Chaos and Carnage: The Wiltern - Los Angeles, CA - 4/19/25
The 2025 edition of the Chaos and Carnage bulldozed through Los Angeles. This edition featured co-headlining sets by Dying Fetus and Cradle of Filth. Support came from Fleshgod Apocalypse, Ne Obliviscaris, Undeath, Vomit Forth, and Corpse Pile. A lineup like this was set to be a real banger attracting metalheads from all over SoCal. The fans were so excited for a huge lineup like this that the show ended up being sold out. This was set to be one of the best nights of the tour and it was barely the second stop on the tour.
Fleshgod Apocalypse is a symphonic death metal band from Italy. In 2024, they released their sixth album, Opera. The lights went out and the now packed venue cheered as the band members came out. The set started with Soprano vocalist Veronica Bordacchini singing the new album’s intro "Ode to Art (De' sepolcri)" with her incredibly beautiful soprano voice. All while holding the Italian flag. The band started their show with the new album’s first song, "I Can Never Die". Right away, you could hear the heaviness of their music. The combination of vocals between Bordacchini and guitarist/bassist Francesco Paoli was perfection. Fleshgod Apocalypse played a variety of songs including old and new. Some of those songs were “The Fool”, “Sugar”, and “The Violation”. The audience had no problem moshing to such heavy music. The final song of their performance was a cover of Eiffel 65’s “Blue (Da Ba Dee)”. A very interesting take on the song and one could even say is better than the original. Fleshgod Apocalypse left the stage and made way for two more amazing bands.
Cradle of Filth is an extreme/gothic metal band originally from England. On March 21, 2025, they released their fourteenth album, The Screaming of the Valkyries. The stage was setup, and the crowd went crazy as the lights went out and the band made their way to the stage. The first song performed was "To Live Deliciously", the first song from the new album. The ear-piercing shrieks from singer Dani Filth are undeniable and is something you could never get tired of hearing. The gothic tunes continued with classics like “The Forest Whispers My Name”, “She Is a Fire”, and “Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids”. The whole band was on point and the music is played beautifully live, easily making them one of the best metal bands to see live. One special song played was “Black Magick for Adepts” as this was the first time that the song was part of their setlist since the song was first released on the Midian album back in 2000. To end their eerie set, they played their most popular song, Her Ghost in the Fog. Always great to hear this song live and usually serves as their ending song. Cradle of Filth finished their set and made way for the headlining act of the tour.
Dying Fetus are, without a doubt, one of metal’s most brutal and heaviest bands. No matter where they go, they draw crowds and drive them wild. Their ninth studio album Make Them Beg for Death was released in 2023. Dying Fetus came out to a sold-out crowd and started their set with "Praise the Lord (Opium of the Masses)". The crowd still had plenty of energy left and wasted no time in giving Dying Fetus the biggest mosh pits of the night. Two more brutal tracks were played which were “Unbridled Fury” and “In the Trenches”. At one point, guitarist/vocalist John Gallagher demanded the audience that they give him a mosh pit on the floor and one on the first floor of the venue. The audience had no problem delivering the request. Up next was one of their most popular songs, "Wrong One to Fuck With". It didn’t matter what song they played. It all sounded brutal, and the audience loved every minute, whether they were headbanging, moshing, raising their horns or singing along. More death metal classics were played including “One Shot, One Kill”, “Grotesque Impalement”, and “Subjected to a Beating”. Gallagher’s deep guttural vocals were strong all night and he never lost his touch. The final song of their set was “Killing on Adrenaline”. The crowd kept moshing and even crowd surfers were making an appearance. The show came to an end as Dying Fetus thanked the audience for coming out then left the stage. The whole is a great metal package and anyone who loves metal should definitely go see this tour. It’s just getting started, so there’s still time to check out one or more of the dates.
