Sepultura’s Ramova Theater Farewell Turned Chicago’s Metal Crowd Into a Blistering History Lesson With Exodus and Biohazard
CHICAGO, IL — The Ramova Theater did not feel like a room waiting for a show on Friday night. It felt like a place already braced for impact, with Chicago fans packed in and ready for something heavy. Sepultura’s Celebrating Life Through Death Final North American Tour landed there on May 15, 2026, with Exodus, Biohazard and Tribal Gaze on the bill.
By the time the lights dropped, the night already carried the weight of a farewell. This was not a casual stop on a tour; it was a room full of people who knew they were watching a piece of metal history unwind in real time.
Tribal Gaze and Biohazard set the room in motion
Texas-based openers Tribal Gaze had the first big task of the night, and they met it with blunt-force death metal that wasted no time on polish. Their set was all low-end riffs, punishing drums and vocals that sounded ripped from a basement rehearsal space, and the crowd responded quickly as the room began to stir.
Biohazard raised the stakes with their classic lineup of Evan Seinfeld, Billy Graziadei, Bobby Hambel and Danny Schuler. Songs including Urban DisciplineWrong Side of the Tracks and Punishment turned the floor into a louder, more active place, with the band’s street-level hardcore energy making the set feel urgent rather than nostalgic.
Exodus brought the pit to full speed
When Exodus hit the stage, the room shifted into full thrash mode. The Bay Area veterans arrived with momentum behind Goliath, their 2026 album, and Rob Dukes’ return on vocals gave the set extra muscle. Gary Holt, Lee Altus, Jack Gibson and Tom Hunting pushed the songs with the kind of precision that makes Exodus such a reliable live force.
The set mixed newer material with classics like Bonded by BloodThe Toxic Waltz and Strike of the Beast. By then the pit had become almost weather-like, with fans bouncing, colliding and grinning through the chaos while security watched the edges and the band kept the pressure on.
Sepultura made the goodbye feel like a landmark
Sepultura closed the night with the kind of presence that made the farewell feel bigger than one date on one tour. Derrick Green led the band with force and authority, while Andreas Kisser’s guitar, Paulo Jr.’s bass and Greyson Nekrutman’s drumming gave the set its shape and momentum.
The 18-song performance pulled from every era of the band’s career, from Inner Self and Beneath the Remains to Refuse/ResistArise and Roots Bloody Roots. For Chicago fans, the night felt less like a standard concert and more like a shared sendoff, the kind that turns a theater into a memory before the house lights even come up.
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