On September 21, Sharkey’s in Liverpool was home to Pure Filth 2, a brutal and unforgettable day filled with heavy riffs, head banging, and circle pits. The show boasted a stacked lineup featuring Cavalera Conspiracy, Fear Factory, and Sanguisugabogg, with support from Offensive, Living Dead Girl, and Byzantine. From the first note to the last scream, Pure Filth 2 was a celebration of everything metal.
Kicking off the madness was Offensive, hailing from Maryland. The band wasted no time igniting the crowd with their high-speed thrash metal assault. Their blistering riffs and relentless energy immediately set the tone for the day, getting fists pumping and heads banging.
Up next was Living Dead Girl, bringing their modern metal sound all the way from Toronto, Canada—though the band humorously shared that after relocating to Florida, they’ve jokingly been dubbed “Toronto, Florida.” Their setlist featured tracks from their debut album Exorcism, along with a sneak peek of their upcoming release Conspiracy. Between their dynamic performance and melodic aggression, frontwoman Molly Rennick and crew captivated the audience. During downtime, they even took time to for an impromptu photo session with dinosaur statues on site, showing their fun and approachable side offstage.
Following them was Byzantine, the progressive groove/thrash veterans from Charleston, West Virginia. Known for their technical musicianship and commanding stage presence, they kept the crowd’s energy surging with precision-driven riffs and complex rhythms. Their performance was a perfect bridge between the modern metal stylings of Living Dead Girl and the heavier hitters yet to come.
The fourth act of the night was Ohio’s death metal band Sanguisugabogg. Playing a short set list of seven songs, their time on stage was impactful, loud and strongly felt. The crowd immediately started to head bang, groove to the music and let loose to songs: “Face Ripped Off,” “Rotted Entanglement,” “Abhorrent Contraception,” “A Lesson in Savagery,” “Mortal Admonishment,” “Dragged by a Truck” and “Dead as Shit.” Their sound incorporates a crude and heavy nature but sprinkles in tongue-in-cheek and showman technicality.
The fifth act and my personal favorite park of the show was pioneer industrial band Fear Factory. Formed in LA in 1989 the band now has new blood running through its veins with two new members; Pete Webber on the drums and Italian singer Milo Silvestro on vocals. The blend of the old with the new brought to the stage the same sound with a slightly different vibe. Still just as vibrant, impactful, and moving as before if not more aligned for today. The show started off with their: Terminator 2 theme song “Demanufacture,” “Self Bias Resistor,” “Zero Signal,” “Replica,” “New Breed,” “Body Hammer,” “Flash Point,” “H-K Hunter-Killer,” “Martyr,” “Big God/Rape Souls,” “Shock,” “Edgecrusher,” and “Linchpin.” The band and crew put together a polished show that honored their music history but felt fresh. WIth a sound that still rang from the past echoes and hits just as hard. In return the crowd roared with excitement and crowd surfed to the front of the stage for a closer look.
The final and most important act of the night was definitely Cavalera Conspiracy. The energy in the air was mixed with pure unadulterated excitement, and a feeling like history was in the making. People come from all over the United States to see this one act in a little town called Liverpool. Electricity was in the air as the Cavalera brothers played the entire album of Chaos A.D., the fifth studio album from the band Sepultura. Max Cavalera’s vocals sounded just as profound and powerful as he did on the recordings 32 years ago. Filling the molecules in air with pure ferocity, rampage and empowerment. The moment will be forever stamped into the hearts of all who bear witness.
Consequently, the night had to end. The air turned bitter sweet as new friends said goodbye to each other. Crowds lingered as long as they could as staff closed accounts and turned off lights. It was a charged day of community, camaraderie, and the love of metal music. This one-day Pure Filth 2 Festival could have easily blended into two, or even three days, shifting reality into a multi-day festival. In the meantime I will cherish what I got to experience and look forward to the next show.
Comments are closed.