LIVE REVIEW: ICE NINE KILLS – “SILVER SCREAM-A-THON” TOUR, DAY 2 – WELCOME TO HORRORWOOD
“Ice Nine Kills have transformed theatrical horror into a live experience that rivals any haunted house or slasher flick.”
Kansas City turned into a blood-soaked cinematic slaughterhouse for a second straight night as Ice Nine Kills brought their two-night “Silver Scream-A-Thon” spectacle to the Uptown Theater. While Antihero was only able to attend Night Two, fans who braved the dark on May 7 were treated to an unrelenting barrage of theatrical horrorcore metal as INK performed their 2021 album The Silver Scream 2: Welcome to Horrorwood in its entirety — and then some.
The night opened with Dark Divine, who wasted no time establishing their horror-laced identity with dramatic lighting, corpse paint, and a surprisingly polished blend of post-hardcore and metalcore. Their energy was pure adrenaline, a tightly-wound exorcism of angst that fit seamlessly into the tour’s ghoulish theme.
Next up, TX2, the self-described “emo-rap-core” firecracker, ignited the crowd with chaotic charisma. With a genre-bending sound that fused trap beats, screams, and heavy riffs, TX2 felt like a wildcard — unpredictable but magnetic. His manic stage presence and raw vulnerability added a fresh, visceral flavor to the night’s lineup.
Hail the Sun brought a more progressive flair to the stage, with complex rhythms and soaring vocals led by frontman Donovan Melero. Their dynamic set offered a technical breather without slowing the momentum, showcasing their musicianship while still riding the night’s emotional intensity.
But the night truly belonged to Ice Nine Kills — a band that has transformed theatrical horror into a live experience that rivals any haunted house or slasher flick. From the moment the bloodied red curtain rose and “Welcome to Horrorwood” kicked in, it was clear: this wasn’t just a concert. It was a production.
Spencer Charnas, ever the deranged horror host, stalked the stage in full character, changing costumes and wielding weapons with each song as he led the audience through a twisted tour of horror cinema’s darkest corners. Every track was a set piece: “Assault & Batteries” saw Charnas chasing a Chucky doll with a child-sized baseball bat; “The Shower Scene” played out under a cascade of blood-red strobes, complete with a Psycho-style stabbing silhouette.
Fan favorites like “Hip to Be Scared” and “Rainy Day” brought massive singalongs and choreographed mayhem, but it was “Take Your Pick” — the band’s Cannibal Corpse-inspired bloodbath — that unleashed the evening’s most frenzied pit. INK’s attention to detail in crafting their stage visuals is unmatched in modern metalcore. From flickering vintage TVs to gore-soaked props and actors portraying victims and killers, it was a full-on immersive experience.
The album concluded with the blistering one-two punch of “Ex-Mørtis” and “Farewell II Flesh”, both of which served up enough guitar shred and theatrical murder to satisfy even the most bloodthirsty fans. But it wasn’t over yet.
Returning for a three-song encore, INK dug into their back catalog with “The Nature of the Beast” and “Communion of the Cursed”, before debuting a chilling new track, “A Work of Art”, that suggests even more cinematic nightmares are lurking in their future.
The Silver Scream-A-Thon is more than a tour — it’s a genre-bending horror-metal opera, tailor-made for fans who love their breakdowns as much as their bloodshed. If Night One was a love letter to the origins of The Silver Scream saga, Night Two was its brutal, glammed-up sequel. And like any good slasher franchise, it left the audience screaming for more.
“Every track was a set piece — a blood-soaked tribute to slasher cinema and metalcore chaos.”
Ice Nine Kills: Silver Scream-A-Thon – US Headline Tour
April 26: Toronto, ON – Rogers Centre (w/ Metallica)
April 30 & May 1: Raleigh, NC – The Ritz
May 3: Nashville, TN – Nissan Stadium (w/ Metallica)
May 6 & 7: Kansas City, MO – Uptown Theater
May 9 & 10: Milwaukee, WI – The Rave
May 13 & 14: Minneapolis, MN – The Fillmore
May 18 & 19: Chicago, IL – Riviera Theatre
May 20 & 21: Grand Rapids, MI – GLC @ 20 Monroe
May 23: Philadelphia, PA – Lincoln Financial Field (w/ Metallica)
May 24 & 25: Montclair, NJ – Wellmont Theater
May 29 & 30: San Antonio, TX – Aztec Theater
June 1 & 2: Houston, TX – House of Blues
June 4 & 5: Atlanta, GA – The Tabernacle
June 6: Tampa, FL – Raymond James Stadium (w/ Metallica)
June 8 & 9: New Orleans, LA – The Fillmore
June 11 & 12: Myrtle Beach, SC – House of Blues
June 20: Santa Clara, CA – Levi’s Stadium (w/ Metallica)
June 27: Denver, CO – Empower Field At Mile High (w/ Metallica)
Thomas is the Editor and Photographer at AntiHero Magazine. Based in the Kansas City, MO area, he combines his passion for music with his skills as a concert photographer and writer. When he's not capturing electrifying moments in the photo pit, Thomas works as a web developer and freelance motion graphics designer. A guitarist with a background in music composition from the University of Illinois at Chicago, he brings a unique creative perspective to everything he does. -- Author: Thomas Woroniak