Dethklok and Amon Amarth join forces to crush NYC as part of their Amonklok Conquest Tour with support from Brooklyn’s own Castle Rat.
The Brooklyn Paramount was rapidly filling for the sold-out show, and the attendees were ready for a stacked evening of metal mayhem.
At 7 PM sharp, Castle Rat hit the stage, and they did not disappoint. They took full advantage of every minute, arriving with a strong theatrical ambition that pulled the crowd into their strange, medieval realm. With The Rat Queen taking full advantage of the stage with her sword raised high, they leaned hard into the fantasy-doom mythology that has brought lots of light to them as a band, as all were soon to find out.
What really grabbed the crowd’s attention, besides their awesome performance, was the giant rat with glowing eyes that crept out of the darkness. It made several appearances, along with the “Rat Reaperess,” to bring the whole show to life.
The riffs were melodic and, at times, heavy, like a slow-moving war machine as the drummer, AKA “The Druid,” led the charge along with lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist, “The Rat Queen.” They were accompanied by lead guitarist “The Count” and bassist “The Plague Doctor,” and together they are Castle Rat. You must make a point to catch them on this tour, so get there early to witness this exciting opening act.
It was about that time for the Swedish Viking death metal legends Amon Amarth to hit the stage as co-headliners of this tour, and with all certainty, their fan base was in the building. The stage setting was exquisite, with giant warrior statues looking down over the battlefield as Johan Hegg commanded the crowd like a General. It was like a Viking spectacle with blazing lights, and Paramount’s old-style architecture made it feel as if a raid were unfolding inside a cathedral.Amon Amarth are pure masters of what they do as they crushed their way through a powerful set from their lengthy catalog. Every riff they landed was like an axe strike that just pushed their momentum higher and higher, as the crowd was electric and the head-banging never let up. It was like it was erupting into total chaos, sending the pit into berserker mode. At one point, half of the room sat in a rowing fashion, as the words “Row, row, row” echoed off the walls and high ceilings of the Paramount as they went into “Put Your Back into the Oar.” The participation was incredible, as it is every time.
Catching a band like Amon Amarth in such a venue was like being engulfed, as if you were being hit with the punishing impact, but, at the same time, there was enough intimacy to feel it all as it unfolded. These guys bring the fire every time they grace the stage with their Viking theatrical death metal madness, and their worldwide Viking following does not disappoint as they always raise their horns.
As the anticipation was now at its peak, it was about that time for Dethklok to finally hit the stage and give their fans exactly what they were waiting for. As the lights dimmed almost into total darkness, a caution message came across the screen warning of bright strobes and flashes.
Once Dethklok took over, the crowd was locked in. It became a total sensory overload, quite brutal but in a good way. Well, that’s if your brain didn’t turn to mush with the blinding visuals and absurd animated interludes, and the crushing wall of sound reverberating through The Brooklyn Paramount. Once the intro for “Deththeme” hit, the crowd erupted with the pit opening up and continuous crowd surfing. The band was extremely tight as Brendon Small’s vocals cut through everything. They were low and commanding enough for fans to shout along. Then you have the legend Gene Hoglan on the kit, who hits like a human demolition machine. His precision was spot on as they tore through their brutal set. By the midpoint, it felt as if you were trapped inside an episode of Metalocalypse, except way louder, and you were in the middle of it all, with the uncertain feeling of if you’d ever make it out.
If you are that is into death metal and animation, Dethklok is one band you need to check out as their live performance will absolutely kick you in the ass, in more ways then one. Don’t sleep on the Amonklok Conquest Tour. It runs through until May 21, where it will wrap in Las Vegas.
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