Brutal Assault 2024 took place this year from August 7th to August 10th in Jaroměř, Czech Republic. This year’s festival lineup featured a diverse array of bands spanning various subgenres of metal. Some of the most notable acts included BEHEMOTH, CARCASS, MESHUGGAH, NAPALM DEATH, and GORGUTS. The festival is well-regarded for its strong lineup and vibrant atmosphere, attracting metal fans from around the world.
Brutal Assault 2024 kicked off with a bang, setting the stage for a festival that never fails to impress. This year, the festival, known for its strong emphasis on black and death metal, diversified its lineup to include bands that, while not always a perfect fit for the bill, spiced up the event and kept things fresh. The theme of experimenting with audiences continues to resonate across European festivals, and Brutal Assault is no exception. Here’s a summary of the first day’s highlights:
FINNTROLL started the festival with their signature energy. Known for their solid rock shows, the Finns delivered a classic opening performance that was both enjoyable and engaging. They’re still promoting Vredesvävd, which was released in 2020.
Despite being just four musicians playing stoner metal with classic rock influences, RED FANG almost kicked off the festival with a high-energy set. Their performance was irresistibly headbang-worthy. It was also a joy to see Aaron Beam having a blast on stage. Red Fang released their latest album, “Arrows,” in 2021.
SPIRITBOX, the Canadian sensation, brought their blend of metalcore and borderline poppy tunes to the festival. They gathered a substantial crowd, though the performance was relatively stoic during our time in the pit. They are still promoting Eternal Blue, which was released in 2021.
The international supergroup led by David Vincent, VLTIMAS, delivered a heavy and uncompromising set, even in the daylight. Their latest album, “Epic,” was released in March 2024.
DEICIDE brought their raw, blasphemous style of death metal to the stage. Glen Benton and his bandmates, pioneers of the genre since the late 1980s, delivered a performance that stayed true to their no-frills approach. Their most recent release is “Overtures of Blasphemy,” alongside a couple of live albums released in 2022 and 2023.
EXODUS was one of the day’s headliners, drawing a massive crowd that was busy with crowdsurfing, moshing, and occasional crowd-surfing towards the barriers. Their performance was a spectacle, and they continue to promote their latest album, “Persona Non Grata,” released in 2021.
TRIUMPH OF DEATH performed a special set featuring the HELLHAMMER repertoire. Tom G Warrior’s project was a treat for fans who missed or were too young to experience HELLHAMMER live. While their shows are not particularly black metal spectacles, they are thoroughly enjoyable. Unfortunately, due to some rainfall, we had to take refuge and call it a day.
Photos by Maria Sawicka
Notes by Maria Sawicka, text by Laureline Tilkin
