Decibel Metal & Beer Fest, inaugurated in 2017 by Decibel Magazine, is renowned as the world's loudest, heaviest, and most extreme craft beer festival. Originating from the magazine's dedication to extreme music and its craft beer column, the event unites diverse metal genres with a curated selection of craft breweries, offering a unique fusion for enthusiasts.
Formed in Washington, DC, Darkest Hour is a pioneering metal and hardcore band that helped define the New Wave of American Metal sound. Blending punk energy with melodic death metal, the group has released nine studio albums and toured six continents.
Formed in Alexandria, Virginia in 1997, Pig Destroyer is an east coast grindcore band known for their noisy, unhinged style featuring short complex songs and blastbeats. After signing with Relapse Records in 2000, they released the acclaimed 2001 album Prowler in the Yard, later incorporating sludge metal and noise elements.
Originating from Philadelphia, metal band Devil Master blend punk, psychedelia, and black metal. They released their third album, Bloody Dreams, via Relapse. Engineered by Davis M. Shubs and Eric Bogacz, the album features guests like Mirai Kawashima, Chris Ulsh, and Ur Èmdr Œrvn.
Maul are an underground touring band dubbed Midwest Death, combining classic death metal with hardcore and sludge/doom influences. Their second full-length, In the Jaws of Bereavement, was released via 20 Buck Spin Records.
Swedish death metal band Dismember, formed in Stockholm in 1988, gained fame with their debut album "Like an Ever Flowing Stream." Known for powerful, grinding sound and hits like "Skin Her Alive," they defended against an obscenity charge in the UK. Collaborated with Nuclear Blast.
EXODUS, hailing from the Bay Area, are thrash metal icons known for their intense and versatile music. They've released albums like "Bonded By Blood," collaborated with Andy Sneap, and remain masters of the genre.
Born on a Melbourne–Philadelphia flight, Melissa Moore formed gothic rock/metal trio Sonja (w/ Grzesiek Czapla, Ben Brand); hooky heavy metal; debut “Loud Arriver” (2022, Cruz Del Sur), mixed by Arthur Rizk; “Nylon Nights” video by Zev Deans; toured US/EU.
Vicious Blade, a crossover thrash band from Pittsburgh, features ex-members of Castrator & Don Caballero. Noted for EPs like "Siege of Cruelty," they've toured widely & starred in music videos.
New York City's Demolition Hammer emerged in 1986, famous for their East Coast thrash metal sound. Known for "Tortured Existence" and "Epidemic of Violence," they signed with Century Media Records. They shifted to a death metal style with "Time Bomb" in 1994 but disbanded a year later. The band featured Steve Reynolds, James Reilly, Derek Sykes, and Vinny Daze, later joined by Alex Marquez.
Indianapolis melodic death-doom band Mother of Graves, known for soul-crushing vocals and crushing riffs, blends deep melancholy with powerful hooks and Dan Swanö's mastering.
Oakland’s Vastum blends death and doom metal with grinding grooves, known for erotic, Bataille-inspired lyrics. Formed in 2009, members hail from Acephalix and Necrot.