Palladium, Cologne, Germany 19th September 2026
The Amity Affliction - “House of Cards EU Tour 2026” - Special Guests: Silent Planet, Varials, Orthodox
Australian Metalcore powerhouse THE AMITY AFFLICTION are bringing their world tour to Germany this fall and stopped in Cologne last night! As part of their 2026 World Tour, the band delivered their signature intensity, emotion, and unmatched live energy to fans across the country. With a career defined by honest lyrics and thunderous performances, THE AMITY AFFLICTION blended heartbreak, catharsis, and connection during that show - as only they can.
Orthodox
Hailing from Nashville, Tennessee, ORTHODOX have forged a reputation as one of metalcore’s most uncompromising modern acts since their inception in 2011. Bridging the gap between the chaotic, nineties-infused metallic hardcore of TURNSTILE or CONVERGE and the groove-heavy nu-metal crunch of SLIPKNOT, the quartet has quietly constructed a formidable heritage within the subterranean heavy music scene.
Their discography kicked off with the raw fury of ‘Sounds of Silence’ before catching wider critical acclaim with 2017’s ‘Let It Take Its Course’, a relentless study in aggression. They further refined their abrasive sound on 2022’s ‘Learning to Dissolve’, an album loaded with dissonant riffs and punishing breakdowns that solidified their standing as underground heavyweights. https://orthodoxtn.com
Music & Performance
Taking the stage early, ORTHODOX made a hilariously juxtaposed entrance as a smooth jazz track echoed through the Palladium as their intro music. The calm was shattered instantly. A dedicated pocket of pit veterans immediately claimed the floor in front of the stage, executing aggressive two-step routines and firing off roundhouse kicks. Frontman Adam Easterling brought an unhinged, confrontational energy, declaring midway through the set that they were comfortably the second hardest band on the bill right behind VARIALS, before barking at the room, “I came here to ruin your fucking night.”
He tried his best to incite chaos, demanding crowd surfers, but the body density in front of the stage simply wasn’t there yet to support them. Despite the band’s technical precision and absolute venom, the general audience’s reaction remained somewhat muted - perhaps because the set relied a bit too heavily on pure negativity to warm up a crowd still trickling through the venue doors.
Varials
Formed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 2013, VARIALS stand among the absolute standard-bearers of modern metallic hardcore. The band built their reputation on sheer, unapologetic violence in audio form, blending down-tuned beatdowns with atmospheric groove. After gaining a massive underground following through early self-released EPs, they dropped their debut full-length ‘Pain Again’ in 2017 via Fearless Records, followed by the critically praised ‘In Darkness’ in 2019.
Following a lead vocalist swap, they returned stronger than ever with 2022’s ‘Scars for You to Remember’, demonstrating a band capable of crushing dynamic shifts without losing an ounce of sheer venom. After another vocalist change in September 2025, they have released their latest single ‘I’ll find the Dark’. https://varialspa.net
Music & Performance
After a nice short stage break of 20 minutes, VARIALS shifted the mood in the room entirely. They brought a much more groove-oriented, incredibly heavy wall of sound that seamlessly bridged the mechanical heaviness of GIDEON with the relentless, modern aggressiveness of THROWN. The rhythm section hit like an iron sledgehammer, shaking the venue’s concrete floor with every breakdown.
The band moved like a coiled spring, exuding confidence as they whipped the expanding crowd into a proper frenzy. New singer Skyler Conder seemed to be completely in his headspace, as he delivered a super sovereign and crushing performance. By the time their tight 30-minute set wrapped up at 19:20, the temperature inside the Palladium had risen dramatically, leaving the floor bruised, sweaty, and thoroughly awakened, with several wide-eyed people who were still processing what they just witnessed.
Silent Planet
Formed in Azusa, California, in 2009, SILENT PLANET have long been celebrated as the intellectual powerhouse of progressive metalcore. Built on a foundation of cerebral lyricism, intricate guitar work, and crushing soundscapes, the band built an enduring legacy by tackling heavy philosophical, historical, and mental health topics.
Their discography began with 2014’s ‘The Night God Slept’, followed by ‘Everything Was Sound’ in 2016 and ‘When the End Began’ in 2018. They pushed their sonics further into ambient, electronica-infused territory on 2021’s ‘Irradiant’ and reached a career high-water mark with 2023’s ‘Superbloom’. Their homepage can be found at silentplanetband.com. https://silentplanetband.com
Music & Performance
Hitting the stage at 19:40, SILENT PLANET immediately elevated the atmosphere from pure aggression to cinematic intensity. Frontman Garrett Russell was a hypnotic presence, commanding the floor with his signature blend of poetic screams and warm humanness. In the aftermath of a devastating performance of ‘:Signal:’, Russell paused to smile at the audience, confessing, “We wrote this song for Germany, we literally thought we needed something more industrial for you guys.”
The crowd ate up the nod, rewarding the band with massive singalongs, especially when they launched into ‘The New Eternity’, which saw a tidal wave of hands and voices lifted in unison. Finishing their set at 20:25, the band left the stage after a masterclass in dynamic, soul-stirring heavy music.
The Amity Affliction
Formed in Gympie, Australia, in 2003, THE AMITY AFFLICTION have grown into one of the most commercially successful melodic metalcore exports in modern rock history. Built around the raw, visceral lyrical themes of vocalists Joel Birch and Ahren Stringer, the band has spent over two decades tackling trauma, mental health, and redemption through soaring clean hooks and pummelling metalcore riffs.
Their discography boasts scene-defining records including 2010’s ‘Youngbloods’, 2012’s ‘Chasing Ghosts’, and 2014’s ‘Let the Ocean Take Me’, alongside later works like ‘Misery’, ‘Everyone Loves You... Once You Leave Them’, and 2023’s ‘Not Without My Ghosts’. Their ninth album ‘The House of Cards’ has been released in spring this year. https://theamityaffliction.net
Music & Performance
By the time headliners THE AMITY AFFLICTION took the stage, the excitement inside the Palladium reached a boiling point. Framed by two projection screens framing the drum riser, the headliners delivered a visually stunning, emotionally charged performance that reminded everyone why they remain at the top of the genre ladder. With the two biggest hits ‘Pittsburgh’ and ‘Drag the lake’ played at the start, the band hit it out of the park from the beginning of the set.
The band’s interplay between punishing harsh vocals and soaring melodic hooks sounded massive, with the crowd singing along so loudly that they frequently rivalled the venue’s PA system. A high point of the night came when the band paused to let the audience dictate the setlist on the fly - the crowd overwhelmingly voted to hear ‘Chasing Ghosts’ over ‘Open Letter’, prompting an explosive response as the classic track’s opening chords rang out. Every chorus was an event, with bodies moving non-stop and crowd surfers finally flowing over the barricade in steady streams.
The main part of the set came to a thunderous end right around 22:00, before the band returned to the stage for a well-deserved, triumphant single-song encore with ‘Soak Me In Bleach’ that sent Cologne out into the night thoroughly spent.
Setlist
01. Pittsburgh
02. Drag the Lake
03. Like Love
04. Bleed
05. Heaven Sent
06. It’s Hell Down Here
06. House of Cards
07. All My Friends Are Dead
08. Chasing Ghosts (Crowd choice between Chasing Ghosts and Open Letter)
09. Afterlife
10. All Fucked Up
11. Kickboxer
12. All That I Remember
13. Death’s Hand
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14. Soak Me in Bleach
All Pictures by Andreas Müller
