#sacrifice — Public Fediverse posts

As I understand, yoga, meditation, equality, & viewing the forest as sacred came from the Indus Valley Civilisation (proto-Dravidian) and AASI/tribal peoples, in contrast to the caste-hierarchical, fire-sacrificing, horse-and-plains culture of the Vedic Indo-Aryans.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pashupati_seal

#yoga #meditation #equality #sacred #indusvalley #ivc #harappa #aasi #asi #tribal #indigenous #india #bharat #subcontinent #desi #caste #sacrifice #vedic #vedas #indoaryan #dravidian

As I understand, yoga, meditation, equality, & viewing the forest as sacred came from the Indus Valley Civilisation (proto-Dravidian) and AASI/tribal peoples, in contrast to the caste-hierarchical, fire-sacrificing, horse-and-plains culture of the Vedic Indo-Aryans.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pashupati_seal

#yoga #meditation #equality #sacred #indusvalley #ivc #harappa #aasi #asi #tribal #indigenous #india #bharat #subcontinent #desi #caste #sacrifice #vedic #vedas #indoaryan #dravidian

A quotation from Orwell

I suggest that the real objective of Socialism is not happiness. Happiness hitherto has been a by-product, and for all we know it may always remain so. The real objective of Socialism is human brotherhood. This is widely felt to be the case, though it is not usually said, or not said loudly enough. Men use up their lives in heart-breaking political struggles, or get themselves killed in civil wars, or tortured in the secret prisons of the Gestapo, not in order to establish some central-heated, air-conditioned, strip-lighted Paradise, but because they want a world in which human beings love one another instead of swindling and murdering one another. And they want that world as a first step. Where they go from there is not so certain, and the attempt to foresee it in detail merely confuses the issue.

George Orwell (1903-1950) English journalist, essayist, writer [pseud. of Eric Arthur Blair]
Essay (1943-12-20), “Can Socialists Be Happy?” “As I Please” column, Tribune Newspaper [as John Freeman]

More about this quote: wist.info/orwell-george/47663/

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #orwell #georgeorwell #aspirations #brotherhood #cause #contentment #details #dissent #happiness #hope #love #loveyourneighbor #materialism #physical #planning #protest #sacrifice #socialism #struggle #torture #utopia #war

A quotation from Orwell

I suggest that the real objective of Socialism is not happiness. Happiness hitherto has been a by-product, and for all we know it may always remain so. The real objective of Socialism is human brotherhood. This is widely felt to be the case, though it is not usually said, or not said loudly enough. Men use up their lives in heart-breaking political struggles, or get themselves killed in civil wars, or tortured in the secret prisons of the Gestapo, not in order to establish some central-heated, air-conditioned, strip-lighted Paradise, but because they want a world in which human beings love one another instead of swindling and murdering one another. And they want that world as a first step. Where they go from there is not so certain, and the attempt to foresee it in detail merely confuses the issue.

George Orwell (1903-1950) English journalist, essayist, writer [pseud. of Eric Arthur Blair]
Essay (1943-12-20), “Can Socialists Be Happy?” “As I Please” column, Tribune Newspaper [as John Freeman]

More about this quote: wist.info/orwell-george/47663/

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #orwell #georgeorwell #aspirations #brotherhood #cause #contentment #details #dissent #happiness #hope #love #loveyourneighbor #materialism #physical #planning #protest #sacrifice #socialism #struggle #torture #utopia #war

A quotation from John Kennedy

Woodrow Wilson’s New Freedom promised our nation a new political and economic framework. Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal promised security and succor to those in need. But the New Frontier of which I speak is not a set of promises — it is a set of challenges. It sums up not what I intend to offer the American people, but what I intend to ask of them. It appeals to their pride, not to their pocketbook — it holds out the promise of more sacrifice instead of more security.

John F. Kennedy (1917-1963) American politician, author, journalist, US President (1961–63)
Speech (1960-07-15), “The New Frontier,” Presidential Nomination Acceptance Speech, Democratic National Convention, Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles

More about this quote: wist.info/kennedy-john/25736/

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #kennedy #jfk #johnkennedy #johnfkennedy #challenge #history #inspiration #pride #sacrifice #campaignpromise

"IT IS A JUST 3-DAY SPECIAL OIL OPERATION, RUSSIANS HAVE NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT! LOOK AT THE MAGNIFICIENT BRAVENESS OF THE WW2 SOLDIERS AT #STALINGRAD, JOYFULLY TAKING BULLET INSTEAD OF THEIR BROTHERS: JUST SIPHON THE CAR BESIDE! #RUSSIAN #MUTUALHELP #SACRIFICE #BEAUTY" - Pladimir Vutin

RE: https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:4rthx262ziuroqnyjukamxez/post/3mpj3nyyc3c2t

A quotation from Robert Ingersoll

All the martyrs in the history of the world are not sufficient to establish the correctness of an opinion. Martyrdom, as a rule, establishes the sincerity of the martyr, — never the correctness of his thought. Things are true or false in themselves. Truth cannot be affected by opinions; it cannot be changed, established, or affected by martyrdom. An error cannot be believed sincerely enough to make it a truth.

Robert Green Ingersoll (1833-1899) American lawyer, freethinker, orator
Lecture (1881-05-01) “The Great Infidels,” Booth’s Theater, New York

More about this quote: wist.info/ingersoll-robert-gre…

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #robertingersoll #robertgreeningersoll #zeal #belief #correctness #devotion #earnestness #martyr #martyrdom #opinion #reality #sacrifice #sincerity #truth

https://nkvssp.thecomicseries.com/comics/668/

Think about the others who left.
You have human rights too.

#Ralph #kitteh #FridayReads #fridaynight #webcomics #webcomicchat #comicbookhour #comics #emotionalAbuse #disengage #sacrifice #mentalhealthawareness #caturdayEve #vibecheck

✮ As Water ✮

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✮ The Future on Layaway ✮

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What is the life of a single soldier, compared to the GLORY OF ROME?

https://piefed.social/c/historymemes/p/2047453/what-is-the-life-of-a-single-soldier-compared-to-the-glory-of-rome

What is the life of a single soldier, compared to the GLORY OF ROME?

https://piefed.social/c/historymemes/p/2047453/what-is-the-life-of-a-single-soldier-compared-to-the-glory-of-rome

What is the life of a single soldier, compared to the GLORY OF ROME?

https://piefed.social/c/roughromanmemes/p/2047451/what-is-the-life-of-a-single-soldier-compared-to-the-glory-of-rome

What is the life of a single soldier, compared to the GLORY OF ROME?

https://piefed.social/c/roughromanmemes/p/2047451/what-is-the-life-of-a-single-soldier-compared-to-the-glory-of-rome

✮ Empty Cup ✮

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Comprendre l'eucharistie 🫓🍷✝️

#dieu #eucharistie #pain #vin #autel #hostie #sacrement #office #messe #christ #grace #aristote #thomasdaquin #rite #presence #signe #sacrifice #offrande #raison #sens #coeur #editionsducerf #tomastyn

https://youtube.com/shorts/XZwohLBOUPU?feature=share

Zuporouge 1825 https://zuporouge.com/zuporouge-1825/

Salut, je crée des designs, viens découvrir mon site web.

#horreur #enfer #chaines #clous #peauarrachee #demon #torture #cube #labyrinthe #malediction #douleureternelle #damnation #nuit #sang #peur #obscurite #dimensioncachee #portail #enferme #supplice #rituel #sacrifice #obsession #voixdeformee #murmures #souffrance #metal #mixtape #musiquesombre #ambiance

Revive Our Spirits (Christian Music) = Just dropped: Spirit-filled worship music 💝 - #God #Jesus #TheLord #Praise #ChristianMusic #Bible #Music #Song #Love #Faith #Hope #SpiritualRevival #YoungChristians #Believers #Prayer #Worship #Praise #Devotion #Community #Uplift #SpiritualJourney #Christianity #GodsPresence #Lord #HeartsOpen #Faithful #Guided #Blessing #Sacrifice #Grace #Renewal #ChristianValues #EternalLife - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piaFmuD4RpI

Trailer Pandorica https://trailers.zouluvo.com/pandorica/

#JadeHobday #MarcZammit #AdamBond #LukeDSilva #BentleyKalu #AmedHashimi #LauraMarieHoward #AdamFord #LaurenHoward #TomPaton #RoyaumeUni #1avril2016 #2016 #avril2016 #sciencefiction #MirrorProductions #postapocalyptique #tribu #survie #courage #lutte #forêt #nuit #danger #espoir #combat #futur #humanité #défi #héritage #sacrifice #ténèbres #épreuve

Angels fall to Colorado Rockies for their eighth consecutive loss https://www.rawchili.com/mlb/328592/ #angel #Angels #Baseball #ColoradoRockies #EighthConsecutiveLoss #ExtraBaseHit #EzequielTovar #game #GoAheadRun #hit #HunterGoodman #La #LAAngels #LAAngels #LosAngeles #LosAngelesAngels #LosAngeles #LosAngelesAngels #MLB #OneHitBall #sacrifice #SecondInning #SingleSeason #TylerFreeman

Angels fall to Colorado Rockies for their eighth consecutive loss https://www.rawchili.com/mlb/328592/ #angel #Angels #Baseball #ColoradoRockies #EighthConsecutiveLoss #ExtraBaseHit #EzequielTovar #game #GoAheadRun #hit #HunterGoodman #La #LAAngels #LAAngels #LosAngeles #LosAngelesAngels #LosAngeles #LosAngelesAngels #MLB #OneHitBall #sacrifice #SecondInning #SingleSeason #TylerFreeman

Charli XCX multiplie les projets cinématographiques et musicaux

Charli XCX confirme sa double carrière d’actrice et de musicienne avec plusieurs films et nouvelles chansons originales à son actif. La pop star britannique contribue notamment à la bande originale de Wuthering Heights, tout en s’apprêtant à faire ses débuts dans trois autres longs-métrages. Une année charnière qui illustre l’expansion de son univers artistique.

Une nouvelle dimension pour Charli XCX

Des chansons originales pour Wuthering Heights

Charli XCX participe à la bande originale du prochain film de Emerald Fennell, Wuthering Heights, adaptation du roman classique d’Emily Brontë. Le film, qui réunit Margot Robbie et Jacob Elordi à l’écran, bénéficie de nouvelles compositions de la chanteuse, révélées via un teaser partagé sur ses réseaux sociaux. L’ambiance musicale de Charli XCX vient compléter le ton romantique et dramatique du long-métrage, offrant un lien inédit entre la pop contemporaine et la littérature classique.

Une année cinématographique très chargée

Outre sa contribution musicale, Charli XCX s’investit pleinement dans sa carrière d’actrice. Trois de ses films sortent cette semaine : Erupcja, présenté au Festival de Toronto le 4 septembre, 1000 Nights Of Hero au Festival de Venise le 6 septembre, et Sacrifice, également à Toronto. Cette activité intense souligne son ambition de diversifier sa présence artistique et de conquérir le grand écran tout en poursuivant sa carrière musicale.

Des rôles inspirés de la pop contemporaine

Une influence Clairo pour Erupcja

Dans une récente interview accordée à Filmmaker Magazine, Charli XCX a révélé que son personnage dans Erupcja, Bethany, a été inspiré par la chanteuse Clairo. « Nous parlions souvent de Clairo pour définir qui était Bethany », explique-t-elle, notant que, musicalement, Bethany représente une approche presque opposée à la sienne. Cette référence illustre la volonté de Charli XCX de s’immerger dans des univers artistiques variés, en s’inspirant de figures de la pop contemporaine pour enrichir ses rôles.

Une approche artistique multidimensionnelle

Cette collaboration artistique montre la capacité de Charli XCX à jongler entre ses talents de chanteuse et d’actrice. Elle aborde ses rôles avec une réflexion sur la musique et les influences culturelles, offrant ainsi une interprétation nuancée de ses personnages. Cette démarche renforce sa crédibilité dans le cinéma tout en maintenant sa singularité musicale.

Charli XCX et les collaborations numériques

Une affaire Roblox résolue

Dans un autre registre, l’influenceuse Kelley Heyer, à l’origine de la célèbre chorégraphie virale « Apple », a trouvé un accord à l’amiable avec la plateforme de jeu Roblox. La danse, intégrée à une version thématique Charli XCX de Dress To Impress, faisait l’objet d’un litige. La résolution de ce conflit marque un exemple de collaboration entre artistes numériques et plateformes interactives, tout en assurant la reconnaissance des créateurs de contenu.

Une stratégie globale sur les réseaux sociaux

Charli XCX utilise ses réseaux pour promouvoir à la fois ses projets musicaux et cinématographiques, partageant teasers et annonces avec ses millions de followers. Cette présence constante permet de maintenir un lien direct avec ses fans, tout en orchestrant un marketing efficace autour de ses sorties artistiques.

Une artiste au carrefour de la musique et du cinéma

Une année charnière

L’année 2025 marque une étape importante pour Charli XCX, qui parvient à combiner créations musicales et interprétation cinématographique. Son implication dans des films majeurs, tout en composant de nouvelles chansons originales, illustre sa polyvalence et sa capacité à explorer différents médiums artistiques.

Vers de nouveaux horizons

Cette dynamique ouvre la voie à de futures collaborations et projets transdisciplinaires. Que ce soit à travers le cinéma, la musique ou les contenus numériques, Charli XCX confirme son rôle d’artiste innovante capable d’influencer à la fois la pop culture et les arts visuels.

Charli XCX démontre avec ces projets qu’elle n’est plus seulement une icône de la pop britannique, mais également une figure montante du cinéma contemporain. Sa capacité à mêler musique et interprétation ouvre de nouvelles perspectives dans sa carrière. L’artiste continue ainsi de redéfinir les frontières entre différents univers artistiques, captivant son public sur plusieurs fronts.

https://twitter.com/charli_xcx/status/1963331873729630707

#1000NightsOfHero #CharliXCX #Cinéma #Clairo #Erupcja #films2025 #JacobElordi #MargotRobbie #musiquePop #Sacrifice #WutheringHeights

the PIECE OF SHIT that is #ElonMusk wants to implement #apartheid in #America

we must not let that #shitstain destroy the country built through #courage, #perseverance, and #sacrifice

#FuckElonMusk
#DestroyMusk

the PIECE OF SHIT that is #ElonMusk wants to implement #apartheid in #America

we must not let that #shitstain destroy the country built through #courage, #perseverance, and #sacrifice

#FuckElonMusk
#DestroyMusk

The Maryland Deathfest Chronicles

By Mark Z.

Sup fukkers! I’m back, having spent the last few years getting a law degree, trying to land a job, and settling into married life. But through it all, I haven’t lost sight of what’s truly important. I still buy records. I still go to shows. I still have a burning desire to blast Impiety so fukkin loud that my skull implodes and my internal organs turn into a thick pink paste that probably looks like the stuff chicken nuggets are made from. And what better way to prove that the metalized blood still flows through my veins than by providing you with a live report of the most brutal festival this side of the Atlantic—Maryland Deathfest?

Held over Memorial Day weekend in downtown Baltimore, Maryland Deathfest is arguably the premiere underground metal festival in the United States. The four‑day event welcomes dozens of bands from all over the extreme metal spectrum and beyond, including styles like grindcore and hardcore punk. While the fest has taken place almost every year since 2003, this year’s edition was particularly special, as there was a very real possibility it was never going to happen. After the 2020 and 2021 editions were canceled due to the pandemic, the 2022 edition proved to be a logistical nightmare for festival organizers Ryan Taylor and Evan Harting, with visa issues and other challenges causing the two to announce that they needed some time off. As a result, they stated that there would be no 2023 edition and that there might never be another edition at all.

Fortunately, Ryan and Evan decided to continue the fest, leading to a 2024 edition that was absolutely stacked with great bands. Dismember, Sodom, Primordial, Aura Noir, and Archgoat were just a few of the groups I was excited to see, and even with the unfortunate cancellations of groups like My Dying Bride and Coffins, having Agalloch and Morta Skuld as replacements definitely softened the blow. With my time off from work confirmed and my metal shirts freshly laundered, I mentally prepared myself for four days of blast beats, moshing, and other heavy metal mayhem!

If only I knew what awaited me.

Thursday

As the morning light pours into my bedroom, I make a mental note to drink a Red Bull at some point today. I’ve slept like crap, probably due to a combination of being excited for the festival, having a stuffy bedroom, and being constantly awakened by a 55-pound pit bull that insisted on plopping her entire body onto my side of the bed. Fortunately, I now live only a 30-minute drive from downtown Baltimore, so I don’t have to worry about catching a flight or paying an exorbitant price for a hotel. Unfortunately, this means I’ll have to suffer through the I-95 traffic that has only gotten worse with the recent Key Bridge collapse.

After taking a strange detour to avoid an accident (and almost getting into one myself), I arrive in Baltimore. The sun is bright, small groups of people in black shirts are walking around, and the air feels electric with anticipation. While I’m a bit bummed that I’m attending by myself this year, it’s still hard not to be excited.

I get my wristband and head to Baltimore Soundstage for the festival’s first band: Depulsed. Even though the sole release of this Las Vegas brutal death metal group is a 2019 demo that contains just one song, the venue is surprisingly crowded—probably full of people who, like me, couldn’t get a ticket to last night’s Pre‑Fest and are eager to finally hear some live metal. Fortunately, this quartet don’t disappoint, as their destructive grooves and occasionally atypical riffing make for a rousing start to the festivities. It’s clear the band is having a great time, too, and there’s plenty of headbanging all around.

When Depulsed finishes, I go across the street to Rams Head Live!, the festival’s main other indoor venue. While Soundstage is a pretty traditional midsized venue, Rams Head is an open‑concept, multi‑level nightclub with a large raised stage as its focal point. Once inside, I snag a prime upper‑level spot for the evening’s next band: Fossilization. This Brazilian doom-death metal group sent some shockwaves through the underground last year with their Leprous Daylight debut, and their live performance is equally captivating. The group use lots of tight and hammering blast beats, and it seems the “doom” in their sound comes primarily from the monolithic heaviness of their guitars rather than their scattered moments of slower tempos. With an imposing stage presence and growls so deep that they shake the floor of the balcony I’m standing on, their performance is one to remember.

I’m not particularly interested in the brutal death metal at Soundstage tonight, so I decide to stick around Rams Head. I realize this is a good call as soon as Pittsburgh doom-death metal quartet Derkéta begin playing. Formed in 1988 and considered to be the first all-female death metal band (though today they have a male drummer), the group keep heads bobbing with assertive chugs and massive riffs that sound like Black Sabbath with a mound of graveyard dirt dropped on top. The live mix in the venue seems especially clear and powerful tonight, and apparently, I’m not the only one who notices. Between songs, frontwoman Sharon Bascovsky takes time to compliment the venue’s sound engineer before kicking back in with more hefty riffs and reverberating growls.

Deviating from the doom theme, Canadian weirdos Chthe’ilist are up next. While I wasn’t particularly excited for their Demilich‑influenced death metal, the group play like this is the only performance that has ever mattered. They sound warped, alien, and impossibly tight as if they’ve perfected a style of death metal that independently evolved in another dimension. Meanwhile, their vocalist has a wild‑eyed expression that makes him look like he’s just returned from that dimension and is attempting to describe it to the audience through a series of shrieks, croaks, and everything in between. With lots of onstage energy and an endless onslaught of strange yet catchy riffs, the band quickly inspire a wild mosh pit. If anyone knew how to pronounce the band’s name, I’m sure they’d be chanting it between songs.

Sadly, the first sign of trouble emerges during their set. About three‑fourths of the way through, I find myself within the blast radius of a miasmatic eruption of flatulence that smells like a mix of raw sewage and rotting meat. When the band finishes and the smell clears, I learn from the Maryland Deathfest Facebook group that such occurrences seem to be particularly prevalent at this year’s festival. Some theorize the new taco place is to blame. Others claim that body odor, rather than gas, may be the true cause of the smells. I realize then that I may have let one or two of my own expulsions squeak out in the heat of the moment, and I wonder how much I contributed to what others are experiencing.

But there’s no time to dwell on such matters, as Morta Skuld soon come onstage. With the unfortunate last‑minute cancellation of Coffins, this Wisconsin death metal institution stepped up to the plate as replacements. Like Chthe’ilist, Morta Skuld wasn’t a band I was particularly excited for, but my attitude quickly changes. With meaty riffs, catchy chugs, and the forceful yet intelligible vocals of frontman Dave Gregor, the band sound gigantic and utterly commanding. The crowd pulsates to the rhythms as the band tear through cuts from their 1993 debut Dying Remains and this year’s Creation Undone. Their set ends up being an utter blast and one of my overall favorites from the festival.

After Morta Skuld, I head outside to the Power Plant stage, the only outdoor venue open today. The stage is located just outside of Rams Head in the Power Plant Live! complex, which is a multi-level outdoor entertainment area consisting mostly of bars and restaurants. The Power Plant stage itself is located in the back of the complex at the end of a somewhat narrow corridor. The feature band out here tonight is German thrash legends Sodom, who are playing the entirety of their 1989 classic Agent Orange album. No one could say it’s a bad performance, but I have a tough time staying engaged being so far from the stage and constantly having to deal with people squeezing past me. After “Baptism of Fire,” I decide not to stick around for their encore and head back into Rams Head.

I snag another balcony spot for U.K. funeral doom band Esoteric, who provide a great break from the faster bands I’ve watched. While I’m not much of a doom guy, I discovered Esoteric very early in my metal journey and have always had a soft spot for them. In a live setting, the group is utterly entrancing. A trippy video backdrop plays as the band open with the cleanly picked intro of “Circle,” the first song from the group’s 2008 opus The Maniacal Vale. Once the distortion hits, the guitars envelop the room with a sense of heaviness that sounds like tectonic plates shifting. The group’s atmosphere is so dense you can taste it, and the wailing guitar leads conjure huge climaxes between the doomy trudges and anguished roars. It’s a terrific and mesmerizing performance.

Once Esoteric finishes, I trudge back over to Soundstage to catch the final band of the night: Chicago death metal legends Broken Hope. The group are already about halfway through their set by the time I arrive, and the packed venue is absolutely loving it. Crunchy riffs, punchy grooves, and violent blasts have created a human maelstrom in the center of the venue that seems to be growing stronger with each passing song. Guitarist and sole original member Jeremy Wagner thanks the crowd for their support before the band conclude their set with some especially brutal cuts from their 1991 debut Swamped in Gore. The set is so fun, that I almost want to stick around just to chat with people after it’s over. But it’s late, I’m tired, and my balls feel like they need a good wash. I drive home and go to bed.

Friday

I wake up and finally wash my balls. After once again fighting through traffic to get to Baltimore, I head to Soundstage to catch Kontusion. Though this group’s only release is a short demo, their members bring experience playing in bands from all over the Mid-Atlantic. Perhaps because of that experience, the group’s live performance is powerful and tight, with the band offering up belligerent and bludgeoning death metal that manages to be cavernous yet aggressive. For a band I had no expectations for, they definitely leave an impression.

As an added plus, they even have the courtesy of finishing a few minutes early so I don’t have to miss any of Defeated Sanity’s set. The German brutal death metal group are playing right outside of Soundstage on the Market Place stage, which has just opened today and is a new feature at the fest this year. Borrowing the idea from last year’s Hell in the Harbor festival, the Deathfest organizers opted to fence off an entire city block just outside of Soundstage and use the space to set up an outdoor stage, a merch tent, and a bunch of bars and food vendors. What’s most amusing about the setup, however, is that a narrow pedestrian walkway allows unsuspecting members of the public to still pass down the block and be subjected to whatever vile noise happens to be emanating from the Market Place stage at the time. I glance over to see families with kids walking by in bewilderment, their peaceful Friday stroll ruined by Defeated Sanity’s ear-rupturing slams and sewer monster gurgles. I chuckle to myself and proceed to bob my head to the band’s fun set of intricate riffs, stringy bass guitar, and devastating grooves.

I stick around Market Place for Aura Noir, who unfortunately start a bit later than expected. Once they get going, however, the Norwegian group’s trebly black-thrash metal quickly inspires a wild circle pit and several crowd surfers. I would have preferred it if they played a few less deep cuts (and a few more songs from Black Thrash Attack), but the group still offer plenty of good fist-raisers like “The Stalker” and “Condor.” “We’re the ugliest band in the world!” proclaims bassist and vocalist Apollyon as he looks over the crowd with his permanent sneer.

At this point, the late afternoon sun is beating down on me, and I’m sweating so much that my groin is about to become a government-designated wetland. Once Aura Noir finishes, I dip inside Soundstage to cool off and catch New Jersey death metal troupe Siege Column. Due to Aura Noir’s late start, Siege Column is already partially through their set, and I’m utterly confused by the scene I walk into. On record, Siege Column almost sound like a war metal band. Yet here, the group appear to forgo any spiked gauntlets or bullet belts and instead opt for a bright and colorful backdrop, with two of the four members wearing Ray Ban-style sunglasses. It’s odd at first, but somehow the aesthetic works. It’s like stepping into an alternate reality where war metal evolved in the early 80s and somehow became the music of choice for boardwalk arcades on the Jersey Shore. Looks aside, the group’s performance is an utter assault. The band sound like a grenade launcher being fired at the audience, with whiffs of Bolt Thrower apparent in their blaring and stompy riffing. “That was fucking awesome,” says a random guy next to me when their set is over. I’m inclined to agree.

Having cooled off enough for my groin to narrowly avoid the jurisdiction of the Clean Water Act, I take some time to get some food and browse the Maryland Deathfest Facebook group. The farting, it seems, has not subsided today, and some contend that it has actually grown worse. One person has unofficially dubbed the festival “Maryland Fartfest.” As I’m reading this, I realize that I’m halfway through eating a piece of pizza topped with mozzarella sticks and did not bring my Lactaid pills with me. Maryland Fartfest, it seems, is just getting started.

But the flatulence is not here yet. I finish my food and head across the street to the Power Plant complex, where a village of merch vendors are set up and peddling shirts, banners, vinyl, leather, and everything else a metalhead could desire. I take some time to peruse the selections before heading to Angels Rock Bar, a cozy upstairs establishment in the Power Plant complex. Angels Rock Bar is very much the “bonus venue” of the festival, with the small establishment featuring mostly local metal bands. As I enter the dimly lit bar, I see it’s lined with people who are hunched over and looking like they’ve never given a fuck about anything in their entire life.

It’s a perfect setting for some brutal death metal. Entrail Asphyxiation are a young Maryland band, and I’m not just referring to their formation date. As the group are doing their sound check, I notice that none of the members appear to be older than twenty. “Alright, let’s hear the drum triggers,” says the sound engineer. “He doesn’t use triggers,” says the band’s bassist. It turns out, the drummer doesn’t use triggers because he doesn’t need them. Despite their age, Entrail Asphyxiation sound like seasoned veterans, delivering a tight as fuck performance that people go absolutely apeshit over. As the fat guitars and bass break in, the set takes on the vibe of a sweaty basement show, with the front of the crowd whipping around like they’re trapped in a blender. The vocalist offers some unusual tortured shrieks and gets a few chuckles as she introduces a Mortician cover by saying, “If you know the words sing along—because I don’t.” Their set ends up being one of the most fun performances of the night.

Coming off that high, I head back over to Market Place for Agalloch. As a band whose first three records are easily on my list of Top 25 favorite albums of all time, this Oregon atmospheric metal group are one of the bands I’m looking forward to the most. I haven’t seen them since 2012, and I’m especially excited to see them tonight given that this is their first East Coast show since reforming last year. Fortunately, they don’t disappoint. As the wailing ambiance of “Limbs” begins their set, I’m instantly transported back to being a college freshman and having lyrics from Ashes Against the Grain stuck in my head while jogging in the dense woods around campus. By the time that track’s accelerating drumbeat hits just a few minutes later, I’m broken and totally given over to whatever the band have to offer. The set ends up pulling from all eras of their discography, with many selections from Ashes Against the Grain. While John Haughm’s vocals are a little loud in the mix, I love the fact that they actually seem to play all their clean guitar parts rather than relying on samples.

As the performance continues, their elegant and ethereal sound becomes transcendent. In front of me, I see a group of people I’ve seen at festivals before, laughing and chatting with each other while the beautiful leads of “Falling Snow” play in the background. I suddenly feel stupid standing here by myself, wearing a poorly made battle vest and a Bewitcher shirt that’s too small for me. As the final guitar lines of “Bloodbirds” echo throughout downtown Baltimore, I feel like I’m trying to swallow an apple whole.

When the set ends, I blink rapidly a few times before walking back across the street to see Ahab on the Power Plant stage. The German funeral doom band’s nautical theme is present in full force with their stage backdrop, which looks like a scene from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. As they begin playing, their guitars sound crisp and immense, though the group don’t feel quite as atmospheric as I would have expected. Nonetheless, frontman Daniel Droste does an outstanding job on vocals, excelling at both his mighty growls and crooning clean singing. The band are proficient players and feel like they carry the full crushing force of the abyssal zone with them. By the time they hit that chunky break midway through “Old Thunder,” I’m thoroughly impressed.

Still, it’s getting late, I’m growing weary, and I can feel an ominous pressure building in my intestines. But the night isn’t over yet. I head back to Soundstage, where Tennessee brutal death metal troupe Brodequin are in the middle of bashing in skulls with their barrage of blast beats, slammy grooves, and militant riffing. After the group finish, there’s a short break before the recently reunited Weekend Nachos take the stage. Coming out to the Mortal Kombat theme song, people seem pumped for them, and their vocalist has huge amounts of energy as he jumps around and invites people to talk with him about the upcoming Mortal Kombat movie in between songs. I’m admittedly not super familiar with Weekend Nachos, and while I feel as though I should love any band that mixes powerviolence and sludge, I don’t find their music very interesting at all. It probably doesn’t help that I’m tired and my feet hurt. When their set ends, I go home and fall asleep immediately.

Saturday

BRRRRRRRTTTTTTTTTT. The first fart of the day echoes through my bedroom, almost certainly the result of my failure to take a Lactaid during yesterday’s lunch. Fortunately, the foul smell only makes it easier to pull myself out of bed and start my drive, which isn’t nearly as bad as the past two days. Upon arrival, I head to Market Place to see the old school Spanish death metal band Avulsed. While I’m not familiar with them, their catchy tremolo runs and combative riffing make for a great start to the day, even inspiring the first wall of death I’ve seen at the fest so far.

I leave a bit early to see Impure over at Rams Head. With a backdrop featuring Jesus hanging from a noose (pulled from the artwork of their Satan’s Eclipse album), this young American project offer scalding hot and ritualistic black metal that gives off big Beherit vibes. The group prove that simple ideas and tight performances can go a long way, with the warm surging riffs and big chunky rhythms practically forcing heads to be banged. The only disappointing thing about them is that they end up being sold out of my shirt size when I try to buy one later.

After Impure, I head outside to the Power Plant stage, arriving early to get a good spot for Perdition Temple. The band is the brainchild of guitarist Gene Palubicki, who has had several cool projects over the years but is probably best known for his work in Angelcorpse. As a big fan of his, I’m looking forward to Perdition Temple’s blackened death metal assault. When they take the stage and launch into “Nemesis Obsecration,” I can’t help but bang my fist to Gene’s dexterous fretwork, scalding tremolo lines, and lightning-quick tempo shifts. Unlike previous times I’ve seen Perdition Temple, Gene and main vocalist Alex Blume (of Ares Kingdom fame) trade off on vocals this time, subjecting the audience to a dual vocal attack that only makes the pummeling blast beats and relentless riffing that much more chaotic and enjoyable. By the set’s end, I only wish the band had been given more time to play.

Once they finish, I head into Rams Head to cool off and take a breather before Norwegian thrash metal maniacs Deathhammer take the stage. Once they do, it’s only seconds into their first song before the group whip the crowd into a total fucking frenzy. The band sound frantic and unhinged, with random wild screeches and quick power chords generating one of the fastest pits I’ve seen yet. My head is banging faster and faster, and before I know it, I’m in the pit myself, running in circles and pumping my fists in the air like a madman. “This one’s for the man downstairs,” says vocalist and guitarist Sergeant Salsten, introducing the song “Satan Is Back.” That sentence turns out to be one of the only bits of banter I’m able to understand from Mr. Salsten for their entire set. I’m not sure if it’s a language barrier thing or an alcohol intoxication thing, but the man sounds like he’s slurring his words into an unintelligible mess in between songs. Fortunately, their playing is on point, and I gladly join in screaming along to “Fullmoon Sorcery” as I continue bumping into fellow moshers. Being in my mid-30s, I didn’t think anything would be able to bring me out of mosh pit retirement, but Deathhammer managed to do it.

Following their set, I join the mass migration of thrash fiends heading to Market Place to catch Canadian thrash metal institution Sacrifice. While they seem solid, I’m still catching my breath from Deathhammer. Maybe for that reason, one of my favorite songs they play is the title track from Soldiers of Misfortune, which offers a welcome respite with its cleanly picked intro and relatively slower tempos. Once they’re done, I head into Soundstage to check out the powerviolence band Lack of Interest, whose name more or less captures how I end up feeling about them. I like their energy level and the constipated lumberjack vocals, but not much else about them stands out to me.

Afterwards, I head back out to Market Place for the festival’s premiere band: Dismember. After it was announced last-minute that they were unable to play the 2022 Deathfest as planned, excitement for these Swedish death metal gods seems to be at fever pitch this year. The Market Place area is packed even though it’s begun raining and increasingly ominous clouds are looming overhead. Fortunately, the weather isn’t bad enough to cause a cancelation or delay, and the band come out with a ferocious amount of energy. Unfortunately, their live mix ends up sounding quite muddy, which could admittedly be due to where I’m standing. Nonetheless, the sound isn’t unlistenable, and the group’s songs are strong enough to shine through regardless. They do a great job picking stylistically diverse tracks from all over their catalog, from the essential “Override of the Overture” to the groovy “Skinfather” to the melodic “Tragedy of the Faithful” to the bludgeoning “Europa Burns.” The closing one-two punch of “Dreaming in Red” and “Life – Another Shape of Sorrow” hits particularly hard.

Spectral Voice and Soilent Green are both great bands, and both happen to be playing on other stages after Dismember finishes. But it’s late, I’m getting tired, and all I want is to sit down somewhere and eat a cheeseburger. I decide to do just that. Unfortunately, my cheeseburger isn’t ready until seconds before Beheaded take the stage, and I find myself rushing into Soundstage and shoveling ground beef into my mouth right as the Maltese death metal band start their first song. While their most recent record didn’t generate high marks around here, there’s something to be said for well-executed, prefix-less death metal. That’s exactly what Beheaded provide. They play tight, blasting music with plenty of potent riffs that get the crowd going nuts. I love the occasional epic edge of their riffing and how the band are both technical and brutal while still delivering pretty digestible songwriting. Maybe I’m just easy to please when it comes to death metal, but I enjoy their set a lot.

After they finish, Soundstage gets even more crowded for the night’s final band: Spanish goregrind wackos Haemorrhage. Several members dressed in medical scrubs play an instrumental opening before vocalist Lugubrious emerges, crazy-eyed and soaked in (hopefully) fake blood. From there, the venue goes berserk. Between the grimy riffs, pounding blast beats, and staccato rhythms, the band generate one of the craziest crowd responses I’ve seen so far. Glow sticks and beach balls are tossed overhead, while the mosh pit looks like a battle scene from The Lord of the Rings. Meanwhile, crowd surfers and stage divers are everywhere. Amidst it all, the songs themselves feature a surprising amount of variety, and I gleefully bang my head for almost the entirety of their 50-minute set.

As the smiling crowd shuffles out afterward, I check the Deathfest Facebook group to see the latest on the flatulence situation. Things have become dire, it seems. Reports indicate that the farts have not subsided, with some even stating that they had to leave certain venues due to the smells. Were these mere exaggerations? Or were these tales true? And what would the next day hold?

Sunday

My bedroom smells like somebody shoved a rotten egg up their ass and then shat it out in a salt marsh at low tide. I briefly thank whatever higher power may exist that my wife is on a business trip this week, as I couldn’t bear to deal with her chastising me over my gas right now. Feeling exhausted after standing for three days straight, I manage to pull myself out of bed and make the final trip into Baltimore.

It turns out to be a funny sight in the parking garage, as several groups are sitting or standing around sipping beers like a 2024 version of Heavy Metal Parking Lot. I chuckle as I head to Market Place to catch the day’s first band, Chilean thrash metal group Ripper. While the rest of the audience seems to love their extreme take on thrash metal, there’s a bit too much noodling bass guitar for me. I head to Rams Head partway through their set to catch a thrashy band that’s a little more up my alley: Daeva.

While I’ve seen Daeva at an earlier Deathfest, this is the first time I’ve seen them since they released their Through Sheer Will and Black Magic debut in 2022. Since last time, their songs and performances have only gotten better. The Philadelphia group deliver manic blackened thrash that pulls heavily from fast-as-fuck approach of Absu. Today, they have loads of energy, with vocalist Edward Gonet gesticulating wildly over the crowd while the guitars veer madly between frantic thrash riffs, swift chugs, and epic blackened moments. It’s an awesome set that inspires me to pick up a CD from their merch booth later.

After Daeva, I head back to Market Place and catch a few minutes of Artificial Brain, whose strange and warped riffing provides a nice counterpoint to the more traditional approach of most of the bands I’ve been watching. Following their set, I grab a crab cake sandwich meal and notice that the fries seem to taste like the porta potties smell. Or maybe, I’m just tasting my own dirty fingers. In any case, I’m glad I still have a few sick days left at work.

With my meal finished, I remain at Market Place for Primordial. While I haven’t listened to this Irish metal band in years, it’s only moments into their performance that I remember how captivating they can be. That’s just as true live as on record, as frontman A.A. Nemtheanga has the most commanding stage presence of any musician I’ve seen at the festival so far. Coming onstage with white face paint, a noose draped around his neck, and a resolute look on his face, he immediately draws in the audience with his forlorn singing and lyrics of historic struggles. Songs like “The Coffin Ships” hit all the harder knowing that the track is about the tragic past of his own country. The pounding drums and grandiose riffs only add to the drama, and by the time the group closes with “Empire Falls,” most of the crowd joins together in screaming the chorus. Even if their recent albums haven’t quite been met with acclaim, their live show makes clear that Primordial is a band that offers something truly special.

After Primordial, I dip back into Soundstage to check out the French goregrind band Blue Holocaust. I know nothing about this group, but catching a band that’s new to me seems more appealing than watching the other artists playing right now. As the group starts, I quickly become happy with my decision. The bespectacled vocalist betrays his slightly nerdy appearance with a monstrous gurgle that perfectly complements the band’s pummeling approach. While the music is suitably nasty and brutal, there are still plenty of tempo shifts and discernible riffs to keep the crowd hooked. Judging by the screams from the audience, the rest of the crowd seemed to enjoy their set just as much as me.

I leave Soundstage afterward and walk into what feels like an outdoor party. The Market Place area has become an ocean of people, with beach balls flying overhead and Abbath’s epic riffs blaring throughout the block. It’s a cool sight, but I choose to leave for Rams Head after a few minutes to get a good spot for Grave Miasma.

With most festival attendees apparently watching Abbath, Rams Head feels like a cool empty cavern. I snag a prime balcony spot and hang out a bit before Grave Miasma starts. Once they do, I’m thoroughly engaged. This English death metal group sound like a black force of nature that moves relentlessly forward and chokes out all sense of hope and life. The guitars are thick, and the overall sound is cavernous yet riffy. The drums are also just as tight live as they are on record, shifting deftly between blast beats and driving rhythms. After watching their set, I’m all the happier that I managed to pick up one of their shirts earlier in the day.

With no bands scheduled at Rams Head or Power Plant for over an hour after Grave Miasma finish, I once again go back across the street to the Market Place area. Once there, I head into Soundstage to watch the powerviolence duo Iron Lung. Even though they’re scheduled at the same time as Mayhem, the group seem to take it all in stride. “Thanks for coming to the fest, guys,” their drummer and vocalist says, “and sorry you had to pay such an exorbitant ticket price just to see us.”

Once they start, the performance is an utter assault. Somehow having the drummer perform vocals makes the whole thing feel more intense, and something about his battering drumming feels downright violent. The crowd eats it up. The mosh pit is vicious, and several participants began whipping each other with what look like inflatable pool toys. While I’m not a big powerviolence guy, the duo’s raw energy is infectious. Just watching them makes me feel reinvigorated.

Rather than stay to see the last few minutes of Mayhem after Iron Lung finish, I instead scurry back across the road to catch Bloodbath at the Power Plant stage. The group sound good, but I choose to only stick around for a few songs before heading into Rams Head to see Archgoat. Once inside, I take a spot on the main level, just on the outskirts of where I think the mosh pit will form. I gaze at the massive logo projected over the stage and feel like something big is about to happen.

That feeling turns out to be correct. The Finnish bestial black metal trio take their places on the stage and look utterly imposing, like they’re about to subject the audience to some sort of grand ritual. Suddenly, their ragged riffing kicks in, and I’m immediately drenched by some sort of sugary drink that’s thrown on my head from the balcony above. The crowd loses their goddamn minds. A merciless mosh pit forms right in front of me as Archgoat’s hammering blast beats and deep demonic croaks engulf the venue. I see a muscular dude level someone half his size, while other people in the pit appear to have no regard whatsoever for whether they’re running into people who aren’t trying to mosh. Meanwhile, the person behind me is jamming their arm uncomfortably into my back even though I’m standing on the edge of the pit and just trying to survive.

Suddenly, something changes within me. After four days of carelessly eating shitty food, my intestinal gas has ripened to the point where I can no longer contain it within me while in public. I feel my insides gurgle as I struggle in vain to prevent the release. Finally, I can bear it no longer. The mosh pit is twirling rapidly, and with each strike of a person against me, a gas bubble bursts from my backside and into the crowd behind me. No matter how many bubbles are expelled, it seems that more are always waiting to be dislodged the next time I’m bumped by someone. I may have let some slip in previous days, but a mass release like this is entirely unprecedented. The moment, it seems, has finally come. Maryland Fartfest is being consummated.

Unfortunately, the smell is not enough to stop the person behind me from jamming their arm into my back. I quickly come up with a plan. I notice two heavy guys collide with each other and start barreling together in my direction. Thinking fast, I take a quick step forward and immediately turn around to see them crash into the side of the pit, forming a crater in the crowd right where I stood a moment before. The arm-jabber is no more. I briefly wonder if what I did was a dick move before karma strikes in the form of a 200-pound man ramming into my left shoulder. I know at once I deserve it.

I shake it off and perk up as I hear the squealing intro of “Messiah of Pigs” start playing. For the rest of the set, my fist is in the air, pounding to the battering rhythms of tracks like “Darkness Has Returned” and “Hammer of Satan.” As the final cries of “Hail Satan!” echo throughout Rams Head, I realize just how much I’ve enjoyed the wild ride.

Then, reality sets in. It’s after midnight, and I’m tired, smelly, and sticky. When the band leave the stage, I retreat to the balcony and catch my breath for the final band of the festival: Mortuary Drape. Like Archgoat, this classic Italian black metal group have a strong ritualistic vibe, but the performance feels more occult and less violent. The entire band is clad in cloaks, and vocalist “Wilderness Perversion” performs over a makeshift altar that makes him appear like he’s delivering a bizarre sermon. The group’s chunky black metal riffs and surprisingly melodic lead guitars make for an enthralling and mystical end to four days of craziness.

When the band finishes, everyone somehow still seems to have plenty of energy as we filter out onto the Baltimore sidewalk. I walk by the Power Plant complex and see mostly empty, rain-soaked streets where the merch village once stood. It’s almost as if the entire festival was a bizarre dream. Exhausted yet thoroughly satisfied, I make my way to my car and start my final drive home.

Conclusion

I’ve attended many festivals over the years, and I can safely say that Maryland Deathfest 2024 was one of the best of them all. Almost every band I saw gave an awesome performance, the sound quality was almost always great (and in some cases, exceptional), and the sheer quality of the lineup left no shortage of great bands to see. Likewise, having all the venues within a short walk of each other was a godsend, especially for those who remember how annoying it was to walk 15 minutes to the outdoor Edison Lot stages in previous years. Most importantly, it seemed like a general air of positive energy permeated the whole experience as if everyone knew that we were all just coming here to listen to the music we love and have a great time.

The whole experience makes me so grateful that festivals like this exist, and attending this year served as a stark reminder to take advantage of seeing older bands while we can. After all, how much longer are some of these classic artists still going to be playing live? Ten more years? Fifteen? These years, I think, will be remembered as the golden age of metal—the years when many of the pioneers and classic groups are still around, playing right alongside a plethora of young hungry acts. Take advantage of this time while you can.

At least, this is what I tell myself as I click the “Check Out” button and purchase my 4-Day Pass to Maryland Deathfest 2025. It’s happening, folks—farts and all. See you fukkers there!

Author’s Note: I would like to thank Steel Druhm for allowing me to rejoin the AMG ranks after several years away, as well as the entire AMG crew for welcoming me back with open arms. This piece is dedicated to all the contributors, editors, and everyone else that makes this amazing site possible.

#Abbath #Agalloch #Ahab #Archgoat #ArtificialBrain #AuraNoir #Avulsed #Beheaded #Bloodbath #BlueHolocaust #Brodequin #BrokenHope #ChtheIlist #Daeva #Deathhammer #DefeatedSanity #Depulsed #Derkéta #Dismember #EntrailAsphyxiation #Esoteric #Fossilization #GraveMiasma #Haemorrhage #Impure #IronLung #Kontusion #LackOfInterest #MortaSkuld #MortuaryDrape #PerditionTemple #Primordial #Ripper #Sacrifice #SiegeColumn #Sodom #WeekendNachos

The Maryland Deathfest Chronicles

By Mark Z.

Sup fukkers! I’m back, having spent the last few years getting a law degree, trying to land a job, and settling into married life. But through it all, I haven’t lost sight of what’s truly important. I still buy records. I still go to shows. I still have a burning desire to blast Impiety so fukkin loud that my skull implodes and my internal organs turn into a thick pink paste that probably looks like the stuff chicken nuggets are made from. And what better way to prove that the metalized blood still flows through my veins than by providing you with a live report of the most brutal festival this side of the Atlantic—Maryland Deathfest?

Held over Memorial Day weekend in downtown Baltimore, Maryland Deathfest is arguably the premiere underground metal festival in the United States. The four‑day event welcomes dozens of bands from all over the extreme metal spectrum and beyond, including styles like grindcore and hardcore punk. While the fest has taken place almost every year since 2003, this year’s edition was particularly special, as there was a very real possibility it was never going to happen. After the 2020 and 2021 editions were canceled due to the pandemic, the 2022 edition proved to be a logistical nightmare for festival organizers Ryan Taylor and Evan Harting, with visa issues and other challenges causing the two to announce that they needed some time off. As a result, they stated that there would be no 2023 edition and that there might never be another edition at all.

Fortunately, Ryan and Evan decided to continue the fest, leading to a 2024 edition that was absolutely stacked with great bands. Dismember, Sodom, Primordial, Aura Noir, and Archgoat were just a few of the groups I was excited to see, and even with the unfortunate cancellations of groups like My Dying Bride and Coffins, having Agalloch and Morta Skuld as replacements definitely softened the blow. With my time off from work confirmed and my metal shirts freshly laundered, I mentally prepared myself for four days of blast beats, moshing, and other heavy metal mayhem!

If only I knew what awaited me.

Thursday

As the morning light pours into my bedroom, I make a mental note to drink a Red Bull at some point today. I’ve slept like crap, probably due to a combination of being excited for the festival, having a stuffy bedroom, and being constantly awakened by a 55-pound pit bull that insisted on plopping her entire body onto my side of the bed. Fortunately, I now live only a 30-minute drive from downtown Baltimore, so I don’t have to worry about catching a flight or paying an exorbitant price for a hotel. Unfortunately, this means I’ll have to suffer through the I-95 traffic that has only gotten worse with the recent Key Bridge collapse.

After taking a strange detour to avoid an accident (and almost getting into one myself), I arrive in Baltimore. The sun is bright, small groups of people in black shirts are walking around, and the air feels electric with anticipation. While I’m a bit bummed that I’m attending by myself this year, it’s still hard not to be excited.

I get my wristband and head to Baltimore Soundstage for the festival’s first band: Depulsed. Even though the sole release of this Las Vegas brutal death metal group is a 2019 demo that contains just one song, the venue is surprisingly crowded—probably full of people who, like me, couldn’t get a ticket to last night’s Pre‑Fest and are eager to finally hear some live metal. Fortunately, this quartet don’t disappoint, as their destructive grooves and occasionally atypical riffing make for a rousing start to the festivities. It’s clear the band is having a great time, too, and there’s plenty of headbanging all around.

When Depulsed finishes, I go across the street to Rams Head Live!, the festival’s main other indoor venue. While Soundstage is a pretty traditional midsized venue, Rams Head is an open‑concept, multi‑level nightclub with a large raised stage as its focal point. Once inside, I snag a prime upper‑level spot for the evening’s next band: Fossilization. This Brazilian doom-death metal group sent some shockwaves through the underground last year with their Leprous Daylight debut, and their live performance is equally captivating. The group use lots of tight and hammering blast beats, and it seems the “doom” in their sound comes primarily from the monolithic heaviness of their guitars rather than their scattered moments of slower tempos. With an imposing stage presence and growls so deep that they shake the floor of the balcony I’m standing on, their performance is one to remember.

I’m not particularly interested in the brutal death metal at Soundstage tonight, so I decide to stick around Rams Head. I realize this is a good call as soon as Pittsburgh doom-death metal quartet Derkéta begin playing. Formed in 1988 and considered to be the first all-female death metal band (though today they have a male drummer), the group keep heads bobbing with assertive chugs and massive riffs that sound like Black Sabbath with a mound of graveyard dirt dropped on top. The live mix in the venue seems especially clear and powerful tonight, and apparently, I’m not the only one who notices. Between songs, frontwoman Sharon Bascovsky takes time to compliment the venue’s sound engineer before kicking back in with more hefty riffs and reverberating growls.

Deviating from the doom theme, Canadian weirdos Chthe’ilist are up next. While I wasn’t particularly excited for their Demilich‑influenced death metal, the group play like this is the only performance that has ever mattered. They sound warped, alien, and impossibly tight as if they’ve perfected a style of death metal that independently evolved in another dimension. Meanwhile, their vocalist has a wild‑eyed expression that makes him look like he’s just returned from that dimension and is attempting to describe it to the audience through a series of shrieks, croaks, and everything in between. With lots of onstage energy and an endless onslaught of strange yet catchy riffs, the band quickly inspire a wild mosh pit. If anyone knew how to pronounce the band’s name, I’m sure they’d be chanting it between songs.

Sadly, the first sign of trouble emerges during their set. About three‑fourths of the way through, I find myself within the blast radius of a miasmatic eruption of flatulence that smells like a mix of raw sewage and rotting meat. When the band finishes and the smell clears, I learn from the Maryland Deathfest Facebook group that such occurrences seem to be particularly prevalent at this year’s festival. Some theorize the new taco place is to blame. Others claim that body odor, rather than gas, may be the true cause of the smells. I realize then that I may have let one or two of my own expulsions squeak out in the heat of the moment, and I wonder how much I contributed to what others are experiencing.

But there’s no time to dwell on such matters, as Morta Skuld soon come onstage. With the unfortunate last‑minute cancellation of Coffins, this Wisconsin death metal institution stepped up to the plate as replacements. Like Chthe’ilist, Morta Skuld wasn’t a band I was particularly excited for, but my attitude quickly changes. With meaty riffs, catchy chugs, and the forceful yet intelligible vocals of frontman Dave Gregor, the band sound gigantic and utterly commanding. The crowd pulsates to the rhythms as the band tear through cuts from their 1993 debut Dying Remains and this year’s Creation Undone. Their set ends up being an utter blast and one of my overall favorites from the festival.

After Morta Skuld, I head outside to the Power Plant stage, the only outdoor venue open today. The stage is located just outside of Rams Head in the Power Plant Live! complex, which is a multi-level outdoor entertainment area consisting mostly of bars and restaurants. The Power Plant stage itself is located in the back of the complex at the end of a somewhat narrow corridor. The feature band out here tonight is German thrash legends Sodom, who are playing the entirety of their 1989 classic Agent Orange album. No one could say it’s a bad performance, but I have a tough time staying engaged being so far from the stage and constantly having to deal with people squeezing past me. After “Baptism of Fire,” I decide not to stick around for their encore and head back into Rams Head.

I snag another balcony spot for U.K. funeral doom band Esoteric, who provide a great break from the faster bands I’ve watched. While I’m not much of a doom guy, I discovered Esoteric very early in my metal journey and have always had a soft spot for them. In a live setting, the group is utterly entrancing. A trippy video backdrop plays as the band open with the cleanly picked intro of “Circle,” the first song from the group’s 2008 opus The Maniacal Vale. Once the distortion hits, the guitars envelop the room with a sense of heaviness that sounds like tectonic plates shifting. The group’s atmosphere is so dense you can taste it, and the wailing guitar leads conjure huge climaxes between the doomy trudges and anguished roars. It’s a terrific and mesmerizing performance.

Once Esoteric finishes, I trudge back over to Soundstage to catch the final band of the night: Chicago death metal legends Broken Hope. The group are already about halfway through their set by the time I arrive, and the packed venue is absolutely loving it. Crunchy riffs, punchy grooves, and violent blasts have created a human maelstrom in the center of the venue that seems to be growing stronger with each passing song. Guitarist and sole original member Jeremy Wagner thanks the crowd for their support before the band conclude their set with some especially brutal cuts from their 1991 debut Swamped in Gore. The set is so fun, that I almost want to stick around just to chat with people after it’s over. But it’s late, I’m tired, and my balls feel like they need a good wash. I drive home and go to bed.

Friday

I wake up and finally wash my balls. After once again fighting through traffic to get to Baltimore, I head to Soundstage to catch Kontusion. Though this group’s only release is a short demo, their members bring experience playing in bands from all over the Mid-Atlantic. Perhaps because of that experience, the group’s live performance is powerful and tight, with the band offering up belligerent and bludgeoning death metal that manages to be cavernous yet aggressive. For a band I had no expectations for, they definitely leave an impression.

As an added plus, they even have the courtesy of finishing a few minutes early so I don’t have to miss any of Defeated Sanity’s set. The German brutal death metal group are playing right outside of Soundstage on the Market Place stage, which has just opened today and is a new feature at the fest this year. Borrowing the idea from last year’s Hell in the Harbor festival, the Deathfest organizers opted to fence off an entire city block just outside of Soundstage and use the space to set up an outdoor stage, a merch tent, and a bunch of bars and food vendors. What’s most amusing about the setup, however, is that a narrow pedestrian walkway allows unsuspecting members of the public to still pass down the block and be subjected to whatever vile noise happens to be emanating from the Market Place stage at the time. I glance over to see families with kids walking by in bewilderment, their peaceful Friday stroll ruined by Defeated Sanity’s ear-rupturing slams and sewer monster gurgles. I chuckle to myself and proceed to bob my head to the band’s fun set of intricate riffs, stringy bass guitar, and devastating grooves.

I stick around Market Place for Aura Noir, who unfortunately start a bit later than expected. Once they get going, however, the Norwegian group’s trebly black-thrash metal quickly inspires a wild circle pit and several crowd surfers. I would have preferred it if they played a few less deep cuts (and a few more songs from Black Thrash Attack), but the group still offer plenty of good fist-raisers like “The Stalker” and “Condor.” “We’re the ugliest band in the world!” proclaims bassist and vocalist Apollyon as he looks over the crowd with his permanent sneer.

At this point, the late afternoon sun is beating down on me, and I’m sweating so much that my groin is about to become a government-designated wetland. Once Aura Noir finishes, I dip inside Soundstage to cool off and catch New Jersey death metal troupe Siege Column. Due to Aura Noir’s late start, Siege Column is already partially through their set, and I’m utterly confused by the scene I walk into. On record, Siege Column almost sound like a war metal band. Yet here, the group appear to forgo any spiked gauntlets or bullet belts and instead opt for a bright and colorful backdrop, with two of the four members wearing Ray Ban-style sunglasses. It’s odd at first, but somehow the aesthetic works. It’s like stepping into an alternate reality where war metal evolved in the early 80s and somehow became the music of choice for boardwalk arcades on the Jersey Shore. Looks aside, the group’s performance is an utter assault. The band sound like a grenade launcher being fired at the audience, with whiffs of Bolt Thrower apparent in their blaring and stompy riffing. “That was fucking awesome,” says a random guy next to me when their set is over. I’m inclined to agree.

Having cooled off enough for my groin to narrowly avoid the jurisdiction of the Clean Water Act, I take some time to get some food and browse the Maryland Deathfest Facebook group. The farting, it seems, has not subsided today, and some contend that it has actually grown worse. One person has unofficially dubbed the festival “Maryland Fartfest.” As I’m reading this, I realize that I’m halfway through eating a piece of pizza topped with mozzarella sticks and did not bring my Lactaid pills with me. Maryland Fartfest, it seems, is just getting started.

But the flatulence is not here yet. I finish my food and head across the street to the Power Plant complex, where a village of merch vendors are set up and peddling shirts, banners, vinyl, leather, and everything else a metalhead could desire. I take some time to peruse the selections before heading to Angels Rock Bar, a cozy upstairs establishment in the Power Plant complex. Angels Rock Bar is very much the “bonus venue” of the festival, with the small establishment featuring mostly local metal bands. As I enter the dimly lit bar, I see it’s lined with people who are hunched over and looking like they’ve never given a fuck about anything in their entire life.

It’s a perfect setting for some brutal death metal. Entrail Asphyxiation are a young Maryland band, and I’m not just referring to their formation date. As the group are doing their sound check, I notice that none of the members appear to be older than twenty. “Alright, let’s hear the drum triggers,” says the sound engineer. “He doesn’t use triggers,” says the band’s bassist. It turns out, the drummer doesn’t use triggers because he doesn’t need them. Despite their age, Entrail Asphyxiation sound like seasoned veterans, delivering a tight as fuck performance that people go absolutely apeshit over. As the fat guitars and bass break in, the set takes on the vibe of a sweaty basement show, with the front of the crowd whipping around like they’re trapped in a blender. The vocalist offers some unusual tortured shrieks and gets a few chuckles as she introduces a Mortician cover by saying, “If you know the words sing along—because I don’t.” Their set ends up being one of the most fun performances of the night.

Coming off that high, I head back over to Market Place for Agalloch. As a band whose first three records are easily on my list of Top 25 favorite albums of all time, this Oregon atmospheric metal group are one of the bands I’m looking forward to the most. I haven’t seen them since 2012, and I’m especially excited to see them tonight given that this is their first East Coast show since reforming last year. Fortunately, they don’t disappoint. As the wailing ambiance of “Limbs” begins their set, I’m instantly transported back to being a college freshman and having lyrics from Ashes Against the Grain stuck in my head while jogging in the dense woods around campus. By the time that track’s accelerating drumbeat hits just a few minutes later, I’m broken and totally given over to whatever the band have to offer. The set ends up pulling from all eras of their discography, with many selections from Ashes Against the Grain. While John Haughm’s vocals are a little loud in the mix, I love the fact that they actually seem to play all their clean guitar parts rather than relying on samples.

As the performance continues, their elegant and ethereal sound becomes transcendent. In front of me, I see a group of people I’ve seen at festivals before, laughing and chatting with each other while the beautiful leads of “Falling Snow” play in the background. I suddenly feel stupid standing here by myself, wearing a poorly made battle vest and a Bewitcher shirt that’s too small for me. As the final guitar lines of “Bloodbirds” echo throughout downtown Baltimore, I feel like I’m trying to swallow an apple whole.

When the set ends, I blink rapidly a few times before walking back across the street to see Ahab on the Power Plant stage. The German funeral doom band’s nautical theme is present in full force with their stage backdrop, which looks like a scene from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. As they begin playing, their guitars sound crisp and immense, though the group don’t feel quite as atmospheric as I would have expected. Nonetheless, frontman Daniel Droste does an outstanding job on vocals, excelling at both his mighty growls and crooning clean singing. The band are proficient players and feel like they carry the full crushing force of the abyssal zone with them. By the time they hit that chunky break midway through “Old Thunder,” I’m thoroughly impressed.

Still, it’s getting late, I’m growing weary, and I can feel an ominous pressure building in my intestines. But the night isn’t over yet. I head back to Soundstage, where Tennessee brutal death metal troupe Brodequin are in the middle of bashing in skulls with their barrage of blast beats, slammy grooves, and militant riffing. After the group finish, there’s a short break before the recently reunited Weekend Nachos take the stage. Coming out to the Mortal Kombat theme song, people seem pumped for them, and their vocalist has huge amounts of energy as he jumps around and invites people to talk with him about the upcoming Mortal Kombat movie in between songs. I’m admittedly not super familiar with Weekend Nachos, and while I feel as though I should love any band that mixes powerviolence and sludge, I don’t find their music very interesting at all. It probably doesn’t help that I’m tired and my feet hurt. When their set ends, I go home and fall asleep immediately.

Saturday

BRRRRRRRTTTTTTTTTT. The first fart of the day echoes through my bedroom, almost certainly the result of my failure to take a Lactaid during yesterday’s lunch. Fortunately, the foul smell only makes it easier to pull myself out of bed and start my drive, which isn’t nearly as bad as the past two days. Upon arrival, I head to Market Place to see the old school Spanish death metal band Avulsed. While I’m not familiar with them, their catchy tremolo runs and combative riffing make for a great start to the day, even inspiring the first wall of death I’ve seen at the fest so far.

I leave a bit early to see Impure over at Rams Head. With a backdrop featuring Jesus hanging from a noose (pulled from the artwork of their Satan’s Eclipse album), this young American project offer scalding hot and ritualistic black metal that gives off big Beherit vibes. The group prove that simple ideas and tight performances can go a long way, with the warm surging riffs and big chunky rhythms practically forcing heads to be banged. The only disappointing thing about them is that they end up being sold out of my shirt size when I try to buy one later.

After Impure, I head outside to the Power Plant stage, arriving early to get a good spot for Perdition Temple. The band is the brainchild of guitarist Gene Palubicki, who has had several cool projects over the years but is probably best known for his work in Angelcorpse. As a big fan of his, I’m looking forward to Perdition Temple’s blackened death metal assault. When they take the stage and launch into “Nemesis Obsecration,” I can’t help but bang my fist to Gene’s dexterous fretwork, scalding tremolo lines, and lightning-quick tempo shifts. Unlike previous times I’ve seen Perdition Temple, Gene and main vocalist Alex Blume (of Ares Kingdom fame) trade off on vocals this time, subjecting the audience to a dual vocal attack that only makes the pummeling blast beats and relentless riffing that much more chaotic and enjoyable. By the set’s end, I only wish the band had been given more time to play.

Once they finish, I head into Rams Head to cool off and take a breather before Norwegian thrash metal maniacs Deathhammer take the stage. Once they do, it’s only seconds into their first song before the group whip the crowd into a total fucking frenzy. The band sound frantic and unhinged, with random wild screeches and quick power chords generating one of the fastest pits I’ve seen yet. My head is banging faster and faster, and before I know it, I’m in the pit myself, running in circles and pumping my fists in the air like a madman. “This one’s for the man downstairs,” says vocalist and guitarist Sergeant Salsten, introducing the song “Satan Is Back.” That sentence turns out to be one of the only bits of banter I’m able to understand from Mr. Salsten for their entire set. I’m not sure if it’s a language barrier thing or an alcohol intoxication thing, but the man sounds like he’s slurring his words into an unintelligible mess in between songs. Fortunately, their playing is on point, and I gladly join in screaming along to “Fullmoon Sorcery” as I continue bumping into fellow moshers. Being in my mid-30s, I didn’t think anything would be able to bring me out of mosh pit retirement, but Deathhammer managed to do it.

Following their set, I join the mass migration of thrash fiends heading to Market Place to catch Canadian thrash metal institution Sacrifice. While they seem solid, I’m still catching my breath from Deathhammer. Maybe for that reason, one of my favorite songs they play is the title track from Soldiers of Misfortune, which offers a welcome respite with its cleanly picked intro and relatively slower tempos. Once they’re done, I head into Soundstage to check out the powerviolence band Lack of Interest, whose name more or less captures how I end up feeling about them. I like their energy level and the constipated lumberjack vocals, but not much else about them stands out to me.

Afterwards, I head back out to Market Place for the festival’s premiere band: Dismember. After it was announced last-minute that they were unable to play the 2022 Deathfest as planned, excitement for these Swedish death metal gods seems to be at fever pitch this year. The Market Place area is packed even though it’s begun raining and increasingly ominous clouds are looming overhead. Fortunately, the weather isn’t bad enough to cause a cancelation or delay, and the band come out with a ferocious amount of energy. Unfortunately, their live mix ends up sounding quite muddy, which could admittedly be due to where I’m standing. Nonetheless, the sound isn’t unlistenable, and the group’s songs are strong enough to shine through regardless. They do a great job picking stylistically diverse tracks from all over their catalog, from the essential “Override of the Overture” to the groovy “Skinfather” to the melodic “Tragedy of the Faithful” to the bludgeoning “Europa Burns.” The closing one-two punch of “Dreaming in Red” and “Life – Another Shape of Sorrow” hits particularly hard.

Spectral Voice and Soilent Green are both great bands, and both happen to be playing on other stages after Dismember finishes. But it’s late, I’m getting tired, and all I want is to sit down somewhere and eat a cheeseburger. I decide to do just that. Unfortunately, my cheeseburger isn’t ready until seconds before Beheaded take the stage, and I find myself rushing into Soundstage and shoveling ground beef into my mouth right as the Maltese death metal band start their first song. While their most recent record didn’t generate high marks around here, there’s something to be said for well-executed, prefix-less death metal. That’s exactly what Beheaded provide. They play tight, blasting music with plenty of potent riffs that get the crowd going nuts. I love the occasional epic edge of their riffing and how the band are both technical and brutal while still delivering pretty digestible songwriting. Maybe I’m just easy to please when it comes to death metal, but I enjoy their set a lot.

After they finish, Soundstage gets even more crowded for the night’s final band: Spanish goregrind wackos Haemorrhage. Several members dressed in medical scrubs play an instrumental opening before vocalist Lugubrious emerges, crazy-eyed and soaked in (hopefully) fake blood. From there, the venue goes berserk. Between the grimy riffs, pounding blast beats, and staccato rhythms, the band generate one of the craziest crowd responses I’ve seen so far. Glow sticks and beach balls are tossed overhead, while the mosh pit looks like a battle scene from The Lord of the Rings. Meanwhile, crowd surfers and stage divers are everywhere. Amidst it all, the songs themselves feature a surprising amount of variety, and I gleefully bang my head for almost the entirety of their 50-minute set.

As the smiling crowd shuffles out afterward, I check the Deathfest Facebook group to see the latest on the flatulence situation. Things have become dire, it seems. Reports indicate that the farts have not subsided, with some even stating that they had to leave certain venues due to the smells. Were these mere exaggerations? Or were these tales true? And what would the next day hold?

Sunday

My bedroom smells like somebody shoved a rotten egg up their ass and then shat it out in a salt marsh at low tide. I briefly thank whatever higher power may exist that my wife is on a business trip this week, as I couldn’t bear to deal with her chastising me over my gas right now. Feeling exhausted after standing for three days straight, I manage to pull myself out of bed and make the final trip into Baltimore.

It turns out to be a funny sight in the parking garage, as several groups are sitting or standing around sipping beers like a 2024 version of Heavy Metal Parking Lot. I chuckle as I head to Market Place to catch the day’s first band, Chilean thrash metal group Ripper. While the rest of the audience seems to love their extreme take on thrash metal, there’s a bit too much noodling bass guitar for me. I head to Rams Head partway through their set to catch a thrashy band that’s a little more up my alley: Daeva.

While I’ve seen Daeva at an earlier Deathfest, this is the first time I’ve seen them since they released their Through Sheer Will and Black Magic debut in 2022. Since last time, their songs and performances have only gotten better. The Philadelphia group deliver manic blackened thrash that pulls heavily from fast-as-fuck approach of Absu. Today, they have loads of energy, with vocalist Edward Gonet gesticulating wildly over the crowd while the guitars veer madly between frantic thrash riffs, swift chugs, and epic blackened moments. It’s an awesome set that inspires me to pick up a CD from their merch booth later.

After Daeva, I head back to Market Place and catch a few minutes of Artificial Brain, whose strange and warped riffing provides a nice counterpoint to the more traditional approach of most of the bands I’ve been watching. Following their set, I grab a crab cake sandwich meal and notice that the fries seem to taste like the porta potties smell. Or maybe, I’m just tasting my own dirty fingers. In any case, I’m glad I still have a few sick days left at work.

With my meal finished, I remain at Market Place for Primordial. While I haven’t listened to this Irish metal band in years, it’s only moments into their performance that I remember how captivating they can be. That’s just as true live as on record, as frontman A.A. Nemtheanga has the most commanding stage presence of any musician I’ve seen at the festival so far. Coming onstage with white face paint, a noose draped around his neck, and a resolute look on his face, he immediately draws in the audience with his forlorn singing and lyrics of historic struggles. Songs like “The Coffin Ships” hit all the harder knowing that the track is about the tragic past of his own country. The pounding drums and grandiose riffs only add to the drama, and by the time the group closes with “Empire Falls,” most of the crowd joins together in screaming the chorus. Even if their recent albums haven’t quite been met with acclaim, their live show makes clear that Primordial is a band that offers something truly special.

After Primordial, I dip back into Soundstage to check out the French goregrind band Blue Holocaust. I know nothing about this group, but catching a band that’s new to me seems more appealing than watching the other artists playing right now. As the group starts, I quickly become happy with my decision. The bespectacled vocalist betrays his slightly nerdy appearance with a monstrous gurgle that perfectly complements the band’s pummeling approach. While the music is suitably nasty and brutal, there are still plenty of tempo shifts and discernible riffs to keep the crowd hooked. Judging by the screams from the audience, the rest of the crowd seemed to enjoy their set just as much as me.

I leave Soundstage afterward and walk into what feels like an outdoor party. The Market Place area has become an ocean of people, with beach balls flying overhead and Abbath’s epic riffs blaring throughout the block. It’s a cool sight, but I choose to leave for Rams Head after a few minutes to get a good spot for Grave Miasma.

With most festival attendees apparently watching Abbath, Rams Head feels like a cool empty cavern. I snag a prime balcony spot and hang out a bit before Grave Miasma starts. Once they do, I’m thoroughly engaged. This English death metal group sound like a black force of nature that moves relentlessly forward and chokes out all sense of hope and life. The guitars are thick, and the overall sound is cavernous yet riffy. The drums are also just as tight live as they are on record, shifting deftly between blast beats and driving rhythms. After watching their set, I’m all the happier that I managed to pick up one of their shirts earlier in the day.

With no bands scheduled at Rams Head or Power Plant for over an hour after Grave Miasma finish, I once again go back across the street to the Market Place area. Once there, I head into Soundstage to watch the powerviolence duo Iron Lung. Even though they’re scheduled at the same time as Mayhem, the group seem to take it all in stride. “Thanks for coming to the fest, guys,” their drummer and vocalist says, “and sorry you had to pay such an exorbitant ticket price just to see us.”

Once they start, the performance is an utter assault. Somehow having the drummer perform vocals makes the whole thing feel more intense, and something about his battering drumming feels downright violent. The crowd eats it up. The mosh pit is vicious, and several participants began whipping each other with what look like inflatable pool toys. While I’m not a big powerviolence guy, the duo’s raw energy is infectious. Just watching them makes me feel reinvigorated.

Rather than stay to see the last few minutes of Mayhem after Iron Lung finish, I instead scurry back across the road to catch Bloodbath at the Power Plant stage. The group sound good, but I choose to only stick around for a few songs before heading into Rams Head to see Archgoat. Once inside, I take a spot on the main level, just on the outskirts of where I think the mosh pit will form. I gaze at the massive logo projected over the stage and feel like something big is about to happen.

That feeling turns out to be correct. The Finnish bestial black metal trio take their places on the stage and look utterly imposing, like they’re about to subject the audience to some sort of grand ritual. Suddenly, their ragged riffing kicks in, and I’m immediately drenched by some sort of sugary drink that’s thrown on my head from the balcony above. The crowd loses their goddamn minds. A merciless mosh pit forms right in front of me as Archgoat’s hammering blast beats and deep demonic croaks engulf the venue. I see a muscular dude level someone half his size, while other people in the pit appear to have no regard whatsoever for whether they’re running into people who aren’t trying to mosh. Meanwhile, the person behind me is jamming their arm uncomfortably into my back even though I’m standing on the edge of the pit and just trying to survive.

Suddenly, something changes within me. After four days of carelessly eating shitty food, my intestinal gas has ripened to the point where I can no longer contain it within me while in public. I feel my insides gurgle as I struggle in vain to prevent the release. Finally, I can bear it no longer. The mosh pit is twirling rapidly, and with each strike of a person against me, a gas bubble bursts from my backside and into the crowd behind me. No matter how many bubbles are expelled, it seems that more are always waiting to be dislodged the next time I’m bumped by someone. I may have let some slip in previous days, but a mass release like this is entirely unprecedented. The moment, it seems, has finally come. Maryland Fartfest is being consummated.

Unfortunately, the smell is not enough to stop the person behind me from jamming their arm into my back. I quickly come up with a plan. I notice two heavy guys collide with each other and start barreling together in my direction. Thinking fast, I take a quick step forward and immediately turn around to see them crash into the side of the pit, forming a crater in the crowd right where I stood a moment before. The arm-jabber is no more. I briefly wonder if what I did was a dick move before karma strikes in the form of a 200-pound man ramming into my left shoulder. I know at once I deserve it.

I shake it off and perk up as I hear the squealing intro of “Messiah of Pigs” start playing. For the rest of the set, my fist is in the air, pounding to the battering rhythms of tracks like “Darkness Has Returned” and “Hammer of Satan.” As the final cries of “Hail Satan!” echo throughout Rams Head, I realize just how much I’ve enjoyed the wild ride.

Then, reality sets in. It’s after midnight, and I’m tired, smelly, and sticky. When the band leave the stage, I retreat to the balcony and catch my breath for the final band of the festival: Mortuary Drape. Like Archgoat, this classic Italian black metal group have a strong ritualistic vibe, but the performance feels more occult and less violent. The entire band is clad in cloaks, and vocalist “Wilderness Perversion” performs over a makeshift altar that makes him appear like he’s delivering a bizarre sermon. The group’s chunky black metal riffs and surprisingly melodic lead guitars make for an enthralling and mystical end to four days of craziness.

When the band finishes, everyone somehow still seems to have plenty of energy as we filter out onto the Baltimore sidewalk. I walk by the Power Plant complex and see mostly empty, rain-soaked streets where the merch village once stood. It’s almost as if the entire festival was a bizarre dream. Exhausted yet thoroughly satisfied, I make my way to my car and start my final drive home.

Conclusion

I’ve attended many festivals over the years, and I can safely say that Maryland Deathfest 2024 was one of the best of them all. Almost every band I saw gave an awesome performance, the sound quality was almost always great (and in some cases, exceptional), and the sheer quality of the lineup left no shortage of great bands to see. Likewise, having all the venues within a short walk of each other was a godsend, especially for those who remember how annoying it was to walk 15 minutes to the outdoor Edison Lot stages in previous years. Most importantly, it seemed like a general air of positive energy permeated the whole experience as if everyone knew that we were all just coming here to listen to the music we love and have a great time.

The whole experience makes me so grateful that festivals like this exist, and attending this year served as a stark reminder to take advantage of seeing older bands while we can. After all, how much longer are some of these classic artists still going to be playing live? Ten more years? Fifteen? These years, I think, will be remembered as the golden age of metal—the years when many of the pioneers and classic groups are still around, playing right alongside a plethora of young hungry acts. Take advantage of this time while you can.

At least, this is what I tell myself as I click the “Check Out” button and purchase my 4-Day Pass to Maryland Deathfest 2025. It’s happening, folks—farts and all. See you fukkers there!

Author’s Note: I would like to thank Steel Druhm for allowing me to rejoin the AMG ranks after several years away, as well as the entire AMG crew for welcoming me back with open arms. This piece is dedicated to all the contributors, editors, and everyone else that makes this amazing site possible.

#Abbath #Agalloch #Ahab #Archgoat #ArtificialBrain #AuraNoir #Avulsed #Beheaded #Bloodbath #BlueHolocaust #Brodequin #BrokenHope #ChtheIlist #Daeva #Deathhammer #DefeatedSanity #Depulsed #Derkéta #Dismember #EntrailAsphyxiation #Esoteric #Fossilization #GraveMiasma #Haemorrhage #Impure #IronLung #Kontusion #LackOfInterest #MortaSkuld #MortuaryDrape #PerditionTemple #Primordial #Ripper #Sacrifice #SiegeColumn #Sodom #WeekendNachos

"Il faut que les femmes fassent des fils à envoyer aux usines ou à la mort. L’État moderne est martial, car son pouvoir repose sur la défense armée."

En mars 2023, Olivier Brahic, directeur de l’Agence régionale de la santé, déclarait : « Je n’aime pas beaucoup ce terme, mais c’est cela : on va proposer aux jeunes mères une stérilisation. En clair, on leur proposera de leur ligaturer les trompes ».

Françoise Vergès : https://www.bondyblog.fr/opinions/interview/rearmement-demographique-nous-faisons-face-a-des-forces-profondement-reactionnaires/

#natalité #naissances #décoloniale #travail #famille #réarmement #national #hommage #guerre #consentement #macronisme #macronie #Macron #Lepénisation #pétainisme #jeunesse #Attal #regénération #autorité #autoritarisme #uniforme #nostalgie #natalisme #déclin #uniforme #militarisation #adaptation #SNU #sacrifice #lepenisation #réaction #réactionnaire #Mayotte

"Il faut que les femmes fassent des fils à envoyer aux usines ou à la mort. L’État moderne est martial, car son pouvoir repose sur la défense armée."

En mars 2023, Olivier Brahic, directeur de l’Agence régionale de la santé, déclarait : « Je n’aime pas beaucoup ce terme, mais c’est cela : on va proposer aux jeunes mères une stérilisation. En clair, on leur proposera de leur ligaturer les trompes ».

Françoise Vergès : https://www.bondyblog.fr/opinions/interview/rearmement-demographique-nous-faisons-face-a-des-forces-profondement-reactionnaires/

#natalité #naissances #décoloniale #travail #famille #réarmement #national #hommage #guerre #consentement #macronisme #macronie #Macron #Lepénisation #pétainisme #jeunesse #Attal #regénération #autorité #autoritarisme #uniforme #nostalgie #natalisme #déclin #uniforme #militarisation #adaptation #SNU #sacrifice #lepenisation #réaction #réactionnaire #Mayotte

« survivalisme d’État »

L’uniforme et le SNU sont autant de moyens de nous discipliner et de nous apprendre le sens du devoir.
« Nous sommes dans un culte de l’adaptation[, …] une technologie de consentement au désastre. »

Thierry Ribault : https://reporterre.net/Macron-prepare-la-militarisation-de-la-societe

#travail #famille #réarmement #national #hommage #guerre #consentement #macronisme #macronie #Macron #Lepénisation #pétainisme #jeunesse #Attal #AmélieOudéaCastéra #OudéaCastéra #AOC #regénération #autorité #autoritarisme #uniforme #nostalgie #natalisme #déclin #uniforme #militarisation #adaptation #SNU #sacrifice

"And if Epiphany's terror reduced you to shame
Have your head bobbed and weaved
Choose a side to be on"

The Black Angel's Death Song
Velvet Underground
da "The Velvet Underground & Nico" (1967)

#fediradio #NowPlaying #np #aradio
#LouReed #JohnCale #Sacrifice #GazaUnderAttack 🇵🇸

https://yt.artemislena.eu/watch?v=5S78t8I8Z5I

Killer roads

Where is the infrastructure where one does not have to be propelled by fossil fuel at high speed?
Each (new) road should have a shady and separated cycling and walking infrastructure factored in.
Wildlife crossings all along the way.

Australia’s road toll continues to rise with 37 additional people killed in 'accidents' compared to the previous 12 months, despite a nationwide target to halve road deaths by 2030.

“The rising road toll came despite a National Road Safety Action Plan target to halve deaths by 2030 and cut serious transport injuries by 30%. In 2023, Australia is unable to adequately quantify the extent of road trauma, or the effectiveness of interventions being deployed to reduce it.”

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/jul/23/australias-road-toll-continues-to-rise-with-most-states-falling-behind-safety-goals

#FatalAccidents #RoadToll #RoadDeaths #RoadTrauma #IntegralAccident #speed #RoadSafety #VisionZero #failure #wildlife #roadkill #NorthBankRoad #so50s #NSW #climate #FossilFuel #mobility #carnage #infrastructure #risks #sacrifice

Killer roads

Where is the infrastructure where one does not have to be propelled by fossil fuel at high speed?
Each (new) road should have a shady and separated cycling and walking infrastructure factored in.
Wildlife crossings all along the way.

Australia’s road toll continues to rise with 37 additional people killed in 'accidents' compared to the previous 12 months, despite a nationwide target to halve road deaths by 2030.

“The rising road toll came despite a National Road Safety Action Plan target to halve deaths by 2030 and cut serious transport injuries by 30%. In 2023, Australia is unable to adequately quantify the extent of road trauma, or the effectiveness of interventions being deployed to reduce it.”

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/jul/23/australias-road-toll-continues-to-rise-with-most-states-falling-behind-safety-goals

#FatalAccidents #RoadToll #RoadDeaths #RoadTrauma #IntegralAccident #speed #RoadSafety #VisionZero #failure #NorthBankRoad #so50s #NSW #climate #FossilFuel #mobility #carnage #infrastructure #risks #sacrifice

Killer roads

Where is the infrastructure where one does not have to be propelled by fossil fuel at high speed?
Each (new) road should have a shady and separated cycling and walking infrastructure factored in.
Wildlife crossings all along the way.

Australia’s road toll continues to rise with 37 additional people killed in 'accidents' compared to the previous 12 months, despite a nationwide target to halve road deaths by 2030.

“The rising road toll came despite a National Road Safety Action Plan target to halve deaths by 2030 and cut serious transport injuries by 30%. In 2023, Australia is unable to adequately quantify the extent of road trauma, or the effectiveness of interventions being deployed to reduce it.”

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/jul/23/australias-road-toll-continues-to-rise-with-most-states-falling-behind-safety-goals

#FatalAccidents #RoadToll #RoadDeaths #RoadTrauma #IntegralAccident #speed #RoadSafety #VisionZero #failure #NorthBankRoad #so50s #NSW #climate #FossilFuel #mobility #carnage #infrastructure #risks #sacrifice

Killer roads

Where is the infrastructure where one does not have to be propelled by fossil fuel at high speed?
Each (new) road should have a shady and separated cycling and walking infrastructure factored in.
Wildlife crossings all along the way.

Australia’s road toll continues to rise with 37 additional people killed in 'accidents' compared to the previous 12 months, despite a nationwide target to halve road deaths by 2030.

“The rising road toll came despite a National Road Safety Action Plan target to halve deaths by 2030 and cut serious transport injuries by 30%. In 2023, Australia is unable to adequately quantify the extent of road trauma, or the effectiveness of interventions being deployed to reduce it.”

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/jul/23/australias-road-toll-continues-to-rise-with-most-states-falling-behind-safety-goals

#FatalAccidents #RoadToll #RoadDeaths #RoadTrauma #IntegralAccident #speed #RoadSafety #VisionZero #failure #wildlife #roadkill #NorthBankRoad #so50s #NSW #climate #FossilFuel #mobility #carnage #infrastructure #risks #sacrifice

Killer roads

Where is the infrastructure where one does not have to be propelled by fossil fuel at high speed?
Each (new) road should have a shady and separated cycling and walking infrastructure factored in.
Wildlife crossings all along the way.

Australia’s road toll continues to rise with 37 additional people killed in 'accidents' compared to the previous 12 months, despite a nationwide target to halve road deaths by 2030.

“The rising road toll came despite a National Road Safety Action Plan target to halve deaths by 2030 and cut serious transport injuries by 30%. In 2023, Australia is unable to adequately quantify the extent of road trauma, or the effectiveness of interventions being deployed to reduce it.”

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/jul/23/australias-road-toll-continues-to-rise-with-most-states-falling-behind-safety-goals

#FatalAccidents #RoadToll #RoadDeaths #RoadTrauma #IntegralAccident #speed #RoadSafety #VisionZero #failure #wildlife #roadkill #NorthBankRoad #so50s #NSW #climate #FossilFuel #mobility #carnage #infrastructure #risks #sacrifice

Worship and worshipping

Under the Tags “Worship” and “Worshipping” you shall be able to find articles concerning adoration paid to a person a god or God as well as about the religious service of a person or community of persons.

The worship can be a profound admiration and affection, an act of revering or adoring, to glorify, a dignity,reputation, high standing.

The word “Worship” is derived from the Old English worthscipe, meaning worthiness or worth-ship — to give, at its simplest, worth to something, for example, Christian worship

Paying high honours to some one or something, but also the act of performing acts of adoration or bringing honour, offerings  and prayers to something or some one.

But in particular we shall talk here about the adoration to the Only One God and the religious service we can bring to Him to show our love, affection and adoration.

Each individual can give expression of his adoration or veneration for some one or something. He can react on his feeling and express himself accordingly on his own (solo) or in group. Often when the act of worship is not performed individually, in an informal or formal group, or by a designated leader, there is taken some order to do it or some people taking charge of the ‘service’.

Many religious traditions place an emphasis upon regular worship at frequent intervals, often daily or weekly. Expressions of worship vary but typically include one or more of the following:

Prayer, meditation, ritual, scripture, sacraments, sacrifice, sermons, chanting, music or devotional song, dance, religious holidays, festivals, pilgrimage, dining, fasting, temples or shrines, idols, or simply private individual acts of devotion.

The worshipping or act of bringing worship can be done in different forms, which shall be spoken of in different articles. It can be done in the house by a private person or member of the community or in a special built or purpose-built place of worship,  like a church or meeting room, or in a public place or in the open. In the Christadelphian community we mostly call the Meeting Hall “Ecclesia House”, “Ecclesia building” or simply “Ecclesia”.

Under Worship we can find:

worship or keep service in honour
the veneration of a saint or higher rank: venerate, adore, veneration, adoration
the esteem and love: adore
Worship / adore a god or God

perpetual adoration
to kneel in adoration: Kneel in worship
Adoration of the Lamb
respectful admiration: worship, reverence

Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy distinguish between adoration or latria (Latin adoratio, Greek latreia, [λατρεια]), which is due to God alone, and veneration or dulia (Latin veneratio, Greek douleia [δουλεια]), which may be lawfully offered to the saints. The external acts of veneration resemble those of worship, but differ in their object and intent. Protestant Christians question whether such a distinction is always maintained in actual devotional practice, especially at the level of folk religion.

Orthodox Judaism and orthodox Sunni Islam hold that for all practical purposes veneration should be considered the same as prayer; Orthodox Judaism (arguably with the exception of some Chasidic practices), orthodox Sunni Islam, and most kinds of Protestantism forbid veneration of saints or angels, classifying these actions as akin to idolatry.

Worship manifestation of Godliness

So under this “Tag” or the “label” of “Adoration” and “Worship” we will mainly focus on piety, and the exercise of that piety. It will mainly deal with the devout and pious by which a religious attitude is assumed to be faithfulness and submitting  to God, Godloving, exalting, glorifying, idolizing and to extol a superior being.

It will essentially to be about God having in mind, to be submissive and to put Him high, treasuring Him, to serve God, awards, praise and bless.
These words will be eligible:

piety, “piety, fervor, unction, devotion, piety, religion, faith, god, community, communion, grace position, probation, resignation, resignation, quietism, spirituality, mysticism, mysticism, apologetics, religious fervor, zeal, though, zealotism, congregation, bigotry , bigotry, tartufferie.

godly, pious, iconoduul, holy, work saint, mystic, zealot, laborer, congreganist, faith hero, hero, church patron, zealot, zelator, zelatrice, church pillar, a saint, bigot.

Prayer

Under the tag  “Prayer” we shall look at different form of words said to bring the adoration to something or some one.  It is one part of the worship to bring devotion and which can be done in different ways.

Under the “Prayer” tag you may encounter:

prayer, church attendance, prostration, knee prayer,  actus fidei, vocal prayer, meditation, consideration, praise, adoration, thanksgiving,  intercession, invocation, lost prayer, routine prayer, morning prayer, evening prayer, night prayer, home exercise, table blessing , table prayer, church attendance, prayer cross, pilgrimage, shrine shipping,  closing prayer, Triduum, novena, retreats, prayer series, answer to prayer, penance, prayer choir, psalmody.

prayer time, prayer meeting, prayer church time, matins time, praying, prayer place of worship, prayer house, retreat house, oratorio, pilgrimage, pilgrimage, grace place, place of grace, church, ecclesia

Under this tag we could discuss:

form prayer, prayer, cross, prayer, intercession, prayer for, exchange prayer, litany, deed, morning prayer, morning prayer, evening prayer, table prayer, grace, gratias, sigh, short prayer, the Lord’s Prayer, the Our Father, the Lord’s Prayer, the rosary, the Hail Mary, the Ave, the Rosary,  prayer beads, the psaltery Mary, the Angelus, the Salve Regina, the Regina Caeli, the Stabat Mater, Magnificat, Te Deum, Tantum ergo, the Itinerarium, year prayer.
liturgical prayer, church prayer, H. Mass.

Breviary prayer, tides, matins, nocturne, lesson, the Laudes, Daily times, the hours, horce, prime, tertiary, sixths, ninths, Vespers, Compline, completorium, psalm, Vesper psalm, thank Psalm, penitential psalm, plaintive psalm, weeping psalm, the Miserere, De Profundis, the 15 Trap Psalms, hymns, church hymns, Cantica, invitatorium , antiphoon, responsorium, doxology, Gloria Patri, final chapter, the Hosanna, Alleluia, the great Hallelujah, Amen, the Libera.

It can be possible we shall look at:

prayer book, prayer book, Bible, church, communion book, communion plate, Hours, choir book, matins book, Breviary, prayer book, hymn book, psalter, psaltery, diurnal, anti phone book, antiphonarium, kyriale.

sacramentals, scapular, rosary, Beier,  rosary bead, rosary cross, holy water, holy bread, Hubert bread, napkin, virtue rose, golden rose, palm, relic, shrine, pledge, gift, sacrifice image , votivefstone/tabel/gift.

Worship

For the term “Worship” we will look at carrying out the devotion and subservience to the exercise of prayer and work towards a superior, with particularity to God.

The worship or service to keep the worship of a god or Supreme Being in the Divine. It is the practice of religion.

That worship can exert a religious service or a keeping or holding church.

service provision, church keep reading church keep ministering, practice, or honour

Encloses a liturgical worship ritual.

liturgical, ritual.

And one can have:
worship, religion, cult, Mary Service, Mary worship, honouring saints, dulia, liturgy, ritual, rite, section, liturgic, ritualism, ritual, cart table, cart table list, church language.

religious practice, practice, service, church, ceremony, religious ceremony, church ceremony, religious use, church use, form of religion, church, Sunday worship service, Sabbath service, early service, matins, morning church. Morning, morning church, mette, morning service, lunch service, lunch church – afternoon service, evening service, Mass

evening worship, evening church, praise, foot washing, routine religion, psalm singing, sacrament hymns, Christmas songs,  Easter songs, passover worship, passover sacrifice, last supper celebration, memorial celebration, remembrance meal, remembrance celebration

Protestant / Catholic worship, children’s church, reading church, covenant meal, dinner (s) celebration, dinner, supper celebration, night time, adoption service, supper bowl, supper wine supper table, linked table, communion bread, supper bread, communion wine, night-time singing, night song, breaking of bread, taking the symbols, remembrance meal, memorial, memorial worship

worshiper, dinner-goer,  night time goer, minister atonement, sacrificial servant, mass celebrator, Eucharist keeper, memory keeper, Mass-goer,  churchgoer

In worship we will proceed to the saying of prayers and spiritual texts usually recited or chanted. Many communities bring in their worship different variations and music and hold offerings in different ways.

For the Holy Mass or commonly called the Mass the Roman Catholics do have an Eucharistic celebration in the Latin liturgical rites or in more up todate modern liturgical rites of the Roman Catholic Church. The term is used also of similar celebrations in Old Catholic Churches, in the Anglo-Catholic tradition of Anglicanism, in Western Rite Orthodox Churches, in Lutheran churches, and in a small number of High Church Methodist parishes.
For the celebration of the Eucharist in Eastern Churches, including those in full communion with the Holy See, other terms such as the Divine Liturgy, the Holy Qurbana and the Badarak are normally used.
Most Western denominations not in full communion with the Catholic Church also usually prefer terms other than Mass.

For information on the theology of the Eucharist and on the Eucharistic liturgy of other Christian denominations, see “Eucharist” and “Eucharistic theology“.

For information on history see Eucharist and Origin of the Eucharist, and with specific regard to the Roman Rite Mass, Pre-Tridentine Mass and Tridentine Mass.

The term “Mass” is derived from the Late Latin word missa (dismissal), a word used in the concluding formula of Mass in Latin: “Ite, missa est” (“Go; it is the dismissal”). “In antiquity, missa simply meant ‘dismissal’. In Christian usage, however, it gradually took on a deeper meaning. The word ‘dismissal’ has come to imply a ‘mission’. These few words succinctly express the missionary nature of the Church” (Pope Benedict XVI, Sacramentum caritatis, 51)

Sacrifice or Offering

In the worship or service the offer is to present an act of devotion, homage, charity, etc. to express willingness, to hold out for acceptance or rejection.

To lay before one, to present to the mind.

To give, to pay, to perform.

The offering is the act of making an offer. That which is offered.

In the worship or sacrifice among the faith communities of the various religions can be found:

altar ministry, altar service, love food, agape, sacrifice, sacrifice, altar, church sacrifice, temple sacrifice, altar secret, oblation, atonement, reconciliation, sin offering, guilt offering, peace offering, victorious sacrifice, libation, sacrifice of praise, supplication sacrifice, blood sacrifice , bloodplenging, victim, hecatomb, meat sacrifice, animal sacrifice, bull offering, unbloody sacrifice, oblation, smoke sacrifice, incense, commemorative sacrifice,  money sacrifice,  libation feast, drink offering,   prayer, sacrifice time, dinner, remembrance celebration, remembrance celebration, evening meal, remembrance meal, breaking of the bread.

To gather

To do the worship several religious groups do come together at a certain place. Worshipping should show your faith but also your connection: your connection with your god and with your fellow believers.

In several Christian communities we notice the members coming together.

regularly. The community coming together is part of the succession of

Jesus reminder to regularly get together and meet. The Christadelphians also do come together, either in private homes like the first Christians in what some today call a house-church. These meetings happen in the community of believers or at someone’s home

or in a custom or a public building that can serve as a ‘community

church’ or ‘Ecclesia’. The union of believers who would like to serve God is called

“the ecclesia” and the worship is simply called the “service” or when the

Supper is commemorated “the Lord’s Supper” or “Breaking of the Bread.”

That service can be simple or gloriously with songs. Yearly at the 14th Nisan or Pascha there is a special Memorial Meeting to remember the day Jesus had his last evening meal with his disciples and some close friends to commemorate the pass-over. At that remembrance day Jesus installed the New Covenant, before he was going to die for our sins.

The Religious part of the “Meeting” or coming together to honour and to praise God, and to build each other up more spiritual  by the perusal of the Holy Scripture and by discussing the Scriptures, where in the service a lecture is given, a prepared text or ‘admonition’ or ‘reading’ for the instruction of the faith community is called “exhortation” .

In Christian communities there are also feasts of charity or agape meals. In worship sometimes bloodless sacrifices or animal sacrifices are offered.

Further under the tag “Worship” and related tags you shall be able to find articles on:

sacrifice,  atoning sacrifice, sacrifices, smoking sacrifice, wine shed, burn incense, frankincense, (gum)thus, thurification,  Celebrating holy mass (do, read, sing, celebrate), officers, combine and assist, consecrate, serve Mass, go to Mass, hear Mass.

altar ministry, altar service, love food,  sacrifice, altar, sacrifice, temple sacrifice, altar secret, oblation, atonement, reconciliation, sacrifice, sin offering, guilt offering, peace offering, victorious sacrifice, libation, sacrifice of praise, supplication sacrifice, blood sacrifice , bloodplenging, victim, hecatomb, meat sacrifice, animal sacrifice, bull offering, unbloody sacrifice, oblation, smoke sacrifice, incense, commemorative sacrifice, libation, money, sacrifice, libatie, plengfeest, sacrifice, prayer, sacrifice time, dinner, remembrance celebration, remembrance celebration, fraternal meeting.

Note: in the Dutch articles you shall be able to find much more different words, which do have in certain instances also small or bigger differences, but have no equivalent word in English, or are not able to be found in translation dictionaries. Often also many words are very typical for certain Christian denominations, and are not used by the other denominations and often not know by the other denominations. They are part of the typical church language, which is quite common in Holland and Belgium.

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Dutch readers please do find:

Aanbidden, Aanbidding, Eredienst en Gebed

In the Categories: Breken van het Brood, Dienst, Ecclesia, Religie, Vergaderen | Tags: Aanbidden, Aanbidder, Aanbidding, Aanroeping, Adoration of the lamb, Afgoderij, Afsmeken, Agape Maaltijd, Alleluia, Avondmaal, Avondmaalsviering, Avondmaalviering, Beelden Verering, Bidden, Cultus Dulia, Cultus Latria, Devotie, Eredienst, Exhortatie, gebed, Gloria Patri, Godsdienstbeoefening, Islam, Judïsme, Kruisbeeld, Laatste Avondmaalviering, Liturgie, loven, Magnificat, Mediteren, Offer, Offerdienst, Offeren, Perpetual Adoration, Prijzen, Salve Regina, Smeekbede, Stabat Mater, Tag, Vereren, Verering, Vergaderen, Vroomheid, Worship

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Please do find also:

1. Mass in the Roman Catholic Church
2. Christian worship
3. Anglican devotions
4. Catholic devotions
5. Church service
6. Worship in different religions

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Related articles

• True Worship by Mark D. Roberts (trinityspeaks.wordpress.com)
  If I were to ask you to envision Christian worship, I expect you would imagine your church gathered for Sunday services, or something like that. Indeed, when God’s people assemble to offer praise and thanks to God, this is an essential element of true worship. But it’s just the beginning!
• Have We Excluded Something Important From Worship? (samuelatgilgal.wordpress.com)
  Old Testament worship involved all five senses.
• Christian Idol Worshippers (rosemichels.wordpress.com)
  The very people who cling so tightly to their God-given commandments are often the very ones to break the first one.  “Thou shalt have no other gods before thee.” Exodus 20:3 KJV
  +
  What may make the situation of ‘following’ even more dangerous in our Christian walk is what we’re doing to those very Christian people we follow.  As their popularity grows exponentially, so does their difficulty in dealing with something thrust upon them in what, oftentimes, seems to happen overnight.  Just like us ‘regular’ people, they’re to maintain the balance of being in the world but not of the world.
• Mystery Worship Eleven: A Missed Opportunity (barefootpreachr.org)
  Traditional church bulletins are littered with headings like “prelude, doxology, Gloria Patri, benediction.”  We toss around buzz words such as Sacrament, liturgy, soteriology, ecclesiology, sanctification, salvation, atonement, justification, pre-lapsarianism
  +
  While worship must not be about our own comfort, it also takes place within a community. Often, but not always, powerful worship takes place as part of a connection of people who know each other, care for each other, push one another to greater godliness, and actively work together to serve the world
• Enthusiastic Worship for All! (pastorjonev.typepad.com)
  One Sunday morning, at roughly 10:12 am, during the middle of the second song, a person on the worship team began to sing and “move” with more enthusiasm than usual. This caused quite a commotion amongst the little girls in the front row. But I’m pretty sure that the outward commotion amongst the little girls was probably multiplied amongst the adults, only they kept it on the inside. This is what happens in a church where little enthusiasm is shown during corporate praise and worship.
  +
  Worship is commanded. So is the physical, emotional act of worship.
• God is entitled to our praises but Worship is always for our own sake (olungaotieno.wordpress.com)
  Praise and worship is probably the most important aspect of the Christian walk. It is through praise and worship that we as Christians draw near to God. Psalm 100:4 says that we enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise. Psalms 22 says he that He inhabits the praises of His people.
  +
  Worship is also for our own edification and strength. Worship helps us develop a God-like and Christ-like character. We become likened to those we admire and worship. When we worship God we tend to value what God values and gradually take on the characteristics and qualities of God, but never to His level.
• Worship Him (achristianmeditation.wordpress.com)
  We pray. We read the scriptures. We try to live for Christ. We serve in various ministries. These are all ways of expressing our level of commitment and love for God. But what God desires more than anything is our worship.
• The Multi-Cultural History of Prayer Beads (foragingsquirrel.com)
  Over two-thirds of the world’s population employ prayer beads as part of their religious practices. Prayer beads have a variety of forms and meanings, but the basic purpose is the same: to assist the worshiper in reciting and counting specific prayers or incantations. Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism are the major religions that use prayer beads in important ritualistic roles.Beads have long been linked with the act of prayer.
• Questions About Prayer (graceindallas.wordpress.com)
  Prayer is an interesting thing. As Christians, we say we believe that the Creator of the universe invites us to talk to Him at anytime and in any place. Yet we rarely take time to accept this invitation. There could be numerous reasons why we don’t pray.
• 5 Things People Want Their Worship Leaders to Know: Week 2 (aaronwilliamsblog.com)
  ”What would you like to say to worship leaders?”  Week one had some insightful and funny answers.  Week two is equally intriguing with more great insight and some outright honesty.
• Worship Or Playing Church?Many seem to have the wrong concept of worship. After pondering on Worship, worship is not in the music of particular, it does not matter how old, new, fast or slow it is. God has open my heart and understanding that Christian music is a label we give in flesh. If someone was to play music without any words would you be able to tell if it is Christian music? No. God created music and He loves music. He gives each person their gift be it Rock, contemporary, or R&B.

  We are to choose the words that are pleasing to God. He test us to see what we will do with our gifts. Will they be used for good or bad? Is it used to please God, or flesh?

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#14Nisan #Adoration #AdorationOfTheLamb #BreakingOfTheBread #ChristianWorship #Church #Devotion #DevotionalSong #Eucharist #EucharisticCelebration #GloriaPatri #HolyMass #Idolatry #Liturgy #LordSPrayer #MassLiturgy_ #Meditation #Meeting #MeetingHall #Offering #OrthodoxJudaism #Piety #Praise #Prayer #Protestantism #Psalm #Reverence #Sacrament #Sacrifice #SalveRegina #SunniIslam #Tag #TheLordSSupper #Veneration #Worship #Worshipping

Lion of Sacrifice

like a caged animal
i paced within this prison
longing desperately to be
released
yet lashing out at
anything or
anyone
who came near

then You came
trying desperately to
unlock the door
as my claws made
jagged wounds against
your flesh

finally the lock
snapped and in that
brief moment of
triumph
You collapsed in
death
your life gathered
red about
You

i stepped cautiously
warily from the door
and went to lay
down by your side
caressing your bloody
cheek with one
huge paw while
weeping large
gentle
tears of
gratefulness

May 9, 1987 (age 19)

Lion of Sacrifice

like a caged animal
i paced within this prison
longing desperately to be
released
yet lashing out at
anything or
anyone
who came near

then You came
trying desperately to
unlock the door
as my claws made
jagged wounds against
your flesh

finally the lock
snapped and in that
brief moment of
triumph
You collapsed in
death
your life gathered
red about
You

i stepped cautiously
warily from the door
and went to lay
down by your side
caressing your bloody
cheek with one
huge paw while
weeping large
gentle
tears of
gratefulness

May 9, 1987 (age 19)

Lion of Sacrifice

like a caged animal
i paced within this prison
longing desperately to be
released
yet lashing out at
anything or
anyone
who came near

then You came
trying desperately to
unlock the door
as my claws made
jagged wounds against
your flesh

finally the lock
snapped and in that
brief moment of
triumph
You collapsed in
death
your life gathered
red about
You

i stepped cautiously
warily from the door
and went to lay
down by your side
caressing your bloody
cheek with one
huge paw while
weeping large
gentle
tears of
gratefulness

May 9, 1987 (age 19)

Lion of Sacrifice

like a caged animal
i paced within this prison
longing desperately to be
released
yet lashing out at
anything or
anyone
who came near

then You came
trying desperately to
unlock the door
as my claws made
jagged wounds against
your flesh

finally the lock
snapped and in that
brief moment of
triumph
You collapsed in
death
your life gathered
red about
You

i stepped cautiously
warily from the door
and went to lay
down by your side
caressing your bloody
cheek with one
huge paw while
weeping large
gentle
tears of
gratefulness

May 9, 1987 (age 19)