Watch: Local Death Metal Band Cheer On Runners During Marathon

There’s nothing like a hometown show. Metal will always rep the places it comes from, in part due to a street-level sense of loyalty and in part because it often feels like great metal emerges from the primordial stew, so where that stood burbled forth is important. That said, one death metal band decided to come out and support their hometown in a hard way, performing alongside the Pittsburgh Marathon as encouragement to runners.

The band in question is Pittsburgh’s Leprosy, who came out to cheer on runners as they charged through the Pittsburgh Marathon. Frontman PJ Colligan even left the band’s tented area — apparently, Pittsburgh was hit by thunderstorms throughout the run — to belt out some death growls and slap people five as they passed. The runners seemed into it, accepting the occasional low five that Colligan offered, though they generally come off as more tickled and confused than super fucking down to slam. That said, we also commend Colligan and Co. for keeping the focus on the runners and not trying to make a thing out of it. If I was a participant in a marathon, some ten or so miles into my 23-mile run, and some dude tried to mosh at me, I’d stir his eyeballs with my door key.

The incident was caught on camera by local photojournalist Stephanie Strasburg, who posted the following caption on her Twitter:

“When people ask me why I love Pittsburgh I will refer them to this video of a local death metal band (Leprosy) playing for the ⁦Pittsburgh Marathon⁩ between thunderstorms after getting flooded out of their planned marathon spot by a clogged sewer drain. #keeppghmetal”

Fucking awesome. Check out the video below and then toss Leprosy a few bones on their Bandcamp. And if you’re in Pittsburgh, and see these guys out and about, buy ’em a beer!