Tampa Deathfest Review 2026 (Day 2)

Day 2 of Tampa Deathfest 2026 proved that this was the biggest year for the festival. They had the biggest turnout, the most killer bands, and an insane performance from the legendary Nasty Savage!

Grave Filth opened the show. I’ve seen them before, and they’re killer. They’re a death metal band from Gainesville, but you can hear other influences in their sound—specifically thrash and grind. All of the musicians are crazy good and they have excellent stage presence.

But what I really like about this band is how they have great songs. Every song sounds different and they’re all catchy. The sound for that same was also really good, and you could hear every player perfectly.

I wasn’t the only one who loved them. The crowd was begging for one more song. I wish this band played later.

Ramtha was next. They have become a Tampa staple and I’ve seen them a bunch of times. They won the Wacken Battle of the Bands this year and I interviewed them.

Ramtha is such a fun band, and their live set only gets better and better. During their performance, a little kid was moshing and crowd surfing. It was so cute!

Gouted Corpse was next. I imagined this band would be different because of their name; I expected a grind band, but they played more groove metal. Still, they were solid. At this point, a lot of people were sitting at the bar or were outside. I wish more people were in the crowd.

Next up was my dudes in Sapraemia! I’ve been following this band ever since they formed. It’s been amazing seeing them grow as a band and their new material keeps getting better and better. They played some new music at this show, and they truly found their sound. They have two new members: bassist Matt Florio and drummer Ari Mazziotta. This what the best I’ve even seen them live.

Next up was Gangresia. Hailing from Puerto Rico and playing their first show in mainland US, the crowd absolutely loved them. Their sound is if Mortician went heavier on the slams, though my Puerto Rican friend describes their sound as “lecheneo.” Instead of moshing, the crowd were hardcore dancing (slam dancing, karate kicking, whatever it’s called). I’ve been going to the Mug for over 15 years and have never seen that at this venue. Regardless, I loved Gangresia and I hope they play here again.

Must Not Kill was next. They’re a Tampa staple and I’ve seen them many times. They have a groovy hardcore sound and are a lot of fun to see live. They dedicated a song to the late Mike Browning (RIP) and ended their set with a Sick of It All cover.

Now, we finally came to the headliner! The legendary band Nasty Savage! I’ve seen them a couple of times before and always had a solid show. However, this was the best and most energetic I’ve seen them. The whole vibe tonight was honoring the Tampa metal scene and those who passed. Of course, Nasty Ronnie smashed some TVs and things got bloody!

This was by far the best Tampa Deathfest and I can’t wait to see what next year has to offer!