Concert Reviews
Seether Live Review Pittsburgh, PA
With Skillet, Tim Montana, and Royale Lynne
The sun dipped behind the silhouette of Pittsburgh’s legendary Mount Washington, leaving Stage AE, PNC Park, and Acirsure Stadium (forever known as Heinz Field) in the long shadows of the first full day of fall. The line of fans waiting to enter Stage AE wrapped around the building and down the entire block as the anticipation rose.
The powerhouse rock band Seether plowed through Pittsburgh tonight, fresh off the release of their ninth studio album, The Surface Seems So Far, which dropped on September 20. The album’s electrifying opening track, “Judas Mind,” has already climbed to No. 5 on the rock radio charts, showcasing the band’s ability to consistently deliver hard-hitting anthems.
Originally hailing from Pretoria, South Africa, Seether has forged a legacy in the world of rock radio with hits like “Broken,” “Fake It,” and “Words as Weapons.” Over their more than 20-year career, the band has earned five gold and platinum albums while dominating the Billboard Rock Airplay charts with over two dozen Top 10 hits, including an astounding 20 No. 1 singles on U.S. radio. Their influence extends beyond music, as the rock quartet founded the annual Rise Above Fest, which ran for nearly a decade, raising awareness for suicide prevention and mental health advocacy.
Also sharing the stage tonight was the fiery Christian rockband Skillet, hailing from Memphis, Tennessee, known for their high-energy performances, pyrotechnics, and stage show. Support acts for the evening included Tim Montana and Royale Lynne rounding out the evening of unforgettable music and raw passionate performances.
SKILLET:
With their upcoming November 1st, 2024 release date for the new album “Revolution” on the horizon Skillet commanded the attention of their fans. The crowd were given a captivating light show and frontman/bassist John Cooper’s use of some Cryo Cannons made sure the audience were “Awake and Alive.” Delivering hit songs such as opener “Invincible” and “Monster” the band showcased favorites of their catalog. Never ones to shy away from their faith the band delivered a sometimes “Unpopular” opinion of their “Hero” with a message of unity and hope between songs and focused on how music brings us all together. Korey Cooper (guitar), Jen Ledger (drums) and Seth Morrison (guitar) each delivered a high energy performance that the band has become known for. With 11 albums under their belt that have garnered Grammy nominations, multi platinum sales and numerous awards there is no doubt the upcoming new album will provide another solid track list.
SEETHER:
As Seether took the stage it was bathed in shadow, only to erupt into a blaze of backlights and video screens as the opening riff of “Gasoline” ignited the night. The audience, clad in a sea of band tees, and raised fists, swayed and shouted in sync with Shaun Morgan’s raw vocals. The grinding guitars pierced the venue, setting the tone for what would be an electrifying performance.
As the final note of “Gasoline” rang out, Morgan the acoustic strumming of “Fine Again” floated over the crowd. The song, an anthem of resilience, from the bands 2000 album Fragile hit harder than ever, with the crowd belting out every lyric, their voices merging with Morgan’s in a powerful chorus of survival and hope.
Next, the lights dimmed even further as Seether transitioned into their haunting ballad “Broken,” a track that still tugs at the heartstrings nearly two decades after its release. Phones lit up the crowd like stars as fans swayed, as they relived memories tied to this timeless hit.
Without missing a beat, Seether cranked the energy back up with “Country Song,” its infectious groove sending the audience into a frenzy. As the band seamlessly moved into “Wasteland,” the crowd’s energy never wavered, the gritty, distorted chords and pounding drums driving the momentum forward.
Midway through the set, Morgan took a moment to share a few words about the personal meaning behind “Rise Above This.” The song, dedicated to his late brother, has long served as a beacon of hope for fans struggling with mental health, and the crowd’s reverence during the performance was palpable. The collective voices lifted the chorus like a battle cry, giving the song even more emotional weight.
As the band unleashed “Nobody Praying for Me,” its dark, brooding tones echoed throughout the venue, setting a somber mood, but it was quickly shattered by the adrenaline-pumping “Dangerous.” The new hit from Seether’s latest album The Surface Seems So Far.
Then the band unleashed the heavy-hitting single from their newest album “Judas Mind,” which has already rocketed up the charts. The relentless riff reverberated through the crowd who chanted along to the chorus, as if reclaiming their own inner battles.
Seether wasn’t done yet. The mega-hit “Fake It” exploded through the speakers next, its rebellious energy and unforgettable chorus igniting the crowd into a frenzied sing-along. As the band shredded through the final notes, the fans roared for more, and Seether delivered one last knockout punch with their iconic closer, “Remedy.” The air was thick with adrenaline as the crowd gave their all, headbanging and shouting the lyrics at the top of their lungs, feeding off the sheer intensity of the band’s performance.
By the end of the set, the night felt electric and alive with the lingering energy of a band that had poured their heart and soul into every note. Seether had returned to Pittsburgh, not just to play a show, but to remind the crowd why their music continues to resonate so deeply, leaving a lasting impression that would be felt long after the last chord faded into the night.
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Wed13 is on tour now with Above Snakes and they bring the Halloween spirit and a good time.
This was my first time getting to see Above Snakes and they put on a good show, they get the crowd pumped and ready for the show and adding a lil cover mix of popular 90s songs deff got the crowd even more into it. The lead singer kinda reminds me a lil of Edsel from Dope but with a little bit of his own personal flavor. The band deff has a great sound and got the crowd pumped up.
Wednesday 13 brought the spooky stage set with him with pumpkins and all kinds of spooky stuff. I love when it’s a headliner show cause you know you’re gonna get much more than an opening short set. I love that they played “Ghost of Vincent Price” right into “Something wicked, this way comes”.
We also got to hear the classics and some murderdolls songs as well. Wednesday brought back the backwards mask of himself and the headless version of him, and he threw out candy this time from a bucket not from the nether regions.
It was great to see the full band, and hanging out with my good buddy Ashes and his new stage grill he wearing. Such a great show as always and a great time getting to see Wednesday 13 play but see him during the spooky season just makes it better.
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NATHAN JAMES AND GENITORTURERS CAME INTO BALTIMORE BRINGING SOME METAL, SOME MOSHING AND SOME SEXY PEOPLE.
Before Nathan James hit the stage, Empire Extreme got to sit down and talk to him about the tour, music, career changes and movies. Check it out below.
This was my first time seeing Nathan James live and I was excited to check out his style of nu nu metal. His energy and stage presence is amazing and he just commands the stage and gets the fans super hype. Though his music is very agro aggressive at times, Nathan himself is a very soft spoken and just an all around nice guy. I love that during his rendition of Pure Imagination he had an all female mosh pit. It was great to see him interact with his fans as well. Such an awesome show.
Of course when it comes to Genitorturers you’re gonna get some skin and sin. Which is what we all want. Gen looked and sounded amazing and the set was a good blend of classics with a few new ones added in. This is a tour you don’t wanna miss, when it comes to your city go and check it out.
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A Twenty-Year Assault in the Basement
There’s something almost cruel about scheduling a show this heavy on a Sunday night. But when Boston’s Revocation rolled into New Kensington for their “20 Years of Torment” tour, the Preserving Underground faithful didn’t seem to care about Monday morning. They came to worship at the altar of technical death metal, and the four-band bill delivered a sermon in pure brutality.
Preserving Underground is a record shop and venue housed in a former church which has become a vital hub for Pittsburgh’s heavy music scene. With its intimate main stage, a record store on the first floor, and the basement venue there’s an undeniable charm in seeing a band as technically demanding as Revocation in a room this size. The lack of distance between band and crowd makes the musicianship hit differently. You’re not watching from the nosebleeds; you’re standing close enough to see every fretboard contortion, every stick hit, every bead of sweat.
Weeping: A Suffocating Start
New Jersey’s Weeping opened the night with a set that lived up to their name, suffocatingly heavy sludge and death-doom that felt like standing in a tar pit. The band’s crushing tempos and sudden bursts of chaotic blast beats set the tone for what was to come: no filler, no crowd-pleasing banter, just pure sonic weight. For a band tasked with warming up a room on a Sunday, they did the opposite. They made it feel like the walls were closing in.
Fuming Mouth: Buzzsaw Death Metal
Massachusetts’ Fuming Mouth followed with an entirely different kind of assault. Their HM-2 fueled nasty, grinding, buzzsaw guitar tone is the kind of thing that makes the hairs on your arm stand up, and live, those riffs hit like a freight train. The band’s blend of death metal and metallic hardcore brought the energy, but the band’s frontman was all punk attitude. The pit was off and running (or two-stepping), from the first song and frontman Mark Whelan, threatened the crowd to keep it up all set. Fuming Mouth is one of those bands that sounds massive on record but somehow even bigger live. A testament to the sheer force of their delivery.
Defeated Sanity: Technical Devastation
Germany’s Defeated Sanity were the night’s wild card for anyone unfamiliar with their catalog, but by the end of their set, it was clear why they were on this bill. Technical brutal death metal is a niche within a niche, and Defeated Sanity occupies a space in that niche all their own. Mind-bending time signatures? Yes. Slam riffs that land with the impact of a demolition ball? Absolutely. The band’s precision was staggering—the kind of performance that makes you wonder how four humans can lock into patterns this complex without derailing entirely. For fans of extreme technicality, this was a masterclass.
Revocation: Twenty Years of Torment, Zero Signs of Fatigue
And then came the main event.
Revocation has been at this for two decades now. Empire of the Obscene dropped in 2008, and since then, Dave Davidson and company have released seven more albums of increasingly intricate, aggressive, and gloriously heavy music . The “20 Years of Torment” tour is a celebration of that legacy, and the band treated the Preserving crowd to a set that spanned their entire discography.
From the moment the band took the stage, the energy in the room was relentless. Davidson’s guitar work remains a thing of wonder. The way he shifts between technical precision, thrash riffing, death metal groove, and wild, almost jazzy solos without ever losing the thread is why he’s one of the most respected guitarists in modern extreme metal . His signature red guitar, with matching Nikes cut through the mix with razor clarity.
But if there’s one member of Revocation who deserves more recognition coming out of this show, it’s Ash Pearson. The drummer is criminally underrated. Watching him live makes it obvious how much he contributes to the band’s sound. His speed and precision are impressive, sure, but it’s the control and feel that stand out even with a photographer hassling him at the kit (not me)… He can unleash absolute hell when the song demands it, yet everything stays locked in and musical. The double-kick work was ridiculous. The transitions were razor sharp. Pearson has been behind the kit for years, and he deserves to be mentioned alongside the more celebrated drummers in modern extreme metal.
The newer additions to the lineup: rhythm guitarist Harry Lannon and bassist Alex Weber have clearly gelled with Davidson and Pearson. Lannon’s rhythm work provides a rock-solid foundation that allows Davidson to soar, while Weber’s bass lines were thick and propulsive throughout the set. The current iteration of Revocation is firing on all cylinders.
The set-list drew from across the band’s catalog, with a healthy dose of material from the new album, New Gods, New Masters. That record that was released in 2025 and finds the band exploring themes of AI and its detrimental effect on us, along with the technological dystopia, and the human tendency to worship new gods of our own creation. This came with the exception of bassist Alex Weber’s use of it. Which got called out on stage by singer Dave Davidson. Songs like “Confines of Infinity” and “Dystopian Vermin” translated live with crushing intensity, their lyrical paranoia matched by the music’s unrelenting aggression.
Revocation’s music is extreme for extreme times, as Davidson has said. Tonight, in a converted church basement in New Kensington, that mission statement felt more relevant than ever.
The Verdict
Four bands. Four distinct approaches to heaviness. One unforgettable Sunday night.
Revocation’s “20 Years of Torment” tour is a victory lap for a band that has spent two decades refining their craft without ever compromising their intensity. If you have the chance to catch this tour, don’t hesitate. And if you haven’t been to Preserving Underground yet, you’re missing out on one of the most vital venues Pittsburgh has to offer.
SETLIST
– Nihilistic Violence
– Scorched Earth Policy
– Fracked
– Confines of Infinity
– The All Seeing
– Data Corpse
– Of Unworldly Origin
– Dismantle the Dictator
– Chaos of Forms
– Summon the Spawn
– Only the Spineless Survive
– Bound by Desire
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Wednesday 13 invades Harrisburg bringing in the spooky season and lots of fun.
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