Decibel Metal & Beer Fest Returns to Denver This Weekend

For the third year in a row, the Denver edition of Decibel magazine’s Metal & Beer Fest is returning with a killer two-day lineup highlighting the Mile High City’s healthy heavy scene and badass breweries.

The festivities officially kick off on Thursday, December 5, with a pre-party at Ratio Beerworks, where local groups Green Druid, Abrams and Ghosts of Glaciers are sure to get things going properly.

Post-metal band Abrams — which includes guitarist and vocalist Zach Amster, drummer Ryan DeWitt, bassist Taylor Iversen and guitarist Graham Zander (also of Green Druid) — released its fifth album, Blue City, in May, and Amster says he's looking forward to sharing some of that at Ratio. Plus, the trio of bands on the lineup go way back, so it’ll feel like a kick-back among friends.

“Us three bands have been playing shows together for about a decade,” Amster says. “In that time frame, we've seen a lot of peers come and go. For many reasons, we're all still doing it, and that in itself is pretty neat.”

Abrams is already working on new music, too, he adds: “We're finishing up our next album, which will hopefully be out sometime in 2026."

After the Ratio shindig, head over to Summit on Friday, December 6, for the first full day of music. With legendary California death-metal outfit Autopsy headlining and playing a Severed Survival set, the bill includes Philly black-thrashers Daeva, L.A. death-metal newcomers Upon Stone, Danish grinders Undergang, Denver thrash freaks Necropanther, local prog-metal lovers Dreadnought and Texas death crew Frozen Soul.

Dreadnought previously played the pre-fest in 2022, the first year that the long-established event traveled west from its Philadelphia origin, but is prepared to hit the main stage. “We've been working hard on new material and are making this set special by debuting new music live for the first time while also including favorites from previous releases,” says vocalist and guitarist Kelly Schilling.

Similarly, Necropanther put out EP Oblivion Jones in May. It’s a ripper, so expect to get your face melted whenever the crazy quartet plugs in and plays.

“It's always amazing to play a festival like this, and we're especially excited to connect with the Decibel audience,” says guitarist and vocalist Paul Anop. “There's nothing quite like the energy of a live show, and we always try to bring our best. We love to see people enjoying our music, and it's a great opportunity to meet new fans and connect with our community.”

Necropanther also teamed up with local metalhead favorite Black Sky Brewery on Thrash Attack Dry Stout, a special beer that will be available during the weekend. And Anop, bassist Marcus Corich, drummer Haakon Sjogren and guitarist Joe Johnson will be hanging out at TRVE Brewing Co., another metal-friendly local brewhouse, on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. for the Decibel Checkpoint, in promotion of the magazine’s Kill Screen gamer column. It’s a place to chill and nerd out over video games with like-minded bands, including Necropanther, Frozen Soul, death-grind supergroup Earthburner, Dreadnought, Philly doom-lovers Crypt Sermon and Daeva.

“I think it’s going to be a killer time,” Corich says of Necropanther’s busy weekend. “Any time we get to play together is a highlight for me. I’m very much looking forward to that, hanging out with some homies, making new friends and seeing rad metal.”

On Saturday, December 7, the doom dealers in Oregon's own Yob are headlining Summit, while Denver pagans Oak, Ash & Thorn, local sludge lords Glacial Tomb, Earthburner, Crypt Sermon, Arkansas doom outfit Pallbearer and Tolkien-inspired heavy-metal legends Cirith Ungol are also on the slate.

Oak, Ash & Thorn is having a hell of a year. After releasing its well-received sophomore album, Our Grief Is Thus, in April, the group signed with respected metal label Season of Mist in May. Now, to close out 2024, drummer Cierra White, vocalist Adam Armstrong, bassist Erik Hoffman and guitarists Jason Harding and Kadin Wisniewski are making their Decibel fest debut. Oak, Ash & Thorn got together with Aurora’s Incantation Brewing and came up with Auras, a Belgian blonde ale, to celebrate the occasion. The band is also hosting an official release party at the brewery on Saturday, December 14.

Armstrong is looking forward to seeing Autopsy play Severed Survival and Cirith Ungol, while White is stoked to check out Frozen Soul. “Decibel magazine has been huge for a really long time. I feel like bands I would see in that magazine growing up, I would think they were gods. I thought they were larger than life,” White says. “As soon as we got that email, immediate ‘Yes.’”

Both Armstrong and White give props to the magazine, particularly editor-in-chief Albert Mudrian, for showcasing what the city has to offer.

“It’s a celebration of how diverse Denver is when it comes to metal in general,” White says. “Just between us, Necropanther, Dreadnought, Glacial Tomb, Green Druid...that’s like death, black, melodeath, folk, thrash. Denver’s always been a top city for multiple genres. I think it’s really cool there’s so many different locals on the bill.”

Armstrong agrees, adding a recent sentiment someone shared with him.

“They basically said that as far as American metal goes, unless you’re talking about California or New York, then Denver’s the place that you want to be,” he concludes. “We have one of the most vibrant and healthy scenes in the country.”

Decibel Metal & Beer Fest, Friday, December 6, and Saturday, December 7, Summit, 1902 Blake Street. Two-day passes are $96-$206.