The cruelty of nature reveals itself today. For on the longest day of the year, it’s hard labor at Graspop Metal Meeting under a clear blue sky with 32 degrees. Extra water points are set up, but the queues remain long. And most bands can only be seen outdoors too. Ruben let himself get scorched on day three at the Stenehei in Dessel, and Birgit also contributes again. With performances today from, among others, Sylosis and Lorna Shore bringing even more deathcore violence than yesterday, and Soulfly and The Hu who, under great interest, throw their own traditional instruments into the mix. The enigmatic Poppy also makes an appearance and the double headliner Korn and Nine Inch Nails will close the day. The photos are once again from Graspop’s press team.
Kittie 12:00 – 12:45 (North Stage, Ruben)
After a five-year break and thirteen years without an album, the ladies of Kittie are back on stage. The Lander sisters led one of the early nu-metal bands when they were still too young to buy drinks, so even 25 years later you can’t really see their age. Plenty of energy thus for the new album Fire that came out last year. That energy isn’t reflected on stage, as it all looks a bit static. For the Canadians, the temperature here under the high midday sun probably feels even harsher than it does to us. Not many people are present yet for the first band, but those who are get to see a piece of genre history. Frontwoman Morgan skillfully delivers both screams and cleans, and her sister Mercedes behind the drum kit adds backing vocals too. Older tracks like Spit from the self-titled debut definitely have a sharper edge than the new work, although Eyes Wide Open comes pretty close.
A unique piece of genre history in the early afternoon. A good way to start your day.
Vowws 12:00 – 12:40 (Metal Dome, Birgit)
About twenty minutes after the set has started, I arrive in a Metal Dome that’s about a third full for the Australian duo Vowws. Both members are dressed entirely in black: the guitarist in a tight black suit, the singer in a black shirt, black pants and a long black coat. Just seeing it makes me sweat. The music is hypnotic, pounding in the ears and almost trance-inducing. On the panels behind and beside them, various images appear: footage of bombings, gatherings where someone gets a hard slap across the face, warnings from a leaflet, and so on. The visuals are quite busy and distract me from the music for a while. I assume they want to convey a message with their music, but unfortunately that gets a bit lost. Vowws plays a short, tight set for a small crowd. The music is quite a heavy start to the day, but felt completely at home in the smallest tent.
Oomph! 12:55 – 13:40 (South Stage, Ruben)
The industrial party metal band Oomph! opens the other main stage. The Germans guarantee a party with their crazy performances. And that they’re not quite right in the head shows when they take the stage in fur coats at 30 degrees. Even after those coats come off after the first song, relatively new frontman Daniel Schulz is still wearing a thick turtleneck. Yet he shows plenty of energy with the song Labyrinth , which with its “left, right, straight ahead” strongly reminds me of a political campaign jingle from 2005. That gets the audience moving, and Schulz takes advantage by walking along the front row and shaking plenty of hands. Although we hear Gekreuzigt here, this setlist is mainly the fun side of things. With Sandman, Gott Ist Ein Popstar and Augen Auf! the band has clearly chosen the less serious angle. Schulz ends by crowdsurfing over the audience while singing the final verses. The Germans lifted the mood and can look back on a successful performance.
Whitechapel 13:40 – 14:25 (Marquee, Ruben)
Plenty of people still willing to step into a scorching hot tent for Whitechapel and even move around too. For the seasoned deathcore band playing shows has become routine. It sounds tight and crushingly heavy, but the passion seems missing. Frontman Phil Bozeman still produces equally impressive guttural sounds, but something’s lacking in the delivery. This just isn’t a great festival band, especially not at such an early hour. In a club setting, they always come across better. The pit doesn’t seem to care, though, and goes wild without any encouragement. The excellent Hymns in Dissonance is well represented here, but older bangers like Prostatic Fluid Asphyxiation and The Saw is the Law also come by. The latter is the song they end with to leave the stage without too many words.
Sylosis 15:05 – 15:50 (Marquee, Ruben)
Those who approach their music just a bit more melodically are the men from Sylosis. After a musical intro from the Kiss song I Was Made For Loving You, the Englishmen explode with their own music. As if it wasn’t hot enough already in this tent, the heat goes up even more with the addition of flames that give the fiery performance extra power. It’s the last show of the festival tour here in Europe, so the deathcore band throws out everything they’ve got left. Sauna or not, the crowd creates its own fan by forming a large circle pit. Sylosis has its own, hard-to-define sound. Thrash metal without screams, metalcore without breakdowns, and melodic death metal with hardcore vocals. Whatever you want to call it, the end result is fantastic. After his years in Architects, Josh Middleton has clearly picked up a few things that push the new sound more towards metalcore, but the old thrash influences are still audible. An energetic performance that few can top today. Absolutely one of the highlights—not only on the thermometer but also musically.
Unto Others 14:50 – 15:35 (Metal Dome, Birgit)
A few years ago, Unto Others had to cancel for Graspop Metal Meeting, and I was deeply disappointed at the time. “Oh happy joy” that they’re here this year! So I make sure to head to the Metal Dome well in advance, only to find the tent is briefly evacuated twenty minutes before showtime without much explanation. Ten minutes later we’re allowed back in, and I’m clearly not the only one eager to see the Graspop debut of these goth rockers. Armed with his guitar, tank top, and sunglasses (it was insanely hot), singer Gabriel Franco takes the stage, followed by the other members. Last year the band released a new album Never, Neverland, and they kick things off with Butterfly and Momma Likes The Door Closed from that album. From the first note it’s right on target: tight, fast, and deliciously dark. The frontman himself keeps a bit to the background, focusing on the main task: singing and playing. Guitarist Sebastian Silva, however, is a real showman and loves whipping his incredible mane of hair around. I admit, I’m jealous.
The setlist for today offers a nice mix of faster and slower tracks, including Destiny, Suicide Today, and When Will God’s Work Be Done. After each song there’s loud applause without exception, and rightly so. These heavy metal goth rockers deliver an outstanding performance and truly belong here. As the second-to-last song they play the fairly well-known Give Me To The Night, which is sung along loudly by the well-filled Metal Dome. A debut to be proud of.
Poppy 15:45 – 16:35 (North Stage, Ruben)
With a bunch of guest appearances in other bands in recent years, it was only a matter of time before we’d see Poppy herself on stage. Started in a quirky corner of YouTube, the character Poppy was initially created as a manufactured pop star who showed some glitches here and there. A multimedia art project about media, the music industry, the image of women, the existence of a soul and what it means to live. After many years, that doll struggled so much with her artificial identity that she no longer makes pop music but metalcore. And then you get to play Graspop Metal Meeting. Her new music is still about identity, but now with screams, which singer Moriah Rose Pereira has clearly trained for. She doesn’t really have a natural talent for it, but she gives it 100%.
A live stage is different from a slick YouTube video, and the image here isn’t what you’d expect if you’ve watched Poppy’s channel. Everything clearly revolves around Poppy, but the character itself isn’t present. The band members wear masks, because they aren’t important, and fire effects are used to add more flair. I’m standing a bit further away, but I swear there are two bassists on stage next to the drummer and that wouldn’t be surprising, since most songs rely heavily on bass boosts. V.A.N., recorded with Bad Omens, is also played. Makes sense, since she did all the vocals there and can use it to fill out the setlist. Poppy wraps things up with fifteen minutes still left on the schedule. If they can figure out how to bring the online persona into the live shows, this could become interesting. For the casual listener, though, this isn’t the kind of show to get excited about.
Soulfly 16:45 – 17:35 (South Stage, Ruben)
In recent years Max Cavalera has been busy touring the world with all his projects after Sepultura. Roots, The Cavalera Conspiracy and, of course, Soulfly. After nearly thirty years, only Max and his son Zyon, who handles the drums, remain as permanent band members. Not all twelve albums Cavalera made under this name are played. They mainly stick to the debut album and 2000’s Primitive. Odd name, because that record is anything but primitive. Where the band started as a continuation of the Sepultura sound with thrash, here it takes a different nu-metal turn. Stepson Richie from the band Incite joins the musical family on the song Bleed. Both family members get their moment, as Zyon throws drumsticks into the crowd from behind the kit. Today we don’t hear Max talking about recreating the ‘real Sepultura’ sound, but the traditional Brazilian percussion is definitely present. A powerful show from a driven man making it a family weekend.
Lorna Shore 17:45 – 18:35 (North Stage, Ruben)
At the hottest moment of the day, we subject ourselves to the heaviest band of the day. And of course, even more degrees get added by setting the flamethrowers to max. Anyone waiting for old material from Lorna Shore is out of luck, because they stick to the new era after their breakthrough single To the Hellfire. Naturally, that one is played too, after Sun//Eater, Cursed to Die and the new single Oblivion, before closing with the full magnum opus Pain Remains in all three parts back-to-back. Over 22 minutes of blast beats and bass drops while frontman Will Ramos unleashes all kinds of demonic sounds. The call to give the catch crew some extra sweat is answered by the audience. Many crowd surfers rise above the deathcore chaos. And of course, there’s also moshing, despite the heat. Lorna Shore proves they are a band with a big future that takes the genre to new heights. If they can keep this up with the new album coming in September, this could be a future headliner. What a show these guys deliver here. Possibly the best performance of the day.
The Dead Daisies 19:10 – 20:00 (Jupiler Stage, Ruben)
After all that heaviness, we retreat to the Jupiler Stage, where the supergroup The Dead Daisies is playing. The old rockers have had many musicians over the years, but today alongside guitarist David Lowry we see Doug Aldrich and Michael Devin from Whitesnake on stage, with Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath drummer Tommy Clufetos on drums and former Mötley Crüe singer John Corabi on vocals. As far as supergroups go, this is more of a B-team. The eighth studio album Lookin’ For Trouble came out at the end of May, but we only hear the cover of the Don Nix song Going Down from that record. This version suits me much better than the bluesy country original. The other covers in the set also have noticeably more tempo than the originals. But it’s all at roughly the same tempo, and after a day full of heavy bands this suddenly feels quite monotonous.
Starset 20:05 – 20:55 (Metal Dome, Ruben)
The shadows are already getting longer, but there’s still the burning sun shining everywhere. So we dive back into a tent, no matter how hot it is inside. The seven-piece formation of Starset had figured they would catch fire today, so the heat stays for now. Judging by the band’s lyrics, you could call them modern emocore. No eyeliner, but plenty of introspection and self-hate. Despite the classic string sections, there are also electronic elements in the music, giving them a sound that we don’t really hear anywhere else. The Americans are releasing a new album this year, and they announce it here with plenty of fanfare. “The fire was a mistake,” says frontman Dustin Bates halfway through, as we all feel sweat dripping down our backs. But we’re already soaked in our own body fluids after a full day in the sun, so what does it matter? The global hit My Demons comes near the end of the set, and that now ten-year-old song is still the one I know best. Since then, the band has only become more exuberant, putting on a visually appealing show. They close with gas masks on for the new song TokSik, which even features a bit of rap. Interesting musical developments, but an hour is quite enough for this band.
The Hu 20:55 – 21:45 (Marquee, Ruben)
From one tent to another, and here too it’s far too hot. But this time because of body heat, since the Marquee is packed with people wanting to see The Hu. Understandably so, because it’s a unique band. The Mongolian throat singers not only combine their cultural throat sounds but also traditional instruments with metal. If the wider public had known about this earlier, it could well have inspired growling, but apparently that couldn’t happen because metal was banned in Mongolia. By now, the throat singers have become a sensation, filling the tent to the rafters with lines far outside. The organizers underestimated how many people would come, and maybe The Hu should have been swapped with Spiritbox on the main stage. We could wring out our shirts after this show, but everyone joins in barking “hu” during Wolf Totem. Naturally, we don’t understand any of it, but it sounds fun. Even the cover of the Iron Maiden song The Trooper goes down well with the audience, who can practically dream this song after the first day of the festival. Without guest singers adding English vocals, it’s actually more fun. Keeps the authenticity and mystique intact. That’s the strength of this band. A performance not soon forgotten.
Spiritbox 21:05 – 22:10 (South Stage, Birgit)
I have no idea where this band suddenly came from, but apparently they already have a big following. Throughout the day I saw many Spiritbox–shirts on the field, and you don’t just get a 9 p.m. slot on the South Stage without reason, I suppose. I thought I’d stay for one song to see if it was any good, then pop back and forth to my tent, but I was completely hooked from the start (my husband ended up going to the tent for me). Singer Courtney LaPlante walks onto the stage like she’s ready to tear everything down, and that’s exactly what happens. Fata Morgana opens today’s set and sets the tone for the next hour. The band plays loud and tight, with a heavy bass line that hits deep and guitars that cut like a knife through butter. The pounding sound they produce comes across even better live than on record, and you truly feel it through your entire body.
The soft, atmospheric tones in the music and vocal lines make you sway gently, while the harsh growls a second later nearly take your head off. It’s immersive and the crowd doesn’t stand still for a second. Here too they used visuals — geometric shapes or images of Courtney in a different color — that catch my eye and perfectly complete the experience. This time I’m not distracted by them, but instead, they add to an even better total experience. Too soon, the set ends with Cellar Door. My first impression? Lovely, let’s do this again.
Apocalyptica 21:55 – 22:55 (Metal Dome, Ruben)
The sun finally sets, but we keep steaming in a tent. The quartet Apocalyptica is back full circle, though circle pits don’t break out for this show. They once started with an album full of Metallica covers and have worked hard to release their own material. Not without success, since there are some decent albums after that period. But they never had a permanent vocalist, so they had to rely on instrumental albums, now again with a record full of Metallica covers and that’s what we hear today. All the hits you’d expect from such a set, strangely including St. Anger. Either way, it sounds better than the original, let’s say. The cello trio delivers skilled work, but I miss the shows with vocals and original material. This show I could also enjoy from a distance, lying in the grass now that the sun is down, and that’s exactly what I gratefully did.
Korn 22:20 – 23:50 (North Stage, Birgit)
While others were torn between the Airbourne–Korn dilemma, I knew 110% who I wanted to see. Korn is without doubt one of my favorite live acts and I was at the front long before their set. This time they open with Blind, followed by other classics like Twist and Here to Stay. The visuals they choose fit fantastically well: a ball of yarn being pulled apart from the center, a spiral staircase going on forever, or a forest of bare trees. The images move in stop motion, and those tiny jerks really add to the disturbing, ominous mood that sometimes comes back in the songs. For me, the whole thing fits perfectly.
After half an hour, Jonathan Davis leaves the stage briefly, which often means one thing: he’s going to get his bagpipes. And yes, after a few minutes, the shrill tones of his favorite wind instrument follow, and he tries to fire up the crowd to make even more noise than they already do. Shoots and Ladders starts, and we go on. Occasionally, less familiar songs appear like Ball Tongue and Dirty, but the crowd keeps going wild. When Jonathan wants to start the next song and tells the crowd to shout “fuck that” as loud as possible (which they do), he says, “I usually talk shit right now, but that was good.” A gold star for the crowd, which clearly is just as into it as the band. As a finale, we get the pounding intro of Freak on a Leash. With a literal bang and confetti, Korn (sadly ten minutes early) ends their set and leaves the field satisfied.
Airbourne 23:00 – 00:00 (Jupiler Stage, Ruben)
The Australian rockers of Airbourne have been doing the same thing for years, but they’ve been doing it well all those years too. No one gives 110% at every show quite like Airbourne does, and they do it again tonight. Frontman Joel O’Keeffe still plays his solo on the shoulders of a crew member while walking through the crowd. He still smashes beer cans on his head and still hands out beer to the audience. There’s only one thing different tonight, and that’s the addition of the song Gutsy. The first new single in six years came out earlier this month, and the band is proud of it, as it’s featured prominently on the banner behind them. It still sounds like all of Airbourne’s other work, with a solid beat and a chorus that’s easy to shout along to. The crowd enjoys it once again. Plenty of crowdsurfers to block the heat of the flames, and big fireworks to close. The Australians prove once again that by sticking to what you do best, you always put on a great show.
Nine Inch Nails 00:00 – 1:30 (South Stage, Ruben)
The closer of tonight is Trent Reznor and company. Nine Inch Nails puts on a show here full of old classics, but the light and effect show the band is known for isn’t really present. We see very little because the stage is flooded with strobe lights shining directly into the crowd with bright white light. On the screens, though, we do get some nice camera work and black-and-white footage. But the people who pushed all the way to the front might be a bit disappointed by this. Musically, the band is solid. It sounds crystal clear and Reznor’s voice is excellent. We hear many tracks from the The Downward Spiral album from 1994, including March of the Pigs followed by Piggy, which they rarely play. Closer from the same record is of course what we all expected. And to everyone’s surprise, they close with Hurt. Which Reznor once said they’d never play again after Johnny Cash covered it so beautifully. But since that great man has since passed away, the band reclaims the song.
With tracks like Head Like A Hole and Copy of A the industrial rock band manages to create an atmosphere that doesn’t necessarily get people dancing, but definitely has everyone transfixed by the screens. For The Perfect Drug, drummer Ilan Rubin handles the backing vocals and switches to a falsetto. A musical highlight from the Americans. Had this taken place on a less exhausting day, the drum and electro beats would surely have sparked rave-like scenes. For tonight, we gratefully take our place in the grass to watch the show on the screens.
Date and location
21 juni 2025, Stenehei, Dessel
Links: