What makes a record label great? Is it publishing and releasing good music? Sure that’s the main thing, but some of them go beyond that. Pelagic Records have made themselves known as more than just a label: through 15 years, they’ve been a driving force in underground heavy music, giving a voice to artists that would otherwise be considered too ‘out there’ for the mainstream. They’re a vessel for the outcasts, vanguards for the very best that modern heavy music has to offer, especially on the post metal and post rock fronts. If a band is on Pelagic, it’s guaranteed to be interesting at the very least.
They’ve charted their path for quite some time to get them where they are today, and in 2024, they’ve celebrated their 15th anniversary in grand fashion – with a special edition of the famed Pelagic Fest. We’re thrilled to be unveiling the after movie for Pelagic Fest 2024, which you can check out below!
I was one of the lucky people to be there in person for this birthday bash, and boy – it was a belter. Filled to the brim with some of my favorite names on Pelagic, it was bound to be a fun time, but like many of the attendees in the video said, Pelagic Fest 2024 was a marvel in all fronts. Musically, yes, but also a remarkably well structured festival experience in every other way.
The event was held in the charming city of Maastricht, at the very south of the Netherlands and conveniently accessible from both Germany and Belgium. This city is home to the exceptional Muziekgieterij, probably the best venue for live music I’ve ever been to. Housing two stages and a spacey foyer, there was plenty of room for roaming between stages, grabbing some chow and getting some downtime with fellow festival goers. This made for a super cozy festival experience, as everyone present were true lovers of everything Pelagic stands for. The crowds were already gathered and present for the very first show, and they were hyped for the entire duration of the two day event.
Watching the after movie took me right back to those days, and there were tons of personal highlights I remember fondly. I was particularly blown away by LLNN – they’re a band that makes you reconsider what heavy music truly is with their cosmic horror approach to post metal. It was brutal, intense, and atmospheric in all the right ways. Hippotraktor were also huge: if you like them in studio, you owe it to yourself to see those guys on a stage. The energy they bring to a live setting is unbelievable, and there’s not a single person in that crowd that stood still for their set. There’s also no way I can’t mention Spurv – their beautiful flavor of post rock is very dear to me and it took my soul to another dimension.
The festival was also home for some special full album sets: And So I Watch You From Afar presented their latest album Megafauna in full, and its heartfelt songs hit even harder in person. And of course, label godfathers The Ocean graced everyone with two incredible shows: their modern masterpiece Pelagial (which was a must for poetic reasons), as well as a second set of some of the best songs from their current era. Unbeknownst to me and everyone else at the time, these shows marked some of the last times The Ocean played with their current live lineup, and I’ll forever cherish the memories of being there for a band that is nothing short of legendary in their most grand iteration yet.
Pelagic Fest 2024 was more than a festival. It was a celebration of the diversity of music, a gathering for a passionate community, an oasis for those that share Pelagic’s musical vision. Thankfully, it was more than a one-off event: the festival is here to stay! You can expect it to be an yearly event from now on, and 2025 is shaping up to give last year’s edition a run for its money. Check out the Pelagic Fest 2025 lineup and gasp at all its glory:
There’s tons to be excited about here. Post rock fans will be eating good with God Is An Astronaut and This Will Destroy You – two landmark acts from the genre that are well known for mesmerizing live performances, as well as A Burial At Sea, one of favorite bands in the genre who are bound to make waves. There’s some beyond special sets too, such as you, infinite performing their beautiful self titled debut in full and BRUIT ≤ doing double duty with two shows, including their newest masterpiece The Age Of Ephemerality in full. Trust us: that’s unmissable.
You also can’t go wrong with Psychonaut: the Pelagic favorites put on a massive live show, and no one is doing psychedelic and epic post metal like they are. And of course, any prog metal fan should be excited to see scene legends Hypno5e and one of the main names from the scene: the Emperor boss Ihsahn with his unique twist on progressive black metal. There’s some true gold on the lower billing, too. Like I said, if a band is on Pelagic, you gotta check them out.
That should be enough to get you interested, but if you’re not convinced yet, take it from the Head of Pelagic, Robin Staps himself: ‘Pelagic Fest 2025 will continue right where last year’s anniversary edition left off: it’s promising to be a killer weekend loaded to the brim with exceptional music from exceptional artists. I’m happy that we managed to avoid repetitions — NO band on this bill played last year already — whilst still remaining (almost) entirely within the Pelagic roster.’
Honestly, the fact that this lineup has zero repeats from last year’s edition – and manages to be just as stacked – just proves how much Pelagic’s diverse roster is second to none. And they’re only getting bigger!
Pelagic Fest 2025 will once again take place in beautiful Maastricht, on August 23 and 24. You can grab yourself some tickets right here and secure yourself a spot at one of the best gatherings that heavy music has to offer. You know you want to!
Live shot of The Ocean by yours truly!
