The Wrath Across North America 2026 TourFeaturing Arch Enemy co-headlining with The Black Dahlia Murder along with special guests, Thrown Into Exile, Crypta, and Septicflesh take over the Fillmore Au
I was crazy excited for this tour and the meet and greet with Arch Enemy was a must for me, because I was going to see a friend from years back before she joined Arch Enemy, Lauren Hart. I purposely made it a point to be last in line for the signing session. I got half way to the signing table and Lauren Hart looks up, sees me and yells, Timebag Terrell is here! I got to the table and she stood up leaning toward me with her arms out and we both got big hugs! First question from her, did you bring your camera? Duh!!! The guys were great, I had some good conversations with them.
Starting the night off with "Pure F*****g Metal"—as written right on Arch Enemy’s bass drums—was Thrown Into Exile. From their first song, "Send Me Below" (a killer single released in 2022), they set the exact tone for what this night was going to be: pure METAL. They brought a hardcore thrash/death metal sound and a massive stage presence that was an absolute blast to photograph. Though their set was short, as were all three opening acts, they left a massive impression on me and drew a roaring stamp of approval from the early crowd.
Thrown Into Exile members:
Mario Rubio – lead guitar (2011–present)
Javier Quinto – bass (2022–present)
Austin Monzon – rhythm guitar (2023–present)
Hank Lin – drums (2025–present)
Joshua Santos – vocals (2026–present)
Set list:
Send Me Below
Nihilist
Behind The Veil
(Unknown)New song live debut?
Yoy've Fallen So Far
Making their way to the stage to a loud roar from the crowd were the ladies of Crypta, delivering brutal death metal straight from Brazil. Lead vocalist and bassist Fernanda Lira took to the mic and opened the set with "The Other Side of Anger" from their sophomore album, Shades of Sorrow (2023). From that very first note, their energy was relentless. Fernanda’s intense stage presence and menacing facial expressions gave me some of the best, most aggressive photos of the night. Again It was a short set that left the crowd exhausted and wishing for more.
Crypta members:
Fernanda Lira – bass, vocals (2019–present)
Luana Dametto – drums (2019–present)
Tainá Bergamaschi – rhythm guitar (2020–present)
Victoria Villarreal – lead guitar (2026–present; touring 2025–2026)
Set list:
The Other Side of Anger2
Lord of Ruins
The Outsider
A Portrait of Decay
From the Ashes
Next up was Septicflesh, a symphonic death metal band from Athens, Greece. Seeing them live for the first time turned out to be a real treat for me! They brought a heavy, high-energy stage presence that the venue crowd instantly moved with. Starting their set with "Communion”, the title track from their 2008 album, the music absolutely exploded throughout the venue.
The crowd was knocked back—just like I was—by the sheer power flowing from the stage. Spiros "Seth Siro Anton" Antoniou’s deep, dark vocals completely filled the room, making their performance another incredibly pleasant surprise for my first time seeing them. Their set was a couple of songs longer which added to my enjoyment.
Spepticflesh members:
Spiros "Seth Siro Anton" Antoniou – bass, unclean vocals (1990–2003, 2007–present)
Christos Antoniou – lead guitar (1990–2003, 2007–present)
Kerim "Krimh" Lechner – drums (2014–present)
Set list:
Communion
The Vampire From Nazareth
Martyr
Coming Storm
Anubis
Dark Art
To be completely honest, The Black Dahlia Murder was a band I could never really get into—but their live energy is undeniable. As soon as they hit the stage, lead singer Brian Eschbach yelled to the crowd, "I want two things: to hear your voices, and to see more crowd surfers than we have ever seen!" The fans immediately obliged. They opened their set blasting into "Mammoth's Hand" from their 2024 album, Servitude.
As their set rolled on, the energy never dipped for a second. The band traded lightning-fast guitar solos while the floor turned into a swirling, non-stop mosh pit. True to Brian's word, the crowd surfers kept pouring over the barricade in waves, keeping the security guards working overtime. Even as someone who isn't a die-hard fan of their studio material, watching the venue instantly erupt into a chaotic sea of flying bodies and roaring voices was incredible to witness from the floor.
The Black Dahlia Murder members:
Brian Eschbach – lead vocals (2022–present), rhythm guitar, backing vocals (2001–2022)
Max Lavelle – bass (2012–present)
Alan Cassidy – drums (2012–present)
Ryan Knight – rhythm guitar, backing vocals (2022–present), lead guitar (2009–2016, 2025–present)
Current touring musicians
Wes Hauch – lead guitar (2025–present)[48]
Set list:
Mammoth's Hand
Necropolis
Moonlight Equilibrium
Panic Hysteric
Nightbringers
Everything Went Black
Cursed Creator
A Vulgar Picture
Miscarriage
Statutory Ape
Christ Deformed
Utopia Black
Contagion
What a Horrible Night to Have a Curse
The wait is over, Arch Enemy is next and I am excited to see Lauren Hart, a wonderful friend that made me crazy happy when Arch Enemy announced she had taken over lead vocals for the band.
The moment everyone had been waiting for finally arrived as the mighty Arch Enemy took the stage. After the intro tape faded, they launched straight into their explosive opening song, "The World Is Yours." All eyes were on new frontwoman Lauren Hart, and it took less than a minute to realize that she is the perfect fit for this band. Dressed in leather from neck to toe, with her long hair flowing, she commanded the stage looking every bit the metal icon and sounded absolutely awesome all night long. She effortlessly delivered the band's classic hits with a ferocious, hungry energy that honored the past while carving out a bold new chapter.
As a photographer, capturing her commanding presence alongside Michael Amott’s legendary guitar poses was a dream. A major highlight of the entire evening was hearing their crushing new track, "To the Last Breath." Lauren completely owned the song live, and its massive hooks have been stuck in my head ever since. It was a spectacular, high-octane finale to a night of pure, unadulterated metal that left everyone in the venue completely blown away.
Arch Enemy members:
Michael Amott - guitars, backing vocals
Daniel Erlandsson - drums, keyboards
Sharlee D'Angelo - bass
Joey Concepcion - guitars, backing vocals
Lauren Hart - vocals
Set list:
Khaos Overture
The World Is Yours
Ravenous
War Eternal
Blood Dynasty
My Apocalypse
To the Last Breath "Lauren"
Under Black Flags We March
The Eagle Flies Alone
Bury Me an Angel
Dead Bury Their Dead
No Gods, No Masters
Nemesis
Fields of Desolation
Instrumental outro
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