«10»: Performances We’re Looking Forward to at Graspop Metal Meeting 2025 - Marquee / Jupiler Stage / Metal Dome
The smaller stages always set up great thrills, sometimes even the biggest ones
Από τον Βλάση Λέττα, 23/05/2025 @ 19:34
After getting fully into the mood with the first part of our Graspop Metal Meeting preview, covering the two main stages, let’s move on to the second part featuring the three remaining ones. Metal Dome and Marquee are the two indoor venues, which I must admit I fell in love with, while the Jupiler Stage is the third outdoor stage - where the festival’s hardest pits usually open up.
This year, the names playing on these stages are truly powerful, making it really difficult to pick just ten for this article. We’ll be spending plenty of hours there and witness some spectacular shows!
1
Deafheaven (Thursday, 12:00 - 12:40, Metal Dome)
This year Deafheaven released the album we’ve been waiting for since "Sunbather" - the record we wanted, and at last got. "Lonely People With Power" ranks among the best releases of the first half of 2025; we’ve played it to death. It couldn’t have been a better opening to this year’s Graspop Metal Meeting. Our desire to see them live was so strong that we gladly sacrificed seeing Psychonaut playing at the same time, just a bit further down...
2
Hatebreed (Thursday, 23:00 - 00:15, Marquee)
Here’s your closing act for day one. After Iron Maiden have delivered their epic two-hour set on the South Stage, we’ll head to the indoor Marquee for a no-holds-barred battle with Hatebreed on stage. Imagine live renditions of "Destroy Everything", "I Will Be Heard", "Looking Down The Barrel Of Today" and "This Is Now" - and picture what’s happening in the crowd. Honestly, nothing will be left standing. I’m almost scared.
3
Green Lung (Friday, 16:50 - 17:40, Marquee)
Green Lung is a major crush of mine these days. Three amazing albums, and the sense they’re rising rapidly. Frontman Tom Templar channels pure English heavy-metal tradition every time he plays. We’re convinced they’ll keep on their impressive trajectory, and in a few years we’ll be talking about them as one of the top fresh acts staying true to the heavy-metal traditions we love.
4
Blood Incantation (Friday, 21:25 - 22:25, Marquee)
Following one of last year’s top releases, "Absolute Elsewhere" had to make our must-see list. We don’t know if they’ll play it in full, but whatever portion we catch inside the big indoor Marquee will be etched in memory. To be honest if they throw in some extra tracks from "Hidden History Of The Human Race" or the debut "Starspawn", we won’t complain at all. Feeling ready for a monumental live show.
5
Dodheimsgard (Saturday, 12:15 - 13:00, Marquee)
"Black Medium Current" took the top spot in rocking.gr 2023 album of the year, and "Omniverse Consciousness" entered our top-30 list of 2024. It would be utterly absurd to skip their set. The fact it kicks off day three raises the bar sky-high for the rest of the festival. We strongly suspect that the majestic Vicotnik will spread darkness and awe all over Belgium with this one.
6
Sylosis (Saturday, 15:05 - 15:50, Marquee)
Sylosis have been a live-show goal of ours for years—ever since the killer "Monolith" era. Guitarist-vocalist Josh Middleton is one of today’s riff masters, so expect about forty-five minutes of brutal breakdowns and head-banging. Having both the landmark "A Sign Of Things To Come" and the follow-up EP "The Path" in their setlist only amps up our already sky-high excitement.
7
Fit For An Autopsy (Sunday, 16:10 - 17:00, Marquee)
Fit For An Autopsy made a loud entrance into our world last year - not that they were anything less before - but they leapt forward with "The Nothing That Is". Prepare for Sunday-afternoon chaos in the Marquee: walls of death, mosh pits and friendly violence hitting maximum levels. The "Fucking Thieves" segment in the middle of "Spoils Of The Horde" is one of our circled moments for this year’s Graspop.
8
Currents (Sunday, 19:10 - 20:00, Jupiler Stage)
Currents are already a guarantee. Creatively visionary, technically superb, their music is perfect for live shows. We believe in this set so much we wouldn’t be shocked if it ends up being one of the performances we talk about most after the festival, or if in our post-festival recap it lands among the weekend’s very best.
9
Katatonia (Sunday, 20:05 - 20:55, Metal Dome)
Eternal favorites - Katatonia have penned some of our most beloved albums. Anything pulled from *Brave Murder Day*, *Viva Emptiness*, *The Great Cold Distance* or *Dead End Kings* instantly becomes a festival highlight. If they throw in "Teargas," we’re lost. Given how strong *Sky Void Of Stars* was and the anticipation for their new album, this set is absolutely unmissable.
10
King Diamond (Sunday, 22:30 - 23:45, Marquee)
I’ve never seen King Diamond properly, never. I thought I might as a kid, but it didn’t work out. I grew up - quite a bit, in fact - but now the time has come to witness the King in all his theatrical, grandiose glory closing out the Marquee in 2025. Personally, I’d have him close the whole festival, but okay, this indoor stage suits his aesthetic perfectly. One of my, personally, highest acts on this year’s lineup.
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