Rotting Christ
A legend of the Greek scene. They started out in the 80s with grind chopping to then in the early 90s lay the fundaments behind the original sound of Greek black metal. Passage to Arcturo, Thy Mighty Contract and Non Serviam are considered classics of the genre today. Though they conjured it themselves, the parameters of the genre soon proved too narrow for Rotting Christ and the Tolis brothers decided to continue their journey through the darkness following their own path, unchangingly marrying an atmosphere of gloom and grandeur with the characteristic melodic structures and a deep immersion in the Hellenic culture.
Shining
Cold Norwegian black metal, progressive rock from the times when it really was progressive, and even some jazz… Sounds like a recipe for a disaster, unless it is done by Shining – and they do it in equally mesmerising and captivating manner. Jørgen Munkeby, the leader of the band, is an equally skilled guitarist as he is a saxophonist, and a great vocalist at that. He’s also probably the only man in the world who can boast about having been a member of drastically different but equally excellent bands like Jaga Jazzist and Emperor. Shining are just wrapping up recording their newest album. In which direction will this rollercoaster turn?
Gatecreeper
The desert monster of Arizona, one of the leading representatives of the new wave of American death metal. On their critically acclaimed third record, Dark Superstition, they combine the wildness of the first albums of Death and Obituary with the armoured power of Bolt Thrower and the Swedish melodic structures, giving it all their own, new spin. Gatecreeper claim that they play stadium death metal and who knows, maybe they will be the ones charging the way for the reemergence of the genre from the underground.
Black Tusk
Bring on the sludge, the Shipyard will hold! The four-piece hailing from Georgia is bringing to Mystic Festival their signature mixture of punk nonchalance, stoner heaviness and swamp filth. From their over two-decades-old debut EP, When Kingdom Falls, to last year’s album The Way Forward, the band keeps faith with their battle-tested formula, which, in its concert iteration, boils down to a simple rule – get yourself sweaty, get yourself dirty, and get yourself deaf.