THE KOVENANT / KÆLAN MIKLA / EIHWAR / HERETOIR / AGRYPNIE / TAR POND / EXCRUCIATION

MEH SUFF! PRESENTS

SA, 10.05.2025

DYNAMO / ZÜRICH

15:00

THE KOVENANT

THE KOVENANT was formed in 1993 as a side project of Troll. Originally named Covenant, the band changed its name to THE KOVENANT in 1999.

Their debut album, In Times Before The Light, was released in 1997. The breakthrough came with Nexus Polaris in 1998, a release hailed as an instant classic in symphonic black metal and considered a milestone of the genre. The album also won the Norwegian Grammy for Best Metal Album.

In 1999, Animatronic marked a shift towards a darker industrial sound while maintaining the band’s signature edge. This album also won the Norwegian Grammy for Best Metal Album, further solidifying their reputation.

The fourth studio album, SETI, was released in 2003, followed by tours across Europe and the USA, showcasing the band’s evolution and dynamic live performances.

In 2010, THE KOVENANT reunited for an exclusive performance at Norway’s Inferno Metal Festival.

Now, in 2024, the band has reunited once again to perform material from Nexus Polaris, In Times Before The Light, and Animatronic. They are set to appear at select festivals throughout 2024 and 2025.

As for the future of THE KOVENANT – only time will tell…

KÆLAN MIKLA

Kælan Mikla was founded in 2013 as an entry in a poetry competition. In the following years they continued to emerge and establish themselves as a solid part of the Reykjavik grassroots scene. In 2015, the song Kalt was released and attracted a lot of attention abroad. Subsequently, the band began performing with various well-known bands abroad. Over the past five years Kælan Mikla have travelled continuously and have released three LPs. Robert Smith, the front-man of the immortal band The Cure is a big fan and has booked Kælan Mikla to play at the various festivals he has curated, alongside iconic bands such as Pixies, Slowdive, Deftones, as well as having them solely open for the rock band Placebo. Following the release of their third LP, Nótt eftir nótt, they have gained a large audience amongst fans of dark and dreary music, but what really makes Kælan Mikla stand out is the strong audiovisual adventure through their magical world that is constantly evolving and always leaves the crowd with a memorable concert experience. Now Kælan Mikla has just returned from a long tour with the French blackgaze band Alcest and are currently recording their fourth album which will mostly revolve around folklore and fairytales, drawing the band even deeper into their realm of magic and mysticism.

EIHWAR

The Vikings Eihwar found great success at Hellfest 2024 and their YouTube channel already has several million views. The duo produces pagan dancefloor music, brutal and festive, composed of Nordic folk sounds, ritual chants, shamanic drums and powerful electro machines. Prepare to enter the trance, brothers and sisters of Midgard!

HERETOIR

Heretoir, founded in 2006 in Augsburg, Germany, by David Conrad, blends atmospheric Black Metal, progressive modern Metal, and Post Rock into a melancholic, emotional soundscape. Lyrically exploring themes of existence, self-reflection, and life’s complexities, their music serves as a gateway to introspection and emotional depth.

After early releases (Existenz demo, 2008; Heretoir debut album, 2011), Heretoir evolved into a full band, sharing stages with Alcest, Agalloch, and Sólstafir, among others. Their acclaimed 2017 album, The Circle, explored the cycle of life, death, and rebirth, receiving widespread praise.

In 2023, the band released Nightsphere, a concept album intertwining nature and machine-driven struggles. Featuring guest appearances by Tim Yatras (Austere) and Nikita Kamprad (Der Weg einer Freiheit), it showcases their signature atmospheric black metal and post-rock fusion.

After extensive tours in Europe and Latin America, Heretoir is preparing their next record for 2025, poised to captivate audiences worldwide.

AGRYPNIE

Agrypnie, founded in 2004 by songwriter Torsten H. (also active in Nocte Obducta, Theotoxin, and Suel), has become a prominent force in black metal. Initially a solo project, it evolved into a full band in 2007 to enable live performances after the debut album F51.4 (Supreme Chaos Records). With nine releases, including six full-length albums, Agrypnie showcases a rich musical universe. Their 2021 album Metamorphosis (AOP Records) reached #29 on the German charts and earned critical acclaim. Torsten and drummer Flo (Theotoxin, Schirenc Plays Pungent Stench) are the core members, supported by live musicians Lykanthrop, Chris, and Andi.

TAR POND

TAR POND are a Swiss Doom’n’Gloom anti-supergroup formed in 2015 by legends from the heavy music and art world, including legendary Celtic Frost bassist Martin Ain (R.I.P), former Coroner drummer and lyricist Marky Edelmann and renowned scratchboard artist Thomas Ott. Tar Pond are the soundtrack of brutality and the electric protocol of constant sadness.

TAR POND’s debut, “Protocol Of Constant Sadness”, was originally written and recorded in 2016/17, but just as the band were getting ready for release, the tragic death of Martin Ain in October 2017 stopped them in their tracks. To honour Martin’s legacy the album finally emerged in 2020, after a multi-year hibernation. “Protocol Of Constant Sadness” was recorded at New Sound Studios with producer Tommy Vetterli (himself a guitar legend of Coroner fame), where its true old-fashioned analogue spirit could be brought to life. The video for “Please”, the epic, sullen first single, was shot on 8mm film by Thomas and Marky during a trip through New Mexico where Ott was on assignment to create a travel book for Louis Vuitton (https://uk.louisvuitton.com/eng-gb/products/travel-book-route-66-nvprod990233v/R08447), and completed with help from the magic editing touch of Gion-Reto Killias.

TAR POND don’t do “ordinary” and so their first ever shows were two sold-out release shows at Zurich’s legendary porn cinema Kino Roland.

In 2023 TAR POND signed to Prophecy Productions and are set to release their second album “PETROL” on September 15th, 2023.

EXCRUCIATION

Formed in 1984, Excruciation emerged to channel frustration and aggression into the raw energy of Death, Doom, and Thrash Metal. Their debut demo gained significant traction on U.S. underground radio, even hitting No. 1. The first official release, The Last Judgment, sold over 15,000 copies and entered Switzerland’s Top 100. A successful tour followed, making them the first Swiss metal band to perform in former East Germany. Their 1991 album Anno Domini… sold over 20,000 copies, a remarkable feat for an underground release, but the band went on hiatus due to personal and musical differences.

Reunited in 2005, Excruciation’s rebirth began with the release of Arise and continued with full-length albums like Angels to Some, Demons to Others (2007) and [t]horns (2009), reestablishing their prominence. Early works were reissued in 2012, including The Last Judgment and live recordings from 1987. The 2014 album [g]host delved deeper into humanity’s darkest realms, released through Auric Records and Gadget Records.

Their upcoming album [c]rust, blending influences from ’80s Dark Wave, Crustcore, and old-school Black, Death, and Doom Metal, is set to release through WormHoleDeath Records and Auric Records, marking a new chapter in their extreme metal evolution.