The Palladium in Worcester, Massachusetts, has hosted a wide spectrum of artists over the years, from Jay-Z to GWAR to Slipknot and countless more. It also serves as the longtime home of the New England Metal and Hardcore Festival, so it is no stranger to the chaos of a great deathcore or metalcore show.
Originally brought to life in 1928, the venue carries nearly a century of stories within its walls, with vibrations from double-kick drums and rumbling bass that could last a lifetime. Its vintage theater detailing gives every show a uniquely Palladium atmosphere, and the fans who pack the room know exactly what they are in for.
The sold-out show had fans arriving early, wrapping around the venue well past doors opening. An array of people wearing the signature Slaughter to Prevail masks and black-on-black-on-black outfits, you know, your typical deathcore fit checks. Concertgoers did earn a few side-eyes from people dining at restaurants nearby.
What normally takes some time for the venue to fill only took minutes, as many in attendance were focused on securing prime spots on the floor for moshing and crowd surfing.
Whitechapel was next, and the room immediately shifted into darker, moodier tones as the lights dropped and the band took the stage. There was no gimmick attached to it, just deep, punishing metal delivered with total conviction. Since forming in Knoxville in 2006, Whitechapel have remained one of the genre’s most consistent forces, and that veteran presence showed from the first note.
Launching into “Prisoner 666,” “Hymns in Dissonance,” “A Visceral Retch,” and “Bedlam,” the band delivered a relentless wall of riffs, thunderous drums, and gut wrenching vocals that hit with full force. The crowd responded instantly. Moshing broke out across the floor, while crowd surfers continuously made their way toward the barricade as security worked nonstop to keep pace.
The newer material carried added weight knowing 2026’s Hymns in Dissonance has been described by Whitechapel as a thematic sequel to This Is Exile, tying the current era back to one of the band’s defining releases. While not a direct continuation, the connection lives in its darker tone, punishing aggression, and sinister lyrical themes rooted in wrath, chaos, and corrupted ritualistic imagery. It feels like a return to the uncompromising heaviness that helped make This Is Exile a landmark record, giving the newer songs an added sense of purpose and making the set’s closing stretch feel even more deliberate.
Through “Ex Infernis” and “Hate Cult Ritual,” the atmosphere became even more sinister. Vocalist Phil Bozeman has described the song as portraying the overwhelming rage of a cult, planting evil into the earth as diseased waters nourish an unborn lord bent on destroying all opposition. Onstage, that imagery translated into pure menace. It was during that song that the mask was raised high, amplifying the ritualistic feel already pouring off the stage.
Video from: Whitechapel
They closed with “This Is Exile,” sending longtime fans into another frenzy. By the end of the set, Whitechapel had transformed the room into a storm of bodies, sound, and aggression, proving once again that when it comes to pure heavy music, few do it better live.
WHITECHAPEL SETLIST
1. Prisoner 666
2. Hymms In Dissonance
3. A Visceral Retch
4. Bedlam
5. Ex Infernis
6. Hate Cult Ritual
7. Somatic
8. Devirgination Studies
9. Prostatic
10. This is Exile
Slaughter to Prevail hit the scene in 2015, hailing from Russia and quickly becoming one of the most talked-about names in modern heavy music. Forged from the collaboration between vocalist Alex Terrible and guitarist Jack Simmons, the band built a global following through an uncompromising sound, viral momentum, and a live presence that feels more like controlled destruction than a traditional concert. Their 2025 release Grizzly marked another major step forward, topping the Hard Music chart while further cementing the band as one of extreme music’s biggest draws.
By the time the 2026 North American headline run arrived, with support from Whitechapel and Attila, the hype was very real. The majority of dates on the run carried sold-out status or low-ticket warnings, showing just how far Slaughter to Prevail have risen. Fans of all ages and from across multiple corners of heavy music showed up looking for the full STP experience. With more than 1.5 million monthly Spotify listeners, festival moments that include a record-breaking wall of death at Hellfest Open Air, and even winning over pop-punk, emo, and post-hardcore crowds at Vans Warped Tour, Slaughter to Prevail entered this tour with serious momentum and an all-new live production built to pull fans deeper into their world.
The set typically features a massive grizzly bear looming behind drummer Evgeny Novikov, but the tighter stage inside The Palladium called for a modified version of the production. Instead, two grizzly heads flanked either side of the stage, creating a smaller but no less imposing visual setup. Pair that with the band’s iconic masks, dark lighting, and rising anticipation inside the room, and the ambiance was set for something bone-crushing.
When the lights dropped for their headlining set, the venue erupted as they opened with “Bonebreaker,” off of their 2021 album Kostolom immediately sending the floor into motion with crowd surfers pouring toward the barricade. From there, “Banditos” off their brand new 2025 album Grizzly, kept the pressure on with blistering percussion, crushing guitars, and cinematic textures that pushed beyond standard deathcore chaos.
The crowd itself became part of the show. Everywhere you looked, fans were dressed in the band’s signature masks, while others entered the pit wearing full costumes, including a Santa suit, a shark, and a banana, adding a wild contrast to the otherwise dark and punishing atmosphere.
“Russian Grizzly in America” off of Grizzly followed and felt larger than life, blending English and Russian lyrics with militaristic rhythms and savage gutturals. The music video is worth checking out as well, brutal yet humorous, matching the band’s ability to pair violence with absurd fun.
Video From: Slaughter To Prevail
The set pingponged between the new album Grizzly and Kostolom. “Viking” off Grizzly brought a different flavor, opening with a ritualistic atmosphere before exploding into tribal drums and war-ready aggression. One of the night’s most chaotic crowd moments came during “Bratva,” off Kostolom when the floor split down the middle for a full wall of death. As the track dropped, both sides charged into each other in a collision that instantly reignited the pit and sent the room into complete madness.
Video by : 🔪NotSorryXReeses🖤
“Imdead,” which features Falling In Reverse vocalist Ronnie Radke on record, translated into pure mayhem live, while “Babayka” leaned into dark folklore energy with a slow, haunting buildup before detonating into a devastating breakdown. “Bratva” all of Grizzly and “Baba Yaga” off Kostolom kept the momentum surging, with the latter drawing one of the loudest reactions of the night.
“Koschei” off Grizzly was fast, chaotic, and drenched in blackened intensity before a thunderous drum solo gave everyone a brief chance to catch their breath. Evgeny Novikov then delivered an explosive solo that pushed past two minutes, ripping through rapid-fire fills, crushing double bass, and relentless precision. The performance kept the room fully engaged and showcased the raw power driving Slaughter to Prevail’s live sound before the band launched back into the mayhem.
Video From: Chewie70
“Conflict” restarted the violence with a modern edge, while “Kid of Darkness” delivered nonstop aggression and punishing precision. “Behelit,” all off of Grizzly, inspired by the manga Berserk, brought a more epic and melodic layer without losing any of its heaviness.
Of course, there was only one way to close the night. Returning for an encore, the band launched into “Demolisher,” off of Kostolom and the venue lost its mind one final time. The infamous breakdown hit like a wrecking ball, capping off a set that was violent, theatrical, and exactly what the sold-out crowd came for. By night’s end, Slaughter to Prevail proved why they’ve become one of heavy music’s most unstoppable live attractions.
SLAUGHTER TO PREVAIL SETLIST:
- Bonebreaker
- Banditos
- Russian Grizzly in America
- Viking
- Imdead
- Babayka
- Bratva
- Baba Yaga
- Koschei
- Drum Solo
- Conflict
- Kid of Darkness
- Behelit
ENCORE - Demolisher
Website | Facebook | Instagram | X | Youtube | Spotify
WHITECHAPEL
Website | Facebook | Instagram | X | Youtube | Spotify
ATTILA
Website | Facebook | Instagram | X | Youtube | Spotify
Leave a Reply