creativity. They become family, in a way. When they feel really, truly comfortable, then we know they mean it when they say they’d like to do something as a one-off performance, and that Roadburn is the place to do it. And that is how we have ended up here, announcing that Inter Arma will perform The Cavern in its full glory at Roadburn 2026.
Sky Burial was the release that put Inter Arma on many people’s radar back in 2013 – including ours. It opened up new possibilities for them, such as traveling to Europe for their first ever shows on this side of the pond. With new eyes on them, they followed up Sky Burial with The Cavern – a 45 minute epic that perfectly encapsulates the spirit of Inter Arma. Originally written in 2009, fragments of the piece were performed live around the time it was conceived but as the band focused on new material it became buried and all but forgotten.
Dug up, brushed off, and recorded in summer 2013, the monstrous track saw a release a little over a year later… and in the years since has become Inter Arma canon, yet it has remained elusive in the live arena. The sonic scope of the album straddles sludge, black metal, and progressive elements. It requires a considerable effort – plus some extra hands – to pull off live. What better occasion to send them into the rehearsal room than Roadburn?
Of their upcoming, highly anticipated performance of The Cavern, vocalist Mike Paparo said:
“The Cavern, the proverbial thorn in Inter Arma’s side. Since its release in 2014, “PLAY THE CAVERN” has been a persistent mantra chanted at us from tipsy audience members. Its story and subsequent creation is a continuing question and source of fascination from journalists and curious fans alike. Yet, despite all of this, we’ve never entertained bringing The Cavern into a proper live setting; at times even hard headedly swearing off the idea that it’d ever even happen at all.
“In 2026, our twentieth year as Inter Arma, all of this will change. We’ll be performing The Cavern live for the first and final time at this year’s Roadburn festival. We hope that you’ll join us in Tilburg, NL for this singular and borderline unbelievable occurrence. Thank you Becky and Walter for your enduring belief in Inter Arma and our vision. The catharsis in finally being able to announce this is real. We love you all.”
We’re over the moon to welcome Inter Arma back to Roadburn for this special set – one we’ve dreamed of for years! The timelessness of their art shines through over 16 years after its genesis; a testament to their creative vision and singular focus. It’s time for The Cavern to receive its flowers.
