PSD Bank Dome, Düsseldorf, Germany 3rd October 2026
I Prevail - “Violent Nature” European Tour - Special Guests: Polaris, Gore.
What better way to celebrate the German Unification Day than to head out to a huge arena, pay a ridiculously high parking fee, and be compensated for it all by seeing Michigan’s finest in Metalcore with a huge ass production. However, around a month ago, fans had to process a line-up change. Originally, AMIRA ELFEKY, was scheduled to open up for I PREVAIL, but “unexpected logistical reasons out of our control” according to her Instagram page made it impossible for her to join the tour. Last minute replacement were GORE., who proved to be more than capable.
Gore.
GORE. is an emerging force in the Alternative Metal scene, blending razor-sharp, Djent-infused guitar riffs with expansive atmospheric textures and an emotional spectrum that spans from shimmering clean melodies to visceral aggression. Emerging from the modern wave of heavy acts pushing boundaries beyond traditional subgenres, the band has steadily built a reputation through a handful of impactful singles including ‘Wrath’ and ‘Doomsday’, alongside their debut release ‘A Quiet Chaos’. Their sound draws heavy inspiration from progressive metalcore pioneers, establishing a heritage grounded in technical precision and raw catharsis. https://www.goretheband.com
Music & Performance
Opening the evening, GORE. kicked things off with their hit single ‘Wrath’, instantly setting a massive sonic baseline for the night. Frontwoman Haley delivered a powerhouse performance, where her crystal clean voice was never swallowed by the mighty drums, cutting through the mix with effortless precision before pivoting into growls that kicked ass.
The extensive use of bass drops made the quartet sound absolutely huge, sending low-end rumbles through the concrete floor. Haley proved to be a natural at commanding the early crowd, shouting, “Get it moving, dude with the beer,” to spur the floor into action. For a first opener, GORE. played at an impressive volume, and major kudos go to I PREVAIL for letting their support act deliver such an uncompromised, earth-shaking mix.
Polaris
POLARIS stand as one of Australia’s premier Metalcore exports, hailing from Sydney and forming in 2012. Built on a foundation of blistering melodic Death Metal riffs, intricate rhythm sections, and soaring choruses, their lineage connects back to the classic Australian metalcore boom while carving out a fiercely distinct identity. Over the past decade, POLARIS has built an impressive discography, anchored by their critically acclaimed debut album ‘The Mortal Coil’, its powerhouse successor ‘The Death of Me’, and their latest emotional tour de force ‘Fatalism’, featuring massive tracks like ‘Inhumane’ and ‘Overflow’. https://www.polarisaus.com
Music & Performance
The moment POLARIS took the stage, the temperature in the vast round rose immediately. Frontman Jamie Hails worked the room like a seasoned stadium host, unleashing high-octane energy alongside guitarist Rick Schneider and the rest of the band. Within minutes, the first crowd-surfers of the evening started to appear over the barrier.
Hails commanded the room with authority, shouting, “Düsseldorf, das ist unsere neue Song ‘Without You’. Bang your fucking heads!” The response was instantaneous: the floor erupted as concertgoers spun up chaotic circle pits and eventually split the arena wide open to create a roaring wall of death. Closing out their set with a ferocious rendition of ‘Nightmare’, POLARIS went full co-headliner mode, leaving the crowd completely breathless and drenched in sweat
I Prevail
Formed in Southfield, Michigan in 2013, I PREVAIL vaulted into the global spotlight with a hard-hitting blend of Metalcore, Post-Hardcore, Electronic Rock, and Hip-Hop elements. Their rise was meteoric, sparked by a viral cover of ‘Blank Space’ that quickly paved the way for their debut EP ‘Heart vs. Mind’. Over the years, I PREVAIL has matured into a multi-Grammy-nominated heavy titan, driven by dynamic dual-vocal arrangements, aggressive breakdowns, and arena-ready hooks. Their expansive discography includes the breakout debut album ‘Lifelines’, the deeply personal and heavy hitting ‘Trauma’, and the ferocious ‘True Power’, which yielded hit anthems like ‘Bad Things’, ‘Body Bag’, and ‘Self-Destruction’. https://iprevailband.com
Music & Performance
Blasting the recognizable grooves of ‘Clint Eastwood’ by GORILLAZ acting as their intro, I PREVAIL hit the stage and immediately launched into ‘NWO’ surrounded by massive volume fire visuals and dazzling fireworks. The production was staggering from the first beat. Vocalists Eric Vanlerberghe and Brian Burkheiser, alongside lead guitarist Steve Menoian, bassist Jon Eberhard, and drummer Gabe Helguera, operated as a seamless, high-powered unit.
Before tearing into ‘Violent Nature’, the band paused as Vanlerberghe announced to a roaring arena that this was the biggest headline show I PREVAIL had ever played, profusely thanking everyone in Düsseldorf for coming out and admitting they brought all the pyros and fireworks specifically to celebrate the monumental occasion. The crowd reached a fever pitch when the singer from POLARIS joined them on stage for an explosive rendition of ‘Violent Nature’. Thankfully, I PREVAIL found the time to squeeze two cover versions into their 70-minute gig.
First it was ‘Blank Space’, the TAYLOR SWIFT cover, which catapulted them into fame back in 2014, and then - after a heavy rendition of ‘Bad things’, they gave their nod to the undisputed titans of Metal METALLICA by performing ‘Sad But True’, accompanied by thousands of fans pumping their fists into the sky. Towards the end of the set, Vanlerberghe announced that there would be no traditional encore; instead, the band would be putting every ounce of energy they had left into the final two songs, demanding the crowd match them step-for-step with whatever stamina they had remaining.
For the massive singalong track ‘Hurricane’, thousands of cell phone lights lit up the dark expanse of the arena, creating an unforgettable, luminous atmosphere that capped off a transcendent night of heavy music.
Setlist
01. NOW
02. Bow Down
03. Self-Destruction
04. There’s Fear in Letting Go
05. Violent Nature (with Jamie Hails)
06. Body Bag
07. Paradise (I Prevail & Amira Elfeky song) (with Haley Roughton)
08. Blank Space (Taylor Swift cover)
09. Bad Things
10. Sad but True (Metallica cover)
11. Rain
12. Drum Solo (With “Satisfaction” snippets)
13. God
14. Choke
15. Come and Get It
16. Hurricane
17. Gasoline
All Pictures by Marc Junge
