Rites of Darkness Fest 2010: Pre-Festival Report

October 10, 2010

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strength on one single bill that Rites of Darkness has managed to assemble this time around.  I say “this time around” because as I alluded to earlier, this is technically the second Rites fest.  The first being a much smaller bill headlined by Nunslaughter that was held in the eastern armpit of northern neighboring city, Austin, in a literal dump of a venue.  Even though I live in Austin, I wasn’t there, but I’ve heard of the venue and let me just say that the venue for this current fest in San Antonio is like the Taj Mahal in comparison.

So anyway, back to that “seriously impressive line-up” thing.  If you’re reading this, I’m sure you already know who’s playing from looking at the flyer and would agree that while there is no Bolt Thrower or Autopsy, the underground black and death metal crowd blinked a few times and possibly did a double-take.  Six international bands, three of which are coming clear across the world by way of Thailand, Singapore and New Zealand; Surrender of Divinity, Impiety and Diocletian, if you need ‘em, and all making their US debuts.  Even though the name itself, “Rites of Darkness”, doesn’t leave much room for power metal or progressive hipsters, it’s clearly not a one-trick fest.  Wombbath, the all but forgotten Swedish death metal outfit will be making their first ever trip to the states and the theatrical, blood-soaked flesh-eaters from Creepsylvania, Ghoul, promise to shake up the mood of the crowd in a way that black metal fans don’t normally see at shows.  Then you’ve got the snarling, black/death maniacs from Italy, Blasphemophahger and the occult enigma from Canada, Weapon along with several other very formidable and well-known bands in the black and death metal underground.

This blog post here on Metal Psalter is mainly just to show my excitement for a fest like this only an hour’s drive from me and to let everyone know to expect a full report shortly after with pictures galore.  Not to put any pressure on the organizers, but this is how big, annual fests get started and I honestly hope it gets a good turn out so that they can make this a yearly event.  I’m getting tired of having to fly all over the country to see quality metal fests and there’s no reason why Texas shouldn’t have one.  Hope to see everyone there.

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JESSE

What’s this? A legitimate, multi-day, international metal fest in Texas?  Seems weird that Texas hasn’t hosted something of any real notoriety, at least not that I can recall, and that goes back a ways, so it’s long overdue. Sure, every big city in the state (and most states for that matter) has had its own local fest with two, maybe three out-of-state, signed bands to headline, but the organizers for the Rites of Darkness fest (part 2 even!) already look like their intention is to go for the underground’s proverbial throat with this seriously impressive line-up.  Of course, San Antonio is known for another underground (yet, now defunct) fest: Sacrifice of the Nazarene Child (and as far as I know, these two fests are not related in any way) which featured bands such as Judas Iscariot, Archgoat and Gospel of the Horns, but was always a single-day   event  and  never  had  the  international

The White Rabbit
2410 N. St. Mary's
San Antonio, TX  78212
210-737-2221

BANDS AND SHOW DAYS:

Friday, December 10, 2010
Doors open @ 4:00pm
Engaged in Mutiliating – 4:30 - 4:55pm
H.R.A. – 5:10 - 5:35pm
Speedwolf – 5:50 - 6:20pm
Grave Ritual – 6:35 - 7:05pm
Spiculum Iratus – 7:20 - 7:50pm
Manticore – 8:05 - 8:35pm
Infernal Stronghold – 8:50 - 9:25pm
Wombbath – 9:45 - 10:25pm
Ghoul – 10:45 - 11:25am
Blasphemophahger – 11:45-12:25am
Weapon – 12:45 - close


Saturday, December 11, 2010
Doors open @ 3:00pm
Nyogthaeblisz – 3:15 - 3:40pm
Blaspherian – 3:55 - 4:20pm
Obeisance – 4:35 - 5:00pm
Necroholocaust – 5:15 – 5:45pm
HOD – 6:00 - 6:30pm
Morbosidad – 6:45 - 7:15pm
Vasaeleth – 7:35 - 8:10pm
Disma – 8:25 – 9:05pm
Black Witchery – 9:20 – 10:00pm
Surrender of Divinity – 10:20 – 11:10pm
Diocletian – 11:30 – 12:15am
Impiety 12:35 – close