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LINE-UP
16 bands from 9 countries play on three stages over two days. The carefully curated line-up features pioneers of contemporary Black/Death/Doom, and Post (Black) Metal, bands with Punk and Crust influences, as well as Folk and Ambient artists. An attractive Dark Arts & Crafts Exhibition featuring 10 visual artists & artisans with roots in 5 countries completes the event.
Scroll down to find out more about the bands and the exhibition.
BANDS
WIEGEDOOD
Emerged from Belgian artist collective Church of Ra, WIEGEDOOD conceived the perfectly vicious soundtrack for a world at the abyss. Their 4th full-length “There’s Always Blood at the End of the Road” (2022) is a frantic, dissonant, and belligerent ride. Focusing on the filthiest and most disgusting parts of human nature and society, the trio sets to music an inner struggle, trying to overcome perhaps human nastiness itself. All of this hits you hard, when drums, guitars, and furious vocals are thrown from the stage, pervading body and mind.
Be ready for WIEGEDOOD are returning to Culthe Fest 2024, Münster, with one of the most intense, apocalyptic performances in contemporary Black Metal!
(BE, Black Metal)
DOWNFALL OF GAIA
DOWNFALL OF GAIA return to Münster for Culthe Fest 2024, six years after their last appearance in 2018. With the band’s latest 6th full-length “Silhouettes of Disgust” (2023), and after the come back of founding member and guitar player Peter Wolff, the international quartet from Berlin, Hamburg, and New York has merged it’s energies into even denser, more vigorous Post Black Metal songs, still drawing from it’s Crust Punk roots.
DOWNFALL OF GAIA’s performances are known for being captivating from the first moment, shrouded in cold blue visuals and screens of flooding fog.
(DE, Post Black Metal)
SYLVAINE
SYLVAINE is the solo project of Norwegian multi-instrumentalist Kathrine Shepard. She has been touring the world for ten years, and is now coming to Münster for Culthe Fest 2024 – accompanied by her live band, with her 4th full-length “Nova” (2022).
SYLVAINE’s music transcends you into otherworldly spheres, ranging from tender Shoegaze dreamscapes to furious Black Metal outbursts. Prepare for a sonic experience that unleashes both emotional catharsis and chaos, reverberating long after the last notes have faded.
(NO, Post Black Metal)
SOLBRUD
SOLBRUD, one of the most essential Danish Black Metal Bands, is coming to Münster for Culthe Fest 2024 to celebrate their 15 year anniversary and the release of their 4th full-length “IIII” (out February 2, 2024).
“IIII” refers to the 4 band members, 4 vinyl sides (DLP), the 4th studio album, and the 4 elements wind, water, earth, and fire. It promises to be the band’s longest and most diverse record to date – and Culthe Fest 2024 is exactly the right place to dive into SOLBRUD’s latest melodic and atmospheric Black Metal compositions. This is going to be epic!
(DK, Black Metal)
PREDATORY VOID
PREDATORY VOID, founded by guitarist Lennart Bossu (Amenra, Oathbreaker et al.), are the next ingenious coup brought forth by Belgian Church of Ra. After writing some straightforward dark and heavy songs during the pandemic, Bossu gathered skilled musicians from the Flemish scene to create the debut full-length “Seven Keys To The Discomfort Of Being” (2023).
On this avant-garde, highly original sweeping blow, PREDATORY VOID combine influences from Black/Death/Doom/Post Metal, and Hardcore/Sludge – beyond all boundaries. Heavy riffing, Swans-like moments, unexpected changes of pace, as of volume, and the striking, wide-ranging voice of Lina R. will blow your mind at Culthe Fest 2024!
(BE, Black/Death/Doom/Post Metal)
OPHIS
The masters of old school Death/Doom Metal, OPHIS, return to Münster for Culthe Fest 2024 – ten years after headlining the very first edition. In the twentieth year of their history, the four piece band from Hamburg released their latest, 5th full-length “Spew Forth Odium” (2021). On this record, then as now, OPHIS impressively keep the brutality in Doom Metal, carried by severe riffs and abysmal growls – raw, nihilistic, merciless. Get crushed by shattering gloom, oppressive heaviness, and morbid melancholy!
(DE, Death/Doom Metal)
PHANTOM WINTER
PHANTOM WINTER return to Culthe Fest 2024 with their crushing new 4th full-length “Her cold materials” (2023), released through Münster label This Charming Man Records.
The masters of winterdoom will draw you into pitch-black darkness: grave deep guitars, drums like punches in the guts, accompanied by two tormented throats’ screaming, and haunting clean vocals. All of this sets “Her cold materials”, based on Pullman’s fantasy triology, in the right … “light”. PHANTOM WINTER haunt the scene since the birth of “Cvlt” (2015) and will unfold their heavy weight of winterdoom upon you!
(DE, Doom/Post/Sludge Metal)
GRIFT
GRIFT returns to Münster for Culthe Fest 2024, performing Nordic folklore and nature mysticism. With his 4th full-length “Dolt land” (2023), Swedish musician Erik Gärdefors continues to draw you into “what is constantly blooming and withering in hidden places – but which depends on us showing consideration and respect.”
Mainly based on acoustic guitar and sometimes mild, sometimes harsh, desperate seeming vocals, GRIFT creates a mood of escapism and estrangement. It’s about breaking the chains of everyday given norms and getting lost in a state of uncertain homelessness and longing. Expect a performance that is as intimate as it is forceful!
(SE, Nordic Folk)
SUIR
Cologne-based SUIR create a new, velvet sound aesthetic that oscillates between reverberated, Dark Shoegaze and atmospheric, cinematic Post Punk. Originally a duo, Lucia (guitars) and Denis (guitars, vocals) invited Ralph (Ultha) to the standing drums in 2023. Their 3rd full-length, “Not All Of Your Pain Is Self Chosen” (2022) catches you with urging guitars, energetic drums, and gentle yet pervasive vocals.
Be carried off into the darkness of sorrow, love and growth. And give your selves away to SUIR’s cathartic, dense soundscapes at Culthe Fest 2024!
(DE, Post Punk/Dark Gaze/Cold Wave)
KARLOFF
When KARLOFF furiously take the stage at Culthe Fest 2024, the hour of Black Metal-soaked Horror Punk strikes. The trio from cold northern Germany raised buzzing in the underground with their first EP and two splits, only to shift several gears up with their ass-kicking debut full-length “The Appearing” (2022). Latest release is a split with Ultha (2023).
KARLOFF are hungry for blood and their raw, obscure and dirty Black/Metal/Punk will make your bones brim. Headbangers and hellraisers, ghouls and ghosts, thugs and thieves – into the fray!
(DE, Black/Metal/Punk)
WESENWILLE
Defined by stark sonic contrasts, Dutch Progressive Black Metal band WESENWILLE vibrates dissonant aggression, captivating grooves and introspective atmospheres. In only four years, mastermind R. Schmidt and his fellows released three full-lengths, the latest being “III: The Great Light Above” (2022). A Live At Roadburn album completes the discography.
With their distinct take and unique sound, WESENWILLE are firmly established amongst the ever-vibrant Dutch scene – and are striving beyond. Enjoy this many-faced beast at Culthe Fest 2024!
(NL, Progressive Black Metal)
RANĂ
RANĂ have stirred up the underground with their debut full-length “Richtfeuer” (2023). Drawing force from sinister, Crust-influenced Black Metal, the songs entail it all: furious rage, calm atmospheric passages, perfectly accentuated harshly roared vocals, and plaintive chants. The sometimes even progressive arrangements are as captivating as they are impressive.
RANĂ return to Culthe Fest 2024, to lead us into the burning of this world. But as the fire takes, it can give. Also sparks of hope – for a new, better one.
(DE, Black Metal/Crust)
CORECASS
CORECASS, the creative solo brainchild of distinguished multi-instrumentalist and composer Elinor Lüdde, Hamburg, blurs boundaries of music and video art. Fusing harp, organ, keys, electric guitar, field recordings, and other sounds with her own voice, results in a unique Dark Ambient and Experimental musical expression. Alongside the latest record “V O I D” (2020), Lüdde produced and directed an eponymous, award-winning short movie.
CORECASS performs her first live show this year in Münster. Immerse yourself in this emotionally charged audio narrative and ethereal mix of sounds at Culthe Fest 2024!
(DE, Dark Ambient/Experimental)
LOTH
Hailing from Metz, northeastern France, LOTH evolved from an icy cold studio duo to a 5 piece live blasting machine. Drawing influences from Scandinavian atmospheric Black Metal, as well as furious US Hardcore and Screamo, their emotional take on the dark sonic arts takes no prisoners.
After two full-lengths and a split EP with label mates Friisk, LOTH released their third full-length “616” (2023) with Vendetta Records, and again Specific Recordings – run by vocalist F.S. himself. LOTH come along with a proper punk BM vibe, and will both groove and blast you away at Culthe Fest 2024! 3, 2, 1… attack!
(FR, Black Metal)
VÍGLJÓS
Embark on new trajectories, and be buzzed away by this upcoming sting from Swiss underground Black Metal scene: VÍGLJÓS (“Old Norse for the light which is just bright enough to be able to kill a man”).
Performing “Obscure Oldschool Beehive Black Metal”, VÍGLJÓS interweave 90s second wave sound with synth shades, tremolo picking, rock’n roll riffs and beats, all backed by atmospheric mellotron tracks. The ingenious, still secret debut full-length is to be released in May 2024. Even before, VÍGLJÓS descend on Münster for an encapsulating fog of ravaging drums, shredding guitars, and shrieking vocals – taking stage in Germany for the first time at Culthe Fest 2024!
(CH/DE, Black Metal)
JUDASZ & NAHIMANA
JUDASZ & NAHIMANA is a duo from Luxembourg that will hold a ritualistic performance to honor the dead at Culthe Fest 2024. Their unique, spectral ceremonies are conducted in French & Portuguese, fusing hurdy gurdy and their own hand-made instruments with electronics into transcendental soundspheres – channeled by rhythmic passages and haunting interludes.
With their debut full-length “Récits d’outre monde” (2020), JUDASZ & NAHIMANA “explored the five emotional stages of grief”. They created the “Cantigas” with Sangre de Muerdago (2021 & 2022), and performed together live at Roadburn 2023. Now they come to Münster for their first ceremony in Germany 2024, to take you on an otherworldly, spine-tingling journey!
(LU/PT, Dark Folk/Ambient/Experimental/Ritual)
DARK ARTS & CRAFTS EXHIBITION
10 distinguished visual artists & artisans with roots in 5 countries display all kinds of gloomy, dark, and morbid art & craft at their stands, and on the walls of Triptychon. Expect original drawings and paintings; screen prints on paper, card, and textiles; linoleum prints; tattoo art (wanna dos); bone craft/vulture culture; handmade jewelry; curiosities, and more.
The exhibition aims not only at art lovers, collectors, and tattoo fans. Musicians/bands get the opportunity to find artistic support regarding artworks & illustrations for releases or merch, and to start collaborations.
Artists & artisans participating in Dark Arts & Crafts Exhibition at Culthe Fest 2024:
Acid Witch ‡ Aphelior ‡ Belva Bones ‡ B.ignorant ‡ Elder Artifacts ‡ Ikosidio ‡ Joost Vervoort ‡ Subterranean Prints ‡ Ugly Black Work ‡ + Surprise Guest: Pitchblack Illustration
TICKETS
