Ieperfest - DIY to the bone
The organization must be proud like a kid this year to see Ieperfest happening for the 17th time already! After the cancellation of “Winterfest” (a smaller 1 day festival that’s supposed to be taking place each year) because of the lack of touring bands at that moment, the organization had all the time to focus on the lineup for Ieperfest 2009. With bands like The Black Dahlia Murder, Born From Pain, Parkway Drive, Shai Hulud, H2O, Bane and Madball on the bills of the last few years, they had a big task to match the same quality and diversity. The first 57 bands that have been announced for this year’s fest prove the festival will match these standards once again. Metalrage takes a look at the diverse lineup for this year’s Ieperfest.
Well first of all, Ieperfest is known to have the best hardcore lineup and this year’s edition certainly proves that again. From local straightedge/youthcrew heroes True Colors and the mind blowing Rise & Fall to the legendary Hoods and Knuckledust beatdown hardcore to the reunion of Disembodied and the currently hyped Architects (who just returned from a tour with Comeback Kid!), there’s something for everyone here. But that’s not all, Ieperfest had the chance to add the Misery Signals, Your Demise and The Number Twelve Looks Like You tour to the lineup as well, alongside USA’s finest Thrash Talk and the female fronted straightedge/vegan xKingdomx.
Punk’s not dead! This will be proven with fast melodic hardcore punk band A Wilhelm Scream from America, who gave away an awesome show on last year’s Ieperfest as well. Besides that, country-mates Set Your Goals and Polar Bear Club (who just finished a tour with the mighty The Gaslight Anthem) will join them to bring some punk rock to the Ieperfest crowd.
Between all these new young bands there is still some space for the oldies as well. Straight-edge/youth crew legends Bold will play a reunion show at the fest, who are on tour with Bringin’ It Down, an all-star band featuring members of bands like Bold and Youth of Today, and will play a set containing tracks of Judge, Youth of Today and Project X! Besides that, Hot Water Music’s Chuck Ragan will play at the fest as well with his solo/acoustic project! Last but not least, Reagan Youth, who broke up in 1989 but recently reunited in 2006, are expected to tear down the place as well.
Looking for some heavier stuff? No worries. Misery Index does a few festival shows after the tour with Hate Eternal, Beneath the Massacre and Psycroptic, and will play at Ieperfest as well, in support of their latest album Traitors. Besides, the festival also picked up the “Dominatour” including grindcore/deathcore headliners Annotations of an Autopsy from the UK alongside Impending Doom, Trigger the Bloodshed and Viathropy. PsyOpus will blow the crowd away with their mathcore craziness. First time ever in Europe! Screamo legends Raein actually broke up a few years ago, but are back together and will do a show on the fest as well.
If this doesn’t get you excited…! For the price of only 60 euros you can attend the festival for all 3 days. Besides music there’s vegan-catering, animal rights and environment activists groups, distros, merchstands, zines etc. And let’s not forget about the infamous Ieperfest afterparties and camping madness!
Ieperfest will once again prove this year to be one of Europe’s smallest but finest festivals around! Essential for every (extreme) music fan who doesn’t have his lame holiday planned yet! For more information and ticket sales www.ieperfest.be (Brent_)
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