While the temperatures rise, Graspop Metal Meeting keeps its cool. On the second day, there’s a rare European show by fictional band Dethklok. Year-list topping Blood Incantation gets to perform their acclaimed album. Green Lung and the Eagles of Death Metal put on energetic shows. And Slipknot and Behemoth close the day. The festival has clearly done some rejuvenation and with success! Even this day without old-school bands is completely sold out. Ruben was present at the entire festival to report and Birgit takes on the role of guest editor to help out. The photos come from the Graspop press team.
Dead Poet Society 12:00 – 12:45 (South Stage, Birgit)
In the blazing sun, I head at this early afternoon hour to the South Stage for Dead Poet Society. Every year I try to discover new bands instead of only sticking to the usual names and this was one that had caught my eye. As the first band of the day, they don’t have much staging: just themselves and their instruments. The sound of these guys from Boston actually reminds me a bit of Royal Blood, with a heavy, rolling bass line that’s quite prominent. The turnout for this band is moderate, just like their performance. It’s not bad, but it doesn’t stand out either. The band also notices they’re not really known, because when they ask “Who had heard of us before?” and only a few hands go up, they laugh and add “Yup, sounds about right.”
Otherwise, there’s little talk in between songs. The singer however says he’s happy to be at Pinkpop. After a few questioning looks, he says, “Graspop of course, this is a metal meeting,” as he continues the set a bit embarrassed. They finish with their most streamed song Hurt, which I personally find very catchy. Unfortunately live it misses a bit of punch and it is rattled off a bit. Maybe Dead Poets Society will do better at Pinkpop.
Spectral Wound 12:40 – 13:20 (Marquee, Ruben)
Zware Metalen wouldn’t be Zware Metalen if we didn’t check out some black metal. With Behemoth as a closer we’re well treated, but even early in the day there’s a band worth visiting. Spectral Wound prepared well for the heat by playing in a tent and covering themselves in black paint. It takes a moment to get into it so early in the afternoon, but soon the elusive melodies captivate us. This is known as modern black metal and that is how it sounds. Not nearly as depressive as the old school, but rather energetic and that gives a fresh take on the genre. No wonder that last year’s Songs of Blood and Mire ended up in 13th place in the year list. We hear a lot of songs from that album and they are just as impressive in a live setting. Not a bad way to start the day.
Bloodhunter 14:00 – 14:45 (Marquee, Ruben)
For the Spaniards of Bloodhunter it’s the first time playing at Graspop Metal Meeting. Maybe that’s why they were too shy for a soundcheck, because the lack of it can be heard. The mix keeps changing during the first few songs and that’s not a pleasant listening experience. Eventually, they manage to get the melodic death metal to sound right. Frontwoman Diva Satanica shows a wide range with growls, screams and high notes. After the weak start, the good guitar work and the band’s enthusiasm seem to convince the audience. The song Never Let it Rest asks for a circle pit and the band gets it. Later, with a wall of death that splits the whole Marquee in two, this show will end on a high.
Myles Kennedy 14:45 – 15:35 (North Stage, Ruben)
We’ve seen him as frontman of Alter Bridge and as singer of Slash and The Conspirators. But solo this editorial team had never seen Myles Kennedy. Kennedy himself is also an acclaimed guitarist, something he can show off a bit less often next to Mark Tremonti and Slash. But now he gets to take the lead himself and he clearly enjoys it. The most recent album The Art of Letting Go is center point of the show and should show the slightly heavier side of Kennedy’s work. Among all the other heaviness today, this is the easy listening band, but anyone who follows Kennedy knows that’s no problem. The emotional songs stand out strongly from the rest of the program but the guitar work is top level. During his improvised solos, Kennedy really shows what he can do. When he forgets to press a pedal so it doesn’t sound the way he wants, he corrects himself and just keeps playing. This is an experienced frontman clearly comfortable on stage. Fantastic playing by Kennedy that’s perfect to listen to lying on the grass under the warm sun.
Knocked Loose 15:45 – 16:35 (South Stage, Ruben)
To completely change course, Knocked Loose gets to tear up the other main stage. This is a type of rejuvenation we can get behind: giving a main stage slot to a brutal hardcore band with heavy bass drops and crushing breakdowns. Despite the heat, there’s nonstop movement in front of the stage, an inexhaustible mosh pit fueled by an equally tireless band that doesn’t rest for a moment during their set. Last year’s You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To gets plenty of spotlight here, but earlier work is also played. For Billy No Mates guest singer Olli Appleyard from the band Static Dress comes on stage. That band kicked off the day at twelve noon, but that was a bit too early for this review team. Knocked Loose delivers one of the better shows today. Fittingly they finish with Everything is Quiet Now, because our ears are still ringing from it afterwards.
Green Lung 16:50 – 17:40 (Marquee, Ruben)
For something completely different again, we head back into the tent for Green Lung. The British gentlemen play psychedelic stoner metal, but for your reviewer here it’s literally mind-expanding. The gentlemen strike emotional chords I didn’t know before. These men have never been to the North of the Netherlands, but still manage to evoke a nostalgic feeling for that region. Hear The Mountain Throne and Maxine and you’re completely in it. Fifty minutes fly by. No mosh pit for a while and letting yourself be touched deep in your soul by music that seemingly has no place there. Or the devil, of course, as the last song Let the Devil In confirms. Whoever or whatever is in there, it feels damn good.
The Ghost Inside 17:45 – 18:45 (South Stage, Ruben)
More metalcore on the main stage, which we can only applaud. For people over 40 that might mean there’s nothing to see today, but there’s enough audience present to turn it into a big party. For The Ghost Inside your knees still need to bend. Pressure Point and Wash it Away are played early and the pit forms almost by itself. Nice guitar melodies hide the slightly weak cleans of Jonathan Vigil, but the energy the band radiates makes all the flaws irrelevant. The crowd sings along enthusiastically and keeps the circle pit going. A few crowd surfers also head toward the stage. The Americans manage to shake up the field like few have done so far. Together with Knocked Loose, this is a good day for the breakdown fan.
Polaris 18:45 – 19:35 (Jupiler Stage, Ruben)
Time for the first trip to the Jupiler Stage this weekend. Every time we come here it’s packed in front of the tightly set-up stage, so there’s always something fun to see. This is no different with Polaris. The Australians add another layer to all the metalcore mayhem today with their slightly more progressive sound. The Jupiler audience already has a different rhythm than the other stages. One crowd surfer after another rolls forward over the audience. People use other crowd surfers as surfboards; it’s total madness. The energy at this stage is unmatched. Bassist Jake Steinhauser pulls the weight with clean vocals, while frontman Jamie Hails battles something of a cold. The interplay between the men is good enough to keep it upright. The small things don’t bother the audience: they just go wild. Excellent show from Polaris. That’s how you entertain a crowd.
Eagles of Death Metal 19:50 – 20:40 (Marquee, Ruben)
From very angry music, we go to something cheerful. The Eagles of Death Metal get to bring some variety to the line-up. The funk band that throws everything from disco to glam metal together mainly revolves around frontman Jesse Hughes, who spends most of the show hugging the front row of the audience. In that time, the guitar tech takes over the guitar parts, but has to clear the way again when Hughes wants back on stage. I Want You So Hard makes clear what kind of music we’re dealing with. The female rhythm section also does the backing vocals and that makes the line “The boy’s bad news” come across even better. That section also does more for the show than Hughes himself, who mostly yells “Can you dig it?!” as often as he can. He doesn’t join in on the short rendition of Ace of Spades that the ladies play to the audience’s great delight. It’s funky, it’s sleazy, it’s cheerful. Just fun in the early evening.
Blood Incantation 21:25 – 22:25 (Marquee, Ruben)
Ranked number one in the album year list of 2024 was Blood Incantation with Absolute Elsewhere. Tonight, the plan is for them to play that album in full here, but the technical crew isn’t feeling it. The whole stage is already full of Egyptian monoliths, but we’re running five minutes late. Well, it happens. No problem, just play a bit faster. Happens often enough. But now we’re ten minutes late and the crowd is getting a bit restless. This editorial team too, because Dethklok starts five minutes after this ends in a way too small tent and we really want to catch that.
They’re fifteen minutes late and just as we’re walking out of the tent to go check out Jinjer instead, since this isn’t going anywhere, a backing track starts. Why a backing track? You’re fifteen minutes late, just start playing! Eventually, the first tablet of The Stargate begins after all. We were already outside the Marquee, but we head back in. The whole album is indeed played, with just a small break between the two parts to apologize for the late start. Also live, this album sounds strong, but a festival isn’t the ideal setting to listen to this. A whole bunch of people walk out of the tent after The Stargate. I can’t blame them: this is really high concept.
Slipknot 22:30 – 00:10 (South Stage, Birgit)
In the category “You can always wake me up for this” is Corey Taylor. For years I’ve been a fan of Slipknot, Stone Sour or Corey’s solo project. So I’m always very happy when I see that my favorite neck once again graces the Graspop Metal Meeting bill. Last year solo, this year back with his crew, now already for the ninth time.
There’s a big turnout for the gentlemen from Des Moines and when the familiar notes of (sic) blare from the speakers, the field is completely ready. Last time I found it rather chaotic when they came on stage, but this time everything sounds fine and luckily more tight. It doesn’t seem easy to appear very organized with eight people if the music itself is also chaotic from time to time. Something that stands out quite soon: Slipknot has to do without Shawn “Clown” Crahan today, who sadly is absent due to family circumstances.
This passage of Slipknot comes together with new drummer Eloy Casagrande after the sudden firing of Jay Weinberg some time ago. Casagrande’s rolling drums have a slightly swingier feel but fit perfectly in the Slipknot picture. Singer Corey Taylor says how nice it is to play at Graspop Metal Meeting again and this time also with a song they never played here before: Gematria (The Killing Name). Last time they had Snuff on the setlist because there was generally a lot of demand for it. I’m happy with both anyway! The set alternates between newer and older material, the band plays at full force and the crowd is pleased. Everyone sings, yells, jumps and surfs happily to the sounds of (among others) Wait and Bleed, Nero Forte and Heretic Anthem. Except for that one person on the right in front of me who apparently had to keep her Duo Lingo streak before midnight, she was less enthusiastic. You can’t please everyone, I guess.
As encore Spit It Out blasts over the field and our group of friends already sighs and gets ready for the well-known sit-jump (read: sit-fall) moment. But this doesn’t come and the band just plays on happily. A pleasant surprise, because for me this always took the tempo out of the set enormously and also always lasted way too long. Another striking choice is the closer Scissors. A song of almost eight and a half minutes that builds up slowly, with many tempo changes that feel very heavy. The crowd endures it, some more enthusiastically than others, and to loud applause the gentlemen leave the stage. On to the tenth time at Graspop.
Dethklok 22:30 – 23:30 (Metal Dome, Ruben)
You wouldn’t miss this for the world. You hardly ever get the chance to see this. In fact, I think this is the first time it’s been seen in Europe. Dethklok barely ever leaves America. It’s more of a fictional band anyway, which is why the band members also play as silhouettes. Dethklok is the band from Metalocalypse, the animated series on HBO. Between 2005 and 2013 that was an unhealthy obsession for many teenagers and young adults, including me. What a treat to bring back all those childhood memories with a tent full of like-minded people. Awaken, Hatredcopter, Murmaider – all four Dethalbums are featured with the corresponding animations from the series on the screen. Occasionally interrupted with bits of Facebones, the Dethklok mascot, prescribing concert etiquette. I could easily have watched another hour of this; after all, there’s plenty of material to draw from. Brandon Small and Gene Hoglan should come by more often with a show of this level.
Opeth 23:15 – 00:15 (Marquee, Ruben)
We come in fifteen minutes after the start because of Dethklok, but we still dive into the Marquee one last time for today. Opeth has thus been playing for a while, but for this band that means we only missed one song. They haven’t managed to gather a big crowd yet. The competition from Slipknot is probably too big. Frontman Mikael Åkerfeldt himself stays relaxed about it. The Swedes don’t play on the main stage anymore, but this editorial team once heard them call themselves tent metal, so this is actually better. That the prog metal band also brought back some rawer vocals on their latest album The Last Will and Testament is also better. But here we mainly hear the lengthy compositions In My Time of Need and Deliverance. Åkerfeldt also gives a mini-lecture about how the band’s sound comes about. His story about open tuning doesn’t really register anymore after a day full of noise, but for those interested it must have been a fascinating glimpse. Without a smashing closer the progressive band bows out and we can move on to the last performance of the night.
Behemoth 00:15 – 01:30 (North Stage, Ruben)
The Polish blackened extreme metal band Behemoth is given a headline slot by the organization. And they grab it with both hands. All stops pulled for Nergal and companions. Wildly drooling with fake blood, these men who have been playing together in this lineup for twenty years put on an incredible show. Flames shoot from the stage and the band’s theatrical look is clearly thought through down to the last detail. They bring a female vocalist on stage for the few songs that need it, and that adds just that little extra to complete the picture. Well deserved that this gets to headline. Over the years Behemoth has further developed their sound and I think they’re now at their sharpest edge. The Shit ov God may be a step back for the die-hard fans, but for the rest it will be more accessible. And there’s enough old material to enjoy tonight. To stand out, the VIP deck is cleared and the men play a few songs there. Cursed Angel of Doom and Lvciferaeon are played on the cramped balcony where no one can really see the band. But a fun idea if you get the chance. After this little side trip they return to the big stage where the pyro can go full blast again and where everyone can see the band. After a confetti cannon we get the encore O Father O Satan O Sun thrown at us and the Poles have delivered a phenomenal show. They should do this more often. Nice that they got the chance.
Date and location
20 juni 2025, Stenehei, Dessel
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