The inaugural In The Key of Doom festival opened on 2 October at The Meadows in Brooklyn with a five-band bill curated by Gav's Heavily Curated. Philadelphia instrumental doom quartet Seismic celebrated the release of their debut album The Abyss of Time, opening the night with a crushing set that previewed the 12-minute opener "In the Days of the Comet". Connecticut sludge aggressors Afghan Haze followed with pummeling heaviness, while Boston's mostly-instrumental Glacier performed their 2024 album A Distant, Violent Shudder in full. The author departed before Insomniac and headliners Bongripper, whose 2026 live album Live In Leipzig documents their current stage power. The festival continues a tradition of curated heavy psych and doom showcases in New York.