Fantasy Metal Hits San Antonio: The Amonklok Conquest Tour
Photo by Oscar Moreno
The Amonklok Conquest Tour brought a stacked, theatrical lineup to San Antonio this Thursday, with Castle Rat, Dethklok, and Amon Amarth each leaning into their own distinct worlds.
Castle Rat opened with a short, medieval-tinged heavy rock set spanning five songs. Led by Riley Pinkerton, also known as “The Rat Queen,” her commanding presence guided the band through a quest to defeat the “Rat Reaperess.” In this five-song saga, the set felt more like theater than a traditional metal show. Still, The Count’s solos and The Druid’s thunderous drums, anchored by The Plague Doctor’s bass, quickly reminded the crowd why Castle Rat is becoming one of the genre’s most talked-about new bands.
The tide shifted as Swedish Viking metal lords Amon Amarth took over. The stage was adorned with a massive Viking helmet that held drummer Jocke Wallgren in place, flanked by two enormous statues acting as protectors of the realm. Two guards stood atop elevated ledges in constant battle stance. The first riff rang out as “Raven’s Flight” kicked off the set, and a thunderous cry of “WAR!” erupted from the crowd. The audience became part of the spectacle. Mosh pits formed, fans sang along, and others looked on in awe at the overwhelming visuals of ancient Viking lands brought to life. No Amon Amarth set would be complete without its long-standing tradition. During “Put Your Back Into the Oar,” rows of fans locked arms and rowed in unison, transforming the floor into a living Viking longship.
Dethklok headlined the night, performing completely backlit and in silhouette. The band, composed of all-star musicians including drummer Gene Hoglan of Dark Angel and Testament, bassist Bryan Beller of Joe Satriani and Steve Vai, guitarist Nili Brosh of Danny Elfman and X-Men ’97, and creator Brendan Small, appeared as shadowy figures while the animated world of Metalocalypse took center stage. This shift in focus created a fully immersive experience as they performed classics like “Awaken,” “Thunderhorse,” and “Mermaider,” among others.
The peculiarity of attending a concert by a fictional, animated band never quite left my mind throughout the night. But as the parallels between the live production and the show itself came into focus, it became clear that this concert was the ultimate form of escape. We journeyed through the Castle Rat realm, followed the Rat Queen’s quest, descended into ocean battles, and sailed alongside Johan as he steered the ship. By the time Dethklok took the stage, we found ourselves as spectators in ever-shifting settings such as outer space, the sky, and the desert, each as vast as Brendan Small’s imagination allows. As if it could not get more immersive, it is also worth noting that Small voices both Nathan Explosion and Pickles the drummer, adding yet another layer to the night’s surreal escape from reality.
