Full Darkness Day Band Schedule Announced, EXHUMED Added to Bill

Exhumed playing way back in August 2000 at the Showcase Theater in Corona, California.

I posted last week that local doom/sludge band Vulgaari would be playing at Surly Brewing's Darkness Day in Brooklyn Center on Saturday, October 26, but no other details were available beyond that. Now, the full band schedule for Darkness Day can be revealed and it's a monster! Joining Vulgaari will be death/gore masters Exhumed alongside Rivers Of Nihil, local shock kings Impaler, God Came From Space, and Fallen Empire. All bands will be playing outside, and here's the itinerary:

11:00–11:30 am - Fallen Empire
12:00–12:30 pm - God Came From Space
1:00-1:30 pm - Rivers Of Nihil
2:00-2:45 pm - Vulgaari
3:15-4:00 pm - Exhumed
4:30-5:15 pm - Impaler

This is the sickest lineup for Darkness Day yet! Exhumed and Rivers Of Nihil will be doing two shows on Saturday - after Darkness Day ends you can head down to Skyway Theater Studio B in Minneapolis to catch them with Dying Fetus.

I'm sad that Powermad will not be playing this year; it could be due to logistics—drummer Dirk Verbeuren happens to be in Soilwork. Surly's Head Brewer and Powermad guitarist Todd Haug also now plays with Vulgaari.

Vulgaari guitarist and Surly Head Brewer Todd Haug ripping it up with Powermad at Darkness Day 2012.

Thanks to Zack from Vulgaari for all of the information! You can see Vulgaari tonight at the Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis as they support English stoner masters Orange Goblin with thrashers Holy Grail and Lazer/Wulf. This is an 18+ show, and Vulgarri goes on first around 7:30.

Darkness Descends – POWERMAD to Perform at Surly Brewing’s Darkness Day 2012

It’s that time of year for Darkness Day, the annual party to celebrate the release of Darkness, the worldwide-celebrated Russian imperial stout beer produced in limited quantities by Surly Brewing. It’s held outside at the brewery (4811 Dusharme Dr., Brooklyn Center, MN 55429) and, of course, is generally the only place to purchase bottles of this highly sought-after beer. Other Surly beers (including limited releases and cask beers) will be available to purchase and drink on-site, and a number of local food trucks will also be there. Full details about the event, including the procedure for purchasing Darkness, are available at the Surly website. The event is free and open to those under 21 accompanied with a parent or guardian, but you will want to bring cash for food and beer.

There’s also a fantastic lineup of local metal bands playing in the afternoon, and headlining will be Powermad, the sorely overlooked speed/thrash metal band that released an EP through Combat Records and an outstanding EP and album, Absolute Power, through Reprise in the late 80s. What I did not know is that Surly’s head brewer and mastermind, Todd Haug, is the guitarist of Powermad.

Watch the video for "Nice Dreams" from Absolute Power.

I recently spoke with Todd to get all the details about the bands playing at Darkness Day. It was a wide-ranging interview that also covered details of the new Powermad album that is currently being mastered for release next year and his incredible journey from metal to brewing beer. Look for the full interview to be published here soon – Todd’s story and his rise to the upper echelons of the craft brewing business are remarkable! Along with the expected older material, Powermad will also be performing two new songs, “Souls Descending” and “Hypocrite”, from the upcoming album. One of the songs, “Souls Descending”, was released through the Powermad website last year and is still available for free download. Have a listen and check out the video for “Souls Descending”:

The other bands playing at Darkness Day are Profound Lore recording artist Wolvhammer, We Are Legion, and God Came From Space. Each band will be playing an hour-long set with God Came From Space starting at 11:00 am, We Are Legion at 1:00 pm, Wolvhammer at 3:00 pm, and Powermad wrapping up the day at 5:00 pm. The bands will be playing outside this year, as there’s no more room inside the brewery to accommodate a stage.

If you’re a Surly devotee, you know that you should arrive early before the grounds open at 11:00 am. Be sure, though, to stick around in the afternoon for a great day of metal bands.