Starting off the show was Aviana. Aviana is a metalcore band from Gothenburg, Sweden. Aviana creates their own style of metal by blending progressive guitar leads with modern actor breakdowns that’s has become beloved across the Scandinavian metal scene. The band is currently signed with Arising Empire and currently consist of vocalist Joel Holmqvist and three masked members known as “Fear” and “Death” on guitar and the drummer known as “Dark”. Dark, Death and Fear wear all black outfits with hoods with unique white masks that are brand new since the latest release of their new track“Storm Ablaze” which was released on January 30th of this year. Aviana has recently been making more trips to the states to grow their name by opening for metalcore heavyweights Invent Animate and Silent Planet. Holmqvist displayed his vocal range in the song “Rage” from their 2022 album ‘Corporation’. The chorus usually has Holmqvist doing clean vocals, but in this live performance he unleashed screams of extreme lows and highs.
Multiple fans were left in awe how impressive his vocals were. Aviana knows how to pick up the energy especially during the song “My Worst Enemy” from their 2019 album ‘Epicenter’. Holmqvist had the crowd get low to the ground before the breakdown. Fear And Death eerily pointed down silently as their way of saying get down. Holmqvist signaled the crowd to bounce to the sky as Fear and Death dropped an earth shattering breakdown. All while Dark smashed away on the snare and the vibrations shook everyone to their core. Aviana ended the set with “Obsession” and Holmqvist demanded the crowd to bring Hell. Upon the final breakdown, the crowd moshed and swung their arms like it was a martial arts event. Aviana graced another crowd with an epic performance and fans hope to see Aviana come back to America as soon as possible.
Next up to take the stage was Aussie band Windaker. Windwaker is an Australian metalcore band that originated in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales but now is based out of Melbourne. Windwaker fuses elements of electronic and hip hop with metalcore to create their unique new take on the genre. It has caught the attention of people all over the world as fans pull up in droves to see the emerging stars. The band is currently signed to Fearless Records and currently consists of vocalist Liam Guinane, guitarist Justin Kuerntjes, bassist Indy Salvestro, keyboardist Connor Robins and drummer Chris Lalic. This set was one giant dance party from the start. The band took the stage and Guinane demanded full crowd participation and to start dancing and moshing. They kicked off the set with “Dopamine Freestyle”, a song from their 2022 debut album ‘Love Language’. It starts off with Guinane hitting us with intense screams accompanied by Kuerntjes and Salvestro giving us an early breakdown with Robins chipping in with Windwaker’s speciality of dripping electronic synth on the keyboard.
Guinane put his rap skills to use with the song “Tabula Rasa” from their hit album “HYPERVIOLENCE” that was released on July 12th, 2024. Guinane was rapping at light speed, but it was even more impressive how he seamlessly transitioned from rapping to screaming. Windwaker slowed things down during the song “Venom” as the crowd put their hands up in the air and swayed them left to right. One fan took her shoes off and waved them around because they had LED RGB lights on them. Guinane showed off his clean vocals and serenaded the crowd throughout the slowest verse, but that would not last long as he yelled at the crowd to cut it out and split the room in half. When Lalic smashed the snare drum and the breakdown hit, the crowd ran full force into each other. Unfortunately, I was sort of pushed into that. Guinane claimed this show as the best crowd on tour so far and it was time for the last song “SIRENS”. Fans eagerly await to see more of the emerging legends in Windwaker.
Claiming the stage next was Like Moths To Flames. Like Moths To Flames is an American metalcore band from Columbus, Ohio. They are currently signed to UNFD and bless fans with the classic modern metalcore sound of heavy intense screams and breakdowns complemented by clean choruses and bouncy guitar leads. Like Moths To Flames has supported metalcore heavyweights such as Polaris, Currents and The Devil Wears Prada. The group formed in 2010 by members of a multitude of different bands, but now consist of vocalist Chris Roetter, guitarists Zach Pishney and Cody Cavanaugh and drummer Roman Garcia. Like Moths To Flames has released six studio albums with their most recent being 'The Cycles Of Trying To Cope' which was released on May 10th, 2024 which was quickly followed up by a single called “Soul Exchange” which released on October 3rd, 2024. Roetter led the band onto the stage and immediately demanded the crowd to follow his lead. He specifically yelled at the crowd “JUMP WHEN I SAY JUMP”.
They started off the set with “Habitual Decline”, a song from their 2020 record ‘No Eternity In Gold’. It started off with an eerie guitar lead from Pishney and Cavanaugh that led into Roetter nailing harsh screams, and Garcia blasting away on the kicks. The crowd was jumping and moshing until the chorus hit and everyone stopped and threw their hands up and sang along. Like Moths To Flames fans moshes like the band was never coming back. The band didn’t come to New York City as much as they used to. The last time they came to NYC was when they supported Currents in May 2023 at the same venue. Fans take advantage of the opportunity each time. Fans took control of the show when the song “I Solemnly Swear” was played. This song has their most iconic callout and when it was time the crowd deafened the venue. After that Roetter had everyone sway their hands from left right and specifically called everyone to stop being lazy. For the last song the band demanded everyone to mosh, jump and crowd surf. They performed “Bury Your Pain”, a staple closing song for their sets. Fans toppled over the barricade crowd surfing as security struggled to handle the volume. They had to call back up and keep everyone safe and sound. Just like that Like Moths To Flames turned up the heat on another show, perfectly warming up the crowd for the headliner.
It was the moment everyone was waiting for. It was time for Make Them Suffer to take the stage for their 9th straight sold out show. NYC has anticipated this show since its announcement as it only took a couple weeks after announcement to fully sell out. Make Them Suffer is an Australian metalcore band from Perth that formed in 2008. Make Them Suffer is currently signed to Sharptone Records and currently consists of vocalist Sean Harmanis, guitarist Nick McLernon, bassist Jaya Jeffery, keyboardist Alex Reade and drummer Jordan Mather. Make Them Suffer is as modern metalcore as it gets. The overpowering screams compounded with brutal guitar riffs and breakdowns. Adding in clean choruses that people can’t help but sing along to is what gets the crowd even more amped up. Make Them Suffer is unique as they have keyboards as one of the main focus of making music. This was put into full effect on their latest self-titled record that was released on November 8th, 2024. Make Them Suffer gained notoriety after opening for massive acts such as Bad Omens, Parkway Drive and ERRA. Now Make Them Suffer has over 800k monthly listeners on Spotify and the numbers keep climbing. The band kicked off their set with “Epitaph” , a single from their aforementioned self-titled record. The lights went out and the intro music to the song began playing.
The band took the stage and Harmanis began swinging his arm in there and let out the first of many growls to the song. The lights rapidly flashed white like a flashbang and the pit began opening up as fans got the party started. Harmanis shows off his iconic screams through the verses which led to Reade’s angelic choruses as she played the keyboard. This song had super bouncy riffs from McLernon that had the whole crowd off their feet. Harmanis began two stepping in stage during their song “Bones” from their hit 2020 record “How To Survive A Funeral”. The crowd followed his lead as they two stepped to a verse that quickly picked up the pace. Harmanis yelled “PICK IT UP” as Mather kicked away on the drums at a rapid pace. The chorus hit and it was time for Harmanis to show off his clean vocals. They were quickly drowned by the voices of the crowd. The booming voices of the crowd drowned out everything else. This crowd was super passionate and having the time of their lives.
Harmanis got the crowd amped up when he asked if anyone listens to their latest record. The crowd erupted and Harmanis asked them to prove it. They fired up one of the heaviest tracks from that album “Mana God”. The crowd began a circle pit without being asked and the band began unleashing heavy riffs and basslines. Jeffery’s wicked bass work had the room shaking as it deeply rattled throughout the venue. An underrated component of their live performance is Reade’s backup vocals. We already know about her amazing cleans, but she is talented when it comes to backup screams. Her screams compliment Harmanis vocals perfectly and makes the group sound like a perfectly cohesive unit. Next up was “Ghost Of Me” and the whole crowd yelled the opening lyric “SEE YOU WHEN YOU HIT THE BOTTOM” and the pit grew wider as fans pushed and shoved throughout the song. Crowd surfers began flying into the air at the sing along part. Reade Began singing and quickly gave it away to the whole crowd to finish the song. The true chaos was just getting started as Harmanis demanded a wall of death for the breakdown of “Soul Decay”. The room split in half as far as it could; bodies began flying when everyone began moshing to the heavy breakdown from McLernon and Jeffery.
Pure insanity from the crowd was just scratching the surface. Next up was fan favorite song “Erase Me”. This song has accumulated over 28 million streams on Spotify. Harmanis demanded a circle pit and the crowd did not disappoint. The crowd spun like a cyclone until the chorus. Make Them Suffers most iconic chorus blares through the venue as the crowd competes with the band on who can sing louder. It was a dead even match as the band and crowd matched each other's energy to perfection. Make Them Suffer finished off the set with “Doomswitch”. They started an even larger wall of death to finish off the song. Harmanis unleashed a demonic scream and the crowd looked like a warzone. Make Them Suffer thanked the fires and waved goodbye.
The crowd chanted one more song and sure enough the band had an encore planned. They walked back on stage and gave the crowd a treat. They played a deep cut for their hardcore fans since day one. They closed out the night with “Widower” , a track from their 2012 debut album “Neverbloom”. The crowd went insane as they moshed to the end of the song. Just like that, Make Them Suffer finished out their first NYC headlining show on a sold out Saturday night. Make Them Suffer has a jammed packed 2025 as they travel to Europe and Australia to headline respective tours.
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