This unique trio brings together three outstanding figures from the global experimental scene: Merzbow – a living legend of Japanese noise; Iggor Cavalera – co-founder of Sepultura and an icon of thrash metal; and Eraldo Bernocchi – an Italian composer and producer known for bold genre fusions and collaborations with artists across the world.

Merzbow, the moniker of Masami Akita, is one of the most influential and prolific figures in noise music – a true legend. Since the 1980s, he has been transforming sound into immersive sonic landscapes, drawing inspiration from Dadaism, surrealism, free jazz, and musique concrète. His work – from the iconic Pulse Demon to recent AI-enhanced projects – navigates the space between noise and structure, improvisation and conceptualism. Merzbow is also an ethical project: since 2003, Akita has been a committed vegan and animal rights activist, a stance reflected in the titles and aesthetics of many of his releases. He has collaborated with artists such as Boris, Keiji Haino, Balázs Pándi, and Zbigniew Karkowski.

Iggor Cavalera rose to fame as the drummer of the legendary Sepultura, shaping the sound of 1980s and 1990s thrash metal – from blistering riffs to rhythms rooted in Brazilian folk traditions. After leaving the band, he ventured into new musical territories with projects like Mixhell, Soulwax, and Petbrick. His work bridges the raw energy of metal with electronics and experimentation, making him one of the most recognizable and versatile drummers of his generation.

Eraldo Bernocchi is an Italian guitarist, producer, and co-founder of the cult project Sigillum S. Since the 1980s, he has explored the outer edges of sound – from ambient and dub, through doom metal, to audiovisual art. He has collaborated with Harold Budd, Nils Petter Molvaer, DJ Olive, and Bill Laswell, and as the founder of RareNoise Records, he has championed avant-garde music on a global scale.

This rare and powerful collaboration between three distinct musical forces promises to be one of the most striking performances of this year’s festival.