I am annoyed.

I have spent the past half an hour pacing the floor, cursing the commercialisation of music, and the false lies set out by an industry that claims to care about grassroots scenes, only to ignore them when they come calling for help.

I have spent the past seven days reaching out to the press, companies, bands, labels, and PR firms for help, support, headliners, news coverage, and sponsorship — only to be met by a wall of silence. One polite “no.” That’s all. The rest? Ghosts. The same voices who shout about “supporting the underground” and “keeping metal alive” suddenly go quiet when there’s no cheque attached.

So to them, I say this: fuck you — we’ll do it ourselves.

The Black Flame Festival was never meant to be a corporate showcase or a glossy cash-grab. It’s a rallying cry for those who still believe in the underground — for the musicians who record in basements, for the writers who bleed over every review, and for the fans who live this music like it’s religion.

The festival is already growing. Eighteen bands confirmed from the UK, Europe, and the US — all ready to drag this thing out of the shadows and into the fire. We’re applying for National Lottery and PRS funding, we’re reaching out for underground sponsorship, and we’ll crowdfund the rest. No big names needed, no corporate logos, no compromise.

This is how we win — by standing alone, shoulder to shoulder with those who still have fire in their veins.

No industry handouts. No gatekeepers. No apologies.The Black Flame Festival will happen because it must.For the underground.

By the underground.

Forever underground.

And if you want to be part of this — as a fan, a label, a band, or just someone sick to death of watching real art get buried by algorithms and money — then keep an eye on this space. The crowdfunding campaign and Discord community launch soon. When they do, that’ll be your chance to stand with us and make history.

No gods. No masters. No industry. Only fire.

Neil Gray (Black Flame Festival Madman)