Metallica might be booked for their first-ever show in Riyadh later this month, but Cryptopsy beat 'em to it as the first international act to ever play Saudi Arabia. Cryptopsy played the Syrup Stage in Riyadh on December 1 alongside Creative Waste and Necrosin, giving the country their first taste of heavier music abroad.
"We take immense pride in pioneering the organization of the first-ever international metal band in Saudi Arabia, and we are incredibly honored to have Cryptopsy, alongside Creative Waste and Necrosin, marking a significant milestone in the history of the Saudi metal scene," said Gigi of Heavy Arabia Entertainment. "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. Above all, our personal biggest achievement is finally providing a platform for our local metal bands to share the stage with their idols and major influences right here in their homeland. Every one of our bands has played an integral role as participants, co-creators, and enablers in realizing our collective vision to firmly establish Saudi Arabia on the global metal music map."
"It's incredible that even after 30 years as a band we can still experience something new and exciting," said 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.
It's worth noting that the first heavy metal band to play a public show in the country was Immortal Pain in 2022, who are from Saudi Arabia. Special shout out to photographer Hisham Alhisan, who is responsible for all the below photos of all three bands!
