DEATH ANGEL, VIO-LENCE, LIONS AT THE GATE & MISFIRE – The Forge, Joliet, IL November 28th 2025

The holidays are typically a time for gifts and celebration but as we get older it becomes less about the materialistic endeavors and more about those we enjoy the times with.

Although I did spend ‘Black Friday’ morning traipsing through Woodfield Mall (5 Woodfield Mall, Schaumburg, IL) with my youngest daughter it was the evening ahead at The Forge (22 W Cass St, Joliet, IL) that I was truly looking forward to. I had to fly to Connecticut and Massachusetts for business the first week of December which made November 28^th the best chance for me and The Metal Channel editor, Roger Schultz to celebrate my upcoming birthday (December 8^th). What better way to ring in your birth than to see Death Angel play their famed Album Act III complete.

The trek for me began around 5 pm when I took an Uber out to Joliet to Roger’s new condo. A couple of beers and a chili dog later, we found ourselves on our way to The Forge. There was a Christmas Tree lighting event in downtown Joliet which made navigation difficult because a lot of streets were closed due to the celebration, but we eventually found our way, on foot, to the venue.

The Forge is a bigger venue than Reggie’s (105 S State St, Chicago, IL) with a fully stocked bar and plenty of space to take in the show. The bartenders and on hand staff are all first rate and very friendly.

We arrived just in time to see the opening act, Misfire. Misfire is a thrash metal act from Chicago. I must admit I’m from Illinois, but I’d never heard of this band before. After seeing them live, it’s safe to say they are on my metal radar now. Established in 2018, they’re an aggressively powerful four-piece with solid riffs and vocal accommodation that is sure to have you pumping your fist! I picked up both the band’s full-length releases: Sympathy For The Ignorant (2021) and Product Of The Environment (2025). I hope to review both efforts for the website. It’s time to give our Chicago brethren the acknowledgement they deserve.

Up next was an up-and-coming nu metal / alternative metal act named Lions At The Gate. This group features a lot of former members of the famed Latin American metal band, Ill Niño. The Lions At The Gate lineup features: Diego Verduzco (Guitars), Cristian Machado (Vocals), and Ahrue Luster (Guitars) add a solid drummer, Josh Cuadra, and you have a very tight band that plays with an edge that leaves you wanting more. I grabbed a copy of the band’s latest release: The Excuses We Cannot Make (2023). I’m interested to hear where this band goes from here, their sound and on-stage performance was very promising.

Up next were the legendary thrashers, Vio-lence, a group that really needs no introduction. Hailing from San Francisco, California, I consider this band ‘thrash-royalty’ and had them on my ‘bucket list’ of must-see metal acts. Although this group has been active in some form since 1985 and released a new EP back in 2022, Let The World Burn, they will forever be known for their full-length debut, Eternal Nightmare, released back in 1988. Fortunately, Vio-Lence knows what their fans want. They made it a point to play memorable tracks like: “Eternal Nightmare”, “Serial Killer”, “Phobophobia” and “Kill On Command”.

I spoke briefly with vocalist, Sean Killian after the set. Dressed like Horace Pinker from Wes Craven’s 1989 supernatural slasher, Shocker.

One would be hesitant to approach a man that possessed such a scary vibe, but the guy was a class act, meeting him was a birthday bonus for me!

The final act of the evening was Death Angel who were set to play their famed effort, Act III complete. Although I listened to this album frequently when it first came out in 1990, I didn’t really appreciate its progressive significance until years later. It’s easy to understand why this effort is considered one of the best heavy metal albums of all time.

In retrospect, this is a record that you really need to experience live. I personally was glad to be on hand when it happened. It was great seeing the band execute recognizable tracks like “Seemingly Endless Time” and “A Room with a View” in the flesh. Having seen these music videos so many times on MTV, I felt like I was re-living my youth once again but this time in a live setting, surrounded by numerous friends and of course my metal brethren. Death Angel tore through the Act III setlist with an unbridled excitement I’ve never seen this band display before. They seemed as into the celebration as the fans there to experience it.

They closed their set with “Humanicide” (2019) and a new song just released this year named “Cult Of The Used”. All and all this was a fantastic experience that seemed to end too soon.

As I rode home that night, I contemplated metal’s role and its place in society today. While I would agree that metal’s prime time showcase is fading, I think shows like the one I attended celebrate metal’s popular past. Considering the age group I viewed on hand, I believe these types of musical performances will surely reinvigorate interest in metal’s colorful past. \m/