GRASPOP 2024: Moshing through the mud and rain

Graspop Metal Meeting 2024, held from June 20 to 23 in Dessel, Belgium, delivered an unforgettable experience for metal enthusiasts. Despite challenging weather conditions, the festival showcased a diverse lineup of legendary acts and emerging talent, coupled with dedicated organization. All pics by #GMM.

When the fields of Dessel once again transformed into a pilgrimage site for the metal faithful, it was clear that Graspop Metal Meeting 2024 would be more than just a festival — it would be a full-blown spiritual rite of riffs, fire, and fury. Over four thunderous days, the Belgian village became the epicenter of the global metal scene, where genres blurred and generations of fans stood shoulder to shoulder, fists raised to the sky.

Legends return, futures unfold

The weight of legacy hung thick in the air as iconic acts returned to reclaim their thrones. Judas Priest thundered through a set that was part sermon, part celebration, reminding everyone why they’re still the gods of British steel. Scorpions, ever the masters of melody and nostalgia, closed the final night with tear-jerking sing-alongs and spine-tingling solos. In a surreal moment, the entire crowd seemed to harmonize to “Wind of Change,” a soft breeze cutting through the distortion-heavy haze.

Yet this year wasn’t solely about legends. It was also a declaration from the next wave of metal’s vanguard. Bands like While She Sleeps, Electric Callboy, and Spiritbox (whose set was particularly transcendent) proved that the future is both bright and blisteringly loud. The crowd responded not with polite curiosity, but with sheer cathartic abandon.

Chaos, beauty, and the unexpected

Graspop’s programming thrives in its contrasts. One moment you’re swept into the theatrical, vampiric world of Alice Cooper, the next you’re being sonically obliterated by the dissonant chaos of Napalm Death. Mr. Bungle blurred genres with their anarchic jazz-metal fusion, while Igorrr delivered one of the most unique sets of the weekend — operatic glitch meets baroque blast beats, leaving fans bewildered and delighted.

Those seeking atmosphere and intensity found salvation in blackened realms. Emperor delivered a set that was both haunting and majestic, their icy riffs slicing through the warmth of the summer air. Rotting Christ, Abbath, and Batushka each summoned something ancient and primal — dark hymns for a modern crowd.

A Testament to metal’s eternal flame

What Graspop 2024 offered was not just a lineup, but an experience — textured, intense, and deeply communal. From the brutal assault of Dying Fetus to the sing-along choruses of Avenged Sevenfold, every moment felt like it mattered. Every note, every scream, every stage dive carved itself into memory.

Metal lives many lives. It evolves, rebels, and sometimes contradicts itself — but at Graspop, it finds unity. And in 2024, that unity sounded louder than ever.

THURSDAY, JUNE 20