by Angelica Dulany | April 20th , 2024

All images are from Thy Art is Murder’s Godlike North American Tour in Chicago, IL on 4/20/24.

Photo by Angelica Dulany | @angelica.dulany

Thy Art is Murder and Angelmaker absolutely tore up the stage at the Chicago stop on the Godlike tour at the House of Blues. The vibes were electric, the crowd was pumping, & the breakdowns were heavy. No eardrum was left unscathed by the storm of metal that was unleashed.

Based in Australia, Thy Art Is Murder, is a powerhouse death-core band formed in 2006. The band is fueled by the fiery intensity of guitarists Andy Marsh and Sean Delander, the thunderous rhythm section, anchored by bassist Kevin Butler and drummer Jesse Beahler, and the relentless vocals of Tyler Miller. Though CJ McMahon's departure leaves a void for some fans, Thy Art Is Murder continues to push the boundaries of extreme metal with their ferocity and uncompromising sound. With their head-banging riffs, guttural vocals, and nonstop energy, they're like the heavyweight champions of modern metal. They don't just play music; they summon primal chaos from themselves and their crowds. Thy Art Is Murder isn't for the faint of heart—it's for those who crave intensity, aggression, and a little bit of darkness in their lives.

Hailing from the other side of the hemisphere in Vancouver, Canada, Angelmaker is a killer deathcore band that formed in 2011. At the forefront is a duo of captivating vocalists, Mike Greenwood and Casey-Tyson Pearce, backed by the intricate riffs and breakdowns of guitarists Matt Perrin, Johnny Ciardullo and Colton Bennett, and driving rhythm of bassist Cole Rideout and drummer Steven Sanchez. Angelmaker brings a uniquely potent and powerful blend of deathcore and metalcore to the world, that prove themselves to be a force to be reckoned with in the metal scene.

The House of Blues was rocked by openers Snuffed on Sight and Signs of the Swarm before Angelmaker took the stage with track ‘I Long For Rest’, starting off their truly fiery performance—moshpits immediately opening up and the crowd abruptly locked in. The combination of visceral growls and piercing screams between Mike and Casey had the room entranced, while thunderous breakdowns from the rest of the band undeniably rocked the floor. The band kept the audience captivated and moving throughout their whole set before they closed with their fan-favored tracks ‘What I Would Give’ and ‘Leech’.

After Angelmaker officially primed the audience, Thy Art is Murder emerged and took control with the single ‘Destroyer of Dreams’ off their newest album, immediately shaking the House of Blues floor yet again. Tyler spent little time chatting with the crowd, and most time brutally screaming into their souls, giving no one a break from his unrelenting growls and the band’s chaos inducing breakdowns. Sweaty bodies constantly collided in the large pit that formed in the middle of the floor, while body after body was thrusted towards the stage above the heads of exhilarated humans. One notable body that was raised up was that of a Johnsburg Walmart meat and produce employee, Christian, who went viral in a featured employee post his Walmart made, whilst he donned face tattoos, piercings, his Walmart vest and a Thy Art is Murder shirt, which is what gained the attention from the band. The band then reposted Christian requesting that Walmart give him the day off to attend the show in Chicago, free of charge if he came in his blue vest—which is then exactly what he did. Christian thrashed with the crowd, was flown up to the front, and got to end his night meeting and hanging out with the bands. But no one was untouched, shockwaves were sent through the entire crowd with each riff that was wrought with aggression. The band annihilated the rest of their set, closing with killer tracks, ‘Reign of Darkness’ and ‘Puppet Master’ that brutally finished the crowd, which is exactly what they wanted.