TORONTO (ON), Lee's Palace - 05/27/2026
This was easily one of the most anticipated underground shows in Toronto this year. May was supposed to be the city’s most intense month for extreme music, packed with major underground events. And while that was partly true, things did not exactly go according to plan. Just two weeks ago, the Godless 4 tour featuring Behemoth, Deicide, Rotting Christ, and Immolation was abruptly cut short after the last two bands were unable to perform due to a last-minute issue. Tonight’s setback, however, had already been known for about a month: Fulci were originally scheduled to appear on this Decibel Magazine tour package, but last-minute visa complications forced them out of the run. The disappointment at their absence was felt everywhere, but the remaining lineup more than compensated. Having Cryptopsy as headliners alone would have been enough to guarantee a memorable evening, but the presence of Necrot, Blood Monolith, and the stylistically different Spirit Adrift further confirmed that this was going to be a special night regardless. The response from the audience reflected exactly that: Lee’s Palace was already packed shortly after doors opened, setting the tone for the rest of the evening.
BLOOD MONOLITH
Blood Monolith was first to hit the stage, as scheduled. The young Washington-based band, active since 2023, have only released one full-length so far, The Calling of Fire, and they faithfully recreated its crushing atmosphere live to kick off the night. Despite being the least experienced band on paper, they clearly know how to command a crowd. Their performance remained tight and consistent throughout the set, driven especially by vocalist Shelby Lermo and drummer Nadia Tydings-Lynch, both of whom stood out immediately. As an opening act, they could hardly have done better.
BLOOD MONOLITH SETLIST:
Trepanation of the Worm
The Owl in Daylight
Prayer to Crom
Viscera Vobiscum
Apparatus
Cleansing
Slaughter Garden
Pyroklesis
SPIRIT ADRIFT
Among all the bands on the bill, Spirit Adrift arguably carried the heaviest burden. Not only were they replacing Fulci, a completely different band stylistically, but they also had to fit their traditional heavy/doom sound into a lineup otherwise devoted entirely to death metal. On paper, it sounded like a difficult task, but the Texans slowly won the crowd over. Frontman Nate Garrett openly acknowledged at the beginning of the set that their sound might simply serve as “filler” for the evening, also mentioning the absence of Jason Dahlke, now fully committed to Fulci. However, as the set progressed, the performance itself proved otherwise. The songs were delivered flawlessly, their stage presence was massive, and the crowd responded enthusiastically, even launching into a surprisingly intense mosh pit. It became one of those classic situations where lowered expectations after an unfortunate setback end up leading to a pleasant surprise. Spirit Adrift did not merely fill a gap or occupy stage time — they fully earned their place on this bill. In a lineup where they could have easily been perceived as the odd one out, they instead delivered one of the night’s strongest performances.
SPIRIT ADRIFT SETLIST:
Sorcerer’s Fate
Ride Into the Light
Spectral Savior
Hear Her
Born in a Bad Way
Window Within
Buried in the Shadow of the Cross
NECROT
The evening then shifted back toward the event’s main focus: pure death metal. And with Necrot, there was never any doubt about what was coming. The Oakland trio have played Toronto several times already, most recently in September 2025 alongside Carcass, Brujeria, and Hedonist, yet every appearance still feels necessary. Their live shows are refreshingly straightforward: no pyrotechnics, no elaborate production, just raw, filthy, visceral death metal unleashed directly onto the audience. Luca Indrio constantly kept the tension high, powering through the set alongside Chad Gailey and Sonny Reinhardt with relentless intensity. The setlist covered material from all three albums, with particular emphasis on Lifeless Birth, before closing with Sinister Will to massive cheers from an already overheated crowd ready for the final act.
NECROT SETLIST:
Empty Hands
Lifeless Birth
Stench of Decay
The Blade
Into the Labyrinth
Window Within
Rebirth in Chaos
Drill the Skull
Sinister Will
CRYPTOPSY
By the time Cryptopsy took the stage, Lee’s Palace had become absolutely packed, the room boiling with anticipation for the night’s most awaited band. There was a very specific reason why the Montreal legends were receiving such a massive reception tonight, and it was not simply because they were playing on home soil. Exactly thirty years ago, Cryptopsy released the album that permanently altered the landscape of extreme metal: None So Vile. The record remains the absolute peak of their discography, a landmark release whose brutality, technicality, and innovation still feel untouchable today. Its violence was never simply chaos for chaos’ sake; it introduced entirely new standards, structures, and possibilities for a genre that already seemed to be pushing every imaginable limit. Even now, the album continues to inspire countless bands while still leaving first-time listeners completely stunned. Only Decibel Magazine could have properly celebrated such an anniversary, and tonight Cryptopsy honored it by building most of the setlist around None So Vile. The crowd could barely contain itself. From the very first moment, the band’s energy was overwhelming. Matt McGachy was absolutely feral on stage, while Christian Donaldson and Olivier Pinard delivered razor-sharp performances throughout the set. Yet the true centerpiece remained Flo Mounier, the only original member and still one of the most extraordinary drummers extreme metal has ever produced. Nothing faltered during performances of Orgiastic Disembowelment, Crown of Horns, Phobophile, and the rest of the album’s iconic material. Every song was executed with stunning precision, led by a drummer whose abilities remain matched only by a select few. Many fans may still associate None So Vile primarily with the band’s original lineup — and understandably so — but the current incarnation proved beyond doubt that they are more than capable of carrying that legacy forward. Tonight, they demonstrated exactly why Cryptopsy remains untouchable giants of extreme metal.
CRYPTOPSY SETLIST:
Slit Your Guts
Until There’s Nothing Left
Serial Messiah
Dead Eyes Replete
Benedictine Convulsions
Graves of the Fathers
Godless Deceiver
Orgiastic Disembowelment
Crown of Horns
Phobophile
Malicious Needs
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