Vilt

Starting the Reaper stage with a fierce presence, Dutch band Vilt delivers a crushing blend of death and grindcore since their formation in 2016. Known for their relentless intensity and brutal soundscapes, their 2023 album Spikes highlights their ability to combine raw aggression with precise technicality.

Vilt has have been filling our inbox recently with new material and thus we were curious to see how that would be translated to a live show. Their sound wakes up the people who made their way from the camping already at the doors opening. A rather brutal awakening, but one to enjoy. Vilt puts effort into the tiny details of their sound, which makes it interesting to listen to and while this sometimes is a thing that does not come across in live settings as much as it should, it worked out for the band. A good way to start the day.

Elvenking

On the main stage, Italy’s Elvenking offers a contrasting yet equally captivating experience with their signature folk/power metal fusion. Since 1997, they have enchanted fans with melodic tunes infused with traditional folk instruments and epic storytelling. Their album, Reader of the Runes – Divination (2019), is a testament to their evolving sound, blending fantasy-themed lyrics with energetic riffs. Expect a spirited and melodic performance that will enchant festivalgoers.

Italian Elvenking was a band Sabine was skeptic of, but if you listen to our podcast you know that Elvira have seen them recently and pointed out their skills. A melodic start on the mainstage is something you can leave up to them for sure. The band is all over the stage, from left to right, from back to the front. And where the main reason of skeptism by Sabine was that the balance between the music and the theatre was heading towards the latter, the band proved here today that they keep that under control. Both seem to leverage eachother and not exceed to other, which made it a positive experience. Well done!

FKÜ

Sweden’s FKÜ unleashes a chaotic mixture of hardcore punk, thrash, and grindcore on the Reaper stage. Formed in 2013, they are known for their politically charged lyrics and aggressive sonic assault. Their recent work, including the album Mind Control (2021), reflects their intense energy and unyielding attitude. FKÜ’s set is sure to be a raw and visceral burst of fury, fueling the underground metal spirit.

Now we know that FKU is a band that is quite straightforward. They say what they think and do not hide behind comprehensive phrases to show their colors. Lovely to see, a band that stands for what they say and has no hesitation to bring that to their audience with great energy.

Slomosa

Slomosa, hailing from Norway, bring their post-metal and sludge influences to the main stage. Since forming in 2012, they have crafted expansive soundscapes blending heavy riffs with atmospheric passages. Their latest album, Strength (2023), delivers a potent mix of crushing heaviness and melodic depth. Slomosa’s performance was expected to provide a powerful yet introspective sonic journey, balancing brutality and emotion.

Slomosa is a band that brings what you may expect with their name. Intense and slower heaviness that has a bass that hits differently. Does not mean the guys are standing around and play their music like we see some bands do that go into this musical direction. The band lives their music onstage vividly and that makes the whole a joy to watch. It seems that even if this is not your cup of tea musically, you still could enjoy watching their set for that reason. Nice to have them here.

Blood Red Throne

Norway’s Blood Red Throne is a seasoned death metal force since 1998, known for their aggressive, no-nonsense style. Their recent release, Imperial Congregation (2022), continues to showcase their knack for delivering tight, brutal death metal with relentless pace. Playing the Reaper stage, they’ll bring sheer intensity and technical brutality, thrilling fans of the extreme.

Blood Red Throne brought us exactly what we were expecting, some energetic sound. But, there is a but. We hoped that they would stray away a bit more from the beaten path. We found the whole somewhat predictable and that meant we lost our interest rather fast. A pity, for the band has the skills going as it seems. Hopefully next time they cross our paths we can get a bit more convinced of their sound.

Rotting Christ

Greek black metal pioneers Rotting Christ take the main stage with their rich blend of dark atmospheres and melodic aggression. Since 1987, they have evolved into one of black metal’s most respected acts, with Heretics (2019) being their latest influential album. Their live shows are atmospheric and intense, combining ancient mythological themes with powerful riffs—an immersive experience for any metal fan.

Rotting Christ is a band that is loved by many and for a long time. We have seen them quite some times, but not too much in the recent years so nice that we get to see them here again. Previous we watched their live stream with Behemoth so we already got a reminder of their great live sets and thus our enthusiasm was great to see them at Into The Grave. They did not disappoint. Great riffs, catchy tracks and simply an entertaining live appearance make that the fans had a great time and having some fan-favorites in their set list was bringing the audience alive here today. Without doubt, Rotting Christ was one of the main points of interest here today and they delivered!

Cabal

Denmark’s Cabal bring their high-octane thrash metal to the Reaper stage. Since their formation in 2014, they have been gaining momentum with energetic performances and tightly crafted riffs. Their 2023 album Nightmare Machine combines raw thrash energy with melodic hooks. Cabal’s set promises a fast-paced, aggressive thrash attack that’s perfect for the festival’s heavy underground vibe.

Cabal’s set was refreshing and brought a lot of positive energy to the field. Whereas some incident happened in the moshpit and some hostility amongst the participants took place it was their vocalist who did not want to have any of that and addressed them, urging them to make up and behave according moshpit etiquette. If one falls down, you pick him up and of you can’t handle it, get out. Wise words and great to see him taking action. The band continued their set and prove to be a promising name for future. One to remember.

Death Angel

San Francisco thrash veterans Death Angel grace the main stage with decades of experience since 1982. Known for their melodic yet aggressive thrash style, their latest album, Humanicide (2019), reaffirms their place in the modern thrash pantheon. Expect a dynamic performance packed with classic riffs and ferocious energy, a perfect tribute to thrash metal’s enduring power.

Death Angel’s last show at Into The Grave was still much on our mind and we hoped for an equally impressive appearance here today. The main stage serves them well as it seems that almost everyone went to see them. A couple of classics on the setlist helped getting things going, but the band seemed to haver the viewers on their hands anyway. A much appreciated add to the lineup here today.

Cobra The Impaler

Belgium’s Cobra The Impaler kick up dust on the Reaper stage with their thrashy, raw old-school metal sound. Formed in 2013, their 2023 album Monster Madness showcases a mix of aggressive riffs and punk attitude. Their performance promises no-frills, high-energy metal that pays homage to classic underground thrash and speed metal.

Cobra The Impaler has played the festival before and it seems they have a selected group of fans around. Whilst they are not as aggressive as many other bands playing this stage, they have their intensity embedded in their sound. We watched about half their set before we realized it was time to get some food, so leave you with the photo’s.

Phil Campbell & The Bastard Sons

Carrying the torch for legendary Motörhead guitarist Phil Campbell, this band blends hard rock and heavy metal with a classic vibe. Since forming in 2016, they’ve earned acclaim for albums like We’re The Bastards (2020). Their main stage was a crowd-pleasing celebration of rock ‘n’ roll spirit, full of driving riffs and solid groove.

Phil Campbell brought his Bastard Sons to Leeuwarden to play some Motorhead for us today, a big fuck you attitude and some joy in Rock ‘n Roll rolling over the festival area. A familiar sound and the songs that we all know are setting people in motion. Some serious crowdsurf action was going on, giving the catching team some work to do. Good vibes only, Phil made it work here today!

High Parasite

High Parasite from UK was making an entry on the Reaper stage. This band makes Gothic Metal and mixes in some doom. Last year this formation released their debut album “Forever We Burn”.

It was still quite recent that we learned My Dying Bride had to take another singer along on their tour so seeing Aaron with this formation was surely a surprise to many. The white outfits and theatrical movements we know him from were also not lost in this show, the gothic/doom sound surely hits. The songs were well composed but not really surprising. Sometimes they were even a bit repetitive to watch, but when brought with precision as Aaron does, with the right amount expression it was a show that surprised is for sure.

Wind Rose

Italian symphonic power metal band Wind Rose deliver epic, fantasy-inspired anthems. Formed in 2009, they mix melodic power metal with folk elements and cinematic flair. Their 2020 album Wintersaga tells tales of heroism and adventure, and their live show is known for its theatricality and soaring choruses. On the main stage, Wind Rose promise a grandiose and uplifting metal experience.

Wind Rose brought all the party people together. With their inflatable gear the audience was ready to start digging a hole here at Into The Grave. Whereas Elvenking has a perfect balance, Wind Rose goes all in on the theater. Costumes, a decorated stage and some drama is painting a cinematic picture. The band, who is highly active on the socials, gathered a fanatic crowd that loved to party and crowd surf during the set. For many it proved to be the highlight of the day.

Insanity Alert

Austria’s Insanity Alert inject a dose of thrash and crossover chaos into the Reaper stage lineup. Since 2006, their fast-paced, aggressive style combines thrash metal with punk energy. Their latest album Fuck Cancer (2023) is a blistering collection of high-speed metal anthems. Insanity Alert’s set is guaranteed to be an adrenaline-fueled mosh pit frenzy.

Another highlight it was, Insanity Alert. A band that has an enormous dose of power in them, which is brought with a large sense of humor. Holding up signs, taking about some frustrations regarding the new Nintendo Switch and popping eyeballs make it clear in short time that they should not be taken too serious, but simply bring entertainment to the field and that is where they are king. Well done!

W.A.S.P

Closing the main stage, American heavy metal legends W.A.S.P. bring decades of theatrical shock rock and heavy riffs. Formed in 1982, their influential career includes classic albums like The Crimson Idol (1992) and more recent work such as Re-Idolized (2018). Their performance is expected to be a high-energy, theatrical spectacle, full of classic metal anthems and dark storytelling.

Blackie Lawless often spoke between the songs, telling their audience why the setlist of today was in the order as it is for example. Their biggest hits are brought in different order than one would expect perhaps. Show wise the band did not go to crazy other than creating a large background. Often Blackie is indicating that he does not know whether this album will be performed in this way again given their long career and their age, hopefully not preparing the fans for a farewell as we see a full crowd enjoying these catchy tracks and sing along loudly. A lovely 80’s vibe to close the evening. A good headliner for Into The Grave.