Photos + Review by David Molnar – The North American leg of the Godless IV tour stormed into The Palladium in Worcester, Massachusetts with a relentless night of extreme metal music. Even if the absence of the band Deicide left a noticeable gap in the lineup, the bill anchored by headliner Behemoth with Rotting Christ and Immolation proved more than capable of delivering a punishing and theatrical experience. The historic Central Massachusetts venue pulsed with death metal fans packed tightly together, clad in black and ready for an evening steeped in thunderous beats, ominous chants and occult imagery.
Opening the night, New York’s Immolation wasted no time setting a brutal tone. The four-piece unleashed a tight nine-song set of raw aggression, including standout tracks like “Attrition,” “Adversary” and “Bend Towards the Dark.” Frontman Ross Dolan drew cheers when he announced a throwback to their 1991 debut Dawn of the Possession, delivering the crushing “Immolation” with the same intensity that has defined their decades-long career.
Greece’s Rotting Christ followed with a set steeped in energy and intensity. Their stage presence was as ferocious as their sound, complete with headbanging and the dizzying whirl of hair-spinning, often called “helicoptering” in metal circles. Their performance was elevated by ominous chanting that echoed throughout the venue, blending seamlessly with songs performed in both Greek and English. Highlights included the pulse-pounding “Elthe Kyrie,” from Rituals while their closer, “Grandis Spiritus Diavolos,” sent the crowd into a frenzy. Frontman Sakis Tolis (vocals, guitar) engaged the now sweaty audience often. Tolis remarked from the stage that after 20 or 30 visits to the United States the crowds in America keep getting “bigger and bigger!” The energy in the old building was undeniable. Crowd surfing surged during their set, fueled in no small part by drummer Themis Tolis whose thunderous beats became a clear fan favorite.
Poland’s Behemoth, who Loudwire named the 50th best metal band of all time in 2016, closed the night with a commanding 14-song set that blurred the line between concert and ritual. Led by Adam Darski, better known by his stage name Nergal, the band delivered a thunderous performance featuring newer tracks like “The Shadow Elite” and “Nomen Barbarvm” alongside metal hits such as “Conquer All,” “Ov Fire and the Void” and “Blow Your Trumpet Gabriel.” The chant of “Eat my flesh, drink my blood!” reverberated through The Palladium uniting the massive crowd. With light, fury and theatrical spectacle, Behemoth ensured the night ended on an overwhelming high, cementing the 2026 Godless IV tour as a must-see for fans of extreme metal.
The Canadian leg of the tour starts on May 11 with a stop in Toronto, ON then moves to Montreal, QC on May 12 with the tour coming back to the U.S. on May 14 with a show in Columbus, OH. Additional stops include shows in Tennessee, Georgia, Texas, Arizona and concluding in Los Angeles, CA on May 21.
