Interview by Paul Salfen
The air crackles with electric anticipation at Fantastic Fest 2025, where the blood-soaked, riff-heavy sequel to 2015’s cult classic Deathgasm has just detonated. Deathgasm II: Goremageddon, written and directed by New Zealand’s maestro of metal and gore, Jason Lei Howden, is a splatter-fest that cranks the volume to eleven. The film reunites the original cast, including Milo Cawthorne as Brodie, for a riotous encore of demonic chaos and soul-shredding metal. I sat down with Howden amidst the festival’s horror T-shirts and heavy metal vibes to talk about resurrecting his undead rockers, the thrill of practical gore, and the soundtrack that could summon Satan himself.
Brodie’s story picks up a decade after he survived a demon apocalypse in the first Deathgasm. Now jobless, loveless, and drowning in self-pity, he’s a far cry from the teenage metalhead who once wielded black magic like a battle axe. But when an ad for Metal Quest, a local battle of the bands, catches his eye, Brodie dusts off his leather jacket, wipes the vomit from his chin, and heads to the graveyard. With a dab of necromantic know-how, he raises his dead bandmates for one last shot at glory. The only obstacles? A hunger for human entrails and a lactose-intolerant emo band threatening to steal the spotlight.
Howden, a self-professed metalhead, beams with infectious energy as he describes the film’s amped-up chaos. “We tried to push the metal even further,” he says, leaning forward, eyes glinting like a kid who just discovered Cannibal Corpse. “We’ve got six more metal bands on the soundtrack this time. It’s got a theme song by Dickinson, another by Mangö, and it’s just… it’s metal.” The soundtrack, curated to reflect Howden’s gritty, underground tastes, features bands like Frozen Soul and VHS, alongside Canadian legends Anvil and New Zealand’s own Alien Weaponry. “It’s not Pantera or Metallica—our budget wouldn’t allow that,” he laughs, “but it’s got that raw, heavy, underground vibe. It feels like it’s straight from the bowels of hell.”
The set of Goremageddon was a playground for Howden, who’s no stranger to high-octane productions after working on visual effects for blockbusters like The Hobbit and Avengers. Yet it’s the indie, blood-soaked madness of films like Birthright: A Spirit of Vengeance—his first Hollywood gig—that fuels his passion. “I love being on set,” he says, his voice buzzing with the same energy he describes. “It’s different from any other job. Everyone’s got this buzz, this teamwork, this communication. And when you’ve got a practical fake skull or a blood cannon ready to go? The whole crew gets around it, cheering like it’s a rock concert.”
For Howden, the magic of filmmaking lies in those moments of controlled chaos—when the blood sprays just right, and the crew goes home exhausted but exhilarated, knowing they’ve created something gloriously unhinged. “You go home tired, but you feel like you’ve done something,” he says. “Like, we decapitated somebody today. That’s a good day at the office.”
Howden’s journey to Goremageddon wasn’t a straight shot. After high school, he slogged through years of grunt work at a local TV station, dreaming of directing. “I always wanted to direct, but it took 15 years to make my first film,” he admits. His advice to aspiring filmmakers? “Tenacity. Just stick at it. I saw a lot of people from film school go on to other careers, but I didn’t want to do anything else.” Today’s aspiring directors have it easier, he notes, with access to high-quality cameras and YouTube tutorials. “The next big filmmaker could be some kid shooting on an iPhone with a cool story and a unique voice.”
His own “Hail Mary” moment came with Guns Akimbo, his 2019 action-comedy starring Daniel Radcliffe. “I pitched the script without having written it,” he recalls, grinning. “They said, ‘We love it, can you get it to us in three weeks?’ I said yes, then spent weeks just smashing it out, writing and revising like a madman. It was my shot, and it worked out.” That relentless drive pulses through Goremageddon, a film that feels like Howden’s love letter to metal, horror, and the fans who keep his fire burning.
Those fans, he says, are his fuel. “People message me, saying my films cheer them up. Some get tattoos of my characters or write stories about them. That keeps me going.” It’s a reminder that Deathgasm’s cult following isn’t just a fanbase—it’s a community of metalheads and horror hounds who see themselves in Brodie’s reckless rebellion.
As for a third Deathgasm? Howden’s coy but hopeful. “It’s up to the fans and producers,” he says. “If people want it, we’ll see. I don’t have anything planned yet, but I’d love to keep working with these characters.” For now, he’s soaking in the chaos of Fantastic Fest, where the parties are wild, the films are wilder, and sleep is a distant dream. “I’m looking forward to sleeping,” he laughs, “but the vibe here—the filmmakers, the electric activities, the barbecues—it’s just awesome.”
Deathgasm II: Goremageddon is a blood-drenched, riff-heavy testament to Howden’s refusal to play it safe. It’s a film that grabs you by the throat, screams in your face, and leaves you grinning like you just survived a mosh pit. For Brodie and his undead bandmates, the battle of the bands is more than a chance at victory—it’s a middle finger to despair, a reminder that even in a world gone to hell, metal will always rise again.
