Cryptopsy beat Metallica to become the first international metal band to play in Saudi Arabia

Canadian technical death metallers Cryptopsy became the first-ever international metal band to play in Saudi Arabia.

Last Monday, US metal giants Metallica made headlines by announcing that they’d be the first international metal act to perform in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on December 14. But now Cryptopsy has beaten them, following their performance at the Syrup Stage in Riyadh on Saturday, December 1.

“It’s incredible that even after 30 years as a band we can still experience something new and exciting,” stated Cryptopsy of the performance. “It is a true honour to be the first international metal band to perform in Saudi Arabia. Our experience here has been amazing and unforgettable“.

Promoted by Slamman Booking Asia and organised by Heavy Arabia Entertainment, the company’s CEO Gigi Arabia said last Saturday’s show was the culmination of years of hard work in trying to get a foreign metal band to play in Saudi Arabia.

“We take immense pride in pioneering the organization of the first-ever international metal band in Saudi Arabia, and we are incredibly honoured to have Cryptopsy, alongside Creative Waste and Necrosin, marking a significant milestone in the history of the Saudi metal scene.

“We know for a fact that after December 1, 2023, the landscape of metal in Saudi Arabia will never be the same. This achievement was spearheaded purely by the local scene, for the local scene. Our commitment to promise and deliver, even in the face of imperfections, has truly been the driving force behind this milestone for the scene“, she added.