Devilstone Open Air (aka "Velnio Akmuo" in Lithuanian) was a summer open air rock and

heavy metal music Heavy metal (or simply metal) is a Music genre, genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the United Kingdom and United States. With roots in blues rock, psychedelic rock and acid rock, heavy metal band ...

festival. It took place annually from 2009 to 2023 in the town of

Anykščiai Anykščiai (; see #Name, other names) is a ski resort city in Lithuania, west of Utena, Lithuania, Utena. The Roman Catholic Church of St. Matthias in Anykščiai is the tallest church in Lithuania, with spires measuring in height. Anykščia ...

, in

Lithuania Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania, is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, bordered by Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and south, P ...

. Devilstone Open Air has included performers playing

black metal Black metal is an extreme metal, extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include Tempo#Beats per minute, fast tempos, a Screaming (music)#Black metal, shrieking vocal style, heavily distorted Electric guitar, guitars played with tr ...

death metal Death metal is an extreme metal, extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. It typically employs heavily distorted and low-tuned guitars, played with techniques such as palm muting and tremolo picking; deep death growl, growling vocals; aggressive ...

power metal Power metal is a subgenre of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional heavy metal with speed metal, often within a symphonic context. Generally, power metal is characterized by a faster, lighter, and more uplifting sound, in co ...

thrash metal Thrash metal (or simply thrash) is an Extreme metal, extreme subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its overall aggression and fast tempo.Kahn-Harris, Keith, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'', pp. 2–3, 9. Oxford: Berg, ...

sludge metal Sludge metal (also known as sludge doom or simply sludge) is an Extreme metal, extreme subgenre of heavy metal music that combines elements of doom metal and hardcore punk. The genre generally includes slow tempos, down-tuned guitars and nihilis ...

doom metal Doom metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other heavy metal genres.K. Kahn-Harris, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'' ...

post rock Post-rock is a subgenre of experimental rock that emphasizes texture, atmosphere, and non-traditional song structures over conventional rock techniques. Post-rock artists often combine rock instrumentation and rock stylings with electronics a ...

stoner rock Stoner rock, also known as stoner metal or stoner doom, is a rock music fusion genre that combines elements of doom metal with psychedelic rock and acid rock. The genre emerged during the early 1990s and was pioneered foremost by Kyuss and Sl ...

, and

progressive rock Progressive rock (shortened as prog rock or simply prog) is a broad genre of rock music that primarily developed in the United Kingdom through the mid- to late 1960s, peaking in the early-to-mid-1970s. Initially termed " progressive pop", the ...

music genres. Music bands from

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

North North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating Direction (geometry), direction or geography. Etymology T ...

and

South South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both west and east. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþa ...

America, and

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

have performed in the festival. Devilstone Open Air is usually held in the mid-

summer Summer or summertime is the hottest and brightest of the four temperate seasons, occurring after spring and before autumn. At or centred on the summer solstice, daylight hours are the longest and darkness hours are the shortest, with day ...

, around the third weekend of July.

Other activities

Next to live music performances, Devilstone Open Air has workshops, masterclasses, a club night called Rocktheque, sports tournaments, and other activities. The festival owns the rights to a one-of-a-kind growling/screaming/grunting competition ''MC Growl''.

Controversy

In 2009 Lithuanian Association of Exorcist labeled the band

Sepultura Sepultura (, "grave")Barcinski & Gomes 1999, page 17. is a Brazilian heavy metal band formed in Belo Horizonte in 1984 by brothers Max and Igor Cavalera.Barcinski & Gomes 1999, page 16. They were a major force in the groove metal, thrash met ...

, who were announced to play at the festival, as ‘satanic’ based on their lyrics. Local church spoke against the festival’s choice of title. In 2010 Mayhem performed at the festival. After their performance, the local priest collected photographic evidence and went to the Ministry of Justice with a request to investigate the band's performance. The priest supported by a group of believers claimed that “Norwegian band Mayhem, that took part in the festival, incited

religious Religion is a range of social- cultural systems, including designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relate humanity to supernatural ...

hatred.” In 2011 the band Ondskapt performed at the festival. During the performance the band member Kim stepped out naked onto the stage creating a resonance within the society. In 2012 six Lithuanian towns held religious adorations for the festival’s audience and a faithful congregation prayed next to the festival gates.

Line-up history

In 2009-2013 festival also had a very small stage titled MetalClinic dedicated for music improvisations, competitions, surprise performances, Masterclasses, workshops, MC Growl fights. Anyone capable and willing to play a music instrument can use this stage for performance.

Picture gallery

File:Keep of Kalessin at Devilstone festival (09-07-17)01.jpg,

Keep of Kalessin Keep of Kalessin is a Norwegian extreme metal band from Trondheim, formed in 1993. The group's early lineup consisted of Ghash on vocals, Obsidian C. (the group founder) on guitars and keyboards, Warach on bass, and Vyl on drums. They released t ...

performing at Devilstone Open Air 2009 File:People at Devilstone Open Air 2013.jpg, Devilstone Open Air 2013 people File:Devilstone Open Air people 2013.jpg, Devilstone Open Air 2013 people File:Ondskapt performing at Devivilstone Open Air 2011.jpg, Ondskapt performing at Devilstone Open Air 2011 File:Devilstone Open Air audience 2013.jpg, Devilstone Open Air 2013 people File:Devilstone Open Air musicians.jpg,

Code In communications and information processing, code is a system of rules to convert information—such as a letter, word, sound, image, or gesture—into another form, sometimes shortened or secret, for communication through a communicati ...

performing at Devilstone Open Air File:Devilstone Open Air people.jpg, Devilstone Open Air people File:Devilstone Open Air crowd.jpg, Devilstone Open Air crowd File:Mayhem.jpg, Mayhem performing at Devilstone Open Air File:Obtest.JPG, Obtest performing at Devilstone Open Air

References

External links

*
Official website

Devilstone Festival Facebook page
{{Rock festival Music festivals in Lithuania 2009 establishments in Lithuania Rock festivals in Lithuania Heavy metal festivals in Lithuania Anykščiai Summer in Lithuania