After Gojira had already torn the place apart, the third headliner of the evening took the stage being none other than Machine “Fucking” Head. Even before the first notes were fully audible, while the large Machine Head logo banner still covered the stage, massive cheers erupted. The moment the banner dropped and the band launched into “Imperium” from the 2003 album “Through The Ashes Of Empires”, several pits opened instantly.
From one highlight to the next. After Disturbed, it was time to head over to Gojira. The French band has steadily continued their ascent over the years, and after numerous mid‑tier slots, they finally landed a headliner position at a major festival. The area in front of the stage was packed, and anticipation was high for what was about to unfold.
Directly after Amon Amarth came another repeat act: Disturbed, whom I had already seen at the same spot in 2019. And once again, a new album “Divisive” from last year had joined their already long list of releases. With the sun slowly setting, the four guys from Chicago, Illinois stepped in to fill the coveted early‑evening slot once more. And they absolutely delivered!
Amon Amarth weren’t actually high on my list for today’s festival schedule. I had already seen them here in 2019, and although they released a new album, “The Great Heathen Army” in 2022, it didn’t particularly excite me. Still, the timing worked out nicely, and Amon Amarth are always a guaranteed good show. So off I went into the crowd in front of the North Stage.
From the big stages, I moved back to the small Metal Dome in the early evening. Here, the four guys from the island were getting ready for their show. I had already had Orange Goblin on my list at Graspop in 2019, but back then I didn’t manage to catch their set. Today it finally worked out, and I was looking forward to 45 minutes of finest stoner metal.
After Asking Alexandria delivered a rather unconvincing performance, I headed back over to the South Stage, hoping to encounter a reliable crowd‑pleaser from Australia. Airbourne were once again guests at Graspop, by now already for the fourth time, and for me personally, it was the third time seeing them live. The opener “Ready To Rock” from their 2013 album “Black Dog Barking” was essentially a rhetorical question. Of course everyone in front of the stage was ready to rock!
The day moved on, and after a short break, things continued with metalcore on the North Stage, brought by the guys from Asking Alexandria, who had travelled over from the island. After several years, the Brits were finally back in Belgium, kicking things off with “Alone Again” from their 2021 album “See What’s On The Inside”. Vocalist Danny Worsnop appeared wrapped in a black cloak, his face mostly hidden behind oversized sunglasses and a hood. Respect to him for choosing such an outfit in those temperatures.
From the South Stage, I headed straight over to the neighbouring North Stage, where the guys from Pro‑Pain were getting ready. The U.S. American band was already making their seventh appearance at Graspop in Dessel and can look back on an impressive career spanning more than 30 years, even if bassist and vocalist Gary Meskil has been the only constant throughout that time. As soon as the intro from their 2002 album “Shreds Of Dignity” began to play, it was clear what was about to happen.
From the dark tent, we stepped out into the sunshine in front of the Main Stages. This was where the ladies of Thundermother performed, a band that had caused quite a stir not long before. Band founder and guitarist Filippa Nässil seems to be a rather difficult character. After the first early successes following the band’s formation in 2009, Nässil decided to replace all band members. As the band continued to rise, she clashed so severely with then‑vocalist Guernica Mancini during their U.S. tour earlier this year that she kicked her out of the band. Out of solidarity, drummer Emlee Johansson and bassist Mona Lindgren also left, forcing yet another fresh start.
The second day began in a fairly relaxed manner in the Metal Dome. On the schedule was the Belgian rock band Black Mirrors. The female‑fronted ensemble led by singer Marcella Di Troia brought along an interesting blend of rock, blues, and hard rock. In their nearly ten years of existence, however, they have only released a rather modest number of records.