Concert Recap: The Necromanteum Part 2 at The Sherman Theater with Carnifex, Cryptopsy, Mental Cruelty, Organectomy, Heavy Hitter, and Traverse The Abyss

The Sherman Theater was transformed into a battleground on 10/27 as The Necromanteum Part 2 tour brought an onslaught of brutal metal acts to Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. Headlined by the relentless Carnifex, and joined by Cryptopsy, Mental Cruelty, Organectomy, Heavy Hitter, and the local powerhouse Traverse The Abyss, the lineup promised an evening of unyielding heaviness—and it delivered in spades.

Traverse The Abyss Opens the Gates

Kicking off the night was Traverse The Abyss, a local favorite that had the crowd primed and ready to go from the start. Hailing from Scranton, they brought a powerful energy, giving the locals a reason to throw down and support their own. They debuted their newest song, Zombies and the singer brought his daughter on stage during their set. Mixing guttural growls with high-energy riffing, Traverse The Abyss set the stage for a night of madness, with the crowd already throwing fists and warming up for the chaos ahead.

Heavy Hitter Brings the Lightning

Heavy Hitter took things up a notch, delivering a blistering set that had the crowd in a frenzy. With bone-crushing breakdowns and an undeniable stage presence, their performance fueled the night’s first true pits. The crowd erupted as the music intensified, filling the theater with a raw, primal energy that only deathcore can bring. By the end of their set, the room was practically vibrating with anticipation for what was to come.

Organectomy Brings the Thunder

As Organectomy took the stage, the room’s energy reached another level. Hailing from New Zealand, the band has gained a reputation for their brutal, guttural style of slamming death metal, and last night, they lived up to every ounce of that reputation. Their crushing riffs and relentless blast beats had the crowd headbanging and the pits expanding, with fans piling into the center of the floor to join the frenzy.

What truly set Organectomy apart was their connection with the audience. The crowd hung on every word, answering back with shouts and horns raised high. During fan favorites like “Tracheal Hanging” and “Terror Form,” the floor turned into a writhing sea of bodies, with fans moshing, two-stepping, and losing themselves in the brutal breakdowns. The band’s frontman even took a moment to acknowledge the chaos, laughing as he urged the crowd to "go harder," a command that fans were more than happy to obey. By the time they wrapped up, the entire theater was seething with intensity.

Mental Cruelty Brings Pure, Unfiltered Aggression

When Mental Cruelty hit the stage, the energy transformed from chaotic to downright ruthless. Known for their mercilessly heavy blend of deathcore with blackened elements, the German outfit wasted no time turning the Sherman Theater into a sonic battlefield. Tracks like “Forgotten Kings” and “Godhunt” drew out the hardest-hitting pits of the night, with brutal breakdowns that seemed to rattle the venue’s very foundation. Fans took it to the next level, throwing down with a mixture of energy and aggression that left no space on the floor untouched. By the time they finished, it was clear that Mental Cruelty had left an indelible mark on the night’s experience.

Cryptopsy Keeps the Crowd on Their Toes

Veteran death metal act Cryptopsy brought a technical mastery that contrasted with the sheer brutality of the previous acts. With a career spanning nearly three decades, Cryptopsy gave the crowd a masterclass in technicality and precision. Songs like “Forgotten Kings” and “King of Fire” saw the mosh pit morph into something almost ritualistic, with fans moving in synchronized chaos. The band’s intricate riffs and relentless drumming provided a relentless backdrop to the mayhem on the floor, proving that after all these years, Cryptopsy can still command a crowd like few others.

Carnifex Brings It All Together

Finally, it was time for Carnifex to take the stage, and the anticipation was tangible. Formed in 2005, Carnifex has become a staple of the deathcore genre, known for their horror-inspired themes and a sound that combines brutality with dark, melodic undertones. Their latest album, Necromanteum, has been a testament to their evolution, and fans were eager to hear some of the new material live.

As they opened with “Torn in Two,” the room exploded, with the crowd chanting every lyric alongside Scott Lewis's guttural growls. From start to finish, Carnifex’s set was relentless, with tracks like “Hell Chose Me” and “Drown Me in Blood” keeping the intensity sky-high. The moshing reached its peak during their performance, with the floor exploding into madness as everyone joined in the chaos. The circle pits expanded, swallowing almost the entire floor as fans gave everything they had to the music.

The Crowd: Relentless Until the End

Throughout the night, the crowd was as much a part of the show as the bands themselves. The mosh pits were relentless, a swirling mass of energy and aggression that didn’t let up until the last chord was struck. The Sherman Theater proved to be the perfect venue for a show like this, with every scream, blast beat, and breakdown resonating throughout the building.

By the end of Carnifex’s encore, fans were sweaty, exhausted, and grinning ear-to-ear, proving once again that there’s nothing quite like a night spent immersed in the intensity of a metal show. For those lucky enough to be in the pit, it was a night they’ll never forget—a brutal, electrifying experience that only bands like Carnifex, Cryptopsy, Mental Cruelty, Organectomy, Heavy Hitter, and Traverse The Abyss could deliver. Until the next show, horns up and stay heavy! Photo Albums: https://www.beyondthebarrierpa.com/portfolio-collections/the-necromanteum-tour