SLAYER’s One-Night-Only East Coast Return Ignites Hersheypark Stadium - Concert Review & Photos

On Saturday, September 20th, Hershey, Pennsylvania, traded chocolate for chaos. Hersheypark Stadium, normally home to pop tours and summer festivals, became the unlikely site of one of the most anticipated metal events of the decade: Slayer’s one-night-only East Coast return. Billed as the band’s sole East Coast performance of 2025, the show carried a sense of gravity that drew thousands of fans from across the region.

Adding to the spectacle, WWE Superstar Damian Priest — an unapologetic metalhead and lifelong Slayer devotee — hosted the evening. Priest’s booming introduction and genuine excitement set the stage for a lineup that read like a celebration of heavy music itself: veterans Exodus, Cavalera Conspiracy, and Suicidal Tendencies; modern icons Power Trip and Knocked Loose; and finally, the night’s headliners, Slayer.

Exodus

The Bay Area thrash stalwarts wasted no time detonating the first wave of chaos. Opening with “Bonded by Blood” and “Exodus,” the band’s old-school fury immediately whipped the early afternoon crowd into motion. By the time they tore through “The Toxic Waltz” and closer “Strike of the Beast,” circle pits had erupted across the stadium floor. Exodus proved once again that their brand of thrash is ageless — raw, confrontational, and still capable of sparking absolute mayhem.

“By the time Exodus hit ‘Strike of the Beast,’ Hersheypark Stadium had already been baptized in thrash.”

Cavalera Conspiracy

If Exodus represented the Bay Area roots of thrash, Cavalera Conspiracy tapped straight into Sepultura’s primal heartbeat. Max and Igor Cavalera leaned heavily on their legacy, unleashing classics like “Refuse/Resist,” “Territory,” and “Slave New World.” The surprise addition of Black Sabbath’s “Symptom of the Universe” gave the set a unique twist, but it was the Sepultura material that truly ignited the crowd. The thunderous percussion of “Propaganda” and the communal chant of “We Who Are Not as Others” felt like a ritual, pulling Hershey deeper into the chaos.

Power Trip

For many, Power Trip’s return was an emotional centerpiece of the day. Carrying the torch of their late frontman Riley Gale, the band delivered a set that was both ferocious and reverent. “Executioner’s Tax (Swing of the Axe)” and “Firing Squad” hit with their trademark groove-laden intensity, while “Drown/Crucifixation,” dedicated to Gale, stood as a powerful tribute. Closing with “Manifest Decimation,” Power Trip affirmed that their music remains vital, relevant, and deeply missed.

“Power Trip’s set was less a performance and more a resurrection — a reminder of Riley Gale’s indelible mark on modern thrash.”

Suicidal Tendencies

As the sun dipped lower, Suicidal Tendencies brought skate-thrash energy to the stadium. Mike Muir sprinted across the stage, firing off classics like “You Can’t Bring Me Down” and “Send Me Your Money.” The pit hit a new level of frenzy during “Cyco Vision,” while “Pledge Your Allegiance” turned the floor into a sea of fists and gang vocals. Their set bridged generations, uniting punks, thrashers, and hardcore kids alike in a sweaty, chaotic celebration.

Knocked Loose

By the time Knocked Loose stormed the stage, darkness had fallen, and Hersheypark Stadium transformed into a warzone. The Kentucky hardcore heavyweights delivered one of the most punishing sets of the night, plowing through “Blinding Faith,” “Mistakes Like Fractures,” and “Counting Worms” with feral intensity. The back-to-back pairing of “Deep in the Willow” and “Everything Is Quiet Now” felt apocalyptic, with breakdowns hitting like sledgehammers. Younger fans dominated the pits, while veteran metalheads looked on, perhaps in awe, at how seamlessly Knocked Loose carried extreme music into a new generation.

Slayer

At last, the stage went black. Red lights pulsed through smoke, and the roar of tens of thousands signaled what everyone had been waiting for: Slayer. Opening with “South of Heaven” and “Repentless,” the band wasted no time unleashing carnage.

Tom Araya’s voice, weathered but commanding, cut through the chaos, while Kerry King and Gary Holt traded razor-sharp riffs across the stage. Paul Bostaph’s drumming was relentless, powering through “War Ensemble,” “Chemical Warfare,” and “Mandatory Suicide” with surgical precision.

The setlist was a masterclass in brutality — blending early cuts like “Die by the Sword” and “Black Magic” with fan favorites “Seasons in the Abyss” and “Dead Skin Mask.” When the first notes of “Raining Blood” crashed down, the stadium exploded into bedlam. The closing trio of “Black Magic,” “Raining Blood,” and “Angel of Death” served as a devastating reminder of why Slayer’s name remains carved into the DNA of heavy music.

“Slayer’s finale wasn’t just a performance — it was an exorcism, a firestorm that left Hershey scorched and the crowd in awe.”

By the time the last echoes of “Angel of Death” faded into the night, Hersheypark Stadium stood in ruins — figuratively, if not literally. Slayer’s one-night-only East Coast performance was more than a concert; it was a ritual, a gathering of generations bound by heavy music’s uncompromising spirit.

From Exodus’s opening salvo to Knocked Loose’s modern ferocity, from Power Trip’s resurrection to Suicidal Tendencies’ crossover chaos, the lineup felt like a living history lesson — one that culminated in Slayer’s thunderous reminder of why their reign remains unmatched.

For the thousands who made the pilgrimage to Hershey, this night will be remembered as both a celebration and a reckoning. Slayer may not be touring relentlessly anymore, but when they choose to strike, the impact is total. On September 20, 2025, Hershey, Pennsylvania, became the epicenter of thrash — and for one unforgettable night, the gates of Hell opened wide.