– 1349 will play for the first time in Romania at Rockstadt Extreme Fest’s invitation.
1349 is a well-known name on the international black metal scene. The band draws its name from the year when “Black Death” arrived in Norway – “Black Death” (plague) was one of the most violent pandemics in world history (it probably broke out in Central Asia in 1330, in Europe after 1347 and reaching Norway in 1349. It is said that this epidemic killed between 30-60% of the European population since then, having to pass another 200 years for the number of inhabitants on the continent to return to the figures before the pandemic).
The band was founded in 1997 by Ravn (voice and drums), Tjalve (guitar) and Seidemann (bass) – former members of the Alvheim band – in 1999 Idar “Archaon” Burheim joined them. In 2000, Frost of Satyricon (later a permanent member) was asked to contribute on drums. Soon afterwards they signed with the Candlelight label and released their debut album, “Liberation” (2003), which combines the soundtrack “Beyond the Apocalypse” (2004) and “Hellfire” (2005), tours through Europe and North America (2006) as an opening act for the legendary Celtic Frost band, which has just 2009 has come up with a new material, different from what Norwegians have accustomed to the audience, “Revelations of the Black Flame,” which explores the slower rhythms and the deep dark depths of black metal, while retaining the main imprint specific to the band.
Afterwards 1349 released “Demonoir”, under India Recordings, an album that perfectly combines the shadow of the genre with explosive energy. The material has left its mark on international black metal scene by the sinister darkness, reinforced by the aggressive poetry of the lyrics and the intensity of the rhythm and sounds present here. The next studio album, “Massive Cauldron of Chaos,” is considered by the band more direct and deeper than anything previously created, with a much more threatening darkness and heavier depths – the disc being described as having much better sound and more alive.
1349 performed alongside with some of the most famous names of the extreme scene, such as Behemoth, Goatwhore, Cannibal Corpse, Skeletonwitch or Lecherous Nocturne, being a long awaited presence at some of the most important festivals (Wacken Open Air, Summer Breeze Open Air etc.)
Mgła are one of the best black metal bands in the new wave, known for their extremely good sound, perfect synchronization in live performances, mystery and black metal atmosphere. The band was founded in 2000 in Krakow, Poland by Mikołaj “M.” Żentara (voice, bass and guitar), to which Darkside (Maciej Kowalski – to drums) then joined, the name of the band meaning “fog” in Polish.
Due to the specific musical footprint, with melodic black metal tones, Mgła quickly succeeded in attracting fans both from the fans of extreme genres and from the fans of alternative sounds. After several EPs, the band released three studio albums: “Groza” (2008), “With Hearts Toward None” (2012) and “Exercises in Futility” (2015) – the latter being considered by music critics as a true revelation, with much more incisive sound than in previous material. “Exercises” was immediately noticed by international publications, the American online magazine pitchfork.com describing him as “majestic, nihilist and ecstatic,” and the Noisey publication included it on the list of best albums in 2015.
Bölzer is one of the most interesting bands of the extreme European undergound. Founded by Okoi Jones and Fabian Wyrsch in 2008 in Zurich, Switzerland, the band became known for unconventional death metal blending with strong atmospheric influences, with tonalities coming from the darkest corners of black and doom metal and sprinkled with lyrical themes dominated by death, occultism, paganism, rituals or duality. Although, initially, Bölzer wanted to be a trio, the winning formula was that of a duo – guitar, drums and voice.
The name of the band, a verb in German spoken in Switzerland deriving from the word “bolzen”, is hard to translate into another language in one word. It has a similar meaning to “chopper” or “bulldozer”, the band said it can be defined as “a strong force, a blow that does not take into account the consequences. Something that does not have a target, but it’s just a chaotic manifestation of energy, a force of chaos, life and death. ”
The success of their demo, “Roman Acupuncture” released in 2012 (“Roman Acupuncture”, which makes a creative reference to crucifixion), brings them a collaboration with Iron Bonehead Records and a new material coming out in the next year.
EP’s “Aura,” highly praised by fans and critics, has often been described as one of the best metal materials released in 2013, a “breath of fresh air” (such as NPR Music or Stereogum – one of the most respected music sites in the UK). Stereogum, for example, said about the band’s songs: “the hype generated by Bölzer’s materials grew at alarming levels.” Next records were “Soma” EP (2014, seen as the sequel to the deepest shadows beginning with “Aura”), the album “Hero” (2016) and “C.H.A.O.S. “(Split album) in 2017 – all the material being received with the enthusiasm of critics and fans alike.
