25th Anniversary Tour: Hatebreed, Obituary, Cro-Mags, Terror and Fit for an Autopsy
To say that Hatebreed is a legendary fixture in heavy metal is an understatement so just being able to review their show by themselves is incredible. But add the line up they assembled for their 25th anniversary tour... it was the equivalent of a sports All-Star game. With a great mix of genres, the lineup included Fit For an Autopsy, Terror, Cro-Mags, and Obituary to throw in their own legendary status.
First to take the stage was Fit For an Autopsy. To paraphrase guitarist Patrick Sheridan, before the band played their song Black Mammoth, the band is about respecting others and often has politically charged lyrical content. They put on an awesome show, pounding out the heavy melodies and deep lyrical content that got the crowd prepared for the bands to come.
Following up the crushing heaviness of Fit For an Autopsy was hardcore band, Terror. They continued what became the night’s theme: a message of positivity, respect and loving each other. To those outside of the heavy music community this might seem counter-intuitive but the compassion for each other is one of the biggest and most awesome qualities of the heavy music community. This did nothing to quell the crowd’s excitement though as there was plenty of crowdsurfing and the microphone even left the stage to land in the hands of a lucky fan to sing along on several occasions.
Continuing the message of positivity while also keeping the crowd at a frenzy were the Cro-Mags. Oozing energy and a lot of praise for the punk shirts in the crowd (particularly a fan wearing a Bad Brains tee), the band cranked out their set list to the delight of those in attendance. The set was full of chugging riffs and a lot of the punk trademark pogo dancing from the band. Plus tons of crowdsurfing and moshing from the attendees of the show.
Adding to the diversity of the tour’s lineup and also its legendary status Obituary took the stage next. With their signature mix of heavy breakdowns and varying tempo throughout, they brought the crowd to even more of a fever pitch in preparation for Hatebreed. There was plenty of headbanging and hair flying by all parties. The excitement was palpable as the set list continued on before coming to a close to welcome the headlining act.
Hatebreed, this name is forever etched into the canon of heavy music. Whether it’s their onstage performances, their songs of perseverance or what frontman Jamey Jasta has given back to the metal community with his podcast, The Jasta Show which can found at his website, the band and their fans, known as Diehards are a credit to metal. Their stage show, from beginning to end, does not disappoint. With a community name like Diehards, you have a certain level of anticipation for crowd involvement and the Diehards did not disappoint. They were singing and chanting along to the band’s song while keeping the pit active the whole time.
The night was an incredible and unforgettable experience from start to finish. The current leg of the tour is almost done before the band heads overseas until May when they return with a slightly adjusted lineup. Tickets for the remainder of the tour are availble at https://www.hatebreed.com/#tour-section .
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