CONCERT REVIEW: Ice Nine Kills Thrill Fans With Theatrical & Horror-Inspired Performance

Ice Nine Kills are a horror-inspired metalcore band that have been taking the world by storm since forming in 2002. Throughout the years, we have seen Ice Nine Kills a number of times. Due to their combination of horror, theatrics and overall just incredible music, they are high on our list of favourite bands to see live. Their headliner show in Melkweg, Amsterdam last night was once again a thrilling experience that left a lasting impression. The performance was held at a packed venue, and the energy in the air was electric. The band’s frontman, Spencer Charnas, was the main attraction of the night, and he did not disappoint.

They started off the night with their song Funeral Derangements, which is based on Pet Sematary. As the band entered the stage in the appropriate attire for this song, with vocalist Spencer Charnas wielding an axe, INK captivated the audience with their dynamic stage presence. Things took a more gruesome turn during Wurst Vacation, a track based on the movie Hostel. Spencer took it up a notch by chopping off an actor’s arms with a prop hatchet.

The audience passionately echoed every word of the songs back to the band, including the spoken-word interludes, such as the one in Hip To Be Scared, which, on the studio version, is narrated by Jacoby Shaddix of Papa Roach. Next up was Ex-Mørtis, one of their more catchy song, based on the iconic Evil Dead. This song was a standout performance, and the audience was fully engaged as the band members delivered a thrilling performance.

In IT Is the End, Spencer dressed up as Pennywise and an actor joined the band on stage, wearing Georgie’s signature yellow raincoat and holding an all-too-familiar red balloon, playing out a conversation between the evil clown and the child before catastrophe struck. The song, as well as the performance, was a crowd favourite, and the audience was fully engaged as the band members delivered a thrilling performance.

Throughout the night, the band also performed several other songs from their latest two albums The Silver Scream and its sequel Welcome To Horrorwood: The Silver Scream 2, and even took a small trip down memory lane by performing Communion of the Cursed, off of 2015 album Every Trick In The Book. The American Nightmare, The Shower Scene, Assault & Batteries, A Grave Mistake, Stabbing in the Dark, Farewell II Flesh, and Welcome to Horrorwood. Theatrics and heavy music blended together on each of the songs, which makes an INK show special.

Overall, Ice Nine Kills put on a fantastic show that was both thrilling and unforgettable. With their unique blend of horror-inspired lyrics and dynamic stage presence, the band delivered a performance that left the audience wanting more. Unfortunately, the performance came to a rather abrupt stop after the band performed Welcome To Horrorwood. Fans waited around for the encore, which would never happen. Despite this confusion, fans left the venue satisfied and exhilarated after a night filled with exceptional performances by Ice Nine Kills. Check out the photos we took below!

Eva van den Bosch Head Editor, Photographer

Eva van den Bosch combines concert photography with a prominent editorial role at Strife Mag.

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