Concert Review: Sepultura with Exodus, Biohazard and Tribal Gaze at the Wellmont Theater in Montclair, NJ

Sepultura embarked on their final North American tour, "Celebrating Life Through Death" with support from the legendary Exodus, as well as Brooklyn's very own Biohazard and Tribal Gaze from Texas.

The Wellmont Theater was pretty well packed for a Wednesday night as this was the first night of their farewell tour, and many we're not gonna miss the chance to catch the mighty Sepultura crush New Jersey one last time, especially with the stacked lineup of openers.

As the lights dimmed, Tribal Gaze took to the stage, kicking it all off early and wasting no time showing that they belonged. Leaning straight into death metal roots the band let their riffs and sheer weight of their sound do the talking. 

Tribal Gaze delivered a raw assault on the Wellmont that, if you didn't know, you were now well aware, and the pit had gotten fired up rather quickly as they commanded it straight out of the gate. Their set was short but extremely tight and powerful as they blew the room away with some blunt force trauma as they did exactly what an opener should do. Be sure to catch them on this killer tour as you will not be disappointed.

Brooklyn Hardcore veterans Biohazard hit the stage and wasted no time doing what they do and reminding all why they're still one the most respected names in hardcore. From the jump they wasted no time kicking their set off with the classic "Urban Discipline" which had the crowd fired up straight from the start as the floor opened up and the pit commenced. The energy filled the room and onlookers were locked, as they blasted through a bunch of tracks from old to new as they just dropped their new album "Divided We Fall" released in late 2025.  The chemistry of the band has always been tight but since reuniting 2022 they have just been a force to reckon with as they feed off each other and the crowd to

give that killer performance every time. 

There was a noticeable mix of generations at this show, which was really good to see as there were longtime fans who have been with Biohazard since the 90's alongside younger metalheads discovering them for the first time in a live setting.

Definitely one of the highlights of the set came with "Punishment" as the entire room turned into a unified shout along, the chorus hit hard as the crowd took over vocal duties. There's a reason Biohazard has the legacy they do as they give 100%

every time and every show.

Biohazard just didn't warm up the crowd, they ignited it. Their set was a reminder that their blend of hardcore, metal and streetwise groove still just hits as hard as it ever did.

The room was absolutely ready for Exodus to hit the stage and they did exactly that, delivering only what you would expect from the Bay Area thrash legends, their set was absolutely punishing from start to finish. The band dove right into it with "Bonded By Blood" and the energy in the room snapped into place as the crowd was locked in. Gary Holt's riff's were razor sharp with his signature relentless crunch while Rob Dukes sounded vicious, barking out lyrics with that thrash grit exactly the way Exodus should sound. The sound hit the packed-out room with a heavy hit to the face as they ripped through a portion of their catalog. The band was super tight like a well-primed machine as they were in full on control of that ultimate thrash.

The pit told the real story, as soon as the classic "The Toxic Waltz" kicked in, the floor erupted into a circle pit of bodies like your average thrash pit violent but not reckless. Let's just say it was controlled mayhem. The crowd's response was relentless throughout, especially for "Bonded by Blood" and "Strike of the Beast" which both hit like time machines back to the genre's formative years that they helped define. Overall, Exodus crushed the Wellmont Theater with their pure thrash fury leaving a fresh path for the legendary Sepultura to take to the stage.

As the crowd's anticipation was already high enough, it was about that time for the mighty Sepultura to hit the stage, and they certainly did not disappoint. On their farewell run, Celebrating Life Through Death it felt less like a goodbye but more like a war ritual.  From the moment the lights dropped, and the room shifted as the opening riff's reverberated off the walls of the Wellmont, the place suddenly erupted into a dense pit, and the crowd was locked in. Sepultura didn't ease into anything as frontman Derrick Green commanded the stage with a relentless presence, with his vocals that cut right through the chaos.

The band set way on the classics as the reactions made it obvious why.  Tracks like "Arise" and "Dead Embryonic Cells" hit with a crushing force, igniting wall-to-wall movement. 

They were fully engaged and locked in as Andreas Kisser's guitar riffs were tack sharp, slicing through the venue with pure precision while the rhythm section delivered that crushing signature sound. Fans knew this wasn't just another tour stop but the first stop of this final tour; this one held weight. Fans weren't just moshing they were witnessing the closing chapter of a band that had helped shape metal for over four decades.

The crowd gave that energy right back with non-stop pits and crowd surfers floating over the barricades, keeping security busy.  

Wishing Sepultura all the best in their future endeavors as they will forever leave a massive metal mark on their legacy. Check them out on this final tour you absolutely will not regret it. This tour runs through May 29th, concluding in Los Angeles CA.