BOSCO SACRO (IT) This Italian quartet—comprising Paolo Monti (The Star Pillow, DAIMON), Giulia Parin Zecchin (Julinko), Luca Scotti, and Francesco Vara (both also of Tristan da Cunha, Altaj, among others)—crafts immersive soundscapes where dreamlike atmospheres blend with slow, repetitive rhythms, all bound together by a sense of spiritual depth. Drawing from ambient, doom metal, and trip-hop, the band transforms these influences into a deeply personal and evocative sonic language. Their debut album, *Gem* (2023)—recorded with producer Lorenzo Stecconi (Amenra, Zu, Ufomammut)—was followed by the live release *Live at Chiesa Armena*, which captures a performance held within an imposing 17th-century church. Their live shows have garnered acclaim for their passionate, cathartic, ritualistic, and immersive nature, establishing the band as one of the most compelling voices to emerge from Italy’s contemporary underground scene. In Hradec Králové, they will make an exclusive appearance to debut their new record, *Inhabit*, recently released via the Italian label Supernatural Cat. This new album offers a masterful, hypnotic exploration of the space between the inner self and the cosmos. *Inhabit* serves as an exercise in sonic existentialism—a lyrical manifesto, expressed through music, on the act of dissolving and subsequently reconnecting. This raw, collective energy transforms into a spontaneous, diverse sonic tapestry, where the crushing weight of doom and slowcore coexists with the weightless beauty of ethereal dreamgaze.
NEVER SOL (CZ) Behind the project Never Sol stands producer, singer, and sound artist Sára Vondrášková. Her debut album, *Under Quiet*—created in collaboration with Jan P. Muchow—was released by the renowned label Denovali Records, among others, and earned a nomination for an Anděl Award. Her second album, *Chameleo*, further developed the creative approaches she also employs when composing music for theater, film, and contemporary dance.
Her third full-length album, *Rest Your Wound On Mine*—following the EP *Tell The Sea I’m Coming Back* and the single "Leon"—is the result of a gradual loosening of the forms and structures the musician has worked with in recent years. Additional production, mixing, and mastering were handled by sound engineer Maurizio Baggio (who has collaborated with acts such as Boy Harsher and The Soft Moon). German drummer Kian Kiesling (Lolita Terrorist Sounds) contributed drum parts, while Czech composer and performer Lukáš Palán (1flfsoap, Please The Trees, Role) added guitar to two tracks.
The album was released by the Pardubice-based label Stoned to Death. Improvisation during live performances on modular synthesizers played a pivotal role in the shift toward a more abstract, less song-oriented style, allowing for a deeper exploration of sonic detail and form. Heavily processed vocals—saturated with noise and distortion—are accompanied by swelling synthesizer textures that build in intensity, ultimately transforming into a monumental sound. Sára will showcase this musical style during her performance in a Baroque chapel in Hradec Králové.
