Lamb of God Leave Riverside in Ruins

Photos and words by Charles Yozgott

Lamb Of God are supporting the might Pantera on tour and have a few special dates as headliner in-between. On this particular night they stopped in Riverside, CA at the Riverside Municipal Auditorium and brought deathcore giants Suicide Silence and metalcore vets The Acacia Strain with them for the ride. These three bands tore the sold out house down and put on one hell of a show.

The Acacia Strain started the night with a good dose of crunchy riffs and crowd surfers. Lead singer Vincent Bennett got the audience going by telling them to go nuts while security braced themselves for bodies about to be flying over the barricade. These guys ripped through an amazing set that got the early birds blood pumping and wanting more.

Riverside legends Suicide Silence was up next and they kept the heavy metal going and brought it up a notch. Playing a range of hits such as “You Only Live Once”, “Unanswered”, and “Love Me to Death”, these guys put on a show for their hometown family and friends that was one to remember. Singer Eddie Hermida had the fans on the floor split up right down the middle and perform a wall of death at one point. It’s safe to say that the Riverside Municipal Auditorium was shaking like never before. The venue was fully packed at this time and the love that was shown to the hometown heroes was overwhelming. Suicide Silence wasn’t planing on playing in Riverside on their upcoming tour but when this opportunity showed up they couldn’t say no. Catch these guys on tour with Chelsea Grin this October and November with I AM and Peeling Flesh!

The curtains closed at the auditorium and the anticipation grew as the time came closer for heavy metal titans Lamb Of God. This was one of eight off days for these guys and they made the best of it. The lights went down and the start of “Memento Mori” began with Randy Blyth’s voice filling the auditorium. The curtains opened up and the sold out venue went nuts. Randy’s freshly shaved head glistened in the bright lights as they went into “Ruin” off of 2003s As The Palaces Burn and then “Walk With Me In Hell” from 2006s Sacrament.

Bassist John Campbell has his white hair flowing back and forth as he moves his head side to side with the rhythm during “Resurrection Man” off their 2020 self titled album and “Ditch” off of their latest album Omens. Guitarist Willie Adler and guitarist Mark Morton made it look easy playing heavy riffs from “Now You’ve Got Something To Die For” and “Contractor” as drummer Art Cruz kept the beat going. They closed out the night with the opening track from Ashes of the Wake “Laid To Rest” and finished with their closer “Redneck”. Another epic show from one of the biggest metal bands in the world and the fact they headlined a show at the Riverside Municipal Auditorium which only holds 1,400 people maximum was something special. Be sure to catch these guys opening up for legends Pantera before it’s too late.

Suicide Silence

The Acacia Strain