Psycho Las Vegas 2018 kicks off on Thursday, August 16, at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino! The festival is bound to be the show of the summer with an incredible eclectic lineup. Here are our picks and highlights from the mayhem coming up in Sin City:
Thursday, August 16 – Paradise Pool Pre-Party
Wolves in the Throne Room
The atmoshpheric black metallers from Washington are one of my favorite USBM outfits for several reasons, most of which revolve around my love for their epic and atmospheric doom-laden melodies and haunting compositions. No Satanic imagery or corpsepaint here, just pure mythic black metal. One listen to Born from the Serpent’s Eye from of their 2017 release Thrice Woven (Artemisia Records) should convince black metal purists to camp out at the Mojave desert in anticipation.
Elder
Boston outfit Elder’s Reflections of A Floating World (Stickman Records) is one of the most pulsating records to drop in 2017. The band’s sound encompasses the entire spectrum of what is widely considered heavy music, from proggy rock to straight up doomy metal riffs, with an incredible array of sounds peppered in between. Grab a beer, let go of your worldly troubles, and get lost in the sonic bliss that is the majestic Sanctuary.
Other Thursday notables: Bell Witch, Fireball Ministry, Haunt
Friday, August 17
High On Fire
The band requires no formal introduction although it’s worth mentioning their live shows are one-of-a-kind. I was lucky to catch them two years ago and was blown away by the experience. You can be sure the legendary Fury [will] Whip you into submission as you on make your drunken way onto The Joint stage to watch these guys headline on Friday
Other Friday notables: Witchcraft, Dvne, Homewrecker, Yakuza
Saturday, August 18
Godflesh
Industrial legends Godflesh will headline on Saturday alongside Danzig and Goblin. I’m especially psyched for the drone-synth, thick bass lines, and psychotic screams à la Crush My Soul.
Batushka
The inclusion of Batushka in this year’s lineup is bound to make most black metal fans extremely happy. The secretive and menacing black metal band from Poland are intriguing, dark, and almost mythical. Their stage show and atmospheric compositions make for a once-in-a-lifetime show. Fans of Polish black metal (i.e. avant-garde style in line with Mgła) should not miss this opportunity to catch these guys live. I simply cannot wait to see them myself.
Other Saturday notables: American Nightmare, Primitive Man, Uada, CKY, Spirit Adrift
Sunday, August 19
Dimmu Borgir
Ah, Dimmu, where to begin? If there is one band that has worked more than others to bring black metal out of the shadows of the mid-1990s, it’s Dimmu Borgir. Album after album, the band has managed to keep things fresh while redefining the genre. Eonian (Nuclear Blast) drops tomorrow and their single, Council Of Wolves And Snakes, has me salivating for what’s to come.
Enslaved
I saw Enslaved last year in what ended up being the best show of 2017 for me. Aside from being top-notch performers (and masters of their own realm in extreme music), they are genuinely cool dudes to hang out with. Melodic, dark, hopeful, and epic to the core, The Watcher, is one of my favorite songs of all time. I have no doubt they are going to kick some serious ass on the main stage on Sunday.
Other Sunday notables: Sunn O))), Zakk Sabbath, Coven, Necrot, Red Fang
Head on over to the official site to purchase your tickets today!
