The heaviest part of the summer is back! RPM Fest 2024 opens its ticket sales on 4/27 with a launch party and lineup announcement at Four Phantoms Brewing Company at 12pm, then closes out the party at 10 Forward with a stacked show featuring Easthampton's black metal crushers Bellower, Portland ME's punk-thrashers Viqueen, and western MA sludge newcomers Hauzu.
18+
DOORS @ 7
MUSIC @ 8
$10 Sliding Scale
BELLOWER
In 2017, several longstanding western Massachusetts metal musicians decided to correct the area's lack of black metal. By the time Bellower was fully-formed, the scope of the project had expanded beyond this, incorporating elements of death metal, doom, and traditional heavy metal into its melodic black roots. Originally featuring current and former members of Krakatoa, Western Massacre, and Thunderforge (and later adding a member of Vacant Eyes), Bellower spent its first two years playing around New England and beyond, before the COVID pandemic shut down live music across the country. Despite this, they released their debut album Legendary Bones in 2020, and began to hit stages again as soon as they were able.
Following a couple of key lineup changes after the release of the album, a new lineup of Bellower has taken form and their unique blend of extreme metal continues to evolve. Look for audiences and venues alike to be crushed by them this year.
Find them online on Bandcamp
VIQUEEN (VY-kween, like viking)
Viqueen is a thrash/hardcore band founded by wife/wife duo Alexa Rae (Guitar, Vocals) and Courtney Cavanagh (Bass). Lead guitarist Tom Couture and drummer Chris Leighton complete this high energy, hard hitting band based out of Portland, ME. With a “no slow songs”, in-your-face approach to songwriting, VIQUEEN’s tracks are driving, hard, and rowdy while highlighting thoughtful melodies and smart lyrics.
The band's diverse musical background allows them to create unpredictable, catchy as hell compositions. Alexa Rae grew up in New Hampshire playing electric guitar, drums, and bass while obsessing over Deftones. Courtney was a banjo wielding bluegrass aficionado from Illinois. The two linked up in 2015 (both musically and romantically) in Austin, TX and began touring the country. While VIQUEEN was based out of San Francisco for several years, the duo eventually settled in Portland, Maine where the band acquired members Tom and Chris in 2023. Both hailing from Maine, the addition of the talented new guitarist and drummer created the perfect conditions for what is today's powerhouse four-piece.
Find them online at viqueenofficial.wixsite.com
HAUZU
Hauzu is the evolution of a process started by Ben Goodbody (guitars/vocals) in the summer of 2020 while on deployment in the Middle East. When Ben learned the Army was going to send him to Iraq, he made his own mission: to play guitar. He carried a little travel acoustic in his rucksack, trading many comfort items to make room for the instrument, even stuffing his socks in its hollow body. Music become a way to cope and process what was happening in and around him. Those times led to great change as Ben was confronted with some of the darker edges of the American experience. Upon completing his enlistment contract in 2021, Ben moved to the Northeast. There he continued his musical practice, ultimately writing the songs that would become Hauzu. In February of 2023 Miguel Gomba (drums), and Dakota Gill (bass), joined the project and made the music truly come to life. In February of 2024, Hauzu released their first self-titled EP. Influences: Unwound, ISIS, Portrayal of Guilt, Majority Rule, YOB
Find them online on Bandcamp