Euroblast

The Euroblast Festival is an annual music festival held in Cologne, Germany focusing on progressive and avant-garde metal. It was founded in 2008 by long-time friends John Giulio Sprich and Daniel Schneider to create a platform for innovative bands in the modern rock and metal genres. Euroblast has played a significant role in shaping the modern progressive metal scene and has hosted bands and spectators from over 45 countries.

Background

The festival is a key event in the progressive music calendar, with a focus on djent, progressive metal, and experimental music styles. Known for its unique band selection and community-oriented atmosphere, Euroblast has become a major destination for both established and emerging artists in the genre.

History

Near the end of 2007 long-time friends John Giulio Sprich and Daniel Schneider decided that since there had not been a festival of its kind to create their very own platform for innovative bands of the modern rock and metal genres. The two relied on their experience as drummers in various bands when it came to the organization of the first Euroblast Festival.
As time passed, a committed team assembled around Sprich and Schneider and they invited an increasing number of bands leading to a wide variety of musical styles performing for the festivals.

For instance, TesseracT, a non-famous and unsigned band at that time, played at the fourth holding of the festival in May 2009; it was their first concert outside Great Britain. Since music labels had started to notice the festival, several bands could sign record contracts in the course of their participation. After the fifth festival in August 2009 it was determined to hold the festival in an annual rhythm from then on. In October 2010 the sixth holding took place in the Underground club in Cologne. When it came to the choice of bands, the organisers for the first time concentrated mainly on the innovative Djent movement, a recent form of progressive Rock and Metal. Since the seventh festival in October 2011, which was the first one to last three day, the promoters have set up a yearly band contest in cooperation with the Internet platform got-djent.com. The winning band is then scheduled to play on the following festival.

The eighth Euroblast was in October 2012 and planned to be four days. The first two were in the Cologne Underground and the other two in the Live Music Hall. After four days, the bands Monuments, Vildhjarta, Jeff Loomis and Stealing Axion also went on a tour through much of Europe organized by the festival promoters. Since its ninth edition in 2013, the festival has been held in the Essigfabrik in Cologne.

2014–2019: Expansion and recognition

In 2014 (the 10th edition), Euroblast solidified its reputation by featuring headliners like Animals as Leaders and SikTh. The 2015 edition included Between the Buried and Me and Leprous, showcasing the growing diversity of the festival's lineup. The 15th festival in 2019 featured headliners like Between the Buried and Me, Voyager, and Uneven Structure and introduced newer bands like Azure, Sleep Token, and Votum.

2020–2022: Post-pandemic adaptation and return

The 2020 edition of Euroblast was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, a one-day event was held on October 2 at Essigfabrik featuring Jinjer, Hypno5e, Space of Variations, and Defocus. Euroblast 2022 marked a triumphant return with the sold out 16th edition from September 30 to October 2. The lineup featured artists like Plini, Vola, Unprocessed, Vildhjarta, and others.

2023–2024: Continued success

In 2023, the sold out 17th edition happened from September 29 to October 1 featuring Leprous, The Hirsch Effekt, and GGGOLDDD among others. The 18th edition in 2024 had an eclectic lineup including Northlane, Jakub Zytecki, and Caligula’s Horse. Euroblast Festival's 19th edition will be September 26 - 28 2025.

Notable bands and impact

Euroblast has hosted iconic bands and artists including Meshuggah, Devin Townsend from the Vancouver metropolitan area in British Columbia and Cynic, while helping launch emerging acts Sleep Token, Humanity's Last Breath, and The Algorithm. The festival's intimate and community-oriented atmosphere has fostered a sense of camaraderie among artists, fans, and industry professionals.

References

{{Commons category, Euroblast Festival

2008 establishments in Germany
Heavy metal festivals in Germany
Music festivals established in 2008