Dark Castle Fest 2025

The Kentucky Vampires

We were uncertain if we could navigate the heavens to allow for yet another Dark Castle appearance by The Kentucky Vampires. There is always something out there working against us… But today, on May 30th, the day of the Louisville Goth Prom, the sun joins Mercury in Gemini — in a *Mercury Cazimi — marking a powerful moment for clarity, insight and mental breakthroughs. This celestial conjunction shines a spotlight on our consciousness, inviting us to embark on an exciting journey of exploration. We are encouraged to seek out innovative paths, uncover fresh solutions, and embrace new perspectives.

Thus -

The Kentucky Vampires are playing Dark Castle Fest 2025

The Kentucky Vampires are a Gothic Rock band founded in Louisville, Kentucky. There have been some changes over the years but one thing has never changed- The Kentucky Vampires play Gothic Rock. The end.

Check out The Kentucky Vampires on Bandcamp or wherever you choose to listen to music.

Lord Overstreet

When first exposed to the frequencies of Lord Overstreet, the instant reaction was- “what deep, old time magick is this?” The first listen was “Interloper” and “Woods” and the admiration was instant to lyric, song and vibe. Like stumbling upon the ruins of an old abandoned house, an old medicine bottle half buried in dirt from a time long gone. Like an old ghost.

“Lord Overstreet is a trio that crosses time, states (Kentucky/Tennessee), and genres to bring a unique sound rooted in Southern storytelling traditions. The Lord’s songs vary widely in style from blues to psychedelic rock to full-scale powerviolence - all while keeping a distinctly idiosyncratic level of soul and romance.”

Check out Lord Overstreet on Bandcamp or wherever you choose to listen to music.

Dark Mountain Orchid

Keeping with our appreciation for live instrumentation and styles that go beyond the standard fare; Dark Castle Fest is plum tickled to be able to include some real Appalachian folk magic from East Tennessee’s Dark Mountain Orchid as part of this year’s festival!

Dark Mountain Orchid is a full, six member band complete with enchanting vocals and excellent musicianship.

“After years on the fringes of the vibrant East Tennessee music scene, Leslie Abney put together Dark Mountain Orchid in 2002, releasing “Luxury of Sin” three years later. On record, she’s a siren who croons, coos and pleads for the darkness to abate. A witch of the woods decanting a cauldron of desire over smoldering coals. A ghost trapped between the world that was and the one that is now, marveling at the beauty laid bare by desolation. Live, she was a force of nature whose Appalachian Gothic style was as bold as her songs. And then she disappeared. Now, two decades later, she’s returned with a new album – “Thrall” – and a new band. It’s a collection that chronicles her journey, and the “thralls” that found her along the way, those creatures who seize the soul to feed and whose talons become roots as they drain victims of light, life and love. She has, however, emerged stronger and more certain than ever of the path she’s on, and she’s assembled a band that rises to meet the talent she’s long possessed.”

Check out Dark Mountain Orchid on Bandcamp or wherever you choose to listen to music.

Amulet

The waxing crescent Moon briefly conjoins with Uranus in Taurus today, leading us to new revelations and discoveries about ourselves and the world around us. This particular lunar phase invites us to plan and prepare for what’s to come.
Ombres émotionnelles et romantiques : entrez dans Amulet !
Bienvenue au Château des Ténèbres !

“Amulet is a Washington, DC-based dark romantic electro-rock band known for their powerful female vocals, bass-driven melodic music, and emotionally charged performances. With a unique blend of pounding electronic beats, ethereal melodies, and driving hard rock elements, Amulet captivates audiences with a sound that is intense and deeply personal. It is the kind of music that demands attention.
Fronted by the mesmerizing vocals of Stephanie Stryker and the music of multi-instrumentalist MJ Phoenix, the band’s music explores themes of love, loss, and the supernatural, weaving poetic lyrics with rich, atmospheric arrangements and powerful hooks.”

Check out Amulet on Bandcamp or wherever you choose to listen to music.

Feyleux

Feyleux will be joining Dark Castle Fest 2025 and we couldn’t be more thrilled to have them! We like them so much that we’re also having them at our annual Goth Prom on May 30th as well. That means you have a chance to see them twice this year and you should!

Feyleux is a dark alternative duo that emerged in mid-2023 seamlessly blending dream pop, darkwave, and post-punk to create their distinct sound. Their debut album, “Midnight Hearts,” released via the Swiss Dark Nights label, showcases cutting-edge bass synthesizers, cascading guitar melodies, and ethereal harmonies. Drawing on the vibrant gothic synth-pop aesthetics of the 1980s as well as modern darkwave.

Check out Feyleux on Bandcamp or wherever you choose to listen to music.

Ak’chamel, The Giver of Illness

As artists ourselves, we keep our eyes out for the unique and out of the ordinary. That’s how we’ve ended up with violins, cellos, banjos and bongo drums in a music scene dominated by trends we’ve continued to step outside of. There’s more to this darkly romantic community than the next post punk sensation and we wanna keep exploring that.

Dark Castle Fest is overjoyed to announce “Ak’chamel - The Giver Of Illness”.

To be frank, we’re not entirely sure what to expect. They look incredible and once explored musically it was time to invite these cats to Louisville. Sounding as if Martin Denny made a desert pilgrimage on ayahuasca or some other wildly grown psychedelic. Looking like… I know our photographers will surely have a blast shooting these guys. For a better perspective on this it’s time to cut and paste a quote from better writers.

“Few bands are as inscrutable as the mysterious Texas duo Ak’chamel. The pair are known for their countless cassettes, films, and full-length records (such as the publicly and critically acclaimed ‘The Totemist’), as well as for performing their ritualistic sounds in homespun costumes with self-made instruments.”
– leguesswho.com

Check out Ak’chamel on Bandcamp or wherever you choose to listen to music.