Live Nation and The Armory presents Amonklok Tour staring Dethklok Amon Amarth and Castle Rat

Review and photos by Kyle Hansen

Castle Rat lean heavily into a fantasy/doom-metal aesthetic—robes, characters, theatrical staging. Even in a stripped-down opener slot, that identity usually carries through.

At a venue like The Armory (large, cavernous, high-energy crowd), their set likely came across as:

• Visually distinctive compared to standard openers
• Condensed and punchy (roughly 30 minutes)
• Focused on a couple of their strongest, riff-driven tracks

Musically, they sit in a slower, doom-leaning space, which contrasts sharply with the more aggressive, high-tempo headliners. That contrast can either lose a crowd—or intrigue them. In this case, it seems to have done more of the latter.

Crowd reception

• They didn’t get ignored, which is the biggest hurdle for an opener
• The crowd energy built quickly despite the early slot
• Their theatrical angle helped them stand out immediately
• The line to their merch was amazing. Sold out of a lot of items.

People who showed up early didn’t just wait around—they engaged.

Strengths

• Stage presence: Their biggest asset. The costumed, narrative feel gives people something to latch onto within minutes.
• Identity: They don’t blur into the bill; you remember them.
• Efficiency: No wasted time—important in a short set.

Limitations

• Short runtime: Not enough room to fully build atmosphere or tell a complete “story”
• Scale mismatch: Their theatrical concept is more effective in mid-size venues than a huge room like The Armory
• Audience bias: A portion of the crowd is there strictly for the headliners

Verdict

Castle Rat delivered a strong, memorable opener set that exceeded the usual expectations for the first band on a major metal tour.

They didn’t steal the night—but they successfully converted attention into interest, which is exactly what an opener is supposed to do.

The show is described less as a normal concert and more as a full-scale metal spectacle—huge, theatrical, and crowd-driven.

• “less a concert and more a full-scale spectacle”
• a mix of “absurdity and brutality”
• and a “celebration of all things metal”

That’s very on-brand for Amon Amarth—but it sounds like this particular night fully delivered on that promise.

Performance + stage presence

Amon Amarth leaned hard into their Viking identity:

• Epic, battle-themed staging and atmosphere
• Big, communal crowd moments (especially rowing)
• Constant engagement rather than just playing through songs

Highlights how the entire night felt larger than life, with synchronized crowd participation and theatrical elements driving the experience .

Crowd energy

This is where the show really stood out.

• The crowd is described as massive and “turbulent” even before the set began
• Audience participation (like rowing during songs) turned the show into a shared event, not just a performance
• The vibe blended chaos and community—typical of Amon Amarth at their best

Setlist highlights

They played a career-spanning, fan-heavy set, including:

• “Shield Wall”
• “Put Your Back Into the Oar” (big crowd moment)
• “Raise Your Horns”
• “Twilight of the Thunder God” (closer)

About 1 hour 20 minutes total, starting around 7:50 PM .

How it compares to expectations

• Highly theatrical even for a metal show
• Designed to feel like an event or “experience”
• Successful in blending humor, spectacle, and heaviness

It also emphasizes how well the lineup worked together (Castle Rat + Dethklok + Amon Amarth), creating a multi-style metal showcase rather than a one-note night .

Bottom line

Amon Amarth at the Armory was a massive, crowd-driven Viking spectacle that delivered exactly what fans want—loud, theatrical, and communal.

Not subtle. Not experimental.
Just very effective at being huge and fun.

Dethklok’s set lands somewhere between a metal concert and a multimedia performance. It’s not trying to feel raw or spontaneous—it’s engineered to hit hard, fast, and visually.

And in a big room like The Armory, that approach actually works in their favor.

The defining feature of a Dethklok show:

• Huge animated visuals tied to Metalocalypse
• The band playing live in sync with those visuals
• Minimal traditional frontman interaction

That creates a different dynamic than a normal metal show:

• You’re watching a fully choreographed experience
• The humor, violence, and absurdity come from the screen
• The band’s job is to execute flawlessly underneath it

When it clicks, it feels massive.

Crowd energy

This is where Dethklok tends to surprise people.

Even with the screen-heavy setup:

• The pit activity is typically immediate and sustained
• Songs like “Thunderhorse” or “Murmaider” trigger big reactions
• Fans who know the show treat it almost like a shared inside joke

At The Armory, that translates to:
👉 loud, chaotic, but coordinated energy
👉 less “watching a band,” more “participating in a spectacle”

Strengths

1. Precision
Everything is tightly synced—music, visuals, timing. That gives the set a polished, almost cinematic feel.

2. Identity
No other band on the bill looks or feels like Dethklok. They stand out immediately.

3. Balance of humor and heaviness
They manage to be:

• legitimately heavy (fast, technical death metal)
• openly ridiculous at the same time

That contrast is the whole point—and it works.

How it fit the night

On a bill with Amon Amarth, the contrast is sharp:

• Amon Amarth = physical, communal, crowd-led
• Dethklok = visual, controlled, concept-driven

That difference actually helps the overall show feel bigger and more varied.

Verdict

Dethklok at The Armory works because it commits fully to its concept.

It’s not the most “live” feeling metal performance—but it’s:

• tight
• visually overwhelming
• and consistently entertaining

If you judge it like a traditional band, you’ll miss the point.
If you take it as a hybrid of concert + animated show, it’s one of the more distinctive live experiences in modern metal.