We’re counting down to the 2024 edition of 70000 tons of Metal! This is by far one of our personal favorite metal cruises where every artist is a headliner. Metalheads from around the globe share an insane experience of four days with very little to no sleep of nonstop metal shows. From big pool deck experiences to the intimate Star Lounge, there’s something for all metalheads regardless of subgenre, and we love it all. 2023 marked a significant return for the cruise after all cruises generally faced a halt due to the pandemic. The event’s future was uncertain, but it returned, giving sixty unique artists a go. This year we saw a number of acts having their first experience on the boat to artists having some notable silver-to-gold member status returns. We managed to capture all sixty bands, and as we countdown to the 2024 edition, we will share artist spotlights from the 2023 expedition leading up to the 2024 voyage. Artist Number 34: Jungle Rot.
American death metal veterans Jungle Rot embarked on their second voyage on the metal seas, the first in 2015 and the second in 2023. Their first set took place on the intense Day 2, January 31, at 5:15 AM on the Pool Deck, with the second set on Day 4, February 2, 2023, at 3:30 PM in Studio B – Ice Rink Theater. Despite the challenge of staying awake, we managed to attend both sets. The initial performance, just before dawn, was pure insanity. Jungle Rot infused the crowd with a burst of energy, providing a third or fourth wind for the day. It was a fantastic experience just before grabbing a few hours of sleep. With natural wind effects, lighting changes with fog, and sleep deprivation, Jungle Rot dominated, closing out the Pool Deck for the night.
Jungle Rot set 1:
Their second set, maintaining the same energy as their first late-night performance, delivered another crushing experience. This time, at a more reasonable hour, allowing for a larger and possibly more awake audience. Watching Jungle Rot live is always a treat, but witnessing them on the pool deck, under the stars when you feel such a vast amount of sleep deprivation, was exceptional. Both sets were incredible, featuring songs throughout their catalog, including “Stay Dead,” “A Call To Arms,” and “Total Extinction.”
Jungle Rot set 2:
As for Jungle Rot’s future plans, there is no news of a potential follow-up to 2022’s A Call To Arms at the moment. However, 2024 marks the twentieth anniversary of their fourth record, 2004’s Fueled By Hate. Whether they have surprises planned for a commemoration remains to be seen. Regardless, Jungle Rot has a few shows booked for next year, including Wacken Open Air.
70000 tons of Metal will return on January 29th, setting sail from Miami, FL to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, and back on February 2nd with another batch promising sixty bands to perform twice throughout the waves of adventure. The announcements have been moving fast this year as tickets have already gone on sale, and, well no updates since our last post but, in case you missed it, 36 bands out of 60 have been revealed thus far:
2024 70000tons of Metal artists:
Aborted
Angra
Blind Guardian
Blood Red Throne
Crypta
Dalriada
Depressive Age
Draconian
Dynazty
Epica
Equilibrium
Fleshgod Apocalypse
Grave Digger
Heidevolk
Infected Rain
Iotunn
Kataklysm
Legion of the Damned
Lord of the Lost
Marduk
My Dying Bride
Mystic Prophecy
Nanowar of Steel
Nervosa
Nile
Omnium Gatherum
Saor
Scar Symmetry
Serenity
Sodom
The Halo Effect
Tygers of Pan Tang
Unleashed
Victory
Warkings
Wind Rose
2023 Artist Spotlight:
