SUMMER SLAUGHTER TOUR ’25
HATEBREED
w/ Bleeding Through // Gridiron // Gore. / /Snuffed on Sight // Incite
7/27/25 – The Rave – Milwaukee, Wisconsin
©Justin Nuoffer/NuofferMedia.com
A scorching day in Milwaukee felt like the perfect setting for this year’s edition of the revamped Summer Slaughter Tour. Once the biggest tour in the metal scene, the fest had lost steam in recent years. But now, with Hatebreed’s Jamey Jasta at the helm, it’s back on solid ground. Fans lined the street behind The Rave, eager for a stacked lineup. Jasta clearly knows how to tap into the heart of Milwaukee’s metal faithful—his Milwaukee Metal Fest has become the biggest party of the season and a staple of Wisconsin summers.
As the side doors opened, fans were ushered through the hall to security. After a quick check, they were directed upstairs through the box office foyer and out into the courtyard. The heavy doors on the far side of The Rave led back inside. To the right stood The Rave Bar, where three of the city’s more well-known local acts were setting up. To the left, the craft bar led into the main Rave room. There, early acts greeted fans at their merch tables, while Hatebreed and Bleeding Through had theirs set up in the usual spots down the back hall. Two more bars wrapped around the venue’s main floor—plenty of spots to stay refreshed. The main room itself features a dark wooden facade, gold trim, and a VIP deck with its own private bar.
The side stage, running alternate to the main stage, brought its own legacy—thanks in part to Milwaukee Metal Fest. It’s a space that demands attention. Toxic Ruin, hailing from Madison, kicked things off with their brand of death metal. Next up was Micawber, delivering pure brutality from Green Bay. Closing out the side stage was Molder from Joliet, IL—no strangers to packing Milwaukee venues. One thing was clear early on: the crowd was massive. Fans surged between stages, but the local acts drew serious attention—and more importantly, delivered.
Opening the main stage was Incite, the Phoenix-based thrash outfit that’s no stranger to Milwaukee. With two decades of touring behind them, they came to make a statement. Kicking things off with “Fuck With Me,” the band instantly snapped the room to attention. No time to stand around.
Check out the Incite photo gallery below:
With a new album, Savage New Times, dropping in August, most of their set was drawn from it—featuring tracks like “Just A Rat,” “Lies,” and “No Mercy, No Forgiveness.” Incite brought everything you could want from an opener on a stacked bill.
Next up: Snuffed On Sight. Though still fairly new to the scene, the band already boasts a full-length record and several compilation appearances. The crowd was ready for their death metal fix.
Check out the Snuffed On Sight concert photo gallery below:
With cuts from their debut SMOKE, including “Time 2 Dip,” “Slippin,” and “Dummy,” they brought chaotic energy, deep guttural vocals, and a loose, reckless vibe that ignited the pit. For anyone unfamiliar with their sound, they became believers fast.
A band with a lot of buzz surrounding them, Gore. hit the stage to loud applause. With frontwoman Haley Roughton leading the charge, there was serious hype to live up to—and they absolutely delivered. Their 2024 album, A Bud That Never Blooms, shaped the entire setlist. Songs like “Babylon,” “Pray,” and “Doomsday” had the crowd fired up. The pit was wild, while fans packed the barricade, singing every word.
Check out the Gore. concert photo gallery below:
What set Gore. apart was the emotional contrast—softer, more feminine lyrical content layered over crushing riffs and raw aggression. The result was a sound that felt both deeply personal and fiercely heavy. That blend of sensitivity and violence opened a lot of eyes. This didn’t just feel fresh—it felt like the future of metalcore.
Gridiron, who are out on the road supporting their sophomore album Poetry From Pain, rolled into Milwaukee and took no prisoners. This hardcore band is mean as hell, mixing aggressive rap lyricism with raw edge, led by vocalist Matthew Karll. He paced the stage in a vintage Allen Iverson jersey and dished out pure pain.
The five-piece from Pennsylvania came out white hot. With tracks like “Talk Real,” “Trench,” and “Tombstone,” it was impossible not to throw down in the pit. Guitarists Will Kaelin and Mike Wasylenko held down each edge of the stage, laying down brutal riffs with precision.
Check out the Gridiron concert photo gallery below:
This was something different. Gridiron has tapped into a new vision of something that was once great over twenty years ago. Nu-metal? Maybe not exactly—but they’re definitely an offshoot. And it works.
Gridiron impressed. They’ll be back in town soon—and we’re looking forward to it.
Bleeding Through delivered a fierce and energetic set, reminding everyone why they’re still one of the most intense bands in metalcore. From the moment they opened with “Love Lost in a Hail of Gunfire,” the crowd was locked in. The pit erupted instantly, setting the tone for a relentless performance.
Check out the Bleeding Through concert photo gallery below:
Frontman Brandan Schieppati was a man possessed—constantly in motion, stalking the stage with raw aggression. The pitch-black room made it tough to follow him, but you always knew exactly where he was by the sheer force of his screams. He even jumped into the crowd during “Orange County Blonde and Blue,” sending the energy through the roof. The fiery intensity of this legendary act was easy to soak in, with bodies flying overhead as Bleeding Through crushed every note.
The setlist was a solid mix across their 25-year history. With two tracks each from This Is Love, This Is Murderous, The Truth, and NINE, fans got a taste of the band’s best work. Marta Demmel’s keys added gothic, eerie layers throughout the set, all while she headbanged furiously, her long hair whipping across the stage. On drums, Derek Youngsma played with crushing precision—calm and focused behind the kit, peeking over his cymbals with intensity.
This core lineup is the heart of Bleeding Through. Their tenacity and passion are what keep them alive—and still dangerous. Closing with “Lost in Isolation” and “Kill to Believe” only confirmed it. This bone-crushing performance at The Rave proved that Bleeding Through is truly back—and once again at the top of their game.
This year’s edition of Summer Slaughter was a raging success. The lineup was tight, and the music was heavy. Hatebreed and their brand of hardcore electrified the Milwaukee faithful, opening with “I Will Be Heard” and rolling seamlessly into “Making the Demons Obey.” There was no time to waste. The band moved fast and played with precision.
With Wayne Lozinak out due to a serious medical issue, Shadows Fall’s Matt Bachand stepped in and nailed it. His impact was clear from the start. As the band tore through “To The Threshold” and “Serve Your Masters,” Frank Novinec was in prime form—jumping around the stage and screaming backing vocals with full force. The Rave turned into one giant throwdown, and the pit was pure chaos.
Jamey Jasta, front and center, kept his commentary upbeat and pushed the pace of the night. When the intro to “Destroy Everything” hit, the Hatebreed Ball of Death was launched into the crowd. As the band unleashed riff after riff, the giant inflatable ball bounced wildly across the floor. As always, it was a highlight—equal parts fun, humor, and sheer madness. Moments like that are what memories are made of.
Drummer Matt Byrne was an absolute machine—relentless and laser-focused. Sweat poured down his forehead as he hammered through “As Diehard As They Come.” From behind his kit, he locked in with Jasta, who was constantly interacting with crowd-surfers crashing over the rail. The setlist was deep, showcasing what makes Hatebreed so enduring: a twenty-song barrage of hardcore staples, including five tracks split between Under the Knife and Satisfaction Is the Death of Desire. That raw, ’90s-era sound was alive—and still feels fresh.
They closed the night with “Live for This” and “Looking Down the Barrel of Today,” fists in the air and bodies in motion, as CO₂ cannons blasted the stage. The spirit of hardcore was alive and well. The grins across the band’s faces said it all—this show mattered. As Jasta put it, “There were plenty of obstacles making this tour happen,” which made the payoff even sweeter.
Check out the Hatebreed concert photo gallery below:
Summer Slaughter 2025 was wickedly fun—easily one of the best tours of the year. The decision to spotlight local artists was a smart move, and Jasta clearly knows his audience. His partnership with The Rave is tight. Without a doubt, this felt like the beginning of something bigger. The mix of artists, all sharing the same goal of delivering heavy, ripping music, made for a show with something for everyone.
Looking ahead, it’s easy to imagine next year’s event growing even more.
