On October 3, 2024, the Granada Theater had a special treat lined up for the evening in Dallas, Texas. Shadow of Intent and Fleshgod Apocalypse headlined the event and shared their take on a Night at The Opera with special guests Ingested, The Zenith Passage, and Disembodied Tyrant. The night was filled with a lot of versatility, featuring high-energy death metal ranging from circle pits and walls of death to melodic duets and classical opera vocals.

To start the night off for The Black Opera Tour, underdog group Disembodied Tyrant takes the stage at The Granada. Vocalist Blake Mullens wastes no time in his performance, engaging with his heavy guitar playing and being able to multitask it with his deep vocals on the tracks. The band really shows ambition on stage and demonstrates to the crowd that they truly belong in the big leagues. One thing I’ve enjoyed about them is their heavy interaction with fans at their merchandise booth, from working and passing out shirts to taking pictures with fans. After experiencing Disembodied Tyrant and seeing how humble these guys are, you really just hope for the best and can be sure to root for them on their new journey.

The next opening portion of the night was The Zenith Passage. The band is based in Los Angeles, California. The set for Zenith was different from usual. Lead Vocalist Derek Rydquist wasn’t in attendance for the Dallas show, but vocalist Geoff Ficco, originally the vocalist for The Faceless, ended up taking the reins for the night. Overall, the set was very enjoyable. The crowd was starting to finally come out of their shell and was showing how a metal show is supposed to be. Normally, substitutions regarding band members usually show a bit of effect, but this didn’t stop Geoff from delivering a spectacular performance and getting some circle pits started.

Covering up the last of the openers for the night was Ingested, all the way from Manchester, United Kingdom. My favorite thing about bands from the U.K. is that they always know how to control the crowds. This was for sure no surprise for Ingestion as the band had the crowd in the palm of their hands and had the wall of death in full motion in the middle of the venue. The energy they displayed was beyond most openers. They did their jobs to the fullest to get the crowd ready for the headline acts.

Shadow of Intent is a deathcore band based in Hartford, Connecticut. Tonight’s show was for sure a special one for Dallas. Bryce Butler, drummer for the band, is a Texas native from Mesquite, Texas, so it was an amazing homecoming for Butler being able to perform back again in the Lone Star State. Lead vocalist Ben Duerr also knows how to put the energy into the crowd at the Granada Theater. His versatile vocal range is a huge factor in why Shadow of Intent differs greatly in the heavy music scene and why the music speaks to fans. The band played a lot of favorites from their album Elegy. Guitarist Chris Wiseman always knows how to put the energy into the people. The set had numerous circle pits and an amazing wall of death for the last song of the set. Shadow of Intent’s show was, for sure, an unforgettable experience and an amazing pleasure for metal fans to enjoy.

To wrap up the last set of the night, Fleshgod Apocalypse takes the stage at the opera house. The band originates from Perugia, Italy. They’re also known for their dark perspective on symphonic music. Lead opera vocalist, Veronica Bordacchini, walks down the stage, heavy with pride, raising the flag of Italy and getting the crowd warmed up for some dark opera. The whole set for Fleshgod Apocalypse was such a sophisticated and enjoyable setting; it really takes you on that journey where you’re experiencing authentic libretto right here in Dallas, Texas. The diversity of the musical experience was definitely the attention seeker, ranging from your average guitar playing to melodic riffs from an acoustic piano. The whole set for Fleshgod really gives you a different interpretation of the word opera. Their take on dark symphony truly takes you on a huge trip that will definitely leave you wanting more to experience.