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Roadburn 2021 will be taking place in an unfamiliar format, but will retain the hallmarks of what makes the usual editions a must-attend event for fans of heavy music around the globe. This online version of the festival, titled Roadburn Redux, will feature performances broadcast live from the 013 venue in Tilburg, as well as pre-recorded and exclusive content, between April 16-18. Despite these new obstacles, Roadburn will showcase the very best of cutting edge performances, and highlight the most innovative and engaging artists in the Roadburn universe; everything available to access as part of Roadburn Redux will be exclusive – either a commissioned project or a premiere. The poster artwork for Roadburn Redux is is by Lucile Lejoyle – click HERE to read more.

A series of performances due to take place at the 013 venue have been confirmed – see below for more information – which will be simultaneously broadcast via a special website featuring a live blog with a continuous stream of content. Alongside those transmissions from Tilburg, Roadburn will host exclusive content from a variety of artists, including further commissioned work and exclusive performances.

Roadburn’s artistic director, Walter, comments: “The last year has been incredibly difficult for everybody to navigate; keeping safe is paramount, but it often came at the expense of the ‘normal’ life we’d come to enjoy. For us, that meant a halt to Roadburn as we knew it. However, Roadburn Redux gives us the opportunity to reconnect with the artists and community that are at the heart of Roadburn; to bring a bit of joy, friendship, inspiration, and most of all hope in these difficult times. I’m thrilled by the performances we’ve already secured – the format might be different, but the spirit of Roadburn remains strong.”

Roadburn Redux has been made possible due to the support from Brabant C, Gemeente Tilburg, Fonds Podiumkunsten, Provincie Noord-Brabant, Bavaria 8.6, Ticket to Tilburg.

BROADCAST LIVE FROM THE 013 – COMMISSIONED PROJECTS

DEAD NEANDERTHALS PERFORMING IXXO
With the irrepressible duo bursting at the seams with creative ideas, we knew they’d be perfect candidates for one of the all new commissioned projects for Roadburn Redux. At the time of writing this, the project is still being developed but already has us hooked, keen to find out exactly what’s in store come April. Otto and René have teamed up with Dutch singer/songwriter Aafke Romeijn, and Jonge Woudloper, one of the musicians in Aafke’s band, to create IXXO.
Read more HERE

DIE WILDE JAGD PERFORMING ATEM
Injecting some much needed freshness into what can sometimes be a stagnant scene, Die Wilde Jagd can reasonably be described as experimental at any given time – their heady blend of psychedelic electronic-rock futurism is intoxicating – but under the banner of a Roadburn commissioned project christened Atem, experimentation has truly run wild.
Read more HERE

DIRK SERRIES PERFORMING EPITAPH
For this special Roadburn Redux performance, Roadburn regular, Dirk Serries will be creating and improvising alongside Tom Malmendier on drums and Rutger Zuydervelt on electronics. Having already collaborated with both previously, but never in this exact configuration, we’re sure to be in for a treat.
Read more HERE

GOLD PERFORMING THIS SHAME SHOULD NOT BE MINE
Having long been fans of their output, and knowing that they were the sort of artists that could take an idea and run with it, we were also convinced that they would relish the task of creating a commissioned piece for Roadburn Redux. Due to social restrictions, the core writing duo of Thomas and Milena commenced the writing for this project at home; the performance will feature the full GOLD line up as the debut this cathartic and bold creation. Read more HERE

JO QUAIL PERFORMING THE CARTOGRAPHER
Jo Quail performing The Cartographer is the only commissioned piece from 2020’s Roadburn line up to be carried over into 2021. Jo’s intention is to explore heaviness and to focus on exploring the juxtaposition between classical and more contemporary music, in this case post-metal. Jo will join forces with Rotterdam’s highly regarded New Trombone Collective – a group of trombonists who pride themselves on innovation, creativity and collaboration – to work towards communicating specific feelings through their combined output. Read more HERE

NEPTUNIAN MAXIMALISM PERFORMING SET CHAOS TO THE HEART OF THE MOON
If you’ve already experienced something of Neptunian Maximalism, you’ll already know that the best way to listen to them is to give yourself over completely. For the uninitiated it’s time to shake off your inhibitions and let loose! For this performance commissioned by Roadburn, they will explore their 2020 album, Éons, in a completely new way. Read more HERE

OF BLOOD AND MERCURY PERFORMING THE OTHER SIDE OF DEATH
Of Blood and Mercury will perform a commissioned piece called The Other Side of Death, a soundtrack that will move us through the first moments of after-life.  They promise that our earthly perception of time, space, sound, and feeling will fall apart. Not fully here, nor there, nowhere and everywhere; the lie about death is the beginning of the lie about life. Read more HERE

RADAR MEN FROM THE MOON PERFORMING THUS SPOKE THE BEHOLDER
They say that good things come in threes – and 2021 will mark the third Roadburn appearance for Dutch experimentalists, Radar Men From The Moon. The Eindhoven-based space-travellers will descend on Tilburg for a special performance of a commissioned piece they have titled Thus Spoke The Beholder. Having always embraced evolution within the fuzzed-out confines of RMFTM, this six piece have taken on the task with relish.
Read more HERE

SOLAR TEMPLE PERFORMING THE GREAT STAR ABOVE PROVIDES
Lurking in some of the darkest corners of the Dutch black metal scene we found Solar Temple – an entirely studio-focussed duo featuring members of Fluisteraars and Turia – and couldn’t resist tempting them out into the bright lights for this very special edition of Roadburn. Marking their first ever live performance, this commissioned project is the next step in the band’s evolution.
Read more HERE

TDC INC. PERFORMING CORPORATE
With time it was inevitable that both PRSPCT and Roadburn would come together, as we share a kindred anti-authoritarian spirit while defying musical borders as well. Most of us will have to wait for another time for a face to face experience of their head on collision of old school drum and bass, electronic violence and black metal. However, as their asphyxiating maelstrom of bludgeoning beats, guitars and imagery is still very urgent, it prompted us to make sure that both the label and The Dead Cvlt are part of Roadburn Redux commissioned music projects, as we’re beyond intrigued to see and hear how the confinement of the pandemic has influenced their artistry.
Read more HERE

THE NEST PERFORMING HER TRUE NATURE
The Nest is a collaboration between members of Wolvennest and some special – as yet unannounced – guests. Each individual participating retains their own signature sound and identity, but comes together to create something unified. This entirely original, commissioned performance will combine meditative, ritualistic elements with psychedelic sounds and blackened doom metal, as well as uniting a group of long-time friends on stage for the first time together in this constellation.
Read more HERE

BROADCAST LIVE FROM THE 013 – ALBUM PREMIERES

AUTARKH PERFORMING FORM IN MOTION
Tilburg has cemented its importance for underground heavy bands with a steady trickle of innovative and compelling bands making their ways out into the wider world. The latest such band is Autarkh, who – we are delighted to announce – will be performing their debut album in full for us this April. Founding member of Dodecahedron, Michel Nienhuis, teamed up with producer Joris Bonis (Dodecahedron, Ulsect), guitarist David Luiten and electronic composer / producer Tijnn Verbruggen to create the oppressive, claustrophobic and totally exhilarating wild ride that is Form In Motion. Read more HERE

DIE WILDE JAGD PERFORMING HAUT
Having spent most of 2020 familiarising ourselves with the spacious, meditative, and yet still distinctly experimental beauty of Haut, we asked the mastermind behind Die Wilde Jagd, Sebastian Lee Philipp, who is joined on stage by Ran Levari on drums, if they’d consider playing the whole thing in full for us at Roadburn Redux. Fortunately for us – and for you – they agreed.
Read more HERE

EMPTINESS PERFORMING VIDE
Back in 2017 Emptiness shrouded Het Patronaat with their tenebrous black metal atmospherics in such a way that a return visit was always going to be on the cards –  just the when and where were in question. We’re delighted to announce that Emptiness will perform their sixth studio offering in its entirety at Roadburn Redux in April, and no doubt leave us all questioning our version of reality. To listen to Vide on record is to let the rolling fog pin us down and envelop us, to witness it live may just consume us entirely.
Read more HERE

PLAGUE ORGAN PERFORMING ORPHAN
The duo comprising of René Aquarius (Cryptae, Imperial Cult, Horrid Apparition, Imperial Cult, Dead Neanderthals, etc) and recording engineer Marlon Wolterink (White Noise Studio and one half of the band Meglamancha) is a black/death/noise amalgam that will give you nightmares for weeks to come.  Their live debut was originally due to happen at Le Guess Who? Festival in 2020 so the legendary festival is collaborating with us to present this show as part of Roadburn Redux. Read more HERE

WOLVENNEST PERFORMING TEMPLE
Having conquered the main stage at Roadburn once, Wolvennest are returning to do the same this April, as they perform their brand new album, Temple, in full. Due for release in March, you’ll have just enough time to get acquainted with their latest missive before we’re well and truly sucked into their dark but strangely alluring netherworld.
Read more HERE

ONLINE:
The full online programme for Roadburn Redux will be announced in due course, but as a statement of intent and an indicator of the high quality performances that will be presented, we’re thrilled to confirm that as part of our pre-recorded exclusive content we’ll have…

THE SVART SESSIONS.
Think The Old Grey Whistle Test on acid; imagine a Jools Holland psychedelic special and you’ll be heading in the right direction. The Svart Sessions will feature brand new signings and established artists side by side, all connected to the notoriously fertile psych rock scene in Tampere. These six performances truly encapsulate the very best of the Finnish heavy, psych and freak-folk underground scene – delivered right into your home this April. Read more about Roadburn and Svart HERE

The Svart Sessions will feature:

DUST MOUNTAIN
(feat. members of Oranssi Pazuzu, Dark Buddha Rising, Death Hawks)
International live debut, performing songs from their forthcoming Svart Records debut. Read more HERE

HEXVESSEL PERFORMING DAWNBEARER 
Hexvessel celebrate the 10 year anniversary of their debut record Dawnbearer, by performing the album in full, exclusively for Roadburn Redux!
Read more HERE

ITERUM NATA
Personal psychedelic occult folk created by Hexvessel lead guitarist Jesse Heikkinen, plays an intimate acoustic show of songs from his 2020 album Bardo Disorder, in his first live stream ever.
Read more HERE

KAIRON; IRSE!
Kosmische post-rock prog-freaks Kairon; IRSE!’s first ever live stream video, as they play their critically acclaimed new album Polysomn in full.
Read more HERE

POLYMOON
Young rising stars, present their six track psych prog explosion Caterpillars of Creation in its entirety exclusively for Roadburn Redux!
Read more HERE

A SECRET COLLABORATION…
A special and exciting collaboration between some highly revered members of the Finnish psych rock underground, with more details to be divulged at a later date!

TICKETS & INFO.
Roadburn Redux is available to attend on a ‘pay what you like’ basis, from anywhere in the world. Head to RoadburnRedux.com to RSVP and bookmark the page.

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A new week, a new playlist!

If you want to seek out the tracks elsewhere, here’s the info you’ll need:

Emptiness – Un corps à l’abandon (Season of Mist)

Mission to the Sun – Damaged (Felte)

October and the Eyes – Dark Dog (KRO Records)

Cult of Luna x Mark Lanegan – Inside of a Dream (Red Creek)

Oryx – Misery (Translation Loss Records)

Horndal – Rossen (Prosthetic Records)

Cruelty – A Lie That Makes Life Bearable (Church Road Records)

Autarkh – Lost to Sight (Season of Mist)

The Armed – ALL FUTURES (Sargent House)

Amulets – Heaviest Wait (The Flenser)

Gatecreeper – Emptiness (Closed Casket Activities)

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In spirit of yesterday’s Roadburn Redux announcement we hope this playlist can bring a bit of inspiration and most of all hope in these difficult times.

If you want to seek out the tracks elsewhere, here’s the info you’ll need:

Cult of Luna – Wave After Wave (Red Creek)

DROTT – Shikoba (By Norse Music)

Empyrium – The Three Flames Sapphire (Prophecy Productions)(header image)

Lebanon Hanover – Come Kali Come (Fabrika Records)

Ana Marija Šir – I Wanna Be Your Dog (Self-Release)

VED – The Embrace Of The Oarfish (Rocket Recordings)

Party Dozen – The Worker (Grupa)

Mythic Sunship – Maelstrom (TeePee Records)

Kungens Män – Hamra med slutna ögen (Self-Rlease)

DJINN – Love Divine (Rocket Recordings)

Flying Moon In Space – Ardor (Fuzz Club Records)

Camila Fuchs – Mess (Felte)

John Dwyer – Baphomet (Castle Face)

Camera – Kartoffelstampf (Bureau B)

Blanck Mass – Starstuff – Single Edit (Sacred Bones)

Genghis Tron – Dream Weapon (Relapse Records)

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Having hosted a number of Svart artists over the years at Roadburn, they’ve become part of the DNA of the festival… so to have an edition of Roadburn without any of their artists in 2021 seemed inconceivable. Fortunately, over in Finland, cogs were whirring and the machinery was ticking over already – and as we have done so many times before, our forces have united to bring you a number of exclusive and incredibly special performances.

Think The Old Grey Whistle Test on acid; imagine a Jools Holland psychedelic special and you’ll be heading in the right direction. The Svart Sessions will feature brand new signings and established artists side by side, all connected to the notoriously fertile psych rock scene in Tampere. These six performances truly encapsulate the very best of the Finnish heavy, psych and freak-folk underground scene – delivered right into your home this April.

“For over a decade now Roadburn has been our most important European hub both as music fans and label managers, so being invited to join the program of the virtual Roadburn Festival is an immense honor. Dawnbearer by Hexvessel was the first actual album we ever released, and Roadburn is the perfect setting for an exclusive anniversary show, to tie in with the imminent re-release of the album. Other stars of the event include the cream of the younger psychedelic generation and two worldwide band premieres, including a very exciting, closely guarded secret collab group”,

– Tomi Pulkki, Svart Records founder

The Svart Sessions exclusive live program is as follows:

Dust Mountain
(feat. members of Oranssi Pazuzu, Dark Buddha Rising, Death Hawks)
International live debut, performing songs from their forthcoming Svart Records debut.
Read more HERE

Hexvessel – Playing Dawnbearer in full
Hexvessel celebrate the 10 year anniversary of their debut record Dawnbearer, by performing the album in full, exclusively for Roadburn Redux! Read more HERE

Kairon; IRSE!
Kosmische post-rock prog-freaks Kairon; IRSE!s first ever live stream video, as they play their critically acclaimed new album Polysomn in full. Read more HERE

Polymoon
Young rising stars, present their six track psych prog explosion Caterpillars of Creation in its entirety exclusively for Roadburn Redux.
Read more HERE

Iterum Nata
Personal psychedelic occult folk created by Hexvessel lead guitarist Jesse Heikkinen, plays an intimate acoustic show of songs from his 2020 album Bardo Disorder, in his first live stream ever.
Read more HERE

Secret Collab
A special and exciting collaboration between some highly revered members of the Finnish Psych Rock underground, with more details to be divulged at a later date!

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Visual art has long been a big part of Roadburn, though with the 2021 festival not going ahead as planned, we seized the opportunity of an unfamiliar format and were inspired to push the artwork into new territory too. Instead of the illustrative poster art we have had for the last several editions we opted for visceral photography that really resonated with us.  These photographs highlight the talent found in the cutting edge Roadburn community, but at the same time bears the hallmarks of these traumatic and disorienting times as well. Therefore it felt like a natural step to embrace renowned tattoo and multidisciplinary artist Lucile Lejoly‘s extraordinary images as our official poster artwork for Roadburn Redux.

Hailing from Tours, France, Lucile’s disturbing yet poetic – and sometimes even romantic – works of art address issues related to climate, psychology, body and emotions, captured perfectly by her immediate visual style. Lucile‘s distinctive and life-affirming self-portraits that are at the heart of Roadburn Redux (and part of her revered Dendrites series), capture both the imagery of the underground, but also allows a redefinition of – or adjustment to –  today’s ongoing limitations, through her contemporary photography.

Lucile’s evocative observations of the world at large are a testimony to her feelings as well as a tool to contemplate and question ours as well. Welcome to Roadburn Redux, Lucile. We’re extremely proud to have you as our official artist in these unprecedented times; your contemplative aesthetic is helping us to go beyond the boundaries of our own troubled psyche. The true nature of challenging art.

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Is it just us or does this feel like the first big week for album releases of 2021? If so, and if this is an indicator of what’s in store for the rest of the year, then we’re about to be truly spoiled… musically at least. The likes of Divide & Dissolve, Tribulation, Portrayal of Guilt etc whose albums we’ve eagerly been anticipating are finally out in the world. There’s plenty to get stuck into for your weekend listening, and maybe this playlist will point you in the direction of something new!

If you want to seek out the tracks elsewhere, here’s the info you’ll need:

Chelsea Wolfe x Emma Ruth Rundle – Anhedonia (Sargent House)

Lost Horizons x Marissa Nadler – Marie (Bella Union)

Alcest – Protection (Acoustic Instrumental Version) (Nuclear Blast)

Allison Lorenzen x Midwife – VALE (Self-Release)

Silver Godling – Parallell You (Gilead Media)

Årabrot – The Lie (Pelagic Records)

Divide and Dissolve – It’s Really Complicated (Invada Records)

Timelost – Alone, Clean and Slow (Church Road Records)

Jeromes Dream – Keep Those Bristles Clean and Closed II (Microspy)

The Body – The Handle/The Blade (Beast and Man / Armed with Weapons)

Tribulation – Daughter of the Djinn (Century Media)

Portrayal Of Guilt – My Immolation (Closed Casket Activities)

Wowod – Proshchenie (Church Road Records)

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Don’t let the current state of affairs keep you from discovering new music. Please consider this week’s playlist a guiding light – a beacon of creativity and hope!

If you want to seek out the tracks elsewhere, here’s the info you’ll need:

Ulver & Carpenter Brut – Machine Guns and Peacock Feathers (House Of Mythology)

Spill Gold – Highway Hypnosis (Knekelhuis) (header pic)

Ghost Funk Orchestra – King of Misdirection (Karma Chief Records)

Mourning [A] BLKstar – If I Can If I May (Don Giovanni Records)

Moor Mother & Billy Woods – Furies(Backwoodz Studioz)

Exhalants – Bang</strong> (Hex Records)

Gulch – Lie, Deny, Sanctify (Closed Casket Activities)

Terminal Bliss – March of the Grieving Droid (Relapse Records)

Pupil Slicer – Wounds Upon My Skin (Prosthetic Records)

Autarkh – Turbulence (Season of Mist)

Wesenwille – The Descent (LADLO)

Emptiness – Vide, incomplet (Season of Mist)

Kira McSpice – Daylight (Self-Release)

Ece Canli – Umayuma (Lovers & Lollypops)

Future Museums – Side 2 (Aural Canyon)

Prairie WWWW – Shells (Self Release)

Aurat – Wada (Self Release)

Gaye Su Akyol – Isyan Manifestosu (Glitterbeat Records)

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Alright – now we’re talking! This year is really starting to churn out some future classics. Dive in to a selection of tracks that have been keeping us hooked up to our headphones this week.

If you want to seek out the tracks elsewhere, here’s the info you’ll need:

Gatecreeper – Sick of Being Sober (Close Casket Activities)

The Body – Tied Up and Locked In (Beast and Man SESAC)

Emma Ruth Rundle & Thou – Crone Dance (Sacred Bones Records)

Alkerdeel – Zop (Consouling Sounds / Babylon Doom Cult)

EyeHateGod – Fake What’s Yours (Century Media)

Tribulation – Funeral Pyre (Century Media)

The Lion’s Daughter – Neon Teeth (Season of Mist)

Here Lies Man – Collector of Vanities (RidingEasy Records)

Perfume Genius x Boy Harsher – Your Body Changes Everything (Matador Records)

Blanck Mass – Starstuff (Sacred Bones Records)

Alice Glass – Suffer and Swallow (Eating Glass Records)

Grayceon – The Lucky Ones (We Can Records)

Wardruna – Skugge (Fimbulljod Productions / Sony Music)