All Photos By Rocky Kessenger/@through_the_metal_lens
Review Contributions From Lillith Kessenger
By Day Three, the body's sore, the ears are fried, and the boots are dusted in a cocktail of beer, mud, and fake blood but the heart? Still pounding. If you made it to Sunday, you weren't just attending Milwaukee Metal Fest, you were surviving it. And Sunday made sure to test what was left of us.
The morning kicked off with DEEP WITHIN, where my daughter Lilly, taking notes and soaking up every moment, scored her first official interview (check it out below!) with the band. An incredible start to her journey into music journalism. Watching her step into that role while I shot from the pit? Damn near perfect.
Next up, TRACHEOTOMY stormed the stage and tore it apart. Young, aggressive, and genre-bending, their energy was impossible to ignore. These are the sets photographers sprint to the barricade for, knowing something unforgettable is about to happen.
The hardcore wave followed with RIGTIME, LIONHEART, and SPEED throwing fists, fire, and whirlwind pits into the mix. SPEED, Australia's finest, turned the floor into swarms of demolition derby, multi-directional pits flooded with hardcore dancers flinging themselves around in sheer chaos. Pure violence. Controlled madness.
At this point, exhaustion set in, and I seriously began questioning my life choices. The legs are going to fall off with all those damn stairs. The Club's nickname from here on out? The Stairmaster of the Apocalypse. I swear I burned through five years of cartilage trying to move from one stage to the next.
HARMS WAY stepped in afterward with icy-cold precision. While their stage presence wasn't flashy, it was unmistakably powerful. They owned the hardcore scene and deservedly so.
In a complete tonal shift, AMIGO THE DEVIL appeared, a guy with an acoustic closing in on the final hours of a metal fest? A bold choice. Yet, he completely captivated the crowd. Haunting, cathartic, and strangely perfect. My daughter leaned in and whispered, "This is weird but kinda perfect." She nailed it.
FROZEN SOUL pulled us violently back into the abyss, death metal sounding like glaciers breaking apart beneath our boots. Confession time? I fucking love this band! Don't tell CHIMAIRA, but this was my merch splurge of the weekend. Brutal riffs, colder attitude, and a set that landed like concrete to the ribs.
In an unexpected twist, MORBID SAINT filled in for SACRED REICH, who sadly couldn't perform. They didn't just hold the spot, they dominated it. Local thrash royalty, tight, relentless, and utterly authentic. No frills, just riffs that electrified the room. Wisconsin knew exactly who was on stage and why they mattered.
After MORBID SAINT, doom legends TROUBLE took the stage, casting a heavy shadow over the crowd with slow, powerful riffs. Their set felt like a sonic cathedral, dense, hypnotic, and utterly commanding. Witnessing them live, you remember exactly why they've influenced generations of doom and stoner bands. No theatrics needed, just pure heaviness.
Shortly after, ARCH ENEMY took control of the main stage, igniting it with melodic death brilliance. Alissa White-Gluz commanded with fierce growls and striking presence, backed by the surgical riffing of Michael Amott and Joey Concepcion. Their lighting sharp blues, deep reds, and flames was a photographer's dream. High drama, high energy, absolutely mesmerizing.
But nothing prepared us for THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN. Witnessing them live for the first time was akin to watching a carefully choreographed riot. The vocalist launched into the crowd like a missile, guitarists climbed amps, and the audience surged over barricades. Shooting this was like photographing through a hurricane. I glanced over at Lilly, wide-eyed, scribbling fast and just laughed. Tell Trudy (the wife), I thought, they really did that shit!
Just when it seemed nothing could follow DILLINGER, THE ACACIA STRAIN appeared, seemingly saying, "Here, hold my beer!" Brutal, relentless, their opening challenge, "Do something fucking stupid!", provoked absolute mayhem. My knees were toast, my ears ringing, but my horns stayed raised.
Finally, GWAR closed the weekend with their infamous chaos: latex limbs flying, fluids spraying, and enough absurdity to purify the weekend's madness. I shot their set safely from the VIP balcony. Yeah, I'd had enough fake blood, and my Sony gear agreed. Sometimes you shoot the pit. Sometimes you shoot smart! From above, it was a spectacle, performance art, ritual madness, pure GWAR. Everyone in that room left with their souls just a bit stranger.
Final Thoughts: Milwaukee Metal Fest 2025
This wasn't just a metal fest. It was a resurrection.
It was sweat and steel, family and fury, new bands and old gods.
It was me and my daughter, side by side, me behind the lens, her with a pen, documenting the madness together.
Milwaukee Metal Fest 2025 wasn't about genre. It was about community. It was about memory.
And it was about noise, the kind that stays in your bones long after the last amp goes cold.
And to the bands we missed, I promise, we heard you and we saw you. We truly did our best to catch every moment possible. Keep doing what you're doing, hold your horns high, and know this: I'm always here, ready to tell your story through my lens and Lilly through her pen.
To Lilly, your voice will carry this scene forward. I've got the lens; you've got the pen. Let's raise hell together!!
Stay safe. Stay metal. Always be kind.
Rocky
Check out some more photos from Day 2 under the interview!
All Photos By Rocky Kessenger/@through_the_metal_lens
