Carnival of Death Tour
Backstage Bar & Billiards, Las Vegas
October 14, 2025
Words and Photos by Rocky Kessenger | Antihero Magazine
Death metal is alive and unrelenting, and the Carnival of Death Tour rolled through Las Vegas to prove it. Four bands, one small stage, and enough blast beats to rattle Fremont Street. From the new breed to the masters of brutality, this night was a celebration of everything heavy, raw, and unapologetically loud.
Skeletal Remains
This was my first time seeing Skeletal Remains live, and it’s safe to say they’re not just the “next generation” of death metal they are the generation carrying it forward. The band hit the stage with “Void of Despair” and immediately owned it. There’s no hesitation, no warm-up, just all-out intensity from the first riff. They played like a band with something to prove, but the truth is, they already belong in the conversation with the best of them.
Their mix of technical precision and old-school grime hit perfectly in the Backstage’s tight room. “Beyond Cremation” and “Congregation of Flesh” sounded massive, even with the stripped-down setup. The riffs cut sharp through the air, and the drums were relentless — pure, suffocating speed. You could feel the crowd leaning in by the third song, drawn into the chaos. These guys play with conviction and confidence.
Skeletal Remains don’t just perform death metal; they embody it. Watching them felt like seeing a bridge between the genre’s past and its future honoring the old gods while shaping their own mythology. If this tour was a proving ground, they walked off stage having earned their place among the masters.
Malevolent Creation
I’ve loved Malevolent Creation since their first record yeah, I’m that old and seeing them live again always brings a mix of nostalgia and respect. This band is Florida death metal, and they’ve never let that torch dim. When they opened with “Eve of the Apocalypse,” it was like being punched straight into 1991 again; that same venom, same groove, same unstoppable aggression.
It was unfortunate that Phil Fasciana couldn’t make this leg of the tour due to health reasons. The band took a moment to address it and apologize, but they didn’t let the energy dip for even a second. Jesse handled the gutturals like a man possessed deep, guttural, and commanding. It was a hell of a performance, and you could feel the emotion behind it. Every growl felt like they were doing it for Phil, carrying his spirit through the music.
By the time they hit “Living in Fear” and “Blood Brothers,” the room had gone from appreciation to full-on worship. There’s something primal about watching a band that’s been doing this for decades still tearing through their set with zero compromise. They didn’t play like veterans cashing in they played like they still have something to prove. It was brutality with purpose.
Kataklysm
Then came Kataklysm the Canadian Ambassadors of Pain and I fucking love these guys. I’ve seen a lot of bands over the years, but Kataklysm live always hits different. Their setlist covered everything you’d want: “The Ambassador of Pain,” “In Shadows & Dust,” “As I Slither,” “Manipulator of Souls,” and “The Black Sheep.” Every song landed like a bomb.
I was lucky enough to be in the pit during “Manipulator of Souls,” and I swear the guys knew I was a fan. I’m not saying they were playing to me, but when you’re the only one shouting every lyric back at them while trying to stay focused behind a lens, you feel that connection. You can’t fake it, that’s what this scene is about. The sweat, the volume, the shared chaos.
At one point, I caught myself grinning like an idiot behind the camera. There’s this unspoken truth among concert photographers you can love a band, but when you get to shoot the band you love, it hits different. You stop being just a fan and become part of the show’s energy. This was one of those nights. “This is the life we choose,” Paul Newman once said, and in that moment, it couldn’t have been more true.
Vader
And then there was Vader the undisputed titans of Polish death metal, the kind of band whose logo belongs in the DNA of every death metal fan. You can’t say death metal without mentioning Vader. It was an honor to finally shoot them. These guys are pure discipline and precision, wrapped in decades of experience.
They opened with “Wings” and instantly took control. The room, already packed and overheated, erupted as that signature Vader tone filled the air. The crowd was theirs from the first note. “This Is the War” was a personal highlight for me hearing that one live is like witnessing an artillery barrage. I’ve got both Necropolis and Revelations spinning on vinyl at home, and hearing those tracks in person felt like closing a full circle.
Their setlist was a masterclass in pacing songs from across eras, delivered with military precision. When they dropped into “Triumph of Death” and closed with Slayer’s “Raining Blood,” it wasn’t just a tribute; it was a statement. Vader doesn’t just play shows — they execute them. Watching them live is seeing death metal distilled down to its purest form: speed, control, and dominance.
The Pit and the People
Now let’s talk about the pit or, in this case, the smallest sliver of one I’ve ever seen. There was maybe two feet between the barrier and the stage. At one point, my 6’3” frame was halfway through what can only be described as death metal yoga one leg bent under a monitor, the other bracing against a rail, trying to stay low enough not to block the mic stands. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was real.
The crowd was right there with us sweaty, loud, respectful chaos. In one of those rare moments of humanity inside a warzone of riffs, I felt a quick shoulder massage from a guy in the center row. No words, just a friendly squeeze, a laugh, and a thrown pair of horns. I nodded, took my shot, and kept moving. That’s the death metal community in a nutshell: brutal music, kind people.
Closing Thoughts
The Carnival of Death Tour delivered exactly what it promised unrelenting, unapologetic, world-class death metal. Four bands representing different generations of the genre, all proving the same point: death metal never dies; it just evolves. From Skeletal Remains planting their flag to Vader reminding everyone who built the foundation, the night felt like a timeline of everything that makes this genre powerful.
For me, this show was more than another gig or another batch of photos, it was a reminder of why I do what I do. The music, the sweat, the connection between fan and artist, between camera and chaos. Whether I’m pressed against a stage doing splits to get the shot or screaming along to a song I’ve loved for twenty years, this is where I belong.
Death metal may have changed over the decades, but its heart is still the same: fast, fierce, and fueled by passion. The Carnival of Death Tour wasn’t just a concert. It was communion loud, raw, and absolutely perfect.
Personal Note: “This is the life we choose, The Life we Lead,……and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Skeletal Remains
Malevolent Creation
Kataklysm
Vader
