Most years, the vast majority of the Decibel lineup is a mystery to me, yet invariably, I discover a couple of acts that warrant future investigation and support. However, in 2025, nearly half the bands I’d not only seen, prior to the fest, but deemed most of them enjoyable. Saturday seemed a far cry from the fare. Somebody’s tastes are changing!
Speaking of tastes, on Day 2 some breweries rotate their line-up, giving people something different than Day 1. Since it’s possible to attend just one day, almost all the vendors kept their output consistent, which meant, beyond dabbling in those that were left on the shelf yesterday, it also provided a second go-round, to see if that initial shock & awe reaction was just a passing fancy, or the real deal, after further inspection.
What a difference a day makes. 4 PM Friday, there was a line down the street, waiting to get in (like unlimited free pours would run out). Today, could walk right up to the Will Call window, no line, no waiting. Guess some folks had a late start after a rough evening. New Trail (Williamsport, PA) 6.7% west coast IPA is called Relentless Hops. It’s sweet (is that a thing?), only slightly hazy, translucent, verging on transparent. Thin Man (Buffalo, NY) has some oddly named entities. Thankfully the taste is more conventional.
Trial By Wombat is a fruity, 7% double dry hopped IPA with a completely opaque hazy. Their sister brewery (Smoldered Society) had a like-minded 6.9% Power Violence, that looks like apple cider, with a traditional IPA sourness. Rounding out the IPAs (by far the most prevalent choices throughout the 15 breweries present in the restricted upstairs) was an Adroit Theory 7% collaboration with the band Mother Of Graves (who played Friday), entitled Like Darkness To A Dying Flame.
First up is Vicious Blade, a twin guitar quintet from Pittsburgh, PA. Despite the power metal sounding name, in truth, it was a combination of traditional speed and thrash, with a female singer. From the opening, “Death Blow” was hooked, as the style is not only closer to my personal preferences, but, as mentioned earlier, a bit of a rarity for this event. Singer Clarissa Badini employs three different vocal approaches, sometimes within the same song: a guttural Arch Enemy voice, a creaking gremlin throat, and her normal/clean.
Throughout, she was jumping around, off the drum riser and/or wedge monitors, mid-air splits, kicking, headbanging: plenty of energy! She strolls the stage defiantly, in unofficial ’80s uniform: belt and hi-top Adidas sneakers. Debut eponymous EP track “Claustrophobia”, is followed by the titular cut off last autumn’s Relentless Force. “Scavengers” and “Mistress Of Death” sees some heads bobbing in the crowd. Ultimately, the Blades return to that pandemic era EP, for “Burning Visions”, to close out the set. Lots of early arrivals down front seemed to enjoy what they saw/heard.
One of the few beers that didn’t impress was one of the four offerings from Baltimore’s Nepenthe Brewing: Fossil, a 5.6% opaque, brownish colored amber ale. Usually a fan of this style, there was an uncomfortable artificial (additive?) taste. With so many other options, didn’t feel the need to re-try this one. Many others latched onto one of last year’s faves, reintroduced by Xul Brewing (Knoxville, TN), aka PB&J Mixtape. In the 3 oz. sampling cup, made a perfect “shot”: gulp it down, with peanut butter prominence and a hint of grape jelly aftertaste. Refreshing, in small doses, and the first beer to be emptied before the night was through.
Warpigs’ (Munster, IN) 7.3% Foggy Geezer (a hazy IPA) is another returnee. It lives up to its name, with a cloudy appearance and citrusy flavor. One has to wonder if the continued fest appearances, by the same brewers, offering their commercially available, everyday flagship brews (and nothing new) year in, year out, has any effect on attendance moving forward. Beer snobs (part of the target market here) like to sample new/exclusive stuff and the higher priced “Beer” ticket is marketed to the beer fest crowd (as much as the metal audience).
When it comes to photos, I rarely need the allotted 3-song limit. I grew up using rolls of 36 exposures (maybe sneaking an extra shot on either end of the roll, if careful) and learning how to frame properly (as post-production cropping and effects were not possible without your own studio). Besides, at the biggest festivals in Europe you may only get one song (or less) before being booted out of the pit. In the digital age, the video monitor on the back of the camera lets you know instantly whether a shot is decent, or not, so there’s no need to fill up a memory card with 3000 pix of the bass player or temporary/replacement guitarist. Know who the money shot is (rarely more than 2 people in most bands): go in, get the shots, get out.
So even the folks who were shooting/videoing for the event and venue (complained is the wrong word) “lamented” Funeral Leech, a two-guitar four-piece, where the drummer handles vocals. Drums situated in the back makes things difficult, visually, and the trio with stringed instruments moved about the stage as much as the stationary drum kit. Not a lot of visuals! The only movement was the guitarist, center stage, with knee length hair rivaling Obituary frontman John Tardy. When he snapped his head backwards, a plume of hair shot skyward, like an unkept geyser. Neat effect. Musically, it was a slow, grinding funeral death/doom sound.
Juicy Lord is another holdover from ’24, courtesy of Tampa area Magnanimous Brewing: very citrusy, completely cloudy, but with a good froth, on top. Bear Cult Brewing (Seaford, DE, an offshoot of the Brimming Horn Meadery, also in attendance) offered a 5.5% Skullfracturing Mexican lager. It was translucent, light yellow in color and sweet on the tongue. Of those sampled the day before and living up to the positive initial reaction was Xul’s Handsome Devil (with New Zealand grown hops) and the Attic Brewing (Germantown, PA) collaboration with Exodus: Blood Ale, a 5.4% red IPA with a thick, caramel colored head, when dispensed on-tap, even in just a 3 oz. pour. Both remain on the 2025 “Must Try” list, for those looking for a twist.
Sonja is a rock trio, based in Philly and fronted by ex-Absu guitarist/frontwoman Melissa Moore. While the crowd was respectful, the melodic, sometime pop/rock sounds are a far cry from the usual listening habits of most fest attendees. Still the closing cover of Manowar’s “Bridge Of Death” perked up ears. When she yells, “Go Birds, Fuck Dallas,” prior to “Fuck, Then Die”, it’s seems more than just a cheap ploy for local sports fan adulation. Having been ousted from her former Texas based outfit, it’s an affirmation of her new hometown/lifestyle and good riddance to the old/ naysayers.
Can hear a bit of Haunt/Trevor Church compositions in her high pitched delivery on tracks like “Moans From The Chapel”. Situated behind the mic, stage right, Moore gently strums open chords, then moves center stage. At one point, she jokes, “Gonna do an old one. We only have one album, so they’re all the same (vintage).”
7 PM and stockpiles are starting to wane (or at least perceived to have diminished), people upstairs stroll from stall to stall, tiny plastic cup in outstretched hand, like a beggar: “alms for the poor?” having been temporarily satiated, just feet away. “I don’t care what you have, I’ll take one” (or two!) mode: quantity over quality.
Devil Master are in corpsepaint and costumes (capes), looking like a band of Dracula’s. Well, not the lead singer/bassist, who’s in cut-off tee and jeans. The band is content to be under red lights throughout. Not sure if they’re serious or a send-up, as the music is upbeat and energetic (pre-recorded keys that recall a calliope), the opposite of what you’d expect. The voice is something of a death vocal, but not completely. On the Watain scale of truly evil/Satanic, Devil Master is near the nadir. Got the impression this would be the representation of evil in a campy ‘50s Roger Corman flick, or ‘60s Hammer Horror film.
In a day filled with proponents of atypical Decibel sub-genres, Eternal Champion is, by far, THE most anticipated. The band doesn’t play out that often (and while there are Philly connections amongst the members), the mag/fest has been an ardent supporter of Eternal Champion, as well as Sumerlands (who share overlapping personnel). Muscular frontman Jason Tarpey enters opening “Skullseeker” wearing a chainmail hood.
It’s a virtual lovefest/sing-along, from the first note. They are the only band to take advantage of the video board behind the stage (most just superimpose their log), but the Champs show colorful animated fantasy landscapes interspersed with semi-nude scenes (it is an over 21 beer-fest) from the David Carradine film, The Warrior and the Sorceress.
Noted producer/guitarist Arthur Rizk switched to drums tonight, in Saquon Barkley Eagles (football) jersey. His normal spot is taken by Crypt Sermon stringbender Steve Jansson. “Ravening Iron” is up next, as the vocalist loosens the heavy metal headdress. Some tasty twin leads in a green/yellow lit “The Last King Of Pictdom” as Tarpey has the fans shout back a version of the patented Tom G. Warrior death grunt: “ooh!”
“Coward’s Keep” is followed by piped in acoustic guitars, heralding the red shaded gallop of “Worms Of The Earth”. Purple lights, looking like a laser, shoot straight into the crowd, from above. Guess what’s onscreen for “I Am A Hammer”? A little pit breaks out on the floor, by those unsure what to do at a metal show. The last number tonight is “The Armor Of Ire”, one of the few songs that could also be by Sumerlands. Triumph!
Around 8:45, the guys in Exodus visited the Attic Brewing area, upstairs, to meet fans and sip some of their namesake red IPA. Soon thereafter, downstairs, Demolition Hammer took the stage, beginning with “Skull Fracturing Nightmare”. Bassist/singer Steve Reynolds barking out the lyrics. “Crippling Velocity”, with a series of yellow lights sweeping the large Fillmore stage, could only imagine what Reynolds might have thought, flashing back to the early death metal days, in dingy, unlit clubs. The two guitarists, one either side the centrally located bassist, switch ends frequently and a steady parade of crowd surfers launch themselves over the wall, like salmon swimming upstream.
Occasionally, Reynolds extricates himself from behind the mic, to interact with one of the six-stringers. Meanwhile, lots of swirling fan action on the floor. “Not about a carnivore.” (Ironic retort given the time/area of their origin and the Pete Steele Type O precursor). “Not about a vegan,” is how the bassist introduces a blue stained “Omnivore”, as multiple whites sweep the deck. “Human Dissection” sees a guitar solo under a shower of neon yellow lights.
Talk about timing. It was 40 years, to the day, when Bonded By Blood was released and today, Exodus were welcoming back Rob Dukes, his first live gig since rejoining their ranks. Scheduled to play the classic debut in its entirety (which they’d ultimately do), Exodus opted to break up the running order: playing the first side of the original vinyl, straight through, then doing a pair of cuts from Dukes’ first go-round with the band, before ploughing through side two, albeit interjecting “Toxic Waltz” before finishing with the album closing “Strike Of The Beast”.
In cut-off tee and shorts, Dukes was wound up, stalking in circles as the title tracks kicked things off. In fact, everyone switched places, Gary Holt repeatedly leaving stage left, or playing in the extreme corners of the stage. Early on, never got the impression they were a “group,” as each seemed to be doing their own thing, but eventually they began to interact: Holt and guitar partner Lee Altus get together, center stage. Plenty of hair flying/headbanging stage right as Holt does his herky-jerky, full-body motion, as he plays, while Dukes poises himself, one foot atop the wedge monitors.
Red lit “A Lesson In Violence” sees a big circle pit (more space available, as lots of defections after Demolition Hammer). The first non-album cut was a yellow laced “Deathamphetamine”. The pace enlivens as Dukes barks a short staccato delivery, as Holt lays down some whammy bar action, center stage. In a rare display of “unity,” Dukes rests his forearm on the guitarist’s shoulder, as Holt shreds. The other three head back to Tom Hunting’s kit and turn their backs on the audience, focusing all the attention on Holt’s solo.
Next, is “Blacklist”, paradoxically hued in yellow, as Altus takes a more active role, mouthing the words, alongside Dukes, who throws both arms around the guitarist’s neck. Under red lights, Holt is alone, at the lip of the stage, playing the short classical interlude that introduces “No Love”. With the lights on, Dukes points out the age disparity between those up front (young, “except that guy, he’s as old as fuck”) and those in the back, spurring people to action for “The Toxic Waltz”. Altus and Holt stand face to face, center stage, basically challenging each other, as they lay down the riffs. In a hail of strobes, the night/fest ends, as does the album, with “Strike Of The Beast”, one last blast of speeding guitars. Apparently a lot of life in Exodus!
See you all again, next year.
More DMBF 2025 coverage:
Day 1
Additional photos from Day 2:
The post DECIBEL METAL & BEER FEST 2025 – Day 2: Bonded By Brew! Ghost Of Singer Past appeared first on BraveWords - Where Music Lives.
Continue reading...
Speaking of tastes, on Day 2 some breweries rotate their line-up, giving people something different than Day 1. Since it’s possible to attend just one day, almost all the vendors kept their output consistent, which meant, beyond dabbling in those that were left on the shelf yesterday, it also provided a second go-round, to see if that initial shock & awe reaction was just a passing fancy, or the real deal, after further inspection.
What a difference a day makes. 4 PM Friday, there was a line down the street, waiting to get in (like unlimited free pours would run out). Today, could walk right up to the Will Call window, no line, no waiting. Guess some folks had a late start after a rough evening. New Trail (Williamsport, PA) 6.7% west coast IPA is called Relentless Hops. It’s sweet (is that a thing?), only slightly hazy, translucent, verging on transparent. Thin Man (Buffalo, NY) has some oddly named entities. Thankfully the taste is more conventional.
Trial By Wombat is a fruity, 7% double dry hopped IPA with a completely opaque hazy. Their sister brewery (Smoldered Society) had a like-minded 6.9% Power Violence, that looks like apple cider, with a traditional IPA sourness. Rounding out the IPAs (by far the most prevalent choices throughout the 15 breweries present in the restricted upstairs) was an Adroit Theory 7% collaboration with the band Mother Of Graves (who played Friday), entitled Like Darkness To A Dying Flame.
First up is Vicious Blade, a twin guitar quintet from Pittsburgh, PA. Despite the power metal sounding name, in truth, it was a combination of traditional speed and thrash, with a female singer. From the opening, “Death Blow” was hooked, as the style is not only closer to my personal preferences, but, as mentioned earlier, a bit of a rarity for this event. Singer Clarissa Badini employs three different vocal approaches, sometimes within the same song: a guttural Arch Enemy voice, a creaking gremlin throat, and her normal/clean.
Throughout, she was jumping around, off the drum riser and/or wedge monitors, mid-air splits, kicking, headbanging: plenty of energy! She strolls the stage defiantly, in unofficial ’80s uniform: belt and hi-top Adidas sneakers. Debut eponymous EP track “Claustrophobia”, is followed by the titular cut off last autumn’s Relentless Force. “Scavengers” and “Mistress Of Death” sees some heads bobbing in the crowd. Ultimately, the Blades return to that pandemic era EP, for “Burning Visions”, to close out the set. Lots of early arrivals down front seemed to enjoy what they saw/heard.
One of the few beers that didn’t impress was one of the four offerings from Baltimore’s Nepenthe Brewing: Fossil, a 5.6% opaque, brownish colored amber ale. Usually a fan of this style, there was an uncomfortable artificial (additive?) taste. With so many other options, didn’t feel the need to re-try this one. Many others latched onto one of last year’s faves, reintroduced by Xul Brewing (Knoxville, TN), aka PB&J Mixtape. In the 3 oz. sampling cup, made a perfect “shot”: gulp it down, with peanut butter prominence and a hint of grape jelly aftertaste. Refreshing, in small doses, and the first beer to be emptied before the night was through.
Warpigs’ (Munster, IN) 7.3% Foggy Geezer (a hazy IPA) is another returnee. It lives up to its name, with a cloudy appearance and citrusy flavor. One has to wonder if the continued fest appearances, by the same brewers, offering their commercially available, everyday flagship brews (and nothing new) year in, year out, has any effect on attendance moving forward. Beer snobs (part of the target market here) like to sample new/exclusive stuff and the higher priced “Beer” ticket is marketed to the beer fest crowd (as much as the metal audience).
When it comes to photos, I rarely need the allotted 3-song limit. I grew up using rolls of 36 exposures (maybe sneaking an extra shot on either end of the roll, if careful) and learning how to frame properly (as post-production cropping and effects were not possible without your own studio). Besides, at the biggest festivals in Europe you may only get one song (or less) before being booted out of the pit. In the digital age, the video monitor on the back of the camera lets you know instantly whether a shot is decent, or not, so there’s no need to fill up a memory card with 3000 pix of the bass player or temporary/replacement guitarist. Know who the money shot is (rarely more than 2 people in most bands): go in, get the shots, get out.
So even the folks who were shooting/videoing for the event and venue (complained is the wrong word) “lamented” Funeral Leech, a two-guitar four-piece, where the drummer handles vocals. Drums situated in the back makes things difficult, visually, and the trio with stringed instruments moved about the stage as much as the stationary drum kit. Not a lot of visuals! The only movement was the guitarist, center stage, with knee length hair rivaling Obituary frontman John Tardy. When he snapped his head backwards, a plume of hair shot skyward, like an unkept geyser. Neat effect. Musically, it was a slow, grinding funeral death/doom sound.
Juicy Lord is another holdover from ’24, courtesy of Tampa area Magnanimous Brewing: very citrusy, completely cloudy, but with a good froth, on top. Bear Cult Brewing (Seaford, DE, an offshoot of the Brimming Horn Meadery, also in attendance) offered a 5.5% Skullfracturing Mexican lager. It was translucent, light yellow in color and sweet on the tongue. Of those sampled the day before and living up to the positive initial reaction was Xul’s Handsome Devil (with New Zealand grown hops) and the Attic Brewing (Germantown, PA) collaboration with Exodus: Blood Ale, a 5.4% red IPA with a thick, caramel colored head, when dispensed on-tap, even in just a 3 oz. pour. Both remain on the 2025 “Must Try” list, for those looking for a twist.
Sonja is a rock trio, based in Philly and fronted by ex-Absu guitarist/frontwoman Melissa Moore. While the crowd was respectful, the melodic, sometime pop/rock sounds are a far cry from the usual listening habits of most fest attendees. Still the closing cover of Manowar’s “Bridge Of Death” perked up ears. When she yells, “Go Birds, Fuck Dallas,” prior to “Fuck, Then Die”, it’s seems more than just a cheap ploy for local sports fan adulation. Having been ousted from her former Texas based outfit, it’s an affirmation of her new hometown/lifestyle and good riddance to the old/ naysayers.
Can hear a bit of Haunt/Trevor Church compositions in her high pitched delivery on tracks like “Moans From The Chapel”. Situated behind the mic, stage right, Moore gently strums open chords, then moves center stage. At one point, she jokes, “Gonna do an old one. We only have one album, so they’re all the same (vintage).”
7 PM and stockpiles are starting to wane (or at least perceived to have diminished), people upstairs stroll from stall to stall, tiny plastic cup in outstretched hand, like a beggar: “alms for the poor?” having been temporarily satiated, just feet away. “I don’t care what you have, I’ll take one” (or two!) mode: quantity over quality.
Devil Master are in corpsepaint and costumes (capes), looking like a band of Dracula’s. Well, not the lead singer/bassist, who’s in cut-off tee and jeans. The band is content to be under red lights throughout. Not sure if they’re serious or a send-up, as the music is upbeat and energetic (pre-recorded keys that recall a calliope), the opposite of what you’d expect. The voice is something of a death vocal, but not completely. On the Watain scale of truly evil/Satanic, Devil Master is near the nadir. Got the impression this would be the representation of evil in a campy ‘50s Roger Corman flick, or ‘60s Hammer Horror film.
In a day filled with proponents of atypical Decibel sub-genres, Eternal Champion is, by far, THE most anticipated. The band doesn’t play out that often (and while there are Philly connections amongst the members), the mag/fest has been an ardent supporter of Eternal Champion, as well as Sumerlands (who share overlapping personnel). Muscular frontman Jason Tarpey enters opening “Skullseeker” wearing a chainmail hood.
It’s a virtual lovefest/sing-along, from the first note. They are the only band to take advantage of the video board behind the stage (most just superimpose their log), but the Champs show colorful animated fantasy landscapes interspersed with semi-nude scenes (it is an over 21 beer-fest) from the David Carradine film, The Warrior and the Sorceress.
Noted producer/guitarist Arthur Rizk switched to drums tonight, in Saquon Barkley Eagles (football) jersey. His normal spot is taken by Crypt Sermon stringbender Steve Jansson. “Ravening Iron” is up next, as the vocalist loosens the heavy metal headdress. Some tasty twin leads in a green/yellow lit “The Last King Of Pictdom” as Tarpey has the fans shout back a version of the patented Tom G. Warrior death grunt: “ooh!”
“Coward’s Keep” is followed by piped in acoustic guitars, heralding the red shaded gallop of “Worms Of The Earth”. Purple lights, looking like a laser, shoot straight into the crowd, from above. Guess what’s onscreen for “I Am A Hammer”? A little pit breaks out on the floor, by those unsure what to do at a metal show. The last number tonight is “The Armor Of Ire”, one of the few songs that could also be by Sumerlands. Triumph!
Around 8:45, the guys in Exodus visited the Attic Brewing area, upstairs, to meet fans and sip some of their namesake red IPA. Soon thereafter, downstairs, Demolition Hammer took the stage, beginning with “Skull Fracturing Nightmare”. Bassist/singer Steve Reynolds barking out the lyrics. “Crippling Velocity”, with a series of yellow lights sweeping the large Fillmore stage, could only imagine what Reynolds might have thought, flashing back to the early death metal days, in dingy, unlit clubs. The two guitarists, one either side the centrally located bassist, switch ends frequently and a steady parade of crowd surfers launch themselves over the wall, like salmon swimming upstream.
Occasionally, Reynolds extricates himself from behind the mic, to interact with one of the six-stringers. Meanwhile, lots of swirling fan action on the floor. “Not about a carnivore.” (Ironic retort given the time/area of their origin and the Pete Steele Type O precursor). “Not about a vegan,” is how the bassist introduces a blue stained “Omnivore”, as multiple whites sweep the deck. “Human Dissection” sees a guitar solo under a shower of neon yellow lights.
Talk about timing. It was 40 years, to the day, when Bonded By Blood was released and today, Exodus were welcoming back Rob Dukes, his first live gig since rejoining their ranks. Scheduled to play the classic debut in its entirety (which they’d ultimately do), Exodus opted to break up the running order: playing the first side of the original vinyl, straight through, then doing a pair of cuts from Dukes’ first go-round with the band, before ploughing through side two, albeit interjecting “Toxic Waltz” before finishing with the album closing “Strike Of The Beast”.
In cut-off tee and shorts, Dukes was wound up, stalking in circles as the title tracks kicked things off. In fact, everyone switched places, Gary Holt repeatedly leaving stage left, or playing in the extreme corners of the stage. Early on, never got the impression they were a “group,” as each seemed to be doing their own thing, but eventually they began to interact: Holt and guitar partner Lee Altus get together, center stage. Plenty of hair flying/headbanging stage right as Holt does his herky-jerky, full-body motion, as he plays, while Dukes poises himself, one foot atop the wedge monitors.
Red lit “A Lesson In Violence” sees a big circle pit (more space available, as lots of defections after Demolition Hammer). The first non-album cut was a yellow laced “Deathamphetamine”. The pace enlivens as Dukes barks a short staccato delivery, as Holt lays down some whammy bar action, center stage. In a rare display of “unity,” Dukes rests his forearm on the guitarist’s shoulder, as Holt shreds. The other three head back to Tom Hunting’s kit and turn their backs on the audience, focusing all the attention on Holt’s solo.
Next, is “Blacklist”, paradoxically hued in yellow, as Altus takes a more active role, mouthing the words, alongside Dukes, who throws both arms around the guitarist’s neck. Under red lights, Holt is alone, at the lip of the stage, playing the short classical interlude that introduces “No Love”. With the lights on, Dukes points out the age disparity between those up front (young, “except that guy, he’s as old as fuck”) and those in the back, spurring people to action for “The Toxic Waltz”. Altus and Holt stand face to face, center stage, basically challenging each other, as they lay down the riffs. In a hail of strobes, the night/fest ends, as does the album, with “Strike Of The Beast”, one last blast of speeding guitars. Apparently a lot of life in Exodus!
See you all again, next year.
More DMBF 2025 coverage:
Day 1
Additional photos from Day 2:
2EternalChampClaw
3SonjaOpenMouth
5DemolitionHammer
6ViciousBlade
7FuneralLeech
8DevilMaster1
9EternalChampGuitar
10DemoGuestGuitar
11GaryHolt1
12EternalChampNoose
13Sonja
14DemoHammerArmsUp
15EternalChampSermon
16DevilMaster2
17GaryHoltBar
18FuneralLeechFlip
19EternalChampVox
20SonjaSings
21DemolitionHammerBass
22EternalChampChainmail
23DemoHammerFaded
24ExodusBar
The post DECIBEL METAL & BEER FEST 2025 – Day 2: Bonded By Brew! Ghost Of Singer Past appeared first on BraveWords - Where Music Lives.
Continue reading...
