THE PRAGUE DEATH MASS FESTIVAL – returns after 7 years
- Posted on 17-04-2023
PRAGUE DEATH MASS IV
27. – 28. 10. 2023 // Prague (Czechia), MeetFactory
he Prague Death Mass festival is returning after 7 years
Since its inception, the Prague Death Mass festival – organized and driven by CULT OF FIRE – has been shaped as an elite black metal event that quickly rose to international prominence.
Seven long years have passed since Prague Death Mass III, and the time has come to hold the ceremonies again. In a manner similar to the prior three highly successful (and sold out) editions, Prague Death Mass IV will again offer to its international audience a line-up combining some of the most interesting bands of the past and the present, bands delivering macabre atmosphere as well as unrelenting aggression, artists who indulge in experimentation as well as the more orthodox ones, and upcoming names right next to the established ones, while maintaining the continuity with the prior Prague Death Mass rituals.
And it is one of this year’s headliners, MARE from Norway, who have emerged from the Trondheim scene and established themselves as one of the leading acts in the current black metal, who ensure the continuity with the past. It’s been MARE and associated bands and projects that have pretty much defined the spirit of Prague Death Mass. Their return to Czechia can rightly be considered as the event of the year. It’s a band whose fands are absolutely committed and willing to travel long distances to seem their ceremony. Anyone who has had the opportunity to see MARE live can only confirm the unearthly experience they deliver.
DIOCLETIAN from New Zealand and HELL MILITIA from France are the other highlights of the line-up. Both bands have a cult status in their respective scenes and it has been quite a few years since the fans in Czechia had the chance to see them live. And for DIOCLETIAN specifically, this is going to be their only live performance in 2023, and hence the only chance to catch them.
DEAD CONGREGATION and BØLZER appearances are not that rare in Europe, but both bands expand the scope of the festival beyond the realms of black metal, while complementing the festival’s character stylistically – through obscure death metal in case of DEAD CONGREGATION and through a unique take on black/death metal in case of BØLZER.
Perhaps the most experimental performance can be expected from Italy’s ABORYM who are working on an exclusive dark-electro-industrial set just for Prague Death Mass IV. VOID OV VOICES performance will be at least as unique and captivating – something that the fans of Attila Csihar (MAYHEM, TORMENTOR) and his voice will not want to miss. THE HOUSE project by Vlad of CULT OF FIRE will deliver another exclusive performance that is bound to delight especially the fans of classic horror movies. Last but not least, Prague Death Mass IV will introduce THELMA RAMON, a singer, song-writer and multi-instrumentalist originally from the US but currently based in Belgium. For Thelma, whose music oscillates around doom metal and other genres, this performance will be her first one outside Belgium.
The festival line-up also includes two more elite representatives of the Norwegian black metal scene – DJEVEL featuring Faust (ex EMPEROR) on the drums and a couple of MARE members, and MISOTHEIST who may as well become the wild card of the festival.
A more traditional black metal, as known from the 90’s, needs to have its presence at Prague Death Mass as well – the blood drenched banners will be upheld by MORTUARY DRAPE from Italy and BAXAXAXA from Germany, connecting the past with the presence.
Like the past editions of the festival, Prague Death Mass IV will introduce a number of interesting upcoming acts – THY DARKENED SHADE from Greece, HIEROPHANT from Italy or DAKHMA from Switzerland with their Zoroastrian death metal, as well as RITUALIZATION, representing the French black/death metal scene.
The Czech scene will be represented by ALTARS ABLAZE with their extreme black/death metal, HEAVING EARTH dwelling in the realms of obscure death metal and BOHEMYST who follow the legacy of MASTER’S HAMMER.
Prague Death Mass IV is a 2-day festival, taking place on 27th and 28th October 2023 in a generous space of the MeetFactory venue in Prague, Czechia. The line-up consists of 20 bands and artists from black and death metal scenes.
Tickets: https://obscure.cz/en/tickets/detail/id/567
FB event: https://facebook.com/events/2391123164381048
The complete line-up: Mare, Diocletian, Dead Congregation, Hell Militia, Bølzer, Djevel, Mortuary Drape, Aborym, Misotheist, Baxaxaxa, Void ov Voices, Thy Darkened Shade, Ritualization, Hierophant, Dakhma, The House, Thelma Ramon, Heaving Earth, Altars Ablaze a Bohemyst.