The long-awaited sequel to 2015’s cult horror-comedy hit Deathgasm has finally made its way to theaters and digital platforms. After a high-profile festival run featuring stops at Fantastic Fest, Sitges, BIFAN, and Fantaspoa, Deathgasm II: Goremageddon promises fans a return to the heavy metal demon apocalypse. However, while the original film struck a satisfying balance between endearing underdog humor, headbanging metal anthems, and creative practical gore, this second offering trades much of its charming heart for pure, unadulterated nastiness.
Resurrecting the Band for One Last Battle
Years after surviving the original film’s bloodbath, Brodie (Milo Cawthorne) finds himself washed up, broke, and rotting in small-town purgatory. A desperate lifeline appears when the legendary NoizeQuest battle-of-the-bands competition rolls into town. It offers Brodie a chance at redemption and a shot at winning back his former love, Medina (Kimberley Crossman).
The catch? His drummer is missing an arm, and the rest of his bandmates are completely dead. Armed with lingering pages from The Black Hymn, Brodie performs a dark ritual using a recorder to resurrect his crew. Predictably, summoning the dead unleashes a fresh wave of apocalyptic mayhem that threatens to wipe out the town all over again.
Cast Reunions and Heavy Metal Royalty
Director Jason Lei Howden brings back original cast members Milo Cawthorne, Kimberley Crossman, James Joshua Blake, Sam Berkley, and Daniel Cresswell. The ensemble expands with fresh faces including Kieran Charnock, Harrison Keefe, Maggie Nicole Robertson, and professional wrestler Adam Scherr. Adding serious sonic weight to the sequel, Matthew Kiichi Heafy, frontman of heavy metal titan Trivium, composed the film’s original score.
More Gore, Less Heart: The Sequel Dilemma
While the technical craftsmanship behind the practical special effects remains impressive, Deathgasm II: Goremageddon fundamentally shifts the franchise’s tone. Where the 2015 original won over audiences with its lovable metallic underdogs and witty banter, Goremageddon doubles down almost exclusively on mean-spirited humor, character conflict, and non-stop, explicit carnage.
Hardcore gorehounds will undoubtedly find plenty to celebrate in the sequel’s relentless sequence of kills. The film pulls zero punches. It showcases jaw-dropping practical mutilations, including an absurdly explicit sequence featuring male genitalia being severed in every imaginable fashion. However, viewers hoping for the original’s warm, goofy charm may find the characters overly hostile and the tone exhausting.
Deathgasm II: Goremageddon is currently playing in select theaters via limited screenings and is available on major digital VOD platforms.
