On the greyest, rainiest day in Pittsburgh, Stage AE burned the brightest as metalcore legends Killswitch Engage returned with one of their most explosive shows in years. With over two decades of blistering riffs, anthemic choruses, and raw emotional power behind them, Killswitch has nothing left to prove, but that doesn’t stop them from going harder than ever. Riding high off the February release of This Consequence, their ninth studio album and first since 2019, the Massachusetts heavyweights reminded everyone exactly why they are still at the top of the game. The sold-out crowd packed every inch of Stage AE, eagerly awaiting a set from one of the genre’s most influential bands.

Frozen Soul kicked off the night with a burst of frigid aggression and Texas-sized ferocity. Their sound was relentless, thick low-end guitars grinding against guttural vocals and thunderous drums that shook Stage AE to its core. “Morbid Effigy” and “Arsenal of War” hit with blunt force trauma and sent shockwaves through the early crowd. Heavier and more brutal than the rest of the lineup, Frozen Soul’s set didn’t just stand out, it commanded respect. Heads banged, pits opened, and more than a few newcomers left with a new band to obsess over. Besides playing the heaviest jams, Frozen Soul is known for their wild pits, especially after a recording of their show where a M:TG match being played in the center of a circle pit went viral. There may not have been any epic matches in Pittsburgh that night, but shenanigans were still had as both Deadpool and Spiderman took a break from fighting crime to mosh. We last saw Frozen Soul opening for Amon Amarth and previously opening for The Black Dahlia Murder, and each year their show gets more polished, more intense, continuously showing that this icy Texas group is well on their way to being a household name in the death metal scene amongst the greats.

Next up was Fit For A King, who took the frenzied chaos left by Frozen Soul and morphed it into a more melodic but no less devastating energy. Having just been at Stage AE last summer opening for Halestorm, the Texas metalcore veterans once again brought a polished, high-octane performance full of massive choruses, punishing breakdowns, and highflying leaps. Frontman Ryan Kirby worked the crowd like a pro, leading singalongs on tracks like “Breaking the Mirror” and “When Everything Means Nothing.” Their presence was as electrifying as their music, their energy feeding off of the crowd’s and vice verca, in a vicious symbiotic cycle.

Then came the blunt-force stomp of Kublai Khan TX, who turned Stage AE into a warzone within seconds of hitting the stage. With no interest in subtlety, the Texas hardcore outfit dropped bomb after bomb, each breakdown more violent than the last. “Theory of Mind” and “The Hammer” hit like freight trains and the pit responded in kind, spinning, swinging, and collapsing in beautiful chaos. Frontman Matt Honeycutt’s primal delivery and no-frills stage presence made the set feel more like a brawl than a performance. It was raw and punishing, everything fans have come to expect from Kublai Khan. As the third Texas-based band on the bill, the show thus far was already supersized, as everything is bigger in Texas, even the music.

Finally, the lights dimmed and the unmistakable opening chords of “Strength of the Mind” rang out, sending the pit into a frenzy as Killswitch Engage took the stage. Their presence was immediately larger than life, keeping with the Texas-sized theme of the night even with their Northeastern roots. Jesse Leach’s voice roared through the packed Stage AE like a battle cry. Guitarists Adam Dutkiewicz and Joel Stroetzel wasted no time delivering riff after riff of melodic chaos, while bassist Mike D’Antonio and drummer Justin Foley held down a rhythm section tighter than ever. Classics like “Rose of Sharyn” and “The End of Heartache” had everyone screaming every lyric, fists in the air for nearly the entire night.

Throughout the set, the band leaned into This Consequence, their latest album and a testament to their continued growth. “Aftermath” and “Collusion”felt like instant classics, blending the raw emotion of Jesse’s vocals with the signature Killswitch mix of melody and metal fury. “Forever Aligned” was an absolute rager live, its demonic, gutteral vocals and catchy chorus drove the already rabid pit further into the abyss. One of the most popular new tracks, “I Believe,” hit especially hard at an emotional level, its powerful lyrics about keeping hope alive (a message needed now more than ever) and explosive arrangement sent chills through the crowd. The album from start to end is an absolute powerhouse, doubly so live, and shows that Killswitch is not afraid to evolve while still honoring their roots.

The night wan’t just about music, as it also marked a very special day. It was Adam’s birthday! Jesse made sure to call out the birthday boy, complete with birthday beers and birthday graphics on the backdrop. Birthday wishes were exchanged with Jesse ordering everyone to wish Adam a happy birthday while simultaneously calling him a trashbag piece of shit, or cunt – but only for the British. It was all very endearing, in an old-school metal scene sort of way.

As the night progressed, Killswitch Engage dug deeper into their discography for a powerful encore and unleashed a barrage of fan favourites with no signs of slowing down. “My Curse” sparked a final burst of energy from the pit and led into the heavy-hitting “The End of Heartache.”  The night closed out with “My Last Serenade,” the perfect track to end a show as powerful as this, and sent everyone home satiated by the ferocious chaos. The night was an incredible celebration of a band still pushing boundaries, still uniting fans, and still proving why they are legends in the scene.

April 4th, 2025