Sepultura Bring the Celebrating Life Through Death Farewell to The Wiltern

The Wiltern turned into a long, loud farewell as Sepultura rolled their Celebrating Life Through Death tour through Los Angeles, joined by Exodus, Biohazard, and Tribal Gaze for a stacked bill that traced four generations of heavy music in one night.

Tribal Gaze opened the night and immediately set the tone, leaning into the kind of slow, churning death metal that doesn't ask the room to warm up so much as drag it forward. Their set was concise and heavy, the perfect first hit for a crowd that was clearly there for the long haul.

Biohazard followed and brought New York with them. The reunited original lineup turned the Wiltern into a hardcore pit at points, leaning on the crossover catalog that helped define a whole lane of heavy music in the early 90s. Watching them trade vocals and grin between songs made it clear how much fun they're having being a band again.

Exodus raised the speed considerably. Gary Holt's riffs cut through the room and Steve Souza was relentless on vocals, the Bay Area thrash legacy on full display. The crowd response was immediate, the pit churning all the way back to the bar. By the time their set ended, the room was warmed up properly for what came next.

When Sepultura finally took the stage, the goodbyes were earnest. Derrick Green and Andreas Kisser worked through a setlist that spanned the band's history, leaning into the songs that have defined them for decades. The pit didn't let up. The singalongs were loud. There was a real sense in the room of people getting their last chance to see a band that shaped what heavy music could sound like, and treating it accordingly.

It was a night that earned its bill: four bands, four eras, one absolutely packed Wiltern saying goodbye to one of the most important names in the genre.

All photos by Joma Mandocdoc.