Vomit Erection

I rolled into Quantic at 4:42 PM—about ten minutes after Walk Alone kicked off the hostilities. The Moldovan crew plays a brand of hardcore-tinged alternative metal, blending Pantera’s groove with Cro-Mags’ directness and the riffy weight of Obituary. They only had 25 minutes to prove their worth, and I sadly missed half the set. But what I did catch was pretty convincing: a modern, urban style that’s groovy, powerful, and melodic all at once. It clearly hit the spot for the few youngsters boldly showing off their best "karate kicks" in a still-thinning pit. A nice warm-up, if not exactly life-changing.

Now, when a band is called Vomit Erection, you pretty much know what you’re getting into—especially when the singer hits the stage in a particularly "appetizing" Pathologist t-shirt. And true to form, the Bulgarians served up exactly what we wanted: brutal, joyous goregrind, alternating between hysterical blasts and greasy, groovy slams in the purest tradition of the genre. The vocalist, swigging palinca (that deliciously potent Romanian brandy, hic!) straight from a plastic bottle, looked pretty wasted but held it together. He shifted between deathly grunts, shredded screams, and classic pig squeals. The guy seemed like a sweetheart, too, calmly announcing: “The next one is about killing babies.” Zero originality, but 100% effective. The crowd loved it, chaining circle pits in pure bliss and even demanding an encore. Gruiiiiiik!

Putred

Next up was Putred, a local act playing mid-tempo old-school death metal with some noticeable Obituary vibes. It started off strong; the thick, greasy riffing did its job and got heads nodding, while the vocalist’s cavernous growl added to the atmosphere. Unfortunately, the music quickly became repetitive, lacking contrast and highlights. I kept waiting for that one gear-shift to kick the machine back into life, but it never came. Regardless, the home crowd seemed won over. For my part, I was left a bit hungry for more. Still, an honest and professional performance from a young band that has plenty of time to ripen and reach its full potential.

Incineration (GRC)

With Greece’s Incineration, we moved up a serious gear. This power trio delivers brutal death metal at a terrifying speed, with short, destructive tracks in the vein of Spawn of Possession. The technical dexterity was mind-blowing, and for once, the bassist was pushed to the front—pure finger-twisting madness on the strings, complex riffs, and crushing Lividity-style slams that’ll unscrew your vertebrae. Pure art. In barely 30 minutes, the (Black!) Mass was said. An impeccable performance and a fantastic discovery for me. Amen!

Guts

Back to the old school with Guts, who sound like a leveled-up version of Putred: more rhythmic variety, faster, and more powerful—in a word, harder-hitting. The Finns delivered a show that lacked originality but was absolutely flawless. Think of it as an armored-concrete alloy between Bolt Thrower’s efficiency and the dark, murky groove of 90s Swedeath. Playing live dialed the power of their 2025 album Nightmare Fuel up to eleven, turning the tracks into total steamrollers. A solid slap in the face that you take with a smile.

Toxaemia

Then came Taoxemia. Still Swedeath, but a version less focused on groove and more on aggression and speed. It felt dynamic and modern, peppered with furious passages bordering on grind (that closing track was a nuke). For 40 minutes, the Swedes gave it their all, led by a charismatic frontman who was firing on all cylinders. He worked the crowd brilliantly, delivering an intense performance that injected some fresh blood into a genre that can sometimes feel like it’s running in circles. Skål!

Vulvectomy

To say the Italians from Vulvectomy were highly anticipated is a massive understatement—and they did not disappoint! After more than 10 years of radio silence (their last effort dropped in 2013), the Bari quartet seemed itching to defend their latest baby, the aptly named Aberrant Vaginal Gestation. For their first-ever Romanian show, Vulvectomy demolished everything. Huge stage presence, powerful, groovy, savage, and perfectly timed with a top-notch sound. The band was clearly having a blast, showing off some insulting technical mastery (holy hell, that drummer!), and the vibe was awesome. A monumental beatdown delivered with a grin. What else can you ask for?

General Surgery

After six bands of having your ears and face pulverized in the pit, some people probably felt like they needed some General Surgery. Luckily, our four favorite surgeons took the stage in their blood-spattered white coats. The Stockholm legends need no introduction; despite a slim discography, they are veterans and pillars of the death-grind scene—likely the most worthy heirs to the old Carcass legacy alongside the freaks in Exhumed. Unsurprisingly, we were treated to a full-scale butchery for nearly an hour. But this Swedish slaughterhouse is professional and uses precision tools: a very tight set with a clean sound, far from the sonic mush of many bands in the scene. They turn gore into a subtle art. Led by a dynamic and communicative Dr. McWilliams, they vomited out a powerful, high-energy set. Too bad the crowd was a bit spent after taking so many hits throughout the day. A monstrous concert that settled any debate.

Disharmonic Orchestra

After such a formidable display, trying to out-brutalize them would have been a fool’s errand. Disharmonic Orchestra wisely closed the night on a more experimental and progressive note. The Austrians certainly know how to bring the heat when necessary, keeping a resolutely aggressive death metal foundation, but they stand out with a welcome musical openness. They lace their music with jazz and industrial influences, playing a sort of "proto-polyrhythmic" metal that recalls Coroner or even Meshuggah in certain spots.

For once, the bass plays a leading role, and the drummer—who is world-class, all syncopation and rhythmic breaks—was set up at the front of the stage so we could fully appreciate the clinic he was putting on. He literally carried compositions that were beautifully musical and fascinating on many levels. It was a great set—perhaps less "in-your-face" than the previous two, but it had the merit of showing another side of the music that brought us all together tonight: good old Death Metal!

 

After this ninth and final onslaught and one last beer, it’s high time to head back to the crib, clutching a Vulvectomy t-shirt and an Incineration hoodie. The verdict after nearly 9 hours of metal? Extremely positive. The organization was top-notch and the vibe was killer—pure bliss!

Huge thanks to the bands for their performances, thanks to the crowd for the energy and enthusiasm, and a massive shout-out to Axa Valaha Productions for the professional handling of this "for fans, by fans" festival. Thanks also to Quantic for hosting these kinds of events and always delivering quality sound… see you all next year!