Vulture

Dutch thrash metal band Vulture was formed in 1986 and quickly became a pillar in the European thrash scene. Known for their aggressive riffs and raw energy, they blend classic thrash with modern intensity. Their album, Obsolete Future (2021), marks a powerful return, showcasing their relentless spirit and technical skill. Vulture’s main stage set is expected to deliver a classic thrash assault with a contemporary edge, setting a fierce tone early in the festival.

Vulture was an interesting act to start Into The Grave with. Their energy worked well for the early birds of the festival. People were still walking in, but a bunch of people made their way up front to claim a place for the headliner of the day and thus they had some dedicated listeners.

Boneripper

Boneripper hails from Montreal and channels the raw, old-school thrash vibe reminiscent of Bay Area thrash legends. Founded in 2011, they have carved a niche with their high-speed riffs and punk-infused aggression. Their album Rotten Metal (2022) cements their status as thrash revivalists. On the Reaper stage, Boneripper will bring relentless energy and old-school thrash fury, a perfect complement to the festival’s heavier offerings.

And on this Friday the Reaper stage was dedicated to Hardcore Metal with the title Hardcore Friday. Interesting as previously we baptized the Friday affectionally “Theatre Friday” but that seemed to be postponed to Sunday this year. Boneripper provides such an opposite experience here, no-nonsense and straight in your face kind of Metal regardless of it being a bit diverting from the name here and there.

Coffin Feeder

Coffin Feeder was scheduled at the Mainstage after another band had to cancel unfortunately. With proper brutality and some well dosed rage the band wakes up the audience. The formation has its homebase in Belgium and is filled with familiar faces from other bands from the scene. Yet, under this name the guys have been together since 2021 and their debut album called “Big Trouble” is only out for a month or two.
The stage is large enough for these guys we can say, they know how to engage their audience with their sound and that is their strongest suit. We could have imagined them being a lot more cozy and close at the Reaper, but seeing how they worked the big field serves nothing but respect. A worthy replacement we would say.

Heavy Hitter

Heavy Hitter is a newer entry from the Netherlands, delivering a crushing blend of sludge and hardcore punk with a thick, heavy sound. Their gritty, no-frills approach to metal is characterized by pounding drums and gritty vocals, drawing fans who appreciate raw intensity.

Heavy Hitter did not play a bad set here today, but compared to the action we saw from Boneripper and Coffin Feeder they were falling a bit behind as it did not come across as intimate as the previous mentioned ones. Sure, their sound also deviates from that but somehow the energy was lost in their set. Spending more time going deeper into their sound would bring you more to the details where Heavy Hitter is perhaps more refined. Unlucky placement we would say.

3 Inches of Blood

Canada’s 3 Inches of Blood burst onto the scene in 1999 with a unique blend of power metal and traditional heavy metal. Their soaring vocals, dual guitar harmonies, and epic storytelling have earned them cult status. Although currently on hiatus, their legacy remains strong with albums like Long Live Heavy Metal (2012). Their main stage appearance brought classic metal anthems and fierce riffs that date back to metal’s golden era.

Good to see the guys back after more than a decade, we have seen their music in their earlier years on the Roadrunner commerce and surely missed having them around. The guys seem to be eager to play here today and many in the audience were along with celebrating their return. Good to hear some of these songs back live here. The way the band has their balance in sound works well here today. All of them take their place, one being a bit more upfront than the other but a steady sound performed with enthusiasm brings a smile on our face. Later this year the band will be performing on a 5 minute walking distance from our headquarters, so will surely see more of them there.

Cro-Mags

Cro-Mags are hardcore legends from New York City, active since 1981. They pioneered crossover thrash by blending hardcore punk’s raw aggression with thrash metal’s intensity. Their seminal album The Age of Quarrel (1986) is a hardcore milestone. Cro-Mags brought their rebellious spirit to the Reaper stage, delivering a hard-hitting, adrenaline-fueled set that’s raw, energetic, and unforgettable.

Cro-Mags is no stranger to Into The Grave and the have a strong fanbase as it seems. The field in front of the Reaper was filled quite well and with their expressive performance it took them only seconds to get that moshpit going. Hell broke loose when some of their classics were played, an explosion of mosh going round. A pleasure to watch. For many, their set was a highlight here today and they reached our top list as well!

Orange Goblin

UK’s Orange Goblin, formed in 1995, is a key figure in the stoner and doom metal scenes. Their sound fuses heavy riffs, bluesy grooves, and psychedelic elements, often delivering a gritty yet melodic atmosphere. Their latest album, The Wolf Bites Back (2018), is a fan favorite that showcases their classic doom-metal swagger. Their main stage set will likely be a hypnotic journey through heavy riffs and psychedelic vibes.

It is their last show on Dutch soil they said. The band is calling their quits for now and thus it was one of the last opportunities to see the band live. Some more shows are planned in neighboring countries, but this one at Into The Grave was their Dutch goodbye. The band has played the festival before as well as Dynamo Metalfest(same organizer), but the band self speaks also of their iconic show at Roadburn. Their groovy goodbye was not performed with tears, the guys seem to have great joy on playing here today. Positive vibes all around and a show to remember.

Pro-pain

New York’s Pro-Pain has been delivering hardcore and groove metal since 1991. With a blend of aggressive riffs, catchy grooves, and socially conscious lyrics, they have maintained a loyal following. Their recent album The Final Revolution (2023) features sharp songwriting and brutal energy.

Pro-Pain on the reaper stage was somewhat concerning to us when we were reading about this. Wasn’t this stage a bit too small for these guys? Upon arrival at the festival grounds we were relieved to see that the Reaper had some decent space in front of it, so the many fans that these guys attract have enough space to watch and mosh. Of course that happened, their songs made an impact here today. The band spoke a bit between the songs where they voiced their opinions where one could hardly disagree with. Suits them well here today, Pro-Pain made it work.

Exodus

Exodus is one of the foundational thrash metal bands, forming in 1979 in California. They helped pioneer the Bay Area thrash sound, known for fast riffs, aggressive vocals, and relentless energy. Their latest album, Persona Non Grata (2021), showcases their staying power in the thrash metal world. Exodus’s mainstage performanceturned out to be a furious thrash metal assault packed with classics and new ferocity.

Starting their set with some Queen, the guys set the mood right here. The main stage audience was getting ready from Thrash but surely could not resist getting along with that.
The setlist was filled with songs that are played often at their shows. Now surely the band has been around for decades but the internet learns us that songs like “Blacklist” have been performed live over 1000 times. People do not get tired of these hits as the response here shows today. A good dose of crowdsurfers came by, encouraged by enthusiastic volunteers at the festival. Exodus conforms the expectation, creating a massive show that energized their audience.

Rise of the Northstar

Hailing from Paris, France, Rise of the Northstar mixes hardcore, metal, and Japanese pop culture influences into a unique style. Since forming in 2008, they’ve grown rapidly with albums like The Legacy of Shi (2020) featuring energetic breakdowns and melodic hooks.

Rise of the North Star was surely a positive surprise here today for us. The French formation chooses to slightly break away from expectations sound wise and although their set is feeling it at a slight bit less sharp as Pro-Pain, the guys have no difficulties in convincing their audience today. Playfully they wrap them around the finger and have some mayhem going on. We had to cut our time with them a bit short for logistic reasons but we enjoyed what we saw.

Savatage

Veteran American heavy metal band Savatage, formed in 1979, is famous for pioneering progressive and symphonic metal with a powerful narrative style. Albums like Hall of the Mountain King (1987) set new standards for melodic metal. Though now mostly inactive, their legacy continues to influence many.

Now as a personal favorite of editor Sabine Savatage was only bound to win here tonight. For a headliner the band does not come with a show that is too wild. Not too much glitter and glam, fancy effects or costumes, simply the music of the band that left the scene for so long to make its impact. And that worked out well for the guys here today. People were singing along to most of the songs, not only the biggest hits. A great thing to see, this band still being loved so much. And that they don’t need a whole lot other than their songs to make audience have a great time. The band self seems eager to be back on the stage as well, it being one of the first shows in Europe that they have planned. Not that the fans at the front row were all European. We noticed some people who traveled from Brazil to see the band here today and also many other international fans found their way to Leeuwarden. We don’t know what Savatage will choose to do in future but having these guys play an amazing set here on the first day was a highlight of the whole festival that will stick in mind for a long time.