Fantasy death metal? Sci-fi riffs? WARBRINGER’s Phoenix stop had it all

Warbringer guitarist Adam Carroll, bassist Chase Bryant and drummer Carlos Cruz performing at Last Exit Live in Phoenix, AZ on March 19, 2025. Photographed by Justin de la Cruz

Last Exit Live provided a night of headbanging madness as Los Angeles thrash metal group WARBRINGER brought their “Vortex of Violence Tour” to downtown Phoenix. The quintet would be joined by SKELETAL REMAINS, ALLEGAEON, and SUMMONING THE LICH.

Fantasy Death Metal group SUMMONING THE LICH sounds like a grotesque Dungeons and Dragons session where frenzied goblins and drunken orcs take turns grabbing the microphone. Gurgling vocals, rapid-fire strumming, and drums so aggressive they feel like a thousand fists flying towards you. If you happen to be a fan of both The Elder Scrolls and INFANT ANNIHILATOR and wish they’d be thrown together in a blender, SUMMONING THE LICH would be the result.

The break-neck death metal group SKELETAL REMAINS had no trouble keeping up with their contemporaries. The Los Angeles quartet’s violent audial force focused more on diabolical intrusive thoughts and guitar work that’s heavier than a wrecking ball. Rip-roaring, demonic vocals and drums that sound like they are consistently in attack mode in songs like “Void Of Despair” should make SKELETAL REMAINS a band to keep on your death metal radar. 

ALLEGAEON vocalist EZRA HAYNES moved around like a conductor, like he was JOHN WILLIAMS commanding legions of goblins to headbang. Unlike SUMMONING THE LICH, they are much less about magic, fantasy, or wizards and more about the Theory of Relativity and ancient aliens. Their upcoming album, “The Ossuary Lens,” marks HAYNES’ return as lead vocalist since departing from the band in 2015. 

WARBRINGER began their set all guns blazing with the song “Severed Reality,” with the guitars rhythmically calling for a march to combat, or just to whip your head around like Corpsegrinder. The moshing and headbanging hit its apex throughout their set, except for the song “Hunter-Seeker,” which felt like a boomer complaining about cell phone surveillance at a surface level. A mosh call would come in the form of a whole song with the right to “Remain Violent” coming on beginning with its chest-beating intro, and they would end the evening shouting for “Total War,” ripping sick guitar solos until the very end.