Belphegor Brings Ritualistic Blackened Death Metal to Brick by Brick
with Incantation, Hate & Narcotic Wasteland for Praise the Beast North America Tour
Opening the night was Narcotic Wasteland, the project led by guitarist and vocalist Dallas Toler-Wade, widely known for his nearly two-decade tenure with technical death metal pioneers Nile.
The band delivered an aggressive set rooted in classic death metal and thrash influences. Toler-Wade’s unmistakable growl, along with the bassist’s use of an impressive eight-string bass, stood out throughout the set.
Despite being the first act of the night, Narcotic Wasteland effectively set the tone for the rest of the evening.
Polish extreme metal Hate followed with a darker and more atmospheric performance. Their set leaned heavily into blackened death metal territory, with tight blast beats and ominous guitar work creating a dense wall of sound.
By the time Incantation took the stage, the room at Brick by Brick had filled noticeably.
The New York death metal legends delivered exactly what fans expected: a crushing, uncompromising set. The band’s sound filled Brick by Brick with a thick, oppressive atmosphere, reminding the audience why they remain such an influential name in the genre decades into their career.
Headliners Belphegor closed the evening with a performance that felt closer to a ritual than a traditional metal show.
Frontman Helmuth Lehner commanded the stage with a theatrical presence. The band’s movements and poses felt deliberate, reinforcing the dark ceremonial aesthetic that has long defined Belphegor’s live performances.
Lehner appeared on stage holding a goat skeleton, a visual moment that pushed the performance further into ritualistic territory and amplified the band’s occult imagery.
Musically, the band delivered a tight set drawing from across their discography, including staples such as The Procession, Baphomet, The Devil’s Son and new single Sanctus Diaboli Confidimus”. Belphegor continues to prove why they remain one of the most enduring forces in blackened death metal.
