The local music scene in Minneapolis has been rolling out a steady stream of great summer concerts within the Twin Cities. However, the Metal scene seems to be building intensity with great show after great show. Friday night was certainly no exception. Cruelty Cabs along with Buried Above Ground’s guitarist DJ Gunnarson, put together and presented a huge local line-up for the Minneapolis Death Fest at The Cabooze.
KRAWG hit the stage first and got the show kicked off on the right foot. These guy know how to deliver a solid set … fast and loud with a great deal of precision. Beyond their music, it was great to see bassist Wes back in action on stage with the band.
MOLOCH was up next. Moloch continued to build on the great energy of the evening but added a bit more speed and brutality. Make no mistake, their delivery is quick and to the point with great accuracy.
After a quick change, VIRAXIOM was ready to take the stage. These guys readjusted the intensity at The Cabooze. There are times I come across a band I have not covered before and it clearly turns out to be a “Holy crap” moment. Well, seeing Viraxiom on Friday was definitely one of those moments.
VVOLF MASK was up next. To no disappointment, these guys were solid metal to the core. Theie set was more power driving and less growl, but they completely had me hooked from the very beginning.
KOBALOI probably had the longest road trip to Death Fest. Based out of the Brainard Lakes area of Minnesota, these guys were ready to go and hit it hard. And hit it they did. With heavy guitar work and aggressive vocals, Kobaloi nailed their set to the floor.
PERSONHURTER hit the stage next and never looked back. This three piece band knew how to deliver a great set … direct and to the point. They rolled through their set with a huge level of energy that transferred directly to the crowd.
HATE BEAST was up next. I had previously heard many Hate Beast tracks but had never seen them live. From the very start of their set to the very end, their performance was 100% bad-ass. They powered up the energy in The Cabooze and pushed the intensity to the roof.
As the saying goes, “you always save the best for last”. GLUTTON FOR PUNISHMENT closed out the evening. These veterans of the Death Metal scene know what it takes and know what the crowd wants in a great live set. These guys completely destroyed the stage with a solid set that played to the crowds delight. You could say the crowd was a glutton for an incredible performance!
With so many events happening on a Friday night, there was no question in my mind that I did not miss out on anything. The Death Metal Fest dominated the night with great performances from start to finish by an awesome line-up of bands. If you haven’t seen these bands, check them out and go see them live.
