DEICIDE – Death Metal in DTLV

Deicide – Rotting Christ – Immolation
Fremont Country Club
Las Vegas, Nevada
Monday, April 13^th, 2026

Firstly, I would like to point out that I really love how the venue and promoters had set up Backstage Bar & Billiards and Fremont Country Club for this show. They had attendees enter Backstage where they had the band’s merch set up, leaving the Fremont Country Club floor entirely open for watching the band. On nights where they only have performers on one stage this is an excellent use of the two venues. I can think of a few reasons that this wouldn’t always work but it did here. If this was your idea you deserve a raise. You can’t see it but I’m saluting you through the screen.

The first band to take the stage were New York-based band Immolation. Formed in 1988, but with additional history baked in with bands Defcon and Rigor Mortis. After a few demos they were signed in the mad scramble by Monte Conner of Roadrunner and other labels to sign death metal bands, like were Tigger bouncing on Rabbit’s carrot patch. Joking of course (only a little) but Roadrunner Records did sign many important death metal acts in the late 80’s and early 90’s including another band called Deicide that you may have heard of – I don’t know but they’re kind of important, just saying. This period is an interesting bit of extreme metal history I do suggest exploring if you’re not already familiar.

Immolation’s influence was solidified as early as their debut, ‘Dawn of Possession’ in 1991 but I have to say it – I love their guitar work. As heavy as they are, it’s the melodic movement within the riffs that really gets me. It’s not melodic death metal – but death metal now with more melody if that makes sense. Not to mention the two ESP Arrows wielded by Robert Vigna and Alex Bouks are really selling me on getting one and the last thing I need in this economy is another guitar. Weirdly this was the first time I’ve seen Immolation and now I can’t wait to see them again.

If you’re looking to find out what this Immolation band you keep hearing about sounds like pick up their latest release ‘Decent’ out on Nuclear Blast.

Rotting Christ is the one band on this bill I have seen before. At the 2022 edition of Psycho Fest at Resorts World, I was up way past my bedtime to see them on the Ayu Dayclub stage, and it ended up being one of the highlights of the festival for me, and one of many bands performing that festival that I was able to cross off the bucket list. 

I was put onto them about twenty years ago by a friend who sought to graduate me out of black metal 101 and showed me bands in the genre that aren’t the obvious ones that even your coworker has now heard of by now. The melodic soundscape set to ritualistic rhythms pioneered Hellenic black metal – a style to the genre that over all utilizes a warmer tone compared to Scandinavia fitting for their country of origin, Greece.

Their style has shifted over the years from the earliest days as a grindcore band and later exploring more melodic and gothic elements. Most of the time I’ve been a listener they’ve spent exploring traditional Greek instrumentation, as well as ancient Greek and Latin language, and exploring pagan wisdom writing songs that are part ritual part war chant and an interesting take on black metal.

Rotting Christ is made up of founding members and brothers Sakis Tolis (guitars & vocals) and Themis Tolis (drums), as well as Kostas Heliotis (bass) and Kostis Foukarakis (guitars) since 2019 and make up a solid band live. No notes. Do not sleep on seeing Rotting Christ the next time they make their way through to your corner of the world.

If you want to hear the Hellenic war chants and pagan rituals for yourself, check out ‘Pro Xristou’ out on Seasons of Mist.

We’ve already briefly mentioned Deicide in the history portion of this write up and it goes without saying that Deicide has been an important band in death metal history. I have very little patience or interest in covering controversies, but Deicide had been making a fuss even before their self-titled debut released in 1990 on Roadrunner. Before the label asked them to change their name they were making news stories under the moniker Amon. Then there was the branding, and Glen Benton being a Florida man behaving like a Florida man. Et Cetera, et cetera.

Often spoken in the same breath as Cannibal Corpse as the giants of old school death metal, Deicide has as of 2024 released 13 full-length records. My first introduction to Deicide was picking up their 2004 release ‘Scars of the Crucifix’ and all my friends in high school hated it. Well, not all of them but the ones I’d torment by putting it on full blast out of nowhere hated it. I’m not sorry. Come to think of it I’m surprised I’ve not done this to my wife. Hmm…

Even when my tastes changed and I was looking for something else either in death metal or extreme metal in general Deicide remained the straightforward ‘I want to blast death metal on an hour drive and have a great time’ band. Many a drive from Morgan City to Houma, Louisiana were spent blasting Deicide at loud volumes and I’m surprised I was never pulled over.

So why is this the first time I’ve seen Deicide? Work – it’s always work or in more recent years, children. The only real downside was that frontman Glen Benton’s high screams aren’t what I’m used to on records, but at the same time I’m shrugging my shoulders wondering if I even care. They were still damn ferocious and it’s not like I’m getting on stage and doing any better.

Check out 2024’s ‘Banished by Sin’ for Florida death metal men being Florida death metal men through Reining Phoenix Music.

Overall, this was a show that I’m glad we made it out for. Would it have been better if it were part of the over arching Behemoth tour? Sure, that would have been killer but I’m perfectly happy that these three legendary acts made a stop in Las Vegas on a Monday, and I hope we get a look in again sooner rather than later.

Cheers and Hail Santa,
Ethan

PHOTO CREDIT: Live photos by Courtney Ware for ZRockR Magazine – @2026 – All Rights Reserved.