BLIKSEM
FACE THE EVIL

Lightning is one of the most spectacular displays in nature.
Bolt temperatures hotter than the sun. Shockwaves radiating out in all directions.
In Dutch, this deadly natural phenomenon is called “bliksem.”
A fitting name for an electrifying five-piece thrash band from Antwerp, Belgium.

The storm began brewing in 2007, when Jeroen De Vriese (guitar), Toon Huet (guitar), Rob Martin (drums and backing vocals) and Jan Rammeloo (bass) began crafting their high energy thrash 2.0. In late 2008, their quest to find a singer on par with Chuck Billy or Dave Mustaine takes an unexpected and brilliant turn with the arrival of Peggy Meeussen.
Her commanding razor-edged vocals are reminiscent of the late Dawn Crosby (Detente/Fear of God) and Nicole Lee (Znowhite), slicing through the existing legions of goth or guttural female-fronted bands. Line-up complete, Bliksem starts to send shockwaves across the Belgian underground.
In 2009, Bliksem quickly establishes a strong live reputation playing dozens of youth centers and local metal and rock festivals around Belgium and soon moves up to bigger stages.
In 2010, the band enters Antwerp’s Little Big Studio with Peter De Wint (former vocalist of Crossfire and sound engineer for bands such as W.A.S.P. & Twisted Sister) to lay down five tracks, which are mixed by Sven Janssens (ex-Aborted) at Red Left Hand Studio and mastered at Motormusic.
The result is a stunning five-track EP of powerful thrash metal garnished with heavy prog elements.
The EP gets rave reviews in numerous magazines/e-zines such as RockHard Germany, Aardschok NL, Lords of Metal, RockHard France and RockTribune Belgium as well as alternative-oriented press.
Critics praise the quality thrash and some go as far to declare Bliksem the best thing to happen to the genre in years.

In 2012, Trix Music Centre in Antwerp chooses Bliksem as the first-ever metal band to be its new “Artist in Residence,” an honor previously bestowed on highly successful Belgian bands such as School is Cool, The Hickey Underworld and Triggerfinger.
Mastering done by Herbrand Larsen (Enslaved) in the Earshot Studio in Bergen, Norway.
Bliksem are now rapidly moving forward and ready to take the rest of Europe.