Reigning from Ohio, the masked metal band brought their horror movie imagery, southern groove, and sprinkler system to the Forge in Illinois – a venue with a rich history of great live music production. Mushroomhead brought Psychostick, Black Satellite, and Mind Incision this lap around, to include their mask wearing, water spraying carnage of a production.

Mushroomhead are masters of blending aggressive metal with theatrical performance as well as the signature water jet percussion kit. Their larger than life performance included a ton of fan interaction, mask changes, and performer switch overs. The crowd fed off of it like maggots on wet wood, and you could conduct electricity off of it. Truly an experience more than a performance, and on top of being right around Halloween time, the show was perfect.

Psychostick, being the “Weird Al” of hard rock, was the perfect setup for Mushroomhead—especially with their set starter, “Obey The Beard,” giving a shoutout to everyone in the crowd who sports more than a mustache. The fun-filled comedy band is known for putting sharp humor over original music and sometimes even covers, including their song “I Can Only Count to Four,” a parody of Drowning Pool’s iconic track “Bodies.” Psychostick helped bring laughs and positive energy, turning everyday frustrations into random nonsensical anthems that get stuck in your head.

Larissa Vale and her band Black Satellite were the sophomore act of the night, keeping the face paint and heavy lyrics going. Their new song, “Kill For You,” is a great addition to anyone’s playlist who enjoys modern metalcore with an edgy twist. This year, the band has also appeared on Sirius XM Octane Test Drive for the single “Downfall” and was support on Marilyn Manson’s “One Assassination Under God” tour this past spring. All the way from New York, this darker industrial metal band is known for the cinematic look, striking on-stage presence, and a sound full of grit, attitude, and passion. This band is building a very strong reputation and is pushing this avenue of music to its limits in the best way possible.

Mind Incision started the night. The second most important act of the night was performed flawlessly. The heavy crowd interaction was icing on the cake for this Denver powerhouse. This band was formed in 2022, and while this tour might be their first glimpse of a touring cycle, believe me, it won’t be their last. Most of their catalog addresses serious themes of self harm, PTSD, and domestic violence.

All in all, this tour is about half over after their stay in Illinois, but I strongly suggest making the stop if you can. Between the three bands and potential local openers, listeners have walked away soaking wet and loaded with excitement and new stories. The masks, face paint, and heavy distortion are a perfect cocktail for anyone looking to blow off some steam… just don’t forget your horns and cross your eyes. As for this venue? It brings in some of the most anticipated tours it can hold, with acts like Trivium, Ice Nine Kills, Asking Alexandria, Motionless in White, Slaughter to Prevail, Terror, and more recently Exodus, Mammoth WVH, Snot, Dying Fetus, and Upon a Burning Body. The Forge is a great spot to discover new bands that have the potential to play to some of the biggest crowds without getting into the Chicagoland area.

Follow MUSHROOMHEAD | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | SPOTIFY | APPLE MUSIC