Photos/Review: Milwaukee Metal Fest 2025

The first day of Milwaukee Metal Fest 2025 roared to life with a diverse and devastating lineup that proved the fest’s legacy is alive and well on Day 1, May 16, 2025. The Rave was packed with metalheads from all walks, ready for everything from blackened fury to technical chaos—and the bands delivered.
Highlights included explosive sets from Rotting Christ, Enslaved, and Wolves in the Throne Room, each commanding the black metal crowd in vastly different but equally powerful ways, getting the crowd clapping and moving through the night. The S.O.D. tribute (featuring Scott Ian, Danny Lilker, Jamey Jasta, and Scott’s son Revel) surprised many with its intensity and heartfelt nods to the hardcore scene with covers from Hatebreed and CroMags.
Paradise Lost brought a more introspective tone, while Pentagram drew a packed house with their doom-laden grooves and Bobby Liebling’s wild charisma. Gigan stunned with their technical prowess, and Left To Die unleashed pure chaos with a set of Death classics that had the bar stage crowd erupting.
The rest of the bill was just as stacked: Suicide Silence, Fugitive, Wormrot, Bongzilla, No/Más, Avernus, Dusk, Nest, The Lurking Corpses, Legions of Doom, Surefire, Ruin Dweller, Bury My Demons, 6FIVE6, and Chimaira each added their own flavor to the metal melting pot.
From old-school throwbacks to new-school crushers, Day 1 was a nonstop celebration of heaviness—and a brutal reminder that Milwaukee still knows how to rage.