Sacrifice Explode for First, and Hopefully not Last Hometown Show in 9 Years
- jaybroderick
- 1 hour ago
- 4 min read
By: Jay Broderick
Toronto, Ontario - Returning to The Concert Hall, the same venue where I first saw Sacrifice at the Toronto Metal Massacre show on March 18, 1988, felt like stepping into a time machine powered by power and adrenaline. I arrived at the Yonge Street venue at 6:30 PM, half an hour before doors opened, and already the line stretched down Yonge Street. The buzz was distinct as the Toronto band hadn't played a hometown show in 9 years. Fans were fired up, trading stories, and one couple behind me gushed about meeting Sacrifice’s frontman Rob Urbinati. The energy was electric before a single note was played.
Debellation
At 7:45 PM, local band Debellation stormed the stage for their first major show, and what a debut! The band's singer Jacob Spoor, rocking a 90s grunge look, unleashed guttural growls that could rival any death metal veteran. Their opener “HCH (Cross the Line)” ignited a mosh pit that never let up. By the third track, the jacket was off and the band was fully immersed in chaos. Their second-last song was a brand-new track, introduced with a cheeky “let’s see how this shit goes”, and it went off! The finale was pure mayhem: spinning, kicking, jumping, screaming. By the looks, and sounds of it, these guys are going places.
Maldita
Next up, another act now based out of Toronto was Maldita. They brought Spanish punk fury with breakneck speed and unapologetic attitude. The singer, decked out in torn fishnets and piercings, led the charge through a blistering set. Their fourth track, “Demencia,” was a middle finger to government corruption, and the crowd ate it up. Maldita didn’t waste time with theatrics... they stood firm and plowed through each song like a freight train.
Korrosive
By the time Korrosive hit the stage, the hall was packed and chanting “KORROSIVE! KORROSIVE!” The band, complete with their newest member, bassist Peter Steve (who by the way, looks completely at home, and fits the mold perfectly), delivered pure power from the first note. I couldn’t help but wish they had more room to move. Their energy deserved a stadium. By the fifth track "The Goddamned", singer Rad Zarei paused to soak it all in, visibly moved by the crowd’s intensity. Bodies started flying over the barricade, and the breakdown during the band's sixth track "Under a Vicious Sky" was a war cry: “Alright motherfuckers... let’s fucking get crazy!” Their closer, a cover of “Creeping Death,” was a tribute to the legends who played this same stage 40 years ago in 1985. Korrosive proved once again why they’re at the top of Toronto’s metal scene.
Sacrifice
Introduced by tonight's promoter Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment, who spoke warmly of his friendship with the band, Sacrifice took the stage to a hero’s welcome. The house was packed, and the roar was deafening. They opened their set with the title track from their 1987 breakthrough Forward to Termination, and didn’t let up as they blazed through five relentless tracks. The lighting, finally dialed in after the earlier sets, was flawless, framing the band in luminous glory.
Sacrifice frontman Rob Urbinati sounded like he’d shaved 30 years off his voice, screaming with the same fury that made Sacrifice the thrash metal legends that they are. Mid-set, he thanked the crowd. “Back when we started this band, all we dreamed of was playing this place... Thanks for keeping us alive. Holy fuck!” The crowd erupted when he asked if they’d heard the new record, and they dove into “Comatose” the lead track from Volume Six.
From “Soldiers of Misfortune” to “Pyrokinesis,” the band tore through their catalogue, touching every era. Bassist Scott Watts got the crowd chanting “Go Jays Go” as the city's Major League Baseball team is tearing up the playoffs. He then proceeded to snap photos of the crowd and the band launched into “Necronomicon.” “Forever Enslaved,” “Afterlife,” and “Lunar Eclipse” followed, each louder and tighter than the last. At one point, I took my earplug out to give my ear a scratch, and holy fuck, they were LOUD.
As the set neared its end, Urbinati said, “Thank you for making this evening so great for us. There’s nothing like playing at home.” They ripped into “We Will Prevail” and “The Ones I Condemn,” then left the stage to a frenzy. But it wasn’t over.
Drummer Gus Pynn came forward to praise the night, and Urbinati introduced the man who the band wouldn't be here without, Bryan Taylor, who joined for the vocals on “Trapped.” Then came the emotional gut-punch... “We don’t have plans... who knows, this could be our last show ever in Toronto.” The crowd screamed “NO!” in defiance. Urbinati smiled, “You guys know what song we’re going to play... this is called Reanimation. Let’s get this fucking place going!” And with that, Sacrifice delivered the final blow.
Set List
Forward to Termination / Terror Strikes
Hiroshima
In Defiance
Sacrifice
Turn in Your Grave
Comatose
Antidote of Poison
Soldiers of Misfortune
Flames of Armageddon
Pyrokinesis
The Great Wall
Underneath Millennia
Necronomicon
Forever Enslaved
Afterlife
Lunar Eclipse / Explode
We Will Prevail
The Ones I Condemn
Trapped in a World
Re-Animation
What an insane night. From the local fire of Debellation to the punk rage of Maldita, the thrash mastery of Korrosive, and the triumphant return of Sacrifice, this show was a celebration of everything heavy, loud, and unforgettable. And to top it off, Rob Urbinati stuck around after the show to sign autographs for fans in the front row.
Pure. Gold.
Concert Photo Gallery (all photos by Jay Broderick)
Sacrifice Online
show date: October 11, 2025