Machine Head, In Flames, Lacuna Coil, Unearth @ The Brooklyn Paramount

At nearly 100 years old, the Brooklyn Paramount long ago solidified its place in music history. As an early venue for jazz, big band, and rock 'n' roll, its stage has been graced by Ella Fitzgerald, Fats Domino, and Duke Ellington just to name a few.

It was fitting then for a bill boasting four heavy metal titans to add another layer to the Paramount's rich and colorful legacy. Referred to by multiple fans eagerly awaiting for the doors to open as 'one of the best lineups this side of Ozzfest', Bay Area thrashers Machine Head had come to town with an all star cast of supporting acts comprise of In Flames, Lacuna Coil and Unearth.

What lay ahead was a night of nonstop action: tremendous breakdowns, countless crowd surfers and outrageous tales from the mosh pit from the mouths of those who dared to venture into it. Altogether amounting to a night of memories in a house that paved the way for such music to even exist today.

For most bands, getting a crowd moving, especially if they're maybe fresh out of work and only one drink deep, can be a tall order when you're the first act on the bill. This was very much not the case for Massachusetts heavyweights Unearth, who instantly opened up the mosh pit with "My Will Be Done".

As the authors of seminal metalcore albums such as III: In the Eyes of Fire and The Oncoming Storm, the dancefloor remained a warzone for fan favorites "This Lying World", "Giles" and closer "Black Heart Now Reign".

Joined by "Incinerate" off 2018's Extinction(s) and the title track from 2023's The Wretched; The Ruinous, the set went by all too quickly and in nearly the blink of an eye, vocalist Trevor Phipps bid Brooklyn goodnight. Still, with the audiences hyped up and the bar set high, the evening's festivities had only just begun.

As one of the most beloved bands in gothic metal and hard rock, it came as no surprise just how loud the cheers and applause that filled the room were as the stage background lit up to read the name Lacuna Coil.

Like a match dropped on kerosene, the pit exploded under Andrea Ferro's devastating roar in opener "Layers Of Time", slowing down only to take in Cristina Scabbia's enchanting voice.

Segueing into "Reckless", both songs taken from 2019's Black Anima, the smiles from both vocalists captured the spirit of passion for and enjoyment of performing live, which the audience reflected right back at them. Turning the clock back to 2006's Karmacode, all bodies were in motion for "Our Truth", and remained so for "Blood, Tears, Dust" from 2016's Delirium.

Conducting their first North America tour promoting Sleepless Empire, their latest release that dropped this February, New York received the much anticipate debut of "Hosting the Shadow", "Gravity", "I Wish You Were Dead", "Oxygen" and "Never Dawn". While noting their regret that he was not available to join them, Scabbia and Ferro took a moment to give thanks to their old friend Randy Blythe of Lamb of God, who contributed guest vocals to the album version of "Hosting the Shadow".

Hitting multiple EU summer fests before touring in Europe and the U.K., and even fitting a trip back to the U.S. for Aftershock Fest in October, 2025 is set to be a massive year for the iconic Italians as they continued to bring their very best to the masses.

Celebrating thirty five years together, the opening synth line of "Cloud Connected" was met with deafening cheers from a crowd comprised of both longtime veterans and recent recruits of the In Flames army. Still hot on the trail of 2023's Foregone, "In the Dark", "Meet Your Maker" and "State of Slow Decay" served as testimony to the might of the Gothenburg Godfathers of melodic metal.

Fans of classic In Flames were delighted by performances of "Bullet Ride" and the return of "Coerced Coexistence" off 1999's Colony, back on the setlist for the first time since 2003. New millennium fans ignited a massive circle pit for "Trigger", which was last heard in New York over a decade ago.

Despite their significant in heavy metal history and the intensity of their music, the set was not without fun and humor. Perhaps to the dismay of security, vocalist Anders Fridén joked that "the fine gentlemen on the barricades have had an easy night so far, how about we give them something to do?" before instructing the crowd to "take flight", inciting a surge of crowd surfers.

With smiles across the faces of Team In Flames - Björn Gelotte, Chris Broderick, Liam Wilson and Tanner Wayne - through the entire set, it was clear that the band was enjoying themselves as much as the audience. Scheduled for a European run starting in June, more than a few fans were discussing the possibility of taking a drive to Canada in July just to see In Flames when they're back in North America for this year's Festival d'été de Québec

"Everyone in the front, right now, you need to put your fucking phones down and bang your fucking heads!" There is no greater series of words in a sentence to summarize what Machine Head has always stood for: explosive, uncompromising sonic fury. And coming from the mouth of metal legend Robb Flynn, even those newer to the band knew to follow his demands out of respect.

Coming out of the gates with the neck snapping opener "Imperium", security had their hands literally full from the start as wave upon wave of crowd surfers came over the barricades. Meanwhile, the circle pit churned like an angry sea, ensnaring all who dared to get close into a human whirlpool.

By the end of "Ten Ton Hammer", it was clear that the front line was a complete warzone, and media was quickly cleared out before the start of "Choke On the Ashes of Your Hate". Yet, this is exactly what to expect when in the presence of a pioneering band with a career spanning over thirty years.

Releasing their eleventh album, Atonement, just days after conquering Brooklyn, new offerings "Bonescraper" and "Outsider" made their live debut in New York. Covering at least one song from every release, 90's fans got their fix from "Davidian" and "From This Day" while 2000's fans threw down for "Bulldozer" and the anthemic encore "Halo".

Demolishing North American stages until mid-May, Europe will be under siege this summer as Machine Head makes landfall, before returning home to California to appear at the aforementioned Aftershock Fest. With New York fans gasping for breath by the end, the adrenaline in the room was surely something everyone was left craving for another fix soon.

Ticket & photo pass courtesy of Breaking the Law PR