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| Credit: Peterson Marti |
Gather round, friends. It's officially June and you know what it means: season 5 of our festival pilgrimage is about to begin. For those new here, the pilgrimage posts are our attempt to help confused festival goers with big lineups and stupid timetable clashes, by suggesting 10 bands that they should definitely try to catch, regardless of genre.
We begin this festival season with Belgium's Graspop Metal Meeting, which is kicking off on June 15th, and boasting one of its best lineups ever. Now mind you, our personal bias is weighing heavily in our choices (besides, picking only 10 bands out of 150+ is a daunting task anyway) but more often than not the bands we put in the spotlight are either acts we've seen and we know they can deliver a fascinating show, or bands that have been on our radar for a while and we wouldn't miss if we were attending. So, shall we?
1. Orbit Culture
We caught Orbit Culture on tour with Fit For An Autopsy last year and they were a pure revelation. Their solid songwriting is full of catchy hooks and thunderous blastbeats, while their stellar stage presence makes them stand out. One of the finest modern metal bands you need to keep your eyes on.
When: Thursday 15/6, 13:15-14:00
Where: Marquee stage
2. Heriot
Speaking of new bands to keep an eye on, this outfit is also one that we've caught and were blown away. Equally savage and dark, their sonic intensity translates to tons of energy; whether it's the vile guitar distortion or the vocalist who sounds powerful even in her eeriest tones, Heriot takes no prisoners -plus extra points for Lamb Of God's Mark Morton being a fan.
When: Saturday 17/6, 13:20-14:05
Where: Metal Dome stage
3. Epica
While we're in the subject of mesmerizing singers, Epica would be impossible to skip. The Dutchies have a very dear relationship with GMM and their every performance there so far has been of great quality. Following an epic (pun intended) tour with Apocalyptica and two shows with Metallica, the touring cycle for "Omega" is pretty much over, so their setlist is full of older, fan-favorite material they haven't played in years. Be ready for tons of headbanging and huge singalongs.
When: Thursday 15/6, 16:10-17:00
Where: North stage
4. Lorna Shore
You knew that was coming. Lorna Shore has taken the metal scene by storm over the past year and with good reason. The band, although active in the deathcore scene for years, managed to break out when their new vocalist, Will Ramos, proved that he's an uncontested force of nature when it comes to screaming. After a lot of buzz around their name and countless reaction videos, Lorna Shore dropped a brilliant EP last year, where they showcase their full potential -plus their live shows are mayhem. Definitely don't sleep on them.
When: Sunday 18/6, 20:45-21:45
Where: Metal Dome stage
5. Gojira
There's not much we can say about Gojira. Anyone familiar with their music is well aware of their craftmanship and technical proficiency when it comes to writing heavy ass music. They are one of the bands that has a signature core and no matter how much their music evolves, that identity is still present and anchored there. Their fans are nothing short of obsessed (quite rightly if you ask us) and the experience of a Gojira show is truly life-changing.
When: Friday 16/6, 22:40-23:55
Where: North stage
6. Mötley Crüe
There is a lore around Mötley Crüe and all they have achieved. Despite flatlining on a couple of occasions, the LA legends have made a career full of controversy and catchy music -not necessarily in that order. The former bad boys of rock are on a string of farewell shows and they make a stop at European festivals before hanging up their boots. Even the most devoted metal fan has had a good time drunkenly mumbling the lyrics to "Kickstart My Heart" at some point -yes we're talking about you!- so it's impossible to skip this final performance and sing these tunes nostalgically one last time.
When: Sunday 18/6, 21:50-23:20
Where: North stage
7. Spiritbox
Another band with well-deserved buzz around their name. Spiritbox is a metacore phenomenon not just because Courtney is a cute lady, but because their music is insane and she's a very talented frontperson. "Eternal Blue" skyrocketed Spiritbox's reputation and landed them in prestigious tours and festivals, effectively establishing them as one of bands that revived the genre in a time of generic noisemaking, and did so amazingly well. Make sure your neck is thoroughly warmed up before walking to the North stage.
When: 15/6, 14:15-15:00
Where: North stage
8. Ice Nine Kills
Another band we're incredibly fond of. The horror masters from Massachusetts are currently on the Wurst vacation tour, during which they also opened for Metallica, and their shows are bloody massacres, to say the least. Flamboyant metalcore with big hooks, crushing breakdowns and quick costume changes make up a theater of macabre. And you're all invited.
When: Friday 15/6, 21:00-21:50
Where: Jupiler stage
9. Unearth
To put it plainly, if it wasn't for Unearth and a couple of their peers, about 1/4 of the festival's lineup wouldn't exist. Stretch? Not really. Unearth is credited as one of the forefathers of modern metalcore. With a career spanning over 20 years, they rose through the New Wave Of American Metal, with many aspiring bands trying to rip them off and failing miserably in the process. And they still reign supreme which is awesome.
When: Thursday 15/6, 16:40-17:25
Where: Jupiler stage
10. Slipknot
It's Slipknot, come on.
When: Saturday 17/6, 00:00-01:30
Where: South stage
Graspop Metal meeting is taking place in Dessel, Belgium, on June 15-18.
For tickets and info visit www.graspop.be
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