Killswitch Engage entered the city of Albuquerque, New Mexico, forging a fire path, which was not hard to do, as we have been experiencing high temperatures for weeks. The summer tour was stacked with a killer lineup – opening bands Havok, Iron Reagan, and Machine Head. All bring their own chaos to the stage, setting up an intense night when Killswitch Engage hits the stage. 

Havok is a Colorado metal band that has graced stages around the world since 2004. Frontman and guitarist David Sanchez is the only original member of the band. Peter Webber, drummer, has been with the band since 2010. Joining them was Nick Schendzielos, bassist, and Brett Rechtfertig, lead guitarist.  

They entered the stage owning every floorboard to bring the crowd to the rail with their high-energy thrash metal, which prompted almost immediate crowd surfing and mosh pit circle-forming. They opened with the song “Point of No Return,” followed by “Fear Campaign” and “Fifth Generation Warfare.”  

To learn more about Havok, you can follow these links:

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Iron Reagan, a hybrid crossover thrash metal supergroup formed in 2012 by members of Municipal Waste, Cannabis Corpse, A.N.S., and Dark Hour, produced three albums and then suddenly went on hiatus in 2020, but they returned to the stage in 2025 with the original artists.  

When the band stepped on the stage, Tony Foresta ran out, jumped on a platform, and kept the crowd cheering from the very beginning. They brought the crowd to their feet, and many of them continued to crowd surf, and the band kept the mosh pits going from start to finish. They opened their song with “Paycheck,” then “Drop the Gun” and “Insanity Pleas(E)?” 

In the fall of 2026, they have an EP release coming titled “Demonetization” that you can preorder now. 

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Machine Head has forged a heavy metal empire as they grew out of the Oakland, California, metal scene in 1991. They have never looked back at the destruction and mayhem that happens when reaching the top. 11 albums later, they still bring that energy to the stage with the most recent album in 2025 titled Unatoned. Robb Flynn, vocalist, is the only original member of the band and is the driving force keeping the band focused on its original task. Flynn, who jokingly calls his voice style “Barking in Key,” has created a style that makes the band unique.  

The setup before the band even hit the stage was impressive, with a huge split drum set rolled into massive light structures; the crowd knew they had entered a second chapter of the night. As the band entered the stage, the crowd noise rose, the stage lit up, and for almost an hour, the band played continuously, not letting you grab a breath. Crowd surfing was at a high, and the crowd was totally entertained. Opening their show with “Imperium,” followed by “CHØKE ØN THE ASHES ØF YØUR HATE” and “Game Over.” After a ten-song set, they left the crowd asking for more when they left the stage. 

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Killswitch Engage, formed in 1999 in Westfield, Massachusetts, took on the East Coast metalcore. After nine albums, they now draw crowds of record numbers. Jesse Leach, vocalist since 1999, along with Mike D’Antonio, bassist, Joel Stroeltzel and Adam Dutkiewicz, guitarists, all original members with Justin Foley, drummer since 2003, have brought Killswitch Engage to an award-winning band and nominated for many awards nationwide.  

At the changeover of bands, the crowd waited for the headliner to enter the stage with anticipation. There was a delay; the crowd sang along with the venue’s music blasting over the speakers, multiple chants calling out “Killswitch” between songs. It was apparent that there was a technical issue. Then the lights went dark, and the music came up, and the band entered the stage; the crowd went crazy, and as soon as the music started, there was cheering, singing along with the band, and a full flow of fans crowd surfed as they performed. Leach jumped on and off stage, into the pit, taking pictures with fans, giving fans a high five, and connecting with the crowd with each song. These are things that create the community the band has fostered with fans.   

For more about Killswitch Engage, check out these links and follow them – go grab your copy of their recent album titled This Consequence:

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