Arch Enemy and The Black Dahlia Murder Tear Up the TLA in Philadelphia

Words and photos by Kara Maddox

Death metal powerhouses Arch Enemy and The Black Dahlia Murder joined forces for the “Wrath Across North America Tour” this fall, a must-see experience for any metal fan. The bands hit the road on October 5 and will continue visiting major cities across the US and Canada into November. This tour is Arch Enemy’s first North American tour with new vocalist Lauren Hart, who joined the band after Alissa White-Gluz’s departure.

Nearly halfway through the tour, Arch Enemy and The Black Dahlia Murder stopped at Philadelphia’s Theatre of Living Arts on October 26, 2026, raising the roof with raw, unfiltered metal.

Kicking off the night was the Los Angeles-based Thrown Into Exile. The band’s powerful blend of deathcore and melodic metal immediately captivated the audience, getting the crowd to headbang along. Shortly into the set, the fans even started a circle pit. Among the songs Thrown Into Exile performed was “Behind the Veil,” their most recent single, released on May 21, signaling a new era for the band.

As the set came to a close, the band asked for a wall of death, mentioning that they ask for one every night of the tour to see which city can give them the biggest wall of death. Philadelphia certainly delivered; as soon as the breakdown hit, the two halves of the room collided, ending the set on a high note.

THROWN INTO EXILE: Website | Facebook | Instagram

The second opener to take the stage was Brazilian death metal band Crypta. As an all-female band, Crypta stands out as a unique presence in the scene. With intricate guitar solos, heavy riffs, and dynamic vocals from frontwoman Fernanda Lira, the band got the crowd hooked instantly. Crypta performed their newest single “A Portrait of Decay,” which was released on September 24 and is their first release since 2023.

The band closed their set with their debut 2021 single “From the Ashes,” a heavy, high-energy track that had the crowd moving until the final note. Even if it was their first time hearing of Crypta, it was clear that everyone in the room became new fans.

CRYPTA: Facebook | Instagram | YouTube

The third and final opener was Septicflesh from Athens, Greece. Having been around since 1990, the band has made their mark on the death metal scene. Combining the heaviness of death metal with dramatic orchestral arrangements, the band creates a dark, immersive atmosphere with their music. Although many in the crowd may have been introduced to Septicflesh that night, it was obvious there were many longtime fans in the audience as well.

As the set was about to come to a close, vocalist and bassist Spiros Antoniou introduced their fan-favorite song “Anubis” by saying that it was about “a god from Egypt,” causing the room to yell “Anubis!” By the end of the set, it was clear that the crowd was fully warmed up for the headlining acts.

SEPTICFLESH: Website | Facebook | Instagram | X

Later that night, the lights dimmed once again, as screens on the stage began to light up, signaling the upcoming coheadliner. Soon enough, The Black Dahlia Murder walked onto the stage as the venue filled with cheers. The band opened with the high-octane “Necropolis” from their 2009 album Deflorate, and the entire room immediately got off their feet. As fans at the barricade were jumping and headbanging along, the first crowdsurfers of the night started making their way through the room. Having formed in 2001, The Black Dahlia Murder’s commanding stage presence and thrilling brand of melodic death metal prove why they are still a household name to this day.

Throughout the set, the energy within the crowd never died down for a moment, with constant crowdsurfers coming through as the mosh pit kept moving. Vocalist Brian Eschbach mentioned how special this tour is considering they hadn’t toured with Arch Enemy in 21 years. The band performed tracks from nearly every era of their vast discography, like “Cursed Creator” from their 2024 album Servitude, fitting for Halloween. They even included some deep cuts like “Miscarriage” from their 2005 album Miasma, which Brian mentioned they were performing in Philly for the first time.

Towards the end of the set, the band performed the fan-favorite “Statutory Ape,” which featured a person in a gorilla suit running around the stage and interacting with fans at the barricade.

The Black Dahlia Murder closed out their set with their hit “What a Horrible Night to Have a Curse” from their 2007 album Nocturnal, and the fans proved that they still had infinite energy left. Almost the entire floor became a pit as other fans crowdsurfed one after another, and they made sure to keep this energy up for the next coheadliner.

THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER: Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube

At around 9:45 p.m., the lights dimmed for the final time that night as Arch Enemy’s instrumental “Khaos Overture” from their 2011 album Khaos Legions began to play, building anticipation. As the song came to an end, Arch Enemy entered the stage as cheers boomed throughout the venue. The band opened with “The World Is Yours” from their 2017 album Will to Power, a fast-paced track that quickly got the crowd moving. Lauren Hart commanded the stage with her unrelenting energy, delivering powerful screams and consistently keeping the crowd engaged. Throughout the set, the crowd’s enthusiasm never dwindled as the pit kept moving.

Having been around since 1995, Arch Enemy is rightfully a staple of death metal, captivating fans worldwide and influencing future generations of bands with their brutal and melodic style. The band performed a variety of tracks from their discography, from 2005’s “My Apocalypse” to 2025’s “Blood Dynasty.” They also performed their newest single “To the Last Breath,” their first recorded track with Lauren on vocals.

No matter the song, however, the energy within the room never died down for a moment. Fans kept moshing, jumping, headbanging, and even clapping along or waving their phone flashlights during certain songs.

To close out their set, the band performed the fan-favorite “Nemesis” from their 2005 album Doomsday Machine, followed by the outro of “Fields of Desolation” from their 1996 album Black Earth, and the fans kept moshing until the very end. Arch Enemy and The Black Dahlia Murder’s brutal sets made a mark on Philadelphia metal fans that night, leaving them with an experience that they would never forget.