Since its inception in 2007, ‘The Summer Slaughter Tour‘ has become a cornerstone event in the metal community, showcasing a diverse range of subgenres including death metal, deathcore, and progressive metal. Each year, the tour features a carefully curated lineup of renowned bands alongside emerging talent, providing fans with an unparalleled live music experience.
In 2020, the live entertainment industry, including beloved events like the ‘Summer Slaughter Tour,’ ground to a halt as the global COVID-19 pandemic swept across the world, bringing uncertainty and disruption. With restrictions on gatherings and travel, live touring came to a standstill, leaving fans and artists alike longing for the stimulating experience of live music. However, as the world gradually began to recover in the following years, live entertainment cautiously resumed, signaling a hopeful return to normalcy.
Now, in 2024, anticipation ran high as fans eagerly awaited for the possible return of ‘the most extreme tour of the year‘. However, the initial excitement surrounding the announcement of the tour’s comeback swiftly soured as the lineup was revealed and after many fans expressed disappointment and rejection of the lineup, we decided that we would conduct a thorough evaluation of each year and its lineups and meticulously rank them from what appears to be the weakest to strongest.
Be sure to let us know how you would rank each year in the comments, or via social media shares!
2024
The 2024 installment of ‘Summer Slaughter‘ boasts a solid lineup, there’s no denying that. However, given its reputation as the ‘most extreme tour of the year,’ this year’s roster doesn’t quite meet the expected level of ‘extremeness’. With reports of it being the “highest asking price” for promoters in the tour’s history – expectations were high, yet the lineup falls short of delivering the drawing power you’d expect with the price tag. This isn’t the first time the tour has deviated from its traditional style, but unfortunately, this year’s lineup ranks at the bottom of our list. It could have served as a great revival for the ‘All Stars Tour‘ or ‘Thrash And Burn Tour‘ brands, but it seems to miss the mark. Nonetheless, if the lineup speaks to you, don’t let our ranking deter you from attending.
Full Line-Up:
Veil Of Maya
Brand Of Sacrifice
Gideon
Left To Suffer
Within Destruction
ten56.
Tallah
Cabal
BRAT
2018
The 2018 lineup was packed with top-tier bands and incredible talent, but it also struggled to align with the tour’s ‘extreme’ metal theme. While the lineup boasted powerhouse acts like prog giants Between The Buried And Me, alongside Sumeriancore favorites Born Of Osiris and Veil Of Maya providing strong support, the tour’s ‘extremeness‘ mainly rested on the shoulders of (the returning) The Agony Scene, who at the time shifted away from their ‘core’ sound to embrace their black metal influences, alongside bands like Allegaeon, Soreption, and Entheos. While this departure left some fans disappointed with the tour’s line-up, it still introduced a new audience to the emerging bands on the lineup.
Full Line-up:
Between the Buried and Me
Born of Osiris
Veil of Maya
Erra
The Agony Scene
Allegaeon
Terror Universal
Soreption
Entheos
2011
As we delve further into our rankings, the task becomes increasingly difficult, particularly when evaluating the well-rounded blend of death metal and deathcore showcased in the 2011 lineup. This tour exemplified the essence of ‘extreme’ metal, while also providing a diverse range of acts such as Darkest Hour, alongside a memorable ‘halftime’ performance by the videogame metal band Powerglove.
Full Line-Up:
The Black Dahlia Murder
Whitechapel
Darkest Hour
Six Feet Under
Dying Fetus
The Faceless (Only on Texas dates)
As Blood Runs Black
Oceano
Fleshgod Apocalypse
Powerglove
Within the Ruins
2019
In 2019, the ‘Summer Slaughter‘ lineup provided a glimpse into the future of not only the tour, but death metal, and deathcore in general. Featuring powerhouse acts like Cattle Decapitation, Carnifex, and The Faceless, the ‘upper card’ of the lineup alone made a strong case to attend the show. Additionally, rising stars like Lorna Shore (who could easily be headlining the entire tour nowadays), Rivers Of Nihil, and Nekrogoblikon added to the lineup’s allure. Not to mention, one of this year’s headliners, Brand Of Sacrifice, performed early in the day on the 2019 edition of the tour.
Full Line-Up:
Cattle Decapitation
Carnifex
The Faceless
Rivers of Nihil
Nekrogoblikon
Lorna Shore
Brand of Sacrifice
2013
The 2013 installment of ‘the most extreme tour of the year‘ deviated from its tagline, yet it could easily have been dubbed ‘the most FUN tour of the year’ due to its diverse lineup. Featuring mathcore heavyweights The Dillinger Escape Plan, prog sensations Animals As Leaders and Periphery, alongside the energetic hardcore band Norma Jean, the lineup showcased an eclectic mix. Bands typically associated with the ‘extreme’ genre like Cattle Decapitation and Revocation added to the dynamic. Additionally, the now-renowned deathcore giants Thy Art Is Murder, were merely the opening act for the tour. 2013’s lineup may have strayed from extreme tendencies, but it delivered one of the most memorable lineups in the tour’s history, reminiscent of what the 2024 line-up may be aiming to achieve.
Full Line-Up:
The Dillinger Escape Plan
Animals As Leaders
Periphery
Norma Jean
Cattle Decapitation
The Ocean
Revocation
Aeon
Rings of Saturn
Thy Art Is Murder
2015
The 2015 lineup appeared slightly more compact than usual, but with Arch Enemy headlining, it still packed a punch, especially in the United States. The mid and undercard offered a balanced mix, catering to deathcore and death metal enthusiasts with bands like Cattle Decapitation, Beyond Creation, and Obscura, alongside the often grouping of Born Of Osiris, Veil Of Maya, and After The Burial. Unfortunately, the lineup suffered a setback when Obscura had to withdraw due to visa issues, weakening it slightly.
Full Line-Up:
Arch Enemy
Born of Osiris
Veil of Maya
The Acacia Strain
Cattle Decapitation
Beyond Creation
2017
Although this lineup leaned heavily into deathcore, it featured powerhouse bands like The Black Dahlia Murder, Dying Fetus, and The Faceless, which promises an ‘extreme‘ experience. With the inclusion of now-established deathcore heavyweights like Slaughter To Prevail and Lorna Shore, as well as Oceano and death metal favorites Origin, the 2017 lineup solidified itself in this position in our rankings.
Full Line-Up:
The Black Dahlia Murder
Dying Fetus
The Faceless
Oceano
Origin
Rings of Saturn
Betraying the Martyrs
Lorna Shore
AngelMaker
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And we’re back…
2014
Featuring the legendary Morbid Angel as headliners, alongside Dying Fetus and The Faceless, the 2014 edition of the tour set the stage for a major success in delivering the ‘most extreme tour of the year‘. Embracing its tagline fully, the lineup also included Thy Art Is Murder and Within The Ruins, adding a touch of core elements to the mix.
Full Line-Up:
Morbid Angel
Dying Fetus
The Faceless
Thy Art Is Murder
Goatwhore
Origin
Decrepit Birth
Within The Ruins
Fallujah
Boreworm
2008
Looking back, the second annual lineup of ‘Summer Slaughter‘ stands out as a dynamic blend of extreme metal’s finest, both old and new, featuring the emerging subgenre of deathcore. With standout performances from The Black Dahlia Murder, solidifying their status as one of extreme metal’s premier live acts, alongside death metal legends such as Kataklysm, Vader, Cryptopsy, and Psycroptic, the lineup boasted an impressive array of established talent. Additionally, it introduced newer bands finding their footing in the scene, including Despised Icon, The Faceless, Born Of Osiris, and Whitechapel, who notably opened the show on this edition of the tour.
Full Line-Up:
The Black Dahlia Murder
Kataklysm
Vader
Cryptopsy
The Faceless
Despised Icon
Aborted
Born of Osiris
Psycroptic
Whitechapel
2016
The most recent lineup you’ll find at the top (or bottom, depending on how you look at it) of our rankings, is the absolute banger of a lineup from 2016. With Cannibal Corpse headlining – who is arguably the most famous band in death metal – touring alongside Suffocation for the first time with the addition of Nile alone made ‘Summer Slaughter‘ a must-see for death metal fans that summer, and that’s before even looking into its stout mid and undercard of the tour, which featured Carnifex, Revocation, Krisiun, and Ingested, with elements of core from Carnifex, After The Burial, and Slaughter To Prevail sprinkled in.
Full Line-Up:
Cannibal Corpse
Nile
After the Burial
Suffocation
Carnifex
Revocation
Krisiun
Slaughter to Prevail
Ingested
Enterprise Earth
2010
The 2010 lineup stands as another legendary chapter in the tour’s history, offering a balanced mix of extreme death metal and technical deathcore that upheld the tour’s reputation. With Decapitated delivering groovy brutality and The Faceless at their peak, the lineup provided an unforgettable night of face-melting riffs, and brain-rattling blast beats.
Full Line-Up:
Decapitated
The Faceless
All Shall Perish
The Red Chord
Veil of Maya
Decrepit Birth
Cephalic Carnage
Carnifex
Animals As Leaders
Vital Remains
2012
The 2012 edition of the ‘Summer Slaughter Tour‘ showcased a bold mix of bands that pushed the boundaries of the tour’s ‘extreme’ branding. Despite this, the lineup achieved a harmonious balance by complementing unconventional acts with others that doubled down on extremeness, resulting in a seamless fusion of brutality and innovation. With Cannibal Corpse headlining and the unexpected inclusion of Between The Buried And Me as direct support, the lineup exceeded expectations. Additionally, up-and-comers like Periphery, whose progressive sound diverged from the norm, alongside fan-favorites such as Job For A Cowboy, Goatwhore, and Exhumed, rounded out the roster, catering to a wide spectrum of metal enthusiasts.
Full Line-Up:
Cannibal Corpse
Between the Buried and Me
The Faceless
Periphery
Veil of Maya
Job for a Cowboy
Goatwhore
Exhumed
Cerebral Bore
2009
The lineup for 2009’s ‘Summer Slaughter Tour‘ was nothing short of a cheek-clapper. While the consistency of the lineup varied across tour dates, the presence of powerhouse bands like Necrophagist headlining, alongside heavyweights like Suffocation, Behemoth, and Dying Fetus rotating throughout the tour, ensured an unparalleled experience of extreme metal that summer, and certainly the best headbang for your buck.
Full Line-Up:
Necrophagist
Darkest Hour
Winds of Plague
Born of Osiris
Origin
After the Burial
Beneath the Massacre
Blackguard
On select dates:
Suffocation
Behemoth
Decrepit Birth
Ensiferum
Dying Fetus
2007
The inaugural ‘Summer Slaughter Tour‘ in 2007 marked a groundbreaking moment in the world of extreme metal. With a lineup curated to showcase some of the genre’s most ferocious acts, including Decapitated, Cephalic Carnage, and Cattle Decapitation, the tour set out to redefine the standards of live metal performances. Despite initial skepticism about the viability of such an ambitious tour, the ‘Summer Slaughter Tour‘ quickly proved its mettle, drawing in legions of dedicated fans and earning critical acclaim for its electrifying shows. Its success not only established it as a staple event in the metal community but also paved the way for future iterations, solidifying its reputation as one of the premier tours for extreme metal enthusiasts.
Full Line-Up:
Necrophagist
Decapitated
Cephalic Carnage
Cattle Decapitation
The Faceless
As Blood Runs Black
Arsis
Ion Dissonance
Beneath the Massacre
Daath (on select dates)
