Fimbul Winter

Opening the Mainstage on day one was Swedish melodic death metal outfit Fimbul Winter, a relatively new name that already carries plenty of weight thanks to the experience of its members. Formed by several former members of Amon Amarth, the band has quickly attracted attention within the underground scene by leaning heavily into the colder and rougher side of classic Scandinavian death metal rather than the polished, arena-ready sound many fans associate with modern melodeath. Their debut EP What Once Was, released in 2025, introduced a darker and more aggressive approach built around icy riffs, pounding drums, and a raw sense of atmosphere.

Even though the festival grounds were still slowly filling up, Fimbul Winter immediately managed to create a grim and intense atmosphere on the Mainstage. Their performance felt stripped of unnecessary theatrics and focused almost entirely on heaviness, tight musicianship, and relentless momentum. The band’s old-school influences were impossible to miss, but the set never came across as nostalgic or dated. Instead, it felt like a deliberate return to the harsher roots of Swedish death metal, delivered by musicians who clearly know exactly what kind of sound they want to bring back to the stage. For an early-afternoon slot, Fimbul Winter delivered a surprisingly fierce and convincing start to the festival weekend.

Inhuman Nature

Over at the Reaper Stage, London-based crossover thrash outfit Inhuman Nature brought an entirely different kind of chaos to the festival grounds. Blending old-school thrash metal with hardcore punk aggression, the band has steadily built a strong reputation within the underground scene thanks to their explosive live performances and uncompromising sound. Since the release of their self-titled debut album in 2020 and its 2022 follow-up Greater Than Death, Inhuman Nature have become known for delivering short, violent bursts of energy that feel equally inspired by classic Bay Area thrash and the raw intensity of hardcore’s most aggressive acts.

From the moment the band hit the stage, the atmosphere inside the tent shifted immediately. Circle pits formed within minutes while crowdsurfers continuously made their way toward the barricade, turning the Reaper Stage into one of the first genuinely frantic moments of the day. Inhuman Nature never tried to overcomplicate things; their entire set revolved around speed, aggression, and relentless momentum. The sharp riffing and barked vocals gave the performance a raw edge that perfectly suited the sweaty and increasingly packed tent environment.

What made the show particularly effective was how natural the band looked on stage. Nothing felt overly rehearsed or artificial. Instead, Inhuman Nature played with the kind of urgency and intensity that made the performance feel spontaneous and dangerous in the best possible way. Their set proved once again why crossover thrash continues to thrive in a live environment where pure energy often matters more than technical perfection.

Revnoir

French alternative metal newcomers Revnoir brought a more modern and atmospheric sound to the festival, offering a noticeable contrast to the day’s heavier thrash and death metal acts. Combining elements of metalcore, industrial influences, electronic textures, and dark alternative rock, the band has quickly started building momentum within the European scene. Their recent material, including the 2024 EP The Crying of a Nation, showcased a cinematic and emotionally charged approach that relies just as much on atmosphere and dynamics as it does on heaviness. While still a relatively fresh name for many festivalgoers, Revnoir already seemed comfortable performing on a larger stage.

Their set leaned heavily into mood and presentation, creating an almost hypnotic atmosphere that slowly pulled the crowd in over the course of the performance. Instead of going for nonstop aggression, the band focused on tension and release, shifting between melodic passages, crushing breakdowns, and industrial-inspired electronics. That balance worked surprisingly well in a live setting, especially as more people gathered out of curiosity during the performance.

Revnoir also showed a strong sense of stage presence for a younger band. The performance felt polished without becoming sterile, and the group managed to maintain intensity even during their more atmospheric moments. Vocally, the contrast between harsh sections and cleaner melodies added extra depth to the set and helped keep the audience engaged throughout.

While some festival visitors may have arrived unfamiliar with the band, Revnoir ultimately delivered one of those performances that tends to spark plenty of post-show conversations , the kind of set that leaves people checking out the band’s music again afterwards.

Predatory Void

Few bands throughout the day created an atmosphere as unsettling and immersive as Belgian collective Predatory Void. Blending sludge, post-metal, doom, and blackened hardcore into a dense and emotionally heavy sound, the band has rapidly earned recognition within the European extreme metal scene since the release of their debut full-length Seven Keys to the Discomfort of Being in 2023. Rather than relying on speed or spectacle, Predatory Void focus on tension, weight, and emotional intensity, something that translated exceptionally well to the live environment at Into The Grave.

From the very beginning, their performance felt oppressive in the best possible sense. Thick walls of distortion rolled across the crowd while the slower, crushing passages created a hypnotic atmosphere that completely changed the energy around the stage. The band’s ability to shift between haunting calm and explosive aggression kept the audience locked in throughout the set, even during the longest and most atmospheric compositions.

What stood out most was how organic the performance felt. Predatory Void never appeared interested in traditional crowd interaction or festival-style showmanship. Instead, the band seemed entirely consumed by the music itself, which only added to the intensity of the experience. The emotional weight behind the vocals and instrumentation gave the set a raw authenticity that many heavier bands struggle to achieve live.

Although their sound may have been more challenging compared to some of the festival’s more straightforward acts, Predatory Void delivered one of the most immersive performances of the day, the kind of set that slowly drags the audience into its world and refuses to let go.

Self Deception

Swedish modern metal outfit Self Deception arrived at Into The Grave with plenty of momentum behind them. Having recently spoken with the band in an interview ahead of the festival season, it was already clear that the group was highly motivated and eager to bring their energetic live reputation to a bigger audience. That enthusiasm translated effortlessly onto the stage. Over the past few years, Self Deception have continued to blur the lines between metalcore, alternative metal, and contemporary hard rock, combining massive hooks with heavier breakdown-driven sections. Their 2025 album Destroy The Art further expanded that formula and confirmed the band’s growing ambitions within the modern metal scene. We recently interviewed them on our youtube channel where we dove deep into their latest album One Of Us.

From the moment they stepped on stage, Self Deception clearly aimed to get the crowd moving rather than simply standing back and letting the music speak for itself. Their set carried a strong sense of confidence and showmanship, with catchy choruses and polished songwriting helping the band connect quickly with both longtime fans and curious newcomers. While undeniably modern in sound, the performance never felt overly calculated or artificial. Instead, the band managed to balance accessibility with enough heaviness to fit naturally within the festival lineup.

One thing that became especially noticeable during the show was how much the members genuinely seemed to enjoy being there. The chemistry between the band members gave the performance a loose and lively feeling that suited the upbeat nature of their material perfectly. Self Deception may lean more toward the melodic side of modern metal, but their energetic performance proved they were more than capable of holding their own at a festival dominated by heavier and more extreme acts.

Picture

Dutch heavy metal veterans Picture brought a welcome dose of classic steel to the festival grounds, reminding everyone why they remain such an important name within the early European heavy metal scene. Originally formed in the late 1970s, the band helped shape the foundations of traditional heavy metal in the Netherlands long before the genre fully exploded across the continent. Albums such as Diamond Dreamer and Eternal Dark earned Picture a loyal cult following throughout the 1980s, and despite multiple lineup changes over the decades, the band continues to carry that old-school spirit proudly into the present day.

Their performance at Into The Grave felt like a celebration of heavy metal in its purest form. No elaborate gimmicks, no excessive production, just loud riffs, soaring vocals, and a clear love for the genre that started it all. From the first moments of the set, it became obvious that a large portion of the audience had specifically gathered to witness one of the festival’s true legacy acts. Older fans sang along enthusiastically while younger attendees seemed equally drawn into the timeless energy of the performance.

What made Picture particularly enjoyable live was the honesty of the show. The band never attempted to modernize their sound or chase contemporary trends. Instead, they fully embraced the classic heavy metal identity that made them influential in the first place. That authenticity gave the performance a warm and nostalgic atmosphere without turning it into a museum piece.

In a lineup filled with modern extreme metal and newer acts, Picture served as an important reminder of the genre’s roots and proved that traditional heavy metal still works exceptionally well on a festival stage.

Vandenberg

Few Dutch guitarists carry the same level of international recognition as Adrian Vandenberg, and his appearance at Into The Grave with Vandenberg naturally drew a large crowd to the stage. Best known for his work with Whitesnake during the late 1980s and early 1990s, Vandenberg has spent decades building a reputation as one of the Netherlands’ most respected hard rock musicians. In recent years, the revived Vandenberg project has successfully blended classic hard rock influences with a more modern production style, most notably on their 2023 album Sin. While many festivalgoers likely arrived expecting a nostalgic performance, the band delivered a set that felt energetic and surprisingly fresh throughout.

Musically, the show leaned heavily into melodic hard rock built around strong hooks, bluesy guitar work, and polished musicianship. The chemistry between the band members gave the entire performance a relaxed confidence that suited the material perfectly. Rather than relying purely on nostalgia, Vandenberg approached the set with genuine energy and a clear passion for performing live.

Of course, much of the attention naturally focused on Adrian Vandenberg himself, whose guitar playing remained both tasteful and effortlessly expressive. His solos never felt overly indulgent but instead served the songs exactly where needed, something that many classic rock veterans occasionally struggle to balance live.

The audience response throughout the set showed just how timeless this style of hard rock can still be when performed well. In a festival environment dominated by heavier and more extreme acts, Vandenberg provided a welcome moment of classic rock craftsmanship without losing any of the intensity needed to keep the crowd fully engaged.

Raised By Owls

If there was one band responsible for turning pure absurdity into one of the day’s biggest talking points, it was undoubtedly Raised By Owls. The UK-based outfit has built a cult following by combining blisteringly fast grindcore with an almost completely unhinged sense of humor, both lyrically and visually. On paper, their chaotic mixture of extreme metal, internet-era comedy, and relentless self-awareness should perhaps not work nearly as well as it does yet live, Raised By Owls somehow manage to transform that madness into something genuinely entertaining. Their 2024 album Volatile further cemented the band’s reputation for balancing ridiculous concepts with surprisingly tight musicianship.

From the very beginning, their set felt less like a traditional festival performance and more like controlled chaos unfolding in real time. Between rapid-fire blast beats, sudden comedic interruptions, bizarre stage antics, and constant interaction with the audience, it often became difficult to predict what would happen next. Yet underneath all the humor and nonsense was a genuinely aggressive and technically solid grindcore band capable of delivering serious intensity whenever needed.

What made the performance especially memorable was how enthusiastically the audience embraced the madness. The crowd quickly stopped trying to make sense of the show and instead fully committed to the bizarre atmosphere the band created. Circle pits erupted almost on command while laughter and confusion spread equally throughout the tent.

Raised By Owls may not be a band everyone takes seriously in the traditional sense, but that almost misses the point entirely. Their performance proved that extreme metal festivals do not always need to be grim and serious to leave a lasting impression sometimes total chaos works just as well.

Lacuna Coil

Italian gothic metal veterans Lacuna Coil brought one of the most polished and atmospheric performances of the day to the festival grounds. Having spent more than two decades building an international fanbase, the band has consistently evolved beyond their gothic metal roots by incorporating elements of alternative metal, modern groove-driven heaviness, and darker cinematic textures into their sound. Their latest album Sleepless Empire, released in 2025, continued that evolution and showcased a heavier and more aggressive edge while still maintaining the melodic identity that made the band so recognizable in the first place.The band is no stranger to Into The grace and from the moment the band entered the stage, the crowd response made it clear that Lacuna Coil remained one of the festival’s biggest draws. The combination of massive choruses, heavy riffs, and dramatic atmosphere translated effortlessly into a live setting, creating a performance that felt both powerful and highly accessible. Visually, the band also understood exactly how to command a large festival stage, balancing theatrical presentation with a strong musical performance throughout the set.

As expected, much of the attention centered around the vocal interplay between Cristina Scabbia and Andrea Ferro. Their contrasting vocal styles continue to be one of the defining strengths of Lacuna Coil’s sound, and live the dynamic between both singers added extra intensity to the performance. Whether leaning into heavier sections or more melodic passages, the band maintained a strong sense of momentum from start to finish.

In a lineup filled with extreme metal acts, Lacuna Coil offered something slightly different without ever feeling out of place a polished, confident, and highly entertaining performance that showed exactly why the band has remained relevant for so many years.

Conan

By the time UK doom trio Conan took the stage, the festival grounds were ready to be completely flattened under waves of crushing low-end heaviness. Known for pioneering what they themselves often describe as “caveman battle doom,” Conan have spent years building a reputation as one of the heaviest live bands within the sludge and doom metal scene. Their latest album Violence Dimension, released in 2025, continued the band’s trademark formula of colossal riffs, minimalistic brutality, and suffocating atmosphere — a sound that feels almost physically designed to shake festival grounds apart.

Live, Conan offered absolutely no interest in subtlety or speed. Instead, the band fully embraced slow, massive riffing delivered at overwhelming volume. Every chord seemed to hang in the air like a concrete block while the pounding drums and distorted bass created an almost hypnotic wall of sound. The performance moved with deliberate heaviness, forcing the audience into Conan’s oppressive sonic world rather than chasing immediate crowd reactions.

What made the set particularly effective was how committed the band remained to their stripped-down approach. There were no unnecessary distractions, lengthy speeches, or attempts at flashy showmanship. Conan relied entirely on sheer sonic weight and atmosphere — and judging by the audience response, that was more than enough. Heads nodded slowly across the crowd while the front rows absorbed the full impact of the band’s crushing sound.

For some festivalgoers, Conan’s performance may have felt almost overwhelming in its intensity and repetition. For doom metal fans, however, this was exactly the point: an uncompromising display of heaviness delivered with absolute conviction.

Anthrax

As one of the undisputed pioneers of thrash metal, Anthrax arrived at Into The Grave carrying decades of history and an almost guaranteed promise of chaos. Together with bands like Metallica, Slayer, and Megadeth, Anthrax helped define the sound of American thrash metal during the 1980s, blending aggressive riffing with hardcore energy and a more playful, approachable attitude than many of their peers. Even after more than forty years, the band continues to maintain a remarkably strong live reputation, something they once again proved during their Into The Grave performance.

From the moment the first riffs kicked in, the atmosphere in front of the stage exploded instantly. Massive circle pits formed within seconds while the crowd loudly responded to nearly every moment of the set. Anthrax clearly understood exactly what kind of energy a festival headline slot requires, delivering a performance that felt sharp, fast, and constantly in motion. Their material may be rooted in classic thrash metal, but the intensity still felt surprisingly fresh and immediate live.

A major reason for that remains the band’s stage presence. Frontman Joey Belladonna effortlessly commanded the audience throughout the set, while guitarist Scott Ian brought his trademark charisma and relentless energy to the stage. Rather than simply relying on nostalgia, Anthrax approached the show with genuine enthusiasm and obvious enjoyment.

For longtime thrash fans, the performance delivered exactly what they came for: fast riffs, nonstop energy, and a reminder of why Anthrax remains one of the genre’s true legends.