Bringing together a host of bands from across the world and some of the top names in Malta, the Malta Doom Metal (MDM) festival is back with two days of doom metal this weekend.

Organiser and Forsaken bassist Albert Bell explains that for this year’s edition they have tried their utmost to widen the international scope of the bands playing at the festival. For the first time the line-up includes a band from the US, Manilla Road.

“Manilla Road has been championing epic metal since 1977 and they have a long list of seminal and magical albums in their trailblazing discography,” Bell says.

Reino Ermitano, a band considered Peru’s doom metal stalwart, is also performing. This year’s line-up sees an increased diversity in the type of bands playing during the event without departing too much from the formula that has made MDM so popular with the doom metal fraternity in Malta and even beyond.

“This year fans can hear the very best in thrash and doom with Outrage from Germany. There is also doom death with Officium Triste and Facade from the Netherlands, Soul Steal from Cyprus and Malta’s very own Victims of Creation.

“There is also epic doom in the form of Maltese veterans Forsaken and Crimson Dawn and In Aevum Agere (both from Italy). The new wave of British heavy metal legends is included with Desolation Angels. There’s also a bit of slude/stoner doom thanks to Firelord (Italy) and It Came From the Desert (Malta),” Bell says.

This year’s line-up has an increased diversity in the type of bands playing

MDM will also be hosting an all-female doom metal band for the first time with Mist from Slovenia.

The event kicks off on Friday with It Came from the Desert, followed by Mist, Soulsteal and Officium Triste. The first night comes to an end with veterans Forsaken.

Forsaken, which started out as progressive metallers Blind Alley, remains one of the most consistent and long-standing bands in Malta’s underground scene throughout its 20-year existence. The current line-up includes Leo Stivala on vocals, Albert Bell on bass, Sean Vukovic on guitars and Simeon Gatt on drums.

Satuday’s performances start in the afternoon with Facade being the first band to take the stage at 4pm. They will be followed by Firelord, Crimson Dawn, In Aevum Agere, Reino Ermitano, Outrage, Desolation Angels and Manilla Road.

Victims of Creation, known for their heavy, down-tuned sound that carries both the old school doom/death and slow, sludgey elements, bring the festival to an end. The band is made up of Rex on bass and vocals, AJ Burd and Emanuel Portelli on guitars and Dino Mifsud Lepre on drums.

The Malta Doom Metal fest takes place on Friday and Saturday at Chateau Buskett, Buskett. Tickets are available online.

www.maltadoom.com

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