By Andrew Gutierrez, Photos by Paul Salzman
UC Theater Berkley, CA
Carnifex made its Berkley, CA stop this summer 2025 for the 15th anniversary tour of their landmark album Hell Chose Me, bringing a crushing lineup of deathcore and brutal death metal across the U.S. The tour featured support from Suffocation, Devourment (first half only), Distant, Bodybox, and Monochromatic Black, delivering one of the heaviest packages of the year. Fans were treated to a full celebration of Hell Chose Me alongside an onslaught of extreme metal from some of the genre’s most punishing acts.
I was blown away by Monochromatic Black—this band absolutely slays live. One fan put it perfectly:
“Do not sleep on Monochromatic Black…she’s easily one of the best vocalists especially live.” reddt.com
They brought a dark, ferocious energy that felt like witnessing the next era of deathcore rise in real time.
Distant, hailing from the Netherlands and Slovakia, delivered a performance that felt both vicious and artful: razor-sharp vocals, relentlessly tight drumming, and an intoxicating blend of brutality and atmosphere. It was a performance that didn’t just open the night—it planted a flag, declaring, This is what you’ve been waiting for.
MID SOUTHRVA Mag
From fans before the tour, the buildup was real:
“When Distant started, the crowd turned into a riot with a soundtrack… Vocals? Disgusting. Drums? Tight. Overall presence? Violent, but make it art.”
MID SOUTH
Stepping in as Suffocation hit the stage was like flipping on the ultimate brutality switch—immediately everything ramped up to savage intensity. Their opener “Catatonia” sliced through the air with surgical precision, unleashing a pit so wild and chaotic it was like being in the middle of Mortal Kombat. I wisely retreated to the back and took my “Victorian fainting lady” moment, just to survive the sheer force of bone-crushing riffs and face-melting drumming. It wasn’t just a set—it was a ruthless, soul-piercing assault, and the crowd left steaming, thrilled, and just a little traumatized (in the best possible way)
Carnifex’s performance on the Hell Chose Me 15th Anniversary Tour was nothing short of devastating in the best way possible. From the moment they stormed the stage, the band commanded the room with a mix of raw aggression and surgical precision, proving why they remain pillars of deathcore after more than a decade. Hearing Hell Chose Me front to back was a rare treat—every breakdown hit like a freight train, every blast beat rattled bones, and Scott Lewis’s gutturals sounded as vicious as they did in 2010, if not even sharper. The crowd fed off the energy, erupting into relentless pits and chants that made it feel less like a concert and more like a communal exorcism. Carnifex didn’t just revisit their past—they reminded fans why they’ve endured and why Hell Chose Me still stands as a genre-defining release.
Carnifex’s Hell Chose Me 15th Anniversary stop in Berkeley was a masterclass in controlled chaos, the kind of night that reminds you why live extreme metal is such a visceral experience. From the crushing openers to Carnifex’s career-defining set, the energy never let up, and the crowd responded with unrelenting intensity. Hearing Hell Chose Me performed in full felt both nostalgic and timeless, proving the album’s enduring weight in the deathcore scene. As the final notes reverberated through the UC Theatre, it was clear this wasn’t just an anniversary show—it was a celebration of Carnifex’s legacy, and a promise that their reign of brutality is far from over.
Metal Forged 