In collaboration with the Metal Factory in Eindhoven, five music students have seized the opportunity to put theory into practice and will be performing their first ever show at Roadburn 2023. Under the watchful eye of Metal Factory coach Michel Nienhuis (Autarkh & Autarkh III, ex-Dodecahedron), the band has taken shape and developed into a gig-ready force to be reckoned with. Please welcome to the Roadburn line up… Alkahest!
Roadburn’s artistic director, Walter Hoeijmakers, has been working closely with Metal Factory over the last few months and describes Alkahest as “if Cult Of Luna went on to play death metal”. Attendees can expect a ferocious yet dynamic entanglement of sludgy riffing, pounding blasts and screams, crystal-clear resonating vocals and fragile atmospheric sections. “As Artistic Director, I’m immensely proud to see them take this opportunity to heart,” Walter continues, “and proud that Roadburn is offering them a small chance to launch their careers. They want to be part of the live music community – and they are fearless. We have lovingly dubbed this project ‘Rejuvenating Heaviness,’ since that is what these young musicians are doing and will do.”
Metal Factory coordinator Kevin Quilligan comments: “In 2018 I first met with Walter and his genuine ambition to invest in new generations of alternative musicians was clear right from the start. At Metal Factory we strive to bring our students as close to the music industry as we can and working with Roadburn is a valuable opportunity for our educational program.
A group of students working on a commissioned set for Roadburn means that they are put in a creative boiling pot under the artistic wing of Michel Nienhuis. This is no small task. It demands energy, time, discipline, and the urge to grow. Not only as musicians but more importantly, as humans. I have seen this group of students develop themselves into professionals taking giant leaps towards the industry we all love.
“I am immensely proud and excited to finally bring this project full circle with their performance at Roadburn 2023. It’s a sneak peek into the future, drummer Abe being just 16 years old, and with the new generation stepping up, I feel it’s a bright future.’’
Michel adds: “Working with this talented group of students has been a very inspiring journey so far. I’m proud to see their strenuous efforts turn into exciting artistic endeavours and growth in professionalism. This project not only propels their instrumental and conceptual awareness; the constrained time frame also catapults the level of collaboration and organisation. We can’t wait to share the result of this project with the Roadburn 2023 audience!”
Alkahest is:
- Cheyenne Reudenbach: vocals
- Konstantin Richter: guitars, backing vocals
- Martín Jaramillo: guitars, backing vocals
- Sian Syed: bass
- Abe Stadhouders: drums
Alkahest will open the Hall of Fame on Saturday, 22 April – come along and witness the future of heavy music for yourselves.
