Only four months into 2025, the number of high-quality extreme metal tours that have passed through Southern California is remarkable. Danzig, Napalm Death, Mayhem, Machine Head, Six Feet Under, Meshuggah, Dying Fetus, Cavalera, and Kerry King are just some of the headliners making this an incredible year for live music. The killer tours just keep coming.

Florida death metal titans Obituary are celebrating 35 years since the release of their iconic album Cause of Death and are currently on the road with NAILS, Terror, SpiritWorld, and Pest Control. This stacked tour made its second of three Southern California stops at the House of Blues in Anaheim on Friday night, April 25 (following a show in San Diego the night before and heading to Los Angeles the next night).

All the way from Leeds, England, hardcore punk newcomers Pest Control opened the show with a dose of high-energy angst. With their set time at 6:00 PM and the never-ending SoCal traffic, many missed this opening set (including Hunneypot Live), resulting in no photos of the band. However, those in the venue for the start of the show seemed to be won over by Pest Control, making them a band to keep an eye on.

Up next was SpiritWorld, a band generating a lot of buzz. Their music is labeled as “Death-Western,” a blend of thrash and death metal with Western-themed imagery. Their sound is reminiscent of Power Trip and Fugitive, and they hit the stage with a vengeance, ripping through a 35-minute set. Frontman Stu Folsom fired up the crowd as the band played songs from their albums Pagan Rhythms, DeathWestern, and Helldorado. By the end of their set, even those unfamiliar with SpiritWorld were converted into fans.

This is where the night shifted from crazy to insane. When Terror founding member and vocalist Scott Vogel hit the stage, he immediately waved his arm, encouraging the crowd to crowd-surf over the barrier. As soon as the band launched into their first song, a constant wave of bodies and crowd surfers overwhelmed the House of Blues security team. It was like a waterfall of bodies for the entirety of Terror’s 40-minute set. Their relentless hardcore punk energy left the security team exhausted and tending to injuries. Terror truly lives up to their name, delivering their brand of hardcore punk like no other.

Next up was NAILS, a band with close ties to Terror, as frontman Todd Jones was formerly a member of Terror. NAILS picked up right where Terror left off, delivering their grindcore-infused punk with a sprinkle of death metal. While their set didn’t have as many crowd surfers, it did ignite a massive circle pit that raged throughout their performance. NAILS ended their brutal set with “You Will Never Be One of Us” and “Unsilent Death,” leaving the crowd thoroughly destroyed.

Over the last 20 years, Obituary has released six albums and become a nonstop touring machine. With the resurgence of many classic heavy bands, Obituary released one of their best records in 2023, Dying of Everything, and have been supporting it ever since. However, in 2025, they are celebrating 35 years since the release of their second album, Cause of Death. Following their 1989 debut Slowly We Rot, Cause of Death avoided the “sophomore slump” and remains a powerful death metal masterpiece to this day.

The band opened their set with their usual instrumental, “Redneck Stomp,” followed by “Sentence Day.” After a couple of newer songs, it was time for Cause of Death to be played in its entirety. Hearing all those classic songs live was a sonic pleasure. Vocalist John Tardy has one of the most unique voices in death metal—instantly recognizable and a defining element of Obituary’s sound. Drummer Donald Tardy (John’s brother) and bassist Terry Butler provided a rock-solid foundation, while rhythm guitarist Trevor Peres, an original founding member, delivered thick, downtuned riffs. Lead guitarist Kenny Andrews rounded out the lineup, making Obituary one of the premier guitar duos in extreme metal.

The fans were rowdy, keeping security busy with crowd surfing and highly active circle pits. After completing the Cause of Death album, the band returned for a three-song encore, including “I’m In Pain,” “Kill for Me,” and the crushing finale, “Slowly We Rot.”

This five-band tour is all killer and no filler from start to finish. The tour continues east across the U.S., with a few stops in Canada, ending in Pennsylvania on May 25. Be sure to grab your tickets and arrive early to catch all five bands.