Bilzen is a town and a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg.
On January 1, 2006, Bilzen had a total population of 30,057. The total area is 75.90 km² which gives a population density of 396 inhabitants per km².
Bilzen consists of the city of Bilzen and the following villages: Beverst, Eigenbilzen, Grote-Spouwen, Hees, Hoelbeek, Kleine-Spouwen, Martenslinde, Mopertingen, Munsterbilzen, Rijkhoven, Rosmeer, and Waltwilder. It was in 1977 that they all became part of the municipality Bilzen because of the fusion of municipalities.
City's in Bilzen's neighbourhood are (to its north) Genk, (to its east) Maastricht (Netherlands), to its south Tongeren and to its north-west Hasselt, (all within a distance of some 10 to 15 kilometers).
From 1965 to 1981 Bilzen hosted Jazz Bilzen, a jazz and rock festival that lasted several days. In its time Jazz Bilzen was the most important Belgian festival. Artists that performed there were, among many others, Humble Pie, The Moody Blues, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Humble Pie, The Kinks, The Troggs, Procol Harum, Golden Earring, Rod Stewart, Status Quo, Lou Reed, Aerosmith, AC/DC, The Cure, Toots Thielemans, Keith Jarrett and John McLaughlin. From the 1980s onwards the festival was superseded by Torhout-Werchter, that has now become Rock Werchter.
Beneath the northern lights we ride
The dark lord will guide us
Torches held high
We will kill everything living
There's nowhere to run
The smell of death filling the air harvest begun
Legions
Of death
On a quest
We are obsessed
Legions
Of death
We are
Obsessed with death
Blood is raining from the skies
Red painted corpses the dead will arise
Infected with hatred and strength: some in denial
The smell of death fills the air: slay your ritual
Legions
Of death
On a quest
We are obsessed
Legions
Of death
We are
Obsessed with death
Beneath the northern lights we ride
The oceans have frozen, nothing alive
We will forever patrol, we won't rest
We are the legions of death on our quest
Legions
Of death
On a quest
We are obsessed
Legions
Of death
We are