Brutal Assault 2025 returned to Jaromer from August 6th to August 9th, 2025, once again cementing its reputation as one of Europe’s most important extreme music gatherings. After last year’s sold-out edition set the bar sky-high, this year’s lineup delivered another remarkable experience. The fortress was capital P packed from the start, but with such a strong program, nobody seemed to mind.
We arrived a bit later than planned and our first stop was Italy’s FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE. Their 2023 release “Opera” just turned one, and the symphonic death metal crew is still pushing its dark grandeur across stages worldwide. Some things never change—and that’s a blessing. Their furious blend of blast beats and orchestral flourishes hit like a storm, while Veronica Bordacchini’s vocal range shone especially bright on the newer material. “Opera“’s tracks translated seamlessly into a live setting, proving the album’s staying power.
2025 is shaping up to be a landmark year for thrash metal, with DARK ANGEL preparing to drop their first album in over 30 years, “Extinction Level Event,” on September 3rd via Reversed Records. Despite long periods of inactivity, the band sounded razor sharp—an unstoppable destruction machine. The audience welcomed them like conquering heroes, reminding everyone why DARK ANGEL could have stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the Big Four had history played out differently.
Industrial nostalgia came crashing back with STATIC-X. For those who grew up blasting “Wisconsin Death Trip” on Winamp, this set was pure time travel. The loss of Wayne Static remains immeasurable, but vocalist Xer0—masked in a stylized tribute to Wayne—delivered the classics with eerie authenticity. Backed by material from “Project: Regeneration Vol. 1” (2020) and “Vol. 2” (2024), the band balanced reverence for their past with forward momentum. The crowd loved every minute, especially the older hits.
If FLESHGOD APOCALYPTICA and STATIC-X were familiar comforts, SLEEPYTIME GORILLA MUSEUM was the day’s wild card. Arriving with no expectations, we left floored by their theatrical, experimental chaos. The band threw together rock, Bauhaus-inspired Goth, KING CRIMSON-style prog, and even MAYHEM-like dissonance into an intoxicating brew. Costumes, homemade instruments, and heavy doses of performance art only added to the spectacle. Their 2024 album “Of the Last Human Being” was well represented, proving them to be one of the most unique acts of the day.
MASTODON need no introduction. Their reputation as one of the most important heavy bands of the past two decades is cemented, and live they remain unstoppable. Songs from their 2021 album “Hushed and Grim” still hit hard, while their setlist pulled across eras. MASTODON’s stage presence is commanding yet joyous—a reminder of why they continue to be a festival highlight year after year. The set also carried a bittersweet undertone: not long after Brutal Assault, ex-guitarist and founding member Brent Hinds tragically passed away in an accident. His absence was already felt deeply as no longer being a part of the band, and now he will be missed even more on stage.
The first Finnish act of the day brought a different sort of heaviness. ORANSSI PAZUZU’s hypnotic mix of krautrock, psychedelia, and black metal shouldn’t work—but it does, spectacularly. Their 2024 album “Muuntautuja” formed the backbone of a set that was both otherworldly and suffocating, transporting the audience into an eerie, bog-like dreamscape.
Al Jourgensen’s MINISTRY was another masterclass in industrial dominance. With their 2024 release “Hopiumforthemasses” still fresh and the announcement that their next LP would be their last, this set carried extra weight. If this truly was one of the final chances to see MINISTRY in the fortress, they made sure to leave nothing behind—a fitting goodbye from one of industrial metal’s architects.
For those missing SLAYER, Kerry King’s new band provided a potent dose of thrash catharsis. Joined by Mark Osegueda, Phil Demmel, and Paul Bostaph, King’s crew ripped through material from “From Hell I Rise” (2024) as well as a healthy serving of SLAYER classics. While hearing Osegueda step into Tom Araya’s shoes was initially jarring, the raw energy won over the crowd. SLAYER may be gone (mostly), but King keeps the fire burning.
Day one closed with bittersweet stoner anthems from ORANGE GOBLIN. After three decades, the British veterans are preparing to wrap up their career, but not before gifting fans with one final gem in 2024’s “Science, Not Fiction.” Their set was joyous, groove-laden, and delivered with genuine gratitude. Watching them perform felt like a celebration of everything they’ve accomplished—a proper send-off for one of stoner rock’s most enduring bands.
Brutal Assault’s first day set a towering standard for the rest of the festival. From FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE’s operatic fury to SLEEPYTIME GORILLA MUSEUM’s unhinged theatrics, MASTODON’s titan-like presence, and ORANGE GOBLIN’s farewell, it was a day packed with variety, nostalgia, and pure intensity. If this was just day one, Brutal Assault was in for a monumental week.
