Maryland DeathFest In Review

Hey, RSU Radio fans! It’s Dr. Drewcifer of the Industrial Complex and I recently attended the extreme metal Mecca known as Maryland Deathfest. For the past ten years, metalheads worldwide have congregated in Baltimore every May for the country’s premier underground metal party. I had high expectations for this year’s festival, and they were all exceeded.

Maryland Deathfest brought in a lot of big-name acts from the underground metal world this year, with the lineup included bands like Autopsy, Electric Wizard, Morbid Angel, Agalloch, Napalm Death, Nasum, and Suffocation.

The first night of the festival, the band to see was folk-metallers Agalloch. The band stood out as being much more melodic than their MDF peers, but the crowd welcomed Agalloch with vigorous enthusiasm. Death metal pioneers Autopsy closed the night out, but Agalloch stole the show.

The second day of the festival was the one I anticipated most. While polite and friendly in person, the mighty grindcore godfathers Napalm Death nearly split the earth in two with their sonic fury. Following suit was the closing band Nasum. The Swedish grinders lost their original frontman in the 2004 Pacific tsunami, but the band revived for a final tour with Rotten Sound frontman Keijo Niinimaa. The band’s set was a ferocious farewell that will never be forgotten.

Saturday brought a band that revolutionized extreme metal: Morbid Angel. The band rose above technical difficulties to conquer the night and show everyone that they were still the kings of death metal.

And finally, along came Sunday. From the death metal assault of Suffocation, to the trippy Black Sabbath-worship of Electric Wizard, the last day was an explosive blowout of fun and great music.

All good things must come to an end, and what an end it was. Maryland Deathfest was a life-changing experience, and I vow to make another pilgrimage.