DAY 2 - Friday September 25

RUΪM

Rune “Blasphemer” Eriksen, the Norwegian guitarist renowned for shaping some of the most influential black metal of the 1990s and 2000s with Mayhem and later forging a darker, thrashing path with Aura Noir, launched RUÏM in 2020 as a deeply personal expression of extreme metal rooted in both rediscovered Mayhem-era material and his spiritual connection to the left-hand path of Brazilian Umbanda. Joined by French drummer César “CSR” Vesvre, RUÏM's debut album, Black Royal Spiritism – I. O Sino Da Igreja (2023, Peaceville), blends eerie atmospheres, blistering black metal, and ritualistic storytelling delivered in English, Portuguese, and Norwegian. At Covenant XI, RUÏM will make their Canadian debut, marking Blasphemer's first performance in Vancouver since Aura Noir's 2017 appearance, bringing with them a singular vision that fuses black metal's legacy with occult inspiration and uncompromising sonic intensity.

VOLAHN

At Covenant XI, two of the Black Twilight Circle’s most formidable manifestations, Volahn and Zulxaxeku, descend beneath the Serpent Sigil, bringing the clandestine spirit of this influential current within the American underground to Canadian soil. Returning to Covenant after a decade-long absence, Volahn carries the unmistakable voice of western black metal, blending psychedelic reverb, analog warmth, and windswept melodies into a sound shaped by desert mysticism, Mayan-inspired fire, and the cold resonance of the Pacific coast. Having forged a legacy through years of international performances, Volahn returns bearing the first signs of new material emerging from the abyss. Alongside them, Zulxaxeku makes its Canadian debut with a feral and chaotic fusion of war-grind intensity, ritualistic chants, and apocalyptic dissonance. Together, these two forces bring the banner of the Black Twilight Circle northward, uniting desert mysticism, occult warfare, and the ancient serpentine current that has long influenced the underground black metal landscape.

EGREGORE

Emerging from Vancouver’s Covenant circle, Egregore is an occult black/death metal entity formed by members of bands including Mitochondrion, Reversed, Ruinous Power, Auroch, and Garrotting Deep. Active since 2019, the band channels a unique and esoteric vision that blends arcane Floridian death metal with influences from Hellenic, Italian, Brazilian, and other ritualistic traditions. Their debut demo, The Word of His Law (2022), introduced a dark and expansive mythology, while their forthcoming full-length, It Echoes in the Wild (2026, 20 Buck Spin), promises to further explore their atmospheric and elemental approach. Expanding into a larger live incarnation, Egregore returns to the Covenant XI stage on home soil after a long silence, ready to unveil a deeper and more untamed sonic wilderness.

PRIMITIVE WARFARE

From the militant depths of the American underground, Primitive Warfare is a South Carolina-based black/death metal force formed by the duo U235 and Pu239, delivering a vision of uncompromising brutality they describe as “regressive desecration.” Since their 2019 self-titled demo released through Stygian Black Hand, the band has forged a reputation for savage riffs, relentless percussion, and an intentionally chaotic approach rooted in the rawest traditions of extreme metal. Following a series of splits and live assaults, Primitive Warfare unleashed their debut full-length, Extinction Protocol (2024), refining their destructive formula into a barrage of war-torn rhythms, crushing riffs, and dual vocal devastation released through Stygian Black Hand and Godz Ov War Productions. At Covenant XI, Primitive Warfare will cross into Canada for the first time, bringing their doctrine of sonic violence and unrelenting black/death metal warfare to northern shores.

AHNA

Vancouver Death Metal.

IRON FIRMAMENT

Emerging from the shadowed underground of Washington State, Iron Firmament is a rising force in American black metal, formed by the trio Krieger, CSZ, and Artificer. Drawing from the cold traditions of classic black metal while forging their own path, the band blends soaring melodies, mystic acoustic passages, fantastical imagery, and relentless momentum into a sound steeped in atmosphere and ancient spirit. In just two years, Iron Firmament has unleashed an impressive catalog of four EPs and two full-length albums, establishing a reputation for immersive compositions and heroic, trance-like intensity. Their next chapter arrives with the forthcoming In the Land of Pre-Human Kings (2026, Vermignosis/Wergild), promising to expand their mythic and windswept vision even further. At Covenant XI, Iron Firmament brings the storming promise of a new generation of American black metal, offering audiences a glimpse into the future of the underground.