Lord Of The Lost, The Birthday Massacre, Wednesday 13 @ Irving Plaza

As temperatures rapidly dropping ahead of an incoming snowstorm, the black clad line outside Irving Plaza had two reasons to be excited to get off the frigid Manhattan streets as the venue opened its doors. First, to keep from becoming gothic icicles (gothcicles?), and second - and far more importantly - to find a place closest to the stage for Lord of the Lost's tremendous performance.

As one of the first dates of the Dark Winter Tour, the German rockers had come to New York to deliver a night of shadow and flame infused melodies, joined by The Birthday Massacre and Wednesday 13. Drawing crowds of elite headbangers, darkwave fanatics, and multiple variants of goths, the world outside might have been freezing over, but the heat was on within the walls of Irving Plaza.

Still putting the pedal to the metal with last year's release, Mid Death Crisis, Wednesday 13 started the night off with all things macabre via "When the Devil Commands" and "Rotting Away" and "In Misery".

Celebrating 20 years of Transylvania 90201: Songs of Death, Dying, and the Dead, last year, the band's debut album, long time fans were treated to classic cuts including "Bad Things", "Haunt Me" and "I Walked With A Zombie".

Turning the clock back even further, necks were strained during "197666" while fists were raised high for "Summertime Suicide", the latter of which was originally released on the second and final Murderdolls album, Women and Children Last.

In typical Wednesday 13 fashion, the thirty minute set passed in the blink of an eye, as it was only too soon before all middle fingers were high in the sky for closer "I Love to Say F*ck".

Still, the Ghost Host with the most made every minute count as those in the room who had not heard of Wednesday 13 before quickly joined the ghoul school. Said one new fan, "I didn't know I needed this band in my life as much as I did until today, I'm so glad to have discovered them now!"

With a career spanning over twenty five years and boasting some of the most diehard fans in the rock and metal world, it was no surprise to hear an incredible wave of cheers and applause fill the room as The Birthday Massacre took the stage.

Dialing the heavy to the max with opener "Counterpane" before charging into "Blue", the Canadian quintet easily enchanted the audience through driving guitars, infectious synthesizers, and the ethereal voice of singer Sara "Chibi" Taylor.

Packing their set with at least one song from each of their ten album, fans new and old were delighted by a performance that also served as a walk down memory lane for many. Whether it was all voices singing along with "Pins and Needles", to the dancefloor grooving to the pulsing beat of "All of Nothing", there could not be a greater demonstration of love between The Birthday Massacre and their legion of followers.

Dropping their tenth record, Pathways, last spring, "The Vanishing Game" made its New York premier and was one of two tracks off the latest opus, along with "Sleep Tonight" which debuted last March just a few blocks away at Le Poisson Rouge.

Closing out with "Red Stars" off 2007's Walking with Strangers, the energy and emotion in the room was primed for the final act of the night.

Born from the mind of vocalist Chris Harms in 2007, the last two decades have been the story of Lord of the Lost and their meteoric rise from a solo project releasing music on Myspace, to being handpicked by Iron Maiden to open for them in 2022 and 2023, to representing their native Germany in the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest.

Continuing a perfect run of performing at the Irving Plaza for all of their New York appearances, the last of which was in 2024, there was much to celebrate following the release of Opvs Noire Vol. 1 this past August.

Beginning with a trio of new offerings - "Bazaar Bizarre", "I Will Die in It" and "Damage" - those who were not yet familiar with the band's unique blend of darkened goth-industrial rock were given a proper introduction to it. Rounding out the latest cuts were "Light Can Only Shine In It" and closer "The Things We Do For Love".

As with The Birthday Massacre, Lord of the Lost took care to include a song from nearly all of their albums, such as the fist pumping "Loreley" from 2018's and molten metal "Drag Me To Hell" from 2016's Empyrean.

Releasing a brand new single featuring Wednesday 13 just ahead of the tour, the Monster of Ceremonies himself returned to the stage to bring "I Hate People" to life. Of course not forgetting the song that bedazzled Eurovision fans three years ago, the electric, eclectic "Blood and Glitter" had countless bodies in motion and hands clapping along.

Though still hot off August's release, a sequel, Opvs Noire Vol. 2, dropped in mid December. With two incredible albums unleashed unto the world in one year, fans will hopefully not have to wait long for the triumphant return of one of the most exciting bands in the hard rock world today to a stage in New York. Betting is now open on if Lord of the Lost will continue their streak of playing Irving Plaza exclusively.

Photo pass courtesy of Napalm Records