All gas, no brakes: Lamb of God’s Into Oblivion Tour delivers a ferocious set of pure, unrelenting, heavy metal power.
Early summer weather landed in Raleigh, NC, just in time for one of the hottest shows to hit the Red Hat Amphitheater stage. Lamb of God, with a lengthy and powerful undercard of supporting bands, performed for very likely the last time on this stage, as Red Hat Amphitheater is enjoying its last summer before being torn down and replaced with a new venue currently being built right next door.
First on stage came Sanguisugabogg. The band entered the stage early, serving as their own roadies, tuning up and settling in as comfortably as if they were about to perform in their front yard. Casual, waving to fans, the vibe was instantly open and communal. Jumping immediately into death metal growls and powerful riffs, a short set containing “Face Ripped Off” and “Felony Abuse of a Corpse” activated the quickly growing pit, and the moshing began. Ending too soon for many fans at the front barrier, Sanguisugabogg set the bar high for energy, volume, and an expectation for audience participation.
Fit for an Autopsy ignited the stage next with a gear change to a faster pace. Snarling vocalist Joe Badolato waved to the audience moments before ripping into “Lower Purpose” from their The Nothing That Is release. For most in the audience, it was their first time seeing Fit for an Autopsy, but the newness didn’t lessen the mosh pit and serious headbanging by most in the pit. Included in the setlist were the band’s latest single, “The Wretch,” “Hostage,” and “Far From Heaven” from the 2021 album Oh What the Future Holds. Faster, more melodic, yet still insanely grinding and severe, Fit for an Autopsy amped up the volume, the intensity, and the energy of the now very full venue. As revved up as Red Hat Amphitheater was, when Kublai Khan TX unleashed the initial chords of “Darwinism” to start their set, a new height in insanity was found. Moving between violent growling screams and Texas-tinged banter with the crowd, singer Matt Honeycutt made it clear the intensity of the pit was as vital to their energy as milk is to a baby. The pit heard and did not disappoint. Displaying the mantra “all gas, no brakes” throughout their performance, Kublai Khan TX engaged in a bludgeoning set which included “The Hammer” and “Self Destruct,” before closing with “Theory of Mind.” Not the headliner for the evening but Kublai Khan TX performed as if they were, delivering a devastatingly powerful performance. Lamb of God began their set with the stage covered by a front curtain emblazoned with a huge projection of “Lamb of God” in huge lettering. When the intro music stopped and the curtain fell, “Ruin” from their 2003 As the Palaces Burn release opened a set filled with songs from the band’s latest album, Into Oblivion, and fan favorites from the past. Lead vocalist Randy Blythe paced incessantly to all corners of the stage, pausing only to rile up the audience from one of his many front risers on stage. Drummer Art Cruz sat perched high above the stage on a high riser, which held his drum kit crafted like the polished ribs of a prehistoric leviathan.Jarring lights and images flashed across a vertically striped multi-section screen spanning the back of the stage. The song “Sepsis” unleashed a wall of lasers as if focusing the heaviness of the song down upon the audience. Vibrant colors from blue and green mix to blazing red for songs such as “512” added strong visuals to music that most in the audience appeared to know intimately as they sang along. Randy welcomed his young nephew as a special guest at the show and dedicated “Walk With Me in Hell” to him as he experienced his first Lamb of God concert. The just over one-hour set closed with “Redneck” as Lamb of God typically does, leaving the audience breathless.
The Into Oblivion Tour continues through April 26, 2026, ending in Boston, MA.
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