Two of death metal's strongest newcomers deliver big.
Text, Photos by Anthony Scanga (@ras_visual) at
Wooly's in Des Moines, IA on May 23, 2024:
For as flooded as death metal is in its contemporary state, few bands stand above them all and among them are Japan's Kruelty and Cleveland's 200 Stab Wounds, both of whom supported the legendary Dying Fetus for a brief trek. Wooly's in Des Moines was host to the madness, a madness that highlighted trailblazing genre greatness with a promising future ahead.
Kruelty continue to breathe life into the acclaimed Untopia (2023), our #12 record of 2023, with a work ethic that has yet to cease since the band entered into the album's release cycle. Tour after tour, special shows after special shows, Kruelty know no bounds to extremity and bring a crushing sound to the stages they grace. Downright punishing from the start, frontman Zuma commands the mic and leads the unit to a filthy string of tracks both infectious and violence inducing.
There is little to no breathing room to be had throughout it all, priming audiences for the pain to follow. The odds of seeing Kruelty in your neck of the woods anytime soon are likely, and we'd be remiss not to recommend experiencing their craft time and time again.
From here came 200 Stab Wounds — masters of the riff.
Manual Manic Procedures is on its way for a June 28th release via Metal Blade Records and with two blood-curling singles now out, 200 Stab Wounds are paving the path for a successful release that is sure to make its rounds, and rightfully so. Like the cover artwork it sports, the band's latest is maniacal and downright punishing from the get go, and their live performance expands upon that further.
With blood red strobes shining down on the band as they belt through razor sharp riffs and thrills with conviction, excitement grew among the many death metal enthusiasts in attendance. Menacing tone, sinister atmospheres, and stage ready instrumentation was on a high with tracks both new and years in receiving great praise. More than an aggressive or technical feat, 200 Stab Wounds put on a clinic in musicianship, making great use of every inch on that Wooly's stage.
When an opportunity presents itself to open for the acclaimed Dying Fetus, you take it and you make it yours, as did Kruelty and 200 Stab Wounds on that wild night. Enjoy a photo gallery of each band below.
Kruelty Photo Gallery
200 Stab Wounds Photo Gallery
Dying Fetus Photo Gallery
