The highlight of ARTmania Festival’s seventh edition (August 6-12, 2012) is the weekend of 10th and 11thof August when a series of concerts will take place in the center of Sibiu. This year, Harley-Davidson® Bucharest will create a new space in the Small Square, supporting the Romanian artists playing on the stage of a large international festival, along with the Tuborg Sound platform new.
The Bucharest dealer of the well-known brand Harley-Davidson organizes, for the first time, the Custom Harley-Davidson Bike Show. The competition is dedicated to all customized Harley-Davidson motorcycles. During the contest, a raffle will also be organized for the public to choose their favorite custom model in the People’s Choice category.Harley-Davidson and ARTmania Festival will pick the winners and offer the prizes. The program will include a Harley-Davidson motorcycle parade, where all the bikers are invited.
The 11 bands that will play on the Harley-Davidson stage complement the line-up in the Large Square, covering a large variety of genres from metal to progressive, alternative rock and post-punk.
Originally from the Republic of Moldova, Alternosfera has a 14 years career and an impressive fan base both local and in Romania. In 2005, the band released “Orasul 511”, album that included the track “Wamintirile” that successfully invaded Romanian tv and radio stations. It was followed by “Visatori cu plumb in ochi sau ultima scrisoare pentru femeia Nordica” (2007) and the EP “Flori din groapa Marianelor” (2008), releases that won over the public and strengthened their top position in the alternative rock area. alternosfera.com
Arc Gotic was founded in Timisoara in 1992, at the initiative of Florin Turta, as a result of the common interested of the band members towards the music of the 80s, especially post-punk, a completely new approach for the Romanian musical scene. Their debut album, “Catechism”, reminding of the gloomy perspective of George Bacovia„s poetry, was released in 1994 and followed by 3 other discs. At the ARTmania Festival, the public of ARTmania festival will have the chance to listen to songs on the soon to be released album, which will hold a new approach to sound, with “garage” influences, but maintaing its characteristics atmosphere.arcgotic.ro
Abigail was formed in 1994, being the oldest band of its genre in Romania, having an impressive record and a discography of six releases. Over the years Abigail has shared the stage with Katatonia, Lake of tears, Ava Inferi, Cynic, Helloween or Testament, maintaining an original metamorphosis of its style. After the E.P. “It Is the Night I Fear” (2011), Abigail is getting ready for new video recordings and a new album release – 3CD + 1 DVD – “Dark Days Turned into Blue Nights”, to be launched later this year.abigailofficial.com
The story of Kitsune Art, the revelation of the Spanish rock scene, begins at the end of 2010. Its unique style of subtle combinations between metal and alternative rock, has drawn the attention of the audience and press, but also the admiration of fans listening to bands like Linkin Park, P.O.D or Pantera. For Kitsune Art, 2012 has started in an outstanding manner, with a series of sold out concerts, the release of their first EP – “Live All You Can” in May, and brings them to the ARTmania Festival, on the Harley-Davidson stage, Friday, August 10th. kitsuneart.bandcamp.com
Voices of Silence, founded in Cluj-Napoca in 1994 by guitarist Vincze Szabi, have become one of the highly regarded progressive metal bands in Romania. Over the years they have shared the stage with names like Fates Warning, Wasp, Lake Of Tears, Udo, Tankcsapda, Orphaned Land, Crematory, Whinterhorde, Ossian, Iron Maidnem, Nevergreen, Inner Wish, Catamenia, Grave Digger, To Die For, The Cold Existence. Voices of Silence will play on the Harley-Davidson stage songs from their last two albums: “2012” and ”The Human Saga”. voicesofsilence.ro
ViolentorY is an innovative experimental metal band from Bulgaria, who takes different metal genres and combines it with a specific sound from the Bulgarian folklore and a classical orchestration. The audience at the ARTmania Festival will have the opportunity of listening live to songs off its debut album, which will be released this fall. myspace.com/violentory
Blind Spirits is a heavy metal band from Bucharest formed in 2003 by guitarist Razvan Rizea. Blind Spirits opened for Hammerfall and Iron Maidnem, played at the White River Fest, MC Trust Fest and Free Fest, with numerous other concerts in Bucharest clubs and nationwide. In April 2012, they released the double album “Trapped into Reality”, followed by short Romanian tour that will be picked up in the fall, also including a couple of gigs in Germany, Bulgaria and Germany. blindspirits.ro
Reborn, the “youngest” band in the Romanian metal industry was born in 2011 in Bucharest. After some concerts in Bucharest and other towns, the band hit the stage of festivals like Posada and Chopped Academy Summer Fest (2011). This year the band is preparing for the launch of its first album and getting ready for its show at the ARTmania Festival.myspace.com/rebornmetalromania
Sky Swallows Challenger has been active since 2006 under the name of Halat Alb, adopting its present name in 2009, when it also released the “Endorphin” EP. In the spring of 2012, its first album “Align to Collide” came out , after being recorded at the SuperSize Recordings in Budapest. “Classifying us is a bit delicate since we are inspired by many types of music, not just rock. Textbook definition puts us in alternative”. skyswallowschallenger.com
Horia Bucerzan and Rares Boros founded EvergreeD in 1997, in Sibiu. Its 15 yearlong career covers a heavy metal period, between 2001 and 2007, and the release of 5 albums. The band has recently launched the “Sclav” single and the album “The worst of” (2012). myspace.com/evergreed
Tagma band was founded in the summer of 2009, out of some members from the “Buricul Pamantului” musical project. At the end of the same year they have released a 10-track album. Tagma will go on the Harley-Davidson stage in the closing night of the festival.tagmaband.ro
Thanks to the special concept of the festival and its localization in Transylvania, in one the most beautiful towns in Eastern Europe, the ARTmania cultural platform has become a valuable international brand, being acknowledged and supported by prestigious partners, local authorities and cultural institutions in Sibiu.
Over its six-year of existence, the annual festival in Sibiu became famous worldwide for promoting the metal musical scene and artists covering a varied range from gothic metal to heavy metal, extending to punk and alternative rock. Starting August the 6th, people attending the festival can take part in a wide range of activities like photography and painting exhibitions, book launches, workshops and other events dedicated to the arts.
ARTmania Festival 2012 is an event co-financed by the Local Council of Sibiu, through the Town Hall and the Cultural House of the District of Sibiu.
ARTmania Festival the support of important cultural partners: Brukenthal National Museum, ASTRA National Museum Complex, Humanitas Libraries, Camoes Portuguese Institute, Polish Institute, Czech Centre, Finnish Embassy in Romania, the Anim’estplatform, Future Shorts, RAWW and other prestigious partners like Harley-Davidson Bucharest, Tuborg, Ford, iStyle – Apple Premium Reseller, Rapunzel, Marquardt, Ambient, Ibis Hotel, Roberts Hotel.
