Live report FEAR FACTORY, CRYSTAL LAKE, HATE & THE NOCTURNAL AFFAIR, Markthalle, Hamburg – September 16th, 2026

One evening after Devin Townsend brought a stripped-down solo performance to Hamburg’s Markthalle, I’m back at the same venue. This time, though, the setup couldn’t be more different. The chairs from the previous night have disappeared, the room is ready for a standing crowd, and an interesting package is about to hit the stage.

Metal veterans Fear Factory are currently on tour, joined tonight by three bands that bring very different flavors to the table: Crystal Lake, Hate, and The Nocturnal Affair. That means quite a few different shades of heavy music will be sharing the Markthalle stage tonight.

The Nocturnal Affair

When I arrive, The Nocturnal Affair are already into their set. The Las Vegas-based band were in Europe about a year ago as support for Drowning Pool, but they are new territory for me. And that makes their performance a particularly pleasant surprise.

The band combines rock with modern metal influences and delivers the material with plenty of energy and commitment. There’s also plenty happening on stage, which helps draw more and more people into the room as the set progresses.

The closing number takes a slightly different route. Instead of finishing with one of their own songs, The Nocturnal Affair turn Haddaway’s “What Is Love” into a solid metal-leaning version of the ’90s pop classic. It’s an unexpected move, but judging by the reaction, it works. A little nostalgia never hurts.

Hate

The stage is cleared quickly, and the second band of the night is ready to go. The contrast between a Haddaway cover and Hate could hardly be greater.

The Polish four-piece wastes no time. “Bellum Regiis” immediately wipes away the remaining pop vibes and replaces them with a much darker atmosphere. What follows is a focused 35-minute set built around music, intensity, and stage presence. Hate aren’t exactly known for lengthy speeches between songs, and tonight is no exception. Apart from a few words before the closing track “The Vanguard,” the band lets the music do the devilish talking.

And there is plenty to hear. Hate bring together elements of death and black metal, creating a dense and aggressive sound that clearly finds its audience tonight. Several dedicated fans are scattered throughout the venue, and the response grows stronger as the set develops.

No long speeches. No detours. Just Hate doing what Hate do.

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Crystal Lake

If this package is all about contrasting genres, Crystal Lake certainly keep that idea alive. The Tokyo-based band – something they make sure nobody in the room forgets – deliver a forceful blend of hardcore and metalcore with industrial touches and electronic textures.

There are already plenty of Crystal Lake fans in the Markthalle, but the intensity of the Japanese five-piece catches more than a few others off guard. The energy is immediate and relentless. At times, the combination of heaviness, electronics, and sheer velocity can feel like a lot to take in, but it’s difficult to look away. The band attacks the stage with such enthusiasm that the audience quickly gets pulled into the action.

There’s not much room for Japanese restraint here. It’s more like someone opened a valve – and decided not to close it again for 45 minutes. The crowd responds accordingly. Circle pits appear, and eventually even a wall of death gets underway. Doing that in the Markthalle takes a bit of cooperation given the room, but somehow, it works.

Crystal Lake have done their job. The audience is warmed up, the temperature in the room has risen, and now it’s time for the headliner.

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Fear Factory

The stage is bathed in blue light, with the large Fear Factory logo dominating the backdrop. Then the band walks onstage, and “Acres of Skin” gets things moving with a track from the band’s early-2000s era. The crowd is immediately on board.

The setlist offers a broad look across Fear Factory’s career, reaching back to the early days with songs such as “Arise Above Oppression” and “Martyr.” At the other end of the timeline sits “Roboticist,” released only a few weeks ago and marking the first Fear Factory studio recording with new vocalist Milo Silvestro. The new song fits surprisingly naturally into the set. In fact, for me, “Roboticist” works even better onstage than it does in the studio. It sounds like a continuation rather than a break with what came before.

As the set progresses, the concentration of familiar material increases. The encore then puts additional emphasis on Demanufacture, eventually bringing the night to a close with “Resurrection.”

It’s a fitting way to finish a set that has moved through several stages of Fear Factory’s history without turning the evening into a simple nostalgia trip.

Dino Cazares and Fear Factory deliver a strong and convincing performance tonight. The biggest surprise for me, however, is Milo Silvestro. Taking over the microphone of a band with such a recognizable vocal identity is no small task, particularly when the set reaches deep into the back catalog. Silvestro handles the older material confidently and gives the newer songs their own character without making the classic tracks feel out of place.

After tonight’s performance, Fear Factory certainly feel like a band with another chapter ahead of them rather than one simply looking back. The next album has been announced, although there is still no release date. Based on what “Roboticist” and tonight’s performance suggest, there is a good reason to keep an ear out for what comes next.

The machine is still running.