OK, that’s probably enough posting. 39 bands in three days, caught nearly every one!
I love this festival – 4th year in a row for me, and they never fail to deliver old favorites and new gems.
There’s always a diversity of styles as well as people – and the vibes are immaculate.🖤
#NWTerrorFest2025
Saturday band #9:
#BrainOil, Oakland: I’d never heard of these guys, but they looked like wizards and played crusty super heavy sludge – and were so happy to be here! 🖤
“Here’s one off our new album from nine years ago!”
#NWTerrorFest2025
Saturday band #8:
#HoukagoGrindTime: somehow the silliest/hardest set of the festival: “NON STOP WEEB BLASTING”
(The 2nd photo is a body pillow of Andrew Lee. 😂 Click the link for clues that may leave you more confused)
#NWTerrorFest2025
Saturday band #7:
#WitchVomit needs no introduction in the Pacific Northwest. I hope you like death metal with your death metal! 🤘
https://listen.20buckspin.com/album/buried-deep-in-a-bottomless-grave
#NWTerrorFest2025
Saturday band #5:
#Witching – the first ever West Coast appearance from one of my favorites. You guys know how much I love this band, and they were FANTASTIC.
Blackened doom from Philly. Bought a patch, met the singer. ☺️🖤
#NWTerrorFest2025
Saturday band #4:
#RippedToShreds – Andrew Lee’s Chinese-history-themed death metal was on the small stage back in ‘22, leveled up to the big one this year with good reason! 🤘
(note: three headless guitars?!)
#NWTerrorFest2025
Saturday band #1:
#FallsofRauros. Perfectly cromulent atmospheric black metal from Portland the Elder. Bonus points for playing so dark when there’s literally sunlight streaming in through an open doorway next to the stage. 🖤
https://fallsofrauros.bandcamp.com/album/key-to-a-vanishing-future
#NWTerrorFest2025
Friday band #13:
#Agalloch. “Got good news and bad news. Good: these assholes from Portland are in your town again. Bad: we’re playing your favorite song.”
Never thought I’d see these black metal legends in the flesh. EPIC.
(I was trying not to buy too much merch this weekend, but I accidentally bought a shirt. What a way to finish out day #2)
#NWTerrorFest2025
Friday band #12:
#Panopticon, the epitome of US atmospheric black metal. Austin & Co never disappoint – after a heartfelt thanks to guests & organizers, you could hear crowd chatter everywhere adding up to THAT WAS AWESOME. 🖤
https://thetruepanopticon.bandcamp.com/album/the-rime-of-memory
#NWTerrorFest2025
Friday band #8:
How good are #SpectralWound?! 🖤 One of my most anticipated sets, and they delivered. Bonecrushing, icy black metal from Montreal that somehow goes down smoooth. (Are we calling them black-and-roll?)
https://spectralwound.bandcamp.com/album/songs-of-blood-and-mire
#NWTerrorFest2025
Friday band #6:
#TerrorizerLA, old-timey LA grindcore. Terror Fest excels at getting bands you never thought would play again onto their stages, and it rules. Grey hair and bald spots, baby!
#NWTerrorFest2025
Friday band #5:
#Turian, Seattle metallic hardcore (with keyboards!), lyrics from a Native American perspective. They RIPPED.
#NWTerrorFest2025
Friday band #3:
#JohnHaughm of #Agalloch, in Fields of the Nephilim drag.
Post-metal guitar and noise electronics. Started with video/audio of an old western train to which he synced guitar loops, adding & evolving. Powerful!
#NWTerrorFest2025
Friday band #1:
#Torrefy, blackened thrash from Victoria BC.
/takes a knee/
“Let’s bring it down for a minute, I want to talk about something serious, something close to my heart… Dungeons & Dragons!”
/crowd goes wild/
#NWTerrorFest2025
Thursday band #9):
#Vorlust, “Oakland Beast Metal!”
Wild blackened death/thrash, another really fun set. None of the photos I took captured their awesome weird vibe, I’m sorry to say. Bought another patch!
https://vorlust.bandcamp.com/album/lick-the-flesh-venom-yellow-vinyl
#NWTerrorFest2025
Thursday band #8:
The one and only #Sonja! Gothy trad metal from trans icon #MelissaMoore. Sounded SO much better live than on record, really fun set. 🖤
#NWTerrorFest2025
Thursday band #6:
#ViciousBlade from Pittsburgh, first time out west! LOVED this band, blackened thrash loaded with catchy riffs and charisma.
I tried to buy a patch but they were out – so they gave me a free sticker. :)
#NWTerrorFest2025
Thursday band #5:
#Noroth, PROPER death metal from Oakland. Among the things I like very much, this is definitely one. Bought a patch.
(Love how you see the next band peeking through the side door – happened almost every set! 🖤)
#NWTerrorFest2025
Thursday band #4:
#Xoth from Seattle, I’d been looking forward to seeing their science fiction metal experience. Blackened death power metal?! Super fun!
#NWTerrorFest2025
Thursday band #3 (not going to do all 39, just the ones I really liked):
#ManyBlessings, a noise project from Ethan of #PrimitiveMan and #VerminWomb. He beat the crap out of that deck, the entire bar was rapt!
