August 28, 2026

Somergloom took over Deep Cuts and Crystal Ballroom – 8/6-8/7

Boston’s annual heavy festival returned for another long weekend of high volume and high drama in Medford and Somerville.

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It’s been a dour delight to watch Somergloom evolve over the past six years, from an afternoon parking lot event to a multi-day, multi-venue fest encompassing the full spectrum of heaviness. This year’s edition was another heater that expanded the footprint to four nights, picking up with a sludgy Thursday at Medford’s Deep Cuts before moving to Somerville’s Crystal Ballroom for two stacked shows and then bouncing back north for a Sunday closing party. I was only able to make the fest’s first half this year due to some preexisting travel plans, but I still caught a satisfying chunk of the ear-splitting action.

Thursday’s Deep Cuts gig kicked off with the stoner-sludge stylings of locals Swamphead, and included likeminded, gleefully heavy sets from Magnatar and The Outlourdes set to the always-alluring visuals of The Dregs Liquid Light Show. Through a Glass, Darkly – a new-to-me post-metal outfit who appear to hail from Texas, though their somewhat enigmatic web presence doesn’t exactly spell that out – rounded out the bill and were perhaps the standout set of the weekend. Complete with their own simple but effective light show, the band’s channeling of twinkling Explosions in the Sky textures and cathartically pummeling crescendos transcended their reference points through sheer force and passion. The lights came up to some genuinely stunned faces after their set.

Though Somergloom has been no stranger to speed and concision in years past (2025’s blistering Chepang set comes to mind), Friday’s Crystal Ballroom bill might quality as the fest’s first official high-BPM day. Boston three-piece Unhinged – the rare and dangerous hardcore band with a drummer-vocalist – opened things up ahead of a noisy, chaotic and totally arresting set from K.O. Queen. Boston death-doom supergroup Severed Boy – who were still a duo last time I caught them a couple years ago and have since expanded to a four-piece on stage – brought the suffocating grooves and majestic hair flips that all good death metal should aspire towards. A fire alarm that launched a thousand riffs-too-smoking bits briefly broke up the party shortly afterwards, but the Somerville Fire Department was kind enough to readmit everyone in time for a set by noise rockers Miracle Blood that delivered on their distinctive brand of high-energy mania. Rhode Island powerviolence legends Dropdead – now entering their fourth decade as band – closed out the night sounding as vicious in sound and uncompromising in their politics as ever.

I was bummed to miss nights three and four of course, which included sets from Planning for Burial, Junius and Guhts, among others, but half a Somergloom is still good for the soul. The weekend is so evidently a labor of love from Stephen and the team every year, and it remains an inspiring thing to witness. Scroll below for galleries from Thursday and Friday’s sets.

Swamphead: