@whitechapelband walked on in darkness before ringing out the first notes of “Prisoner 666,” the song building with every instrument as vocalist Phil Bozeman made his way to center stage and led the crowd in a shout-along of the opening line before the crushing riffs of Ben Savage, Alex Wade, and Zach Householder set the circle pits in motion.
The power of Whitechapel’s performance was palpable, and the crowd’s reaction made it obvious just how deeply fans have connected with the new album, Hymns in Dissonance.
“Could we have asked for a more beautiful night or a more beautiful backdrop?” vocalist Pete Loeffler asked after taking a moment to soak it all in. And what a night it was.
@getmorechevelle were on top of their game, mind-blowing from the very start, delivering a setlist that showcased the depth of their discography.
The band’s new material, which Loeffler introduced as “from my basement to your ears,” fit seamlessly alongside their classics.
A perfect setlist capped off with a double encore that closed with “Fucking Hostile,” #Pantera delivered an incredible performance with everything they had in them.
NYC’s own @immolation_band kicked off the evening in front of an energetic hometown crowd packed with friends and family, showcasing their new album Descent alongside a handful of tried and true classics.
Transfixed from the first song to the last, I was blown away by @rottingchristofficial . Their riffs were as soaring and epic as they were relentlessly ruthless. A standout set of the evening.
Deicide brought us into the home stretch with their legendary bellowing brutality. Favoring the classics, the band treated fans to a career-spanning setlist with particular focus on their self-titled debut, as well as follow-ups Legion and Once Upon the Cross. The pit had been active all night, but Deicide turned it up a few notches as crowd surfers rode the tide in increasing numbers.
Approaching the one-year anniversary of @behemothofficial ’s latest album, The Shit Ov God, the band opened their set just as the album does with “The Shadow Elite.” The force with which they swept the stage set the bar for the evening at a height only Behemoth could reach, and at times even exceed.
@narcoticwastelandofficial took the stage to a packed room of fans eager to mosh themselves warm.
The band brought depth and power well beyond that of a typical trio and packed a healthy dose of thrash into their slightly condensed set, including a track from frontman Dallas Toler-Wade’s time with technical death metal outfit Nile.
@hateofficial made an already active mosh pit nearly impassable as the corpse paint clad members unleashed a relentless barrage of blackened fury, channeling their aggression into a performance that was sharp and controlled without losing its edge.
Hometown heroes @incantation_official received a thunderous welcome and wasted no time treating their fellow New Yorkers to an epic set that spanned the band’s formidable three-decade-plus career.
After filling the room with a feeling of anticipation and the smell of sage, @belphegor_official walked onto a stage donned with skulls, chalices, and barbed wire, and launched into “The Procession.”
The ritualistic opener set a commanding tone for the night, the band locking into a dark, deliberate groove before surging forward with the kind of precision and menace that has defined their decades long run.
