The Amonklok Conquest Tour invaded Arizona Financial Theatre on April 15th, 2026. It was a night full of doom, death, and..the Duncan Hills Coffee Jingle?
Fantasy metal crew Castle Rat started the night, taking the audience on a journey through a world inhabited by wizards and warriors. The self-proclaimed Rat Queen Riley Pinkerton took the stage, accompanied by The Plague Doctor on bass, The Count on lead guitar, and The Druid behind the drum kit. Highlights of the 5-song set included “Dagger Dragger” and “Wizard”, both featuring infectious heavy guitar riffs and Pinkerton’s soaring vocals. The set concluded with the Rat Queen being struck down by arch-nemesis “The Rat Reaperess”, only to be revived by The Plague Doctor.
The audience was next transported to the frozen battlegrounds of the North. Akin to Vikings coming ashore, Amon Amarth emerged from the smoke and flames lighting up the stage. Towering Norse warriors flanked the stage while frontman Johan Hegg unleashed roaring vocals on songs like “Raven’s Flight”, “Death in Fire”, and “We Rule the Waves.” Perched atop a giant horned Viking helmet, drummer Jocke Wallgren hammered out rhythms, while bassist Ted Lundström roamed the stage below. The twin guitar attack of Olavi Mikkonen and Johan Söderberg delivered galloping riffs on “Asator” and “Put Your Back Into the Oar.” “ROW! ROW! ROW!”, bellowed Hegg as rows of fans, seated in rows on the floor, pulled and pushed invisible oars. Amon Amarth ended their set with a two-song encore featuring “Saxons and Vikings”—a live debut—and “Twilight of the Thunder God.”
Dethklok celebrated 20 years of Metalocalypse with an 18-song set full of metal and mayhem. In spite of the sophomoric humor on display, the musicianship was no joke. Dethklok’s human counterparts featured an all star lineup including Gene “The Atomic Clock” Hoglan on drums, Peter Griffin on bass, Nili Brosh on guitar, and Brendon Small on vocals and guitar. Blast beats shook the venue as Small became Nathan Explosion, growling and grunting his way through the 18-song setlist. Highlights included the live debut of “Face Fisted”—complete with a Batman-themed video—and “The Cyborg Slayers.” Dethklok also reintroduced some long-dormant songs to the setlist: “Bloodtrocuted”—last performed in 2008—and “Burn The Earth”—last performed in 2011. The band closed out the evening with a trio of fan favorites. “Murmaider” told a tale of killer mermaids out for vengeance, while “Thunderhorse” was an ode to the mythic beast of the same name. Dethklok ended the show with “Go Into The Water”, a song about devolving into sea creatures and returning to the depths of the ocean.
The Amonklok Conquest tour next heads East, with stops in Minneapolis, Chicago, and Brooklyn. The tour then heads West before concluding in Sacramento on October 22nd. Tickets are available at dethkloklive.com.
