Oklahoma is littered with toxic waste left behind by lead and zinc mining, known locally as “chat.” The city’s noise rock quartet took its name from these poisonous heaps, and much like the slag piles themselves, their music compresses the existential pain of the 21st century into a suffocating, grotesque form. The American Dream has given way to dread, and Chat Pile’s music is a painfully clear reminder of that shift.

One of the most exciting sludge bands of the past few years, Chat Pile will perform in Budapest for the first time. Their debut album God’s Country landed on Rolling Stone’s and SPIN’s lists of the best albums of 2022, while its 2024 follow-up, Cool World, once again drew widespread critical acclaim.

Joining Chat Pile is the Washington-based doom metal duo Ragana. Their name means “witch” in Latvian and Lithuanian, and their sound is built from oppressive atmospheres and relentless, politically charged lyrics that make their music deeply, beautifully unsettling.