Lead Spirit
Mike V & The Rats
The Rats are making their triumphant return! Skateboarding icon Mike Vallely has revived his original punk band, Mike V And The Rats, and they’re set to hit the stage this summer alongside The Aquabats! and Koffin Kats for the exciting Bats! Kats & Rats Tour. Formed in 2002, The Rats took the punk scene by storm, capturing the hearts of a new generation of fans with their DIY skate spirit. Their unforgettable tracks like “The Days,” “Never Give Up,” and “Vendetta” have secured their place in skate-punk history, featuring in classic games like Tony Hawk Underground and American Wasteland. Vallely shares, “Nothing has changed, the mission remains the same: share and promote the music and skateboarding with the same passion, positivity, and optimism as ever. These are still The Days!” Get ready for an unforgettable summer filled with incredible music and uplifting energy! Cordial Spew – hardcore / punk rock from Omaha, NE established in the early 1980’s Million Dollar Veins – Supercharged Rock ‘n’ Roll from Lincoln/Omaha Nebraska. Criminal Neglect – Lincoln, NE punk rock
Conan
Conan’s doom is singular. Carved of granite. Yes, of course there’ve been changes since guitarist/vocalist Jon Davis founded the group in 2006, but the intention at the time toward superlative heavy – tonal extremity wrought with impressionist lyrics stripping ideas to the core where sometimes the whole line is just one word; they’ve always called it “Caveman Battle Doom” – remains at the root of everything they’ve done since. And across five studio records in the decade from 2012-2022, Conan have set the standard by which much of “heavy” anything is judged. And in comparison, most is found wanting. But for every time you’ve heard about Conan’s music being like galloping steeds or frost-covered sharp-peaked mountains, etc., imagery of largesse and violence, the truth is Conan are an exercise in frequency. It’s the low resonance that shakes your chest, the depth of the bass – now handled by David Ryley (ex-Fudge Tunnel) – the push of air from Johnny King’s kick drum, or the way the dark-fuzz distortion of Davis’ guitar is offset by shouting vocals cutting through that sometimes punishing onslaught, rarely to offer comfort so much as add viciousness to the crash, plod and pillage. In 2024, Conan sign to Heavy Psych Sounds as a recognized name and one of the foremost acts of their generation, wildly influential in their home country of the UK and well beyond; headliners in practice and theory alike. Their fifth LP, 2022’s ‘Evidence of Immortality,’ brought a dark ambience to coincide with its outright attack. With experiments in darkwave and synth adding breadth to the stated root purpose of aural force, it’s never been harder to guess where the next few years might take their sound, but whatever’s coming, Conan will make it kill. The better part of two decades later, their reliability remains unshakable. Which you want when your band is so heavy that the floor and your ribcage both start to vibrate. __ Canadian mixed-race mixed-gender duo Mares of Thrace deal in a brand of heaviness that draws as much from noise rock and hardcore as it does from the doom metal they’re commonly grouped with. The band came roaring back to life in 2022 after a considerable hiatus; while 2012’s The Pilgrimage (released on Canada’s Sonic UnyonRecords) catapulted them onto the world stage, garnering a premier on Pitchfork and praise in Decibel, Terrorizer, Metal Hammer, and countless other outlets, their currentera is fast eclipsing it. Their relentless schedule in support of 2022’s The Exile saw them tour the USA, Canada, and Europe (including a full tour with UK doom legends Conan,and stints with Bell Witch, Dopethrone, and KEN mode) and headline a showcase at new “North American Roadburn” festival Prepare the Ground.The band’s new incarnation sees vocalist and guitarist Trez (hailed as “absolutelyriveting, an unrivalled monster of a frontperson” by Exclaim! Magazine; a professional illustrator, she also creates the album, merch, and poster art) joined by Casey ondrums,a multi-instrumentalist and audio engineer whose bona fides include being tapped to replace Gene Hoglan in Zimmer’s Hole.2025 looks to be their most ambitious year yet, as they prepare to release their fourth full-length album–The Loss– on illustrious joint Toronto-Reykjavik label ArtoffactRecords (home of Kaelan Mikla and Gggolddd).
ZAO
The Browning
Confessions Of A Traitor
Weedeater
Weedeater are a sludge metal band from Wilmington, North Carolina. Formed in 1996, Weedeater have since released five full-length albums and have performed on multiple tours and festivals around the world. The band is known for their tongue-in-cheek humor, Dixie’s raspy vocals and lyrics based on life experiences, humor and marijuana. https://weedeater.bandcamp.com/music Bask is doom / psychedelic / stoner / sludge from NC https://basknc.bandcamp.com/ Hollow Citizens is a doom / stoner / psychedelic metal band from Lincoln, NE. https://www.facebook.com/hollowcitizens FJ-1 Fury is a early High On Fire worship/cover band from Omaha, NE
Wormrot
Wormrot is a Singaporean grindcore band that formed in 2007, immediately after the founding members had completed their mandatory two years of national service. The band have released four studio albums to date, as well as a number of EPs and split releases with other bands. Since 2010, the band has been signed to Earache Records. They have been described as one of the top 10 grindcore bands by OC Weekly, and have toured Europe and the United States. In 2017, they became the first Singaporean act to play at the Glastonbury Festival. No/Mas – hardcore / crust / grindcore from DC Oxygen Destroyer – death / metal / thrash from Seattle, WA M.A.N. – (Mass Annihilation Now) – Non stop raging, punky grindcore and stupid dancing from Lincoln, NE Pigstye – death/grind from Lincoln
Infinite Cathedral
Escuela Grind
with for your health and Wisdom & War Through punishingly short, and dynamic songs, ESCUELA GRIND delivers politically charged lyrics inspired by modern anxieties, unrest, and the roots of Hardcore Punk, Grindcore, and Power Violence. While members Katerina Economou, Jesse Fuentes (Kill the Client, Creator|Destroyer), Jason Balthazar Eldridge (Hearse), and Kris Morash (Your Brain on Drugs) span from different parts of the United States; the band has been based in Upstate New York and Western Massachusetts since its first shows in 2016.
