Wiegedood

WIEGEDOOD have performed at Roadburn twice before – their latest show in 2022 being an awe-inspiring performance of that year’s There’s Always Blood At The End Of The Road album. We’re no strangers to their high voltage black metal and their electrifying sets are always something to cherish. We’ve invited them back to Roadburn for 2024, but this is not Wiegedood as you’ve seen them at Roadburn before. For this very special performance, originally commissioned by VierNulVier arts centre / Film festival Ghent, they will be performing their soundtrack to the silent Japanese horror film, A Page of Madness. Prepare for something completely different…

The Belgian three piece have performed this soundtrack just once before (at a prestigious film festival in Ghent), so unless you’re truly a Wiegedood superfan, then this will be a whole new experience for you – as it is for us. Offering up something that is a departure from their usual intense black metal sound, Wiegedood will usher in a mix of unsettling samples and spooky soundscapes, relieving vibraphone and sultry jazz.

The band comments:
“We are thrilled to be performing our soundtrack to “A Page Of Madness” at this renowned festival. All of us have played Roadburn numerous times with different bands but this time we’re well prepared to step further outside of our comfort zone than ever before. We can’t wait for the Roadburn audience to join us for the journey.”

A Page of Madness is a film by director Teinosuke Kinugasa (1896-1982), which was originally screened in 1926 and then assumed to be lost for several decades. The film’s plot follows a man working as a janitor in a mental institution so he can be with his wife, who is one of the patients. After she attempts suicide, he tries to free her from the institution. Kinugasa blurs the lines between reality and fantasy, conjuring up an ominous atmosphere throughout.  

As the experimental film approaches its centenary it has been given a new sonic embellishment by Wiegedood. This performance will open the main stage on Thursday – the perfect location for Wiegedood to set the tone for what will be a varied and experimental edition of Roadburn. We’re thrilled to be hosting this special performance, bringing the worlds of music and cinema together for an unforgettable event.  

– Becky Laverty