On Wednesday, December 7th the ‘I Worship Chaos Tour’ hit the Pressroom in Phoenix, Arizona. This was possibly one of the most diverse line ups we have had in a while. Everyone was waiting with anticipation at the venue. It was a bit of an early show but everyone still showed up, anxious and eager.
First up we had Oni and everyone was completely surprised to say the least. They are a great progressive metal band but the most interesting about them is that they have a Xylophone player. Even though it’s such a bizarre instrument to have in a metal band it truly complements the songs. Their style was a bit electronic and very unique. Their set was very interesting and captivated the audience, and it’s safe to say the Xylophone is very metal now thanks to them.
Next up we had Exmortus from Whittier, California. I’ve lost track how many times I’ve seen the guys play this year and it’s always phenomenal. They all are truly talented young guys who can shred on the guitar. With songs like “Death to Tyrants” and “For the Horde” they made the crowd go wild. These guys are modern day thrash-meets-old school Michael Angelo Batio & Yngwie Malmsteen all squished into one.
Following next we had the one and only Abbath. Watching him play was truly unforgettable. This is the second time he has returned to Arizona and the band’s energy is truly amazing. The guys played songs off the new album and some classic Immortal songs. It is very special to see those old songs played live for those of us who were unable to see Immortal before. The best 2 of the night were “One by One” & “Tyrants.” Every single person in that venue could not deny the energy radiating off the band. They really have their own beautiful ambiance that is magical when they play. After the short but incredible atmospheric set Abbath jumped off stage and shook every single hand of the audience who were there. He took the time to take a few photos with people. It was nice to see how humble he is and how happy he was to take time to thank everyone personally.
Finally it was time for Children of Bodom. This time around the guys had a great set list packed with a few rare songs we hardly see live. Out of all the times I’ve seen them play this night was the best. The band has come a long way over the years and they’re always killer on stage and everyone enjoyed their set. I was pleasantly surprised with all the amazing songs I got to see like “Needled 24/7”, “Follow the Reaper”, “Lake of Bodom”, “Hate Me” and “Downfall.” The crowd went wild and some began to crowd surf.
Overall, the show was incredible. The mix of all the styles from melodic death metal, thrash, progressive and black metal was a great combination. Every person there had a killer time and all the bands did an extraordinary job.