With what promises to be a marked improvement over their first two years, the Dutch Complexity Fest 2018 looks set to be an excellent couple of days if you like your metal complex and technical but are also open to some genuinely new musical experiences. With a focus on the more progressive and experimental bands it’s going to be a weekend to remember; unless of course you end up like a typical tourist in Amsterdam afterwards, and if that’s the case I’ll be amazed if you remember anything…
This third year sees Complexity add an extra day and will be running over the 23rd and 24th February. I realise this is really short notice, so you’ll probably want to get your tickets now (see below) and get packing…
Friday night, starting at 18:00 will feature The Dali Thundering Concept, Ulsect, Disentomb, Dodecahedron, Aversions Crown, Oceano, John Frum and headlining this first night Carnifex, who are currently touring their last release Slow Death through Europe. Plenty of crushing breakdowns and a tight live show should leave fans exhausted and bruised, but ready for Saturday…
A little time to sleep and then the full morning to get yourself prepared with some breakfast and/or alcohol before things kick off at 12:00 on Saturday, and it’s quite a line-up that runs right through until 04:00 in the morning…
Chiraw, Helium Horse Fly, The Voynich Code, Barst, Poil, Knalpot, Cabal, Toska, The Hirsch Effekt, God Mother, Employed to Serve, Sithu Aye, Three Trapped Tigers, Vola, Dodheimsgard, Blanck Mass and then the always controversial The Faceless who are currently touring their latest and critically acclaimed release In Becoming A Ghost.
Finally, Saturday headliners Sikth will bring the weekend to a close. Touring their first full length album since 2006, last year’s The Future in Whose Eyes?. With a record of extremely well received live shows, this seems the perfect band to finish the night (early-ish morning really) and close the festival.