We’re helping to spread the word about the return of Culthe Fest on April 8th and 9th of this year in Münster, Germany, and it’s a triumphant return. The 2023 edition of the festival, which follows a covid-induced hiatus in recent years, features performances by 18 bands from 7 countries on three stages.
The music spans a range that includes black, death, doom, post-metal, and dark folk, and includes headliners Ultha and The Ruins of Beverast, and co-headliners Wolvennest and Sun of the Sleepless. Those are impressive names, but the entire line-up is impressive, and further includes Dawn Ray’d from the UK, Yovel from Greece (in what will be their first show in Germany), and German underground favorites Friisk and No Sun Rises, all of whom had originally been scheduled to play in 2022 before the pandemic forced a delay.
Below you’ll find notes about the complete line-up (most of whom we’ve enthusiastically written about at this site) and a lot more details about the entire event, which also includes a Dark Arts & Crafts exhibition.
The Ruins of Beverast
Culthe Fest will take place at three venues in Münster on the weekend of April 8-9. As the organizers explain, at Sputnikhalle and Café Sputnik “there will be mainly distorted guitars and blast beats”, while the Triptychon venue “will again feature a largely acoustic stage with dark folk/ambient/acoustic etc”.
The running order and the distribution of the bands across the stages hasn’t yet been announced, but we can share the line-up for each day, along with Culthe Fest‘s notes about each band, and below this list we’ll tell you how to get tickets and provide more details about the arts & craft exhibition:
APRIL 8th:
ULTHA (DE, Black Metal)
Returning to Münster, one of a few selected shows in 2023, with their 4th full-length All That Has Never Been True!
https://www.facebook.com/templeofultha
https://ultha.bandcamp.com
SUN OF THE SLEEPLESS (DE, Black Metal)
Returning to Münster, one of a few selected shows in 2023. Schwadorf (Empyrium a.o.) & musicians of Helrunar, Mosaic a.o. Latest release: Split Sun of the Sleepless / Cavernous Gate.
https://www.facebook.com/sunofthesleepless
https://sun-of-the-sleepless.bandcamp.com
DAWN RAY’D (UK, Antifascist Anarchist Black Metal)
Returning to Münster, with their upcoming 3rd full-length To Know the Light (out 24 March) + rare opportunity to catch them live!
https://www.facebook.com/dawnrayd
https://dawnrayd.bandcamp.com
DEATHRITE (DE, Death Metal/Punk)
Returning to Münster, first show at Culthe, with their 4th full-length Nightmares Reign and EP “Delirium”!
https://www.facebook.com/deathrite666
https://deathrite.bandcamp.com
THE DEVIL’S TRADE (HU, Dark/Doom Folk)
First show in Münster, special acoustic solo set, with his 3rd full-length The Call of the Iron Peak and a 4th full-length in the making (out in 2023) + rare opportunity to catch him live! https://www.facebook.com/TheDevilsTrade
https://thedevilstrade.bandcamp.com
MAUD THE MOTH (ES/UK, Dark Soul/Jazz Pianist & Singer/Songwriter)
First show in Münster, on the special occasion of Culthe Fest, with her 3rd full-length “Orphnē” + rare opportunity to catch her live!
https://www.facebook.com/maudthemoth
https://maudthemoth.bandcamp.com
FRIISK (DE, Black Metal)
First show in Münster, with their debut full-length …un torügg bleev blot Sand!
https://www.facebook.com/friiskbm
https://friisk.bandcamp.com
YOVEL (GR, Black Metal for the Opressed)
First show in Germany, on the special occasion of Culthe Fest, with their 2nd full-length Forthcoming Humanity + very rare opportunity to catch them live!
https://www.facebook.com/yovelband
https://yovel.bandcamp.com
NO SUN RISES (DE, Post Black Metal)
Returning to Münster, with their 2nd full-length Dominium Terrae!
https://www.facebook.com/NoSunRises
https://no-sun-rises.bandcamp.com
APRIL 9th:
THE RUINS OF BEVERAST (DE, Black/Death/Doom Metal)
First show in Münster, one of a few selected shows in 2023. Meilenwald (Nagelfar a.o.) & musicians of Dark Fortress, ex-Secrets of the Moon a.o., with their 6th full-length The Thule Grimoires and live album Maschinenfest Memorial!
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100050277618207
https://theruinsofbeverast.bandcamp.com
WOLVENNEST (BE, Experimental/Psychedelic/Ritual Black Metal/Rock/Ambient)
First show in Münster, first confirmed show in Germany for 2023, with their 2nd full-lengh “Temple”!
https://www.facebook.com/wolvennestband
https://wolvennest.bandcamp.com
FVNERALS (DE, Dark Ambient/Doom/Drone/Post Rock)
Returning to Münster after their tour show with Emma Ruth Rundle, first show at Culthe, with their brand new 3rd full-length Let the Earth Be Silent (out 3 February)!
https://www.facebook.com/FVNERALS
https://fvnerals.bandcamp.com
SUN WORSHIP (DE, Black Metal)
Returning to Münster, with their 3rd full-length Emanations of Desolation!
https://www.facebook.com/sunworshipband
https://sunworship.bandcamp.com
MORAST (DE, Death/Doom Metal)
Returning to Münster, first show at Culthe, with Zingultus (Endstille, ex-Nagelfar a.o.), bringing their 2nd full-lengh Il nostro silenzio and EP The Palingenesis! https://www.facebook.com/OfficialMorast
https://morast-vanrecords.bandcamp.com/
KESYS (FR, Dark Acoustic/Ambient/Folk)
First show in Münster, on the special occasion of Culthe Fest. Jeff Grimal (Citadel, Spectrale, ex-The Great Old Ones), with his 2nd full-length Ascent – Fall + rare opportunity to catch him live!
https://www.facebook.com/Kesys.bx
https://kesys.bandcamp.com
BANK MYNA (FR, Dark Experimental/Ritual Post Rock/Ambient/Drone)
First show in Münster, on the special occasion of Culthe Fest, with their 2nd full-length VOLAVERUNT + rare opportunity to catch them live!
https://www.facebook.com/bankmyna
https://bankmyna.bandcamp.com
PERISH (DE, Black/Death Metal)
First show in Münster, one of their first shows ever, with their debut full-length The Decline!
https://www.facebook.com/PERISHhorde
https://perishhorde.bandcamp.com
HÆRESIS (DE, Post Black Metal)
First show in Münster, lately released “The Eroding Self” on their split “Z 3 / 1 2” with Kratt!
https://www.facebook.com/haeresisberlin
https://haeresis.bandcamp.com
Ultha
TICKETS
Here is the ticketing information provided to us by Culthe Fest:
Two-day tickets and day tickets for Culthe Fest 2023 are available from the organizers themselves at the e-mail address: culthetickets@gmail.com
When ordering, please specify: Type and number of tickets, shipping method, shipping address. Tickets will be shipped from March 1st.
EUR 75 Two-day ticket April 8th & 9th
EUR 95 Two-day ticket (supporter*) April 8th & 9th
EUR 45 Day ticket April 8th
EUR 55 Day-Ticket (supporter*) April 8th
EUR 45 Day ticket April 9th
EUR 55 Day-Ticket (supporter*) April 9th
Shipping: EUR 1,50 (standard), EUR 4,50 (registered letter)
*Culthe Collectiv e.V. is a non-profit association and DIY promoter. Support them in organizing events, offering you best possible conditions, and keep prices low.
For more info:
https://www.facebook.com/unaussprechlichekulte
https://www.facebook.com/events/573101387676935
https://www.instagram.com/unaussprechliche_culthe
Wolvennest
DARK ARTS & CRAFTS EXHIBITION
Culthe Fest explains: “The exhibition offers all sorts of gloomy, dark, and morbid in graphics, painting, crafts, and curiosities. The 11 artists come from all over Germany and from France, including Hagiophobic (Berlin), Jeff Grimal (Bordeaux) and Skullcult (Cologne). Not only art lovers, collectors and tattoo fans will get their money’s worth”.
ABGLANZ SIEBDRUCK
https://www.instagram.com/abglanz.siebdruck
APES OF DOOM
https://www.instagram.com/apes_of_doom
DARK DARK GREY (HÆRESIS)
https://www.instagram.com/darkdarkgrey_prints
DEUBEL ART
https://www.instagram.com/deubel.art
DROWNED ORANGE
https://www.instagram.com/drownedorange
HAGIOPHOBIC
https://www.instagram.com/hgphbc
JEFF GRIMAL (KESYS)
https://www.instagram.com/jeff_grimal_art
LINDE ART
https://www.instagram.com/linde_art
NEFILIBATA RITES
https://www.instagram.com/nefelibata_rites
SKULLCULT
https://www.instagram.com/skullcult
WELTERWORX
https://www.instagram.com/welterworx