Bruges La Morte? Bruges is Doomed! With a new festival for heavy music, alternative metal promoter Samhain and Cactus continue to expand the offering of heavy metal in the Venice of the north.

Doom, sludge, and stoner behemoth since 1998, High On Fire has been one of the most influential alternative metal bands in the USA. Founded in Oakland by Matt Pike, guitarist of Sleep, the band features bassist Jeff Matz (Zeke) and drummer Ben Koller (Converge) for this tour.

With their heavy, sludgy sound, defined by downtuned guitars, thunderous drums, and Pike’s gritty vocals, High On Fire builds sonic walls of reinforced concrete. By incorporating strong thrash metal influences, they push the tempo to the limit, creating an intense power and speed that sets them apart from their peers.

The band has released nine albums to date, including the Grammy-winning 'Electric Messiah' (2019). High On Fire is widely regarded as one of the most powerful live acts in the scene, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake.

Heavy, heavier, heaviest - Conan. These British barbarians send seismic tremors through the chests of anyone daring to stand too close to the speakers. The doom metal masters from Liverpool crush their audience like a steamroller, flexing their muscles with downtuned riffs and a dragging, relentless tempo.

With a back catalog of five albums and currently signed to Napalm Records, Conan stands as one of the most revered bands in the genre. Hail the kings of brutality! Hail Conan!

From London, Lowen is taking the world by storm with their progressive doom, defined by heavy yet melodic guitar layers, intricate song structures, and influences from traditional Eastern music. For vocalist Nina Saeidi, Lowen is both a tribute to her Iranian heritage and a powerful statement against a homeland where women are forbidden to sing and metal is banned by the religious regime.

On their latest album, 'Do Not Go To War With The Demons Of Mazandaran' (2024), Lowen refines their sound with the addition of Middle Eastern instruments and rhythms. Above all, Saeidi’s voice is an absolute showstopper. Lowen is one of the most promising rising names in progressive metal.

The American band Necrot was formed by bassist, vocalist, and songwriter Luca Indrio and drummer Chad Gailey in 2011. Joined by guitarist Sonny Reinhardt, the trio from Oakland pushes against the boundaries of sonic extremity. Known for their intensity and diverse songwriting, Necrot blends Death Metal with influences from punk and thrash. Their most recent album, 'Lifeless Birth', was released in 2024.

Thra combines thick doom and sludge riffs with the brutality of death metal into what they call ‘Arizona Death Sludge’.

Feeling a bit hungry during Bruges Is Doomed? MOSH! is back again with their hardcore smashburgers.

MOSH! has recently been rocking Sint-Jansplein with delicious smashburgers, natural wine, and wild beer blends — plus heaps of attitude. The two founders, both former singers in hardcore bands, met thirty years ago in the mosh pit. Now they’re raising hell together in the kitchen. It’s all about local craftsmanship and friendship — from the aged meat by Dierendonck to the cocktails by Bar Ran and the blends by Dust, with homemade pickles and a great veggie selection. MOSH! isn’t a burger bar, it’s a statement: loud, local, and straight from the heart of Bruges.

From 5 PM at Cactus Café!