Jul 10, 20232 min read

Klash In The Bay: Kreator & Sepultura Reign From The Regency Ballroom

Hell hit San Francisco as new and established greats towered over a sold-out crowd.

kreator, death metal — Photograph by Vanessa Caron-Cantin

Text, Photos by Vanessa Caron-Cantin (@xvanx):

With their Violent Mind mascot towering above smoke and a vibrant sea of fans, Kreator establish a commanding presence that encapsulates the power of their recently concluded North American Tour. The German thrash icons were joined by labelmates Sepultura, Death Angel, and fast-rising Spiritworld for an exquisite touring bill of grand sound and visual allure. Their San Francisco tour stop at The Regency Ballroom was a raging spectacle characterized for the musicianship and showmanship by all involved. These shots are but a glance of what transpired that evening.

Adorned by their signature Charro outfits, Spiritworld set the venue ablaze with selections from their two heavy-hitting full-lengths: Pagan Rhythms (2021) and DEATHWESTERN (2022). They utilized every inch of the stage, tearing through riff after electrifying riff from their catalog, followed by an equally explosive Death Angel, who built off the Bay Area support that was present. With an extensive catalog to choose from, attendees were treated to their celebrated evolution from The Ultra-Violence (1987) to Humanicide (2019). Each band was in their prime and set the stage for the latter half of the show.

Death Angel Photo Gallery

Spirit World Photo Gallery

Sepultura stormed on and breathed new life into Quadra (2020) while looking back at the band's yesteryear in the form of Arise (1991), Chaos A.D. (1993), and Roots (1996). Andreas Kisser and co. were on a joyous rampage, sounding crisp and tight knit as they were met by great cheer. Kreator, led by mastermind Mille Petrozza, took the atmosphere to new heights with a career-spanning set reflective of their legacy on the genre. Obscured in brief moments by smoke and somber lights, Kreator capitalized on the great optics and paired the mastery of their instrumentation with a strong visual. People of the Lie, Enemy of God, Satan Is Real, 666 - World Divided, Flag of Hate, and a closing Pleasure To Kill made welcome appearances throughout this momentous tour stop, providing much in the realm of variation. The titans were certainly on display that night.