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A tiger may never change its stripes, but if the past 4 decades are any indication, heavy metal and rock are fairly different animals. Though some might lament the ever-growing multiplicity of sub-genre labels that have come into being in response to the continual innovations taking place, it’s a justifiable eventuality given that many of today’s tours will feature several bands that seem to only be connected by that heavy-ended thud that keeps them within the rock paradigm. Even when a plurality of the groups involved hail from the same country, maximum diversity seems to be the order of the day, and this holds true both in terms of sound as well as visual presentation. That being said, a new precedent for unusual groupings of bands on a singular tour resulting in a triumphant result may have been set at the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado on October 14, 2022, courtesy of two colossal American metal mainstays, one of said nation’s better kept secrets and an up-and-coming dark horse act from Mongolia. 

Taking the stage in the cool of the late afternoon, Texas and late-2000s born modern metal bruisers Fire From The Gods brought a highly distilled, energy-infused performance becoming of any standard bearer of the NWOAHM. Though the space afforded to them was limited due to the sizable backline of equipment for the other acts, they proved apt at living up to the implications of their name and warming up the crowd. From the crunchy grooves and nu-metal with a side order of hip-top trappings of mid-paced banger and upcoming new album title anthem “Soul Revolution” to the equally heavy melodic metalcore stylings of “Right Now”, the splash of sonic fury that was made by this power quintet began things on a high note, with the raucous baritone and animated stage presence of front man AJ Channer and the incessant head-banging of guitarists Drew Walker and Jameson Teat being the chief fixtures of a well-oiled mayhem machine that made the most of their 30 minute opening slot.

Things would take on a far different character with the entry of Mongolian folk metal upstarts The Hu, trading out the modern warfare of the 2000s for a hybrid of contemporary rock and metal trappings with a blast from a very ancient past. Donning warrior garb associated with the Hunnu Empire of the ancient Eurasian Steppe and an assortment of vernacular period instruments to go along with the obligatory bass, drums and guitar, theirs’ was a display that was as much a visual spectacle as it was a musical one. Though seemingly a peculiar and disparate player among the other acts, the audience response proved highly avid, with those already familiar with their sound alongside rank newcomers to their unique stylistic niche chanting along with fists raised as all 8 members of this large ensemble made the most of the stage space allotted to them. High points of the set included newer offerings from their recently released sophomore LP “Black Thunder” and “This Is Mongol”, though fan favorite and poetic call to arms “Wolf Totem” would steal the show.

The entry of ‘80s thrash titans Megadeth to the stage would see a fever pitch achieved even before the first riff rang out, as the audience roared in anticipation of one of metal’s originals showing the younger crowd how it’s done. Though guitarist and helmsman Dave Mustaine would be the only founding member still in congress, the younger fold surrounding him were more than up to the task of filling the mighty shoes of their highly prestigious predecessors, arguably matching the glory achieved by the classic lineup of Ellefson, Friedman and Menza respectively. Bassist James LoMenzo, whom had a stint with this outfit in the late 2000s, did a masterful job of bringing that signature glassy and gusto-driven tone into the mix and was no less animated than his guitar-wielding band mates, turning in stellar showings on classic tracks like “Peace Sells” and also middle-era bangers like “Trust” and “Dread And The Fugitive Mind”. Veteran kit destroyer Dirk Verbeuren would balance technical showmanship and a groovy foundation at full force, bringing his own flavor into the veteran’s polished sound while paying homage to his predecessors, and shred-master Kiko Loureiro rivaled the past exploits of Friedman and Broderick in seemingly effortless fashion.

Yet when all was said and done, what truly sold the audience on this still being the same Megadeth that stormed the battlefield of ‘80s metal and gave commercial titans and former Mustaine band mates Metallica a continual run for their money was the collective performance. Though he still looked a tad roughed up from going 15 rounds with cancer, Dave would lead the charge in eliciting one fit of boisterous applause after another as this four-piece colossus pummeled and thrashed their way through high octane offerings like shred-happy classic “Hanger 18” and recent cut off their latest album “We’ll Be Back”, both gelling perfectly into the same unified set despite being released more than 3 decades apart. Likewise, whether it was mid-paced heavy metal flair from the ‘90s in “Symphony Of Destruction” and “Sweating Bullets”, or the rapid fire assault of newer cut “Soldier On!” and fan favorite from “Rust In Peace” “Holy Wars”, the ebb and flow of the entire set unfolded seamlessly, with all but a slightly raspier and ragged vocal display out of Mustaine pointing to a band that has lost zero steam in the past 38 years.

Fever pitch would give way to utter pandemonium with the entry of headliners and final act Five Finger Death Punch to the stage, due in no small part to lead vocalist Ivan Moody being a favorite son of the city now welcoming him back. This homecoming would see Moody’s own father among those in attendance, and a mixture of light-hearted and sincere moments would unfold amid their grueling 90 minute set. On the lighter side of things would be a humorous moment where Ivan sent some of the contents of his water bottle right onto his father during their performance of “Trouble”, inspiring a hearty laugh in the process. Getting into heavier territory more befitting their blend of groove/thrash and nu-metal, Moody would bring out an American flag and engage the audience in an epic speech about the principles of American patriotism and the service thousands of veterans had given in its name, taking a humorous aside to point out his father as being “The asshole that keeps going around in the photo pit taking photos”, and then wrapping things up by nothing his father’s exhaustive work with various charities and handing him the flag in a poignant gesture before taking a few more comical jabs at him.

Yet with all of the in-between stage high jinks and asides, which also included Moody’s two kids coming on stage and a brief a capella medley performance of various song fragments, this was a full-fledged metal set with all the obligatory bells and whistles. As this motley quintet wheeled their way through an assortment of banger anthems that included standout performances of “Never Enough”, “Wrong Side Of Heaven”, and “Welcome To The Circus”, their blend of rustic songwriting with a modern edge and intermitted technical lead guitar flourishes courtesy of axe-man Andy James inspired plenty of kinetic movement amongst the crowd (and also one of the journalists in the photo pit getting pelted with a pink bra), with Moody’s vocals shifting between a tuneful yet bellowing baritone and a nasty junkyard dog bark without the slightest of hiccups. The evening would hit its triumphant conclusion on a stellar rendition of the band’s original breakout hit “The Bleeding”, which would also provide a denouement of sorts given its power ballad character. To put it simply, Denver was witness to a truly unique spectacle this past Friday, and Five Finger Death Punch were able to bring it full circle before the masses had gotten their fill.