Live report BLEED FROM WITHIN, AFTER THE BURIAL & GREAT AMERICAN GHOST, Docks, Hamburg – September 12th, 2025

It’s time for some metalcore tonight! A couple of days ago, Bleed From Within kicked off their European/UK tour in Antwerp, Belgium, and tonight, they will perform at Docks in Hamburg. They’re joined on the road by two additional bands: After The Burial and Great American Ghost.

The show starts early tonight. Great American Ghost takes the stage at 6:30 p.m. sharp. The Boston-based metal band opens with “Hymn of Decay” and suffers from some sound issues. It’s a massive start, though, and since the sound improves quickly, we witness a very intense set. The fusion of blasting beats, grooving moments, and Ethan Harrison’s strong presence makes this a great way to start a night full of metalcore. During “Lost in the Outline,” Harrison joins the circle pit in the crowd before starting “Kerosene” with a short speech about global problems related to social imbalance and political menace. Great American Ghost has 30 minutes for their six-song set, which ends with a new song, “Forsaken.” And what could be a better finale than shouting the last parts of the song from the bar counter in the hall? Great American Ghost got everyone fired up and set the stage for the next band.

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After a short break, it’s time for After The Burial to continue the metalcore blast started by Great American Ghost, and the band delivers. The Minnesota-based band kicks it off with “In Flux.” The four-piece hammers riff after riff into the crowd, which clearly enjoys the band’s energetic performance. Despite suffering from jet lag, the band gets the fans moving. Circle pits and jumping clearly indicate the fans’ enjoyment, and the band also seems to be thrilled to be back. This is evident in the new song “Hum from the Hollow,” but we also see a band that, after a two-year absence, is back with a powerful performance. There are some early crowd surfers, too, but fewer than you would expect during such a set, which finds its furious conclusion with “Collapse.”

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Fans are entertained by everything from Van Halen to Slipknot while the stage is being rebuilt. Tonight, you can even witness metalcore fans singing the chorus of the Bon Jovi hit, “Living on a Prayer.”

Bleed From Within starts their show with an intro. Shania Twain’s “Man! I Feel Like a Woman” runs through the PA, providing a strong contrast to the massive blast of “Violent Nature.” It doesn’t take Bleed From Within long to ignite the spark. The crowd goes wild from the first riff. Tonight’s focus is on their latest studio album, “Zenith,” from which eight songs are on the setlist. The title track is second on the list, followed by “Sovereign” from the “Shrine” era. The band clearly enjoys performing and delivers a powerful, energetic show. Frontman Scott Kennedy is especially all over the place while shouting his lungs out.

Bleed From Within’s rise is evident when you consider that they played the Logo in 2022, and now they’re performing at Docks, which has a much larger capacity. Although it is not a sold-out show, the floor is crowded, and the performance captivates everyone from the front to the back of the hall. Even in the back rows, we see people headbanging and raising their fists. The same goes for the “sit down and jump” moment, when almost everyone sits on the floor before the massive riff makes everyone jump and slam around. Without a doubt, circle pits formed more than once. A short drum solo is even part of the show too before the massive riff monster “Dying Sun” takes over.

With “In Place of Your Halo” and the integration of bagpipe sounds, the show comes to an end, and even before 10:00 p.m., fans already enjoyed a great start to an evening that had just begun. Bleed From Within delivered an intense and vibrant performance tonight, supported by bands that were more than just opening acts. These bands have known each other for a while, and that’s what makes this a great live experience even greater.