Slaughter to Prevail took over Brooklyn Bowl Sunday night and brought pure, unrelenting chaos to Nashville. From the intro, a 13 minute rave inducing EDM track that had the crowd dancing and vibing as the venue limbered up for what was to come. The moment the lights dropped and the band walked out to a sea of raised fists and guttural screams, it was clear that this wasn’t just another metal show, Slaughter to Prevail was about to deliver an all-out assault on the senses. The “Russian Grizzly in America” tour lived up to its name and then some.
Alex Terrible was an absolute force of nature. Despite being broken and bruised from his most recent bare knuckle brawl with Top Dog Fights, the man still sounded like he was screaming straight from the depths of hell. His gutturals were brutal, his highs were razor-sharp, and his presence was terrifyingly magnetic. Even though he never wore the mask this show, he was still a daunting figure on the stage.
The Russian deathcore band played nearly everything fans could’ve hoped for. “Baba Yaga” had the crowd screaming along so loud you could barely hear Alex. “1984” hit like a freight train, and when Alex had the crowd get down and jump up at his command in similar fashion that Slipknot does for “Spit it Out”, that was the moment the floor felt like it might collapse. The mix of English and Russian lyrics, the tempo changes, the sheer violence of the breakdown, it was like watching a beast get unleashed for the first time.
The crowd at Brooklyn Bowl added to the spectacle of the evening as they didn’t just show up, they showed out. From the first riff of “Banditos,” the pit opened up and never really closed. People were two-stepping, crowd-surfing, and throwing down hard. When Alex called for a wall of death, the entire floor split in half without hesitation. And when it the riff hit, pure carnage took place in the best possible way. Through all the madness, it still felt safe. There was a real sense of community in the chaos, people helping each other up, sharing water, hugging after the pit. Deathcore kids take care of their own.
The production wasn’t over-the-top, but it didn’t need to be. The lighting was moody and dramatic, the strobes hit at just the right moments, and the sound was dialed in. The stage was capped with two grizzly heads with glowing red eyes that glared at you eerily. The drum riser also deserves special recognition to as it was expertly crafted to look like a pile of skulls similar to something you would see in Doom with the Doomslayer atop of it.
By the time they closed with “Demolisher” and disappeared into a haze of lights and feedback, the crowd was sweaty, sore, and grinning like maniacs. No one left early. No one stood still. This show wasn’t something you just watched, it was something you survived. Once the dust was settled fans all stayed around and took pictures with one another to preserve the chaos they had just been through.
Whether you’re a longtime fan or someone just getting into the heavier side of metal, Slaughter to Prevail proved why they’re one of the most exciting live bands in the scene right now. Nashville got the full Russian Grizzly experience, and we’re still recovering.
Slaughter to Prevail’s Russian Grizzly in America tour continues through July 25th of 2025. For upcoming shows, visit https://www.slaughtertoprevail.com/tour-dates.
