Kool Metal Fest 2022: Even with Belphegor in the lineup, Brazilian bands are the highlight

With a fierce lineup, the 2022 edition of Kool Metal Fest took place last Sunday, the 29th, at Carioca Club in São Paulo. The event's return brought seven extreme metal bands to the stage, ranging from thrash metal to hardcore, with frenetic performances, political protests, a band's debut in the city, and the continuation of the old relationship of others with their fans, highlighting the strength of Brazilian extreme metal among the attractions.

Shortly after 2 pm, when a large part of the audience was still arriving or queuing at the merch shops in the outdoor area, the São Paulo band Cerberus Attack arrived to start the day's performances with impressive energy, which was quickly reciprocated by the audience already present with euphoric applause and a mosh pit.

Some of the technical problems that would arise throughout the festival have already appeared, but they were overcome without issues thanks to the electric stage presence of guitarist Marcelo Araujo and the communication of frontman Renato Moulin , who summed up Kool Metal Fest well as a "true celebration of underground and extreme metal".

Cerberus Attack's total commitment already set the tone for their upcoming performances, and the band left the stage to the sound of "one more, one more!", unable to extend their set so as not to delay the other shows. It was also during the band's show that the first political demonstrations against the current Brazilian president, Jair Bolsonaro , emerged, with the chant of "Hey, Bolsonaro, go f*** yourself".

The curtains seemed to open too early for Vazio , without any warning to the audience about the start of yet another show, but soon the image of the band with their backs to the stage, to the sound of an oppressive intro, captured the attention of the fans. Promoting the album Eterno Aeon Obscuro (2020), the group has a more performative approach, characteristic of the genre, and delivered a show of unparalleled quality, guided by the impressive vocals of Renato Gimenez , leaving the audience once again wanting more as they said goodbye with shouts for Vazio.

The wait for the third band of the day became electric as more fans crowded near the stage. On their first tour and debut in São Paulo, Crypta Kool Metal Fest show with a fervent following of fans in attendance. While the roadies worked to adjust the stage, the chant for the band began, as did new protests against Bolsonaro.

The stage presence of the death metal band members is hypnotic, with Fernanda Lira as an impressive frontwoman, capable of captivating the audience at all times with an intensity that was duly reciprocated by the crowd, including a fan climbing the barrier and sincere laments at the end of the set. "Nothing would exist if it weren't for you," the vocalist and bassist expressed her gratitude.

Fresh from a European tour , Nervochaos found a more than enthusiastic audience, with a packed venue, a mosh pit, and the crowd singing along. Brian Stone wasn't as prominent due to the microphone's height, but the experienced representatives of Brazilian thrash and death metal still delivered an unstoppable show.

Krisiun 's arrival on stage was worthy of Brazilian death metal royalty before their loyal subjects. With the Carioca Club packed, the band from Rio Grande do Sul mesmerized the audience with one of the most powerful shows of the night, demonstrating a strong connection with their fans.

“This is metal, no matter who it hurts,” Alex Camargo after a new wave of protests against the president, duly supported by the band. In the audience, there was a sea of bodies headbanging, crowd surfing, and singing all the lyrics before shouting the band's name during the breaks in the performance.

The only foreigners in the lineup arrived some time later. The Austrians from Belphegor brought their powerful black metal to the stage, appearing as figures from another dimension under the bluish light, carefully creating a dark atmosphere. The contrast with Krisiun's explosive energy made it seem like the audience wasn't as engaged, but there were many enthusiastic fans in the crowd, obedient to the band members' commands.

Around 8:30 PM, Ratos de Porão stormed the stage to close the night with a political and heavy show, destroying everything from the first song to the end of the performance, undoubtedly the most intense of the event. Technical problems reappeared, but fans filled any pauses with votes for Bolsonaro's removal from government or watching as the bravest prepared to throw themselves into the crowd. The headliners celebrated 40 years of their career and also the release of their most recent album, called Necropolítica (2020).

See the photo gallery taken by our contributor Wellington Penilha below.