Around 1:40 PM, the doors of Mister Rock opened to welcome the audience of Virada Metal 2025. Despite the cold weather in Belo Horizonte, the indoor atmosphere was inviting—those who wanted a break could venture outside, where the sun didn't disguise the low temperature. The audience, still small at the beginning, eagerly awaited the first bands, and what followed would be an unforgettable marathon of extreme metal.
Opening the event, Sentence took to the stage with punctuality and contagious energy. The speed/thrash metal of the band from Minas Gerais impressed not only with its sharp technique, but also with the youth of its members — young men who already carry the essence of classic thrash with a modern twist.
Next, Excoria , also from Belo Horizonte, raised the temperature with their heavy metal, captivating the audience. Sages of Darkness took the stage afterward, delivering well-executed melodic death metal, setting the stage for what was to come.
Around 4:30 PM, it was Drowned to take the stage. The legendary band from Minas Gerais, with over 25 years on the road, rocked Mister Rock with brutal and technical death metal. Fernando Lima (vocals), Marcos Amorim (guitar), Beto Loureiro (drums), and Rodrigo Nunes (bass) showed why they are a reference in the scene, driving the audience wild.
The next attack came with the "butchers" of Flesh Grinder , a splatter band from Santa Catarina, who brought a dirty, heavy sound full of attitude. Dark Tower , from Rio de Janeiro, continued the wave with their precise black/death metal, keeping the energy high.
Miasthenia one of the most anticipated bands of the night, came from Brasília to deliver atmospheric and melodic black metal, captivating fans who sang along at various points.
And then, the most anticipated moment: Torture Squad . The veteran band from São Paulo destroyed the stage with an impeccable performance. Amilcar Christófaro (drums) was a brutal machine, Castor (bass and backing vocals) displayed overwhelming technique and stage presence, Mayara Puertas (vocals) captivated the audience with her powerful voice and interaction, and Rene Simionato (guitar) unleashed colossal riffs and solos.
The Damnation , a trio of extreme thrash metal from São Paulo, proved that heavy metal also has a female voice — and what a voice! Renata Petrelli (vocals/guitar), Fernanda Lessá (bass/vocals) and Camila Almeida (drums) delivered a brutal and technical set, showing that extreme metal has no gender.
The night continued with Ancestral Malediction from São Paulo and Necroterio from Paraná, who took death metal to a visceral level, leaving the audience in a frenzy. After midnight, Tumor from Belo Horizonte showed that Minas Gerais grindcore is merciless—it was pure sonic destruction.
To close with a flourish, Sardonic Force took to the stage with their heavy death/thrash metal and ended the night with the audience still clamoring for more.
Virada Metal 2025 proved once again that the Brazilian underground scene is alive, vibrant, and necessary. Bands from different states brought identity, technique, and passion for extreme metal, showing that Brazil has bands as good as—or better than—many from abroad.
Long live Brazilian metal! May there be many more nights like this.
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