If I had to guess who the hardest-working band in metal is right now, Crypta would inevitably be a part of that conversation. They are constantly on the road, snatching up opportunities to tour as far around the world as they possibly can. When this tour first popped into my feed, my first instinct was I need to be there, but my second was wait, weren’t they just here? – and yes, it’s been less than a year since their last North American run (opening for Hatebreed & Carcass), and if you don’t count 70000 Tons of Metal in January 2024, then they were also here in April 2023 on the road with Morbid Angel, and I don’t think they’ve taken a proper break since then. The touring schedule that they maintain is absolutely relentless. 

But this time around, Fernanda, Luanna, and Tainá (joined on the road by Victoria Villarreal filling the second guitar position) answer to no one – they’re headlining this run. No abbreviated set, no playing 15 minutes after doors, and no compromises. A headlining run allows Fernanda to execute on her creative vision exactly as intended, bringing the Shades of Sorrow setlist to the States in full for the first time since the record’s release in 2023. This tour kicked off right here at the Brooklyn Monarch, and the energy in the room is electric. And though the official tour openers, Claustrofobia, won’t be linking up with them in the States for a few days, the bill is stacked with the local openers Final Siege, Plague Master, Mala Entraña, and Diabla.

Diabla is the newest band in the batch – after a few false starts under various names and lineup changes, the band has solidified their sound, their lineup, and dropped their first single, “Atlas,” literally 24 hours before the show. Diabla are a clear example of Crypta’s influence coming full circle. This Gen Z band clearly looks at Crypta the way Crypta looked at Sepultura. Vocalist Casey Cruz made sure this was a high-energy set, and turned an audience of blank faces who never heard of them into instant fans. As relative newcomers, capping a set with a cover is never a bad idea, and a powerful rendition of “Roots Bloody Roots” was enough to get even the skeptical metalheads moving.

Diabla

Photo Credit: Tom Mis

While Mala Entraña is the band I’m least familiar with on this bill, I was not disappointed. Their blend of heavy death metal/melodeath riffing with early 2000s sensibilities and subtle hardcore influences made them a good fit for the show. Though they didn’t have the flashiest presentation, the band was incredibly tight and locked in, especially considering the high caliber of drummers on the stage tonight.

Mala Entraña

Photo Credit: Tom Mis

Plague Master is one of my favorite new bands to pop up out of NYC. Though the band played with a fill-in drummer tonight, they didn’t miss a beat. Fronted by vocalist Victoria Brockhoeft, the band celebrated the release of their new EP, Frozen Tomb Annihilation, with a blistering set of grind-tinged death. While they look exactly as they sound, the on-stage banter from guitarist Adam Carrella, along with Victoria, was incredibly humanizing and charming. Given time and more releases, this is absolutely a band to watch out for, and if they can keep turning out top-tier material, this is a band worth keeping an eye on – exactly the kind of band I will now go out of my way to see again (even if it means schlepping to Brooklyn all the way from Jersey again).

Plague Master

Photo Credit: Tom Mis

Final Siege brought the thrash metal – and though they check off a lot of the boxes that make them a very “typical” thrash band – political themes, speedy riffs, shreddy leads, audience engagement – they execute on such a high level that it’s shocking that they aren’t a bigger band already. Vocalist & guitarist Gil Vives is one of the most engaging frontman in metal I’ve seen in a long time, and even played guitar from the middle of the mosh put during their album closer. No notes – dive into their discography if you haven’t already.

Final Siege

Photo Credit: Tom Mis

There’s one thing that’s always stood out to me about Crypta. Their studio recordings do not hold a candle to their live show – they are one of the most incredible live bands I have witnessed. Controlled chaos, raw, and relentless are not enough descriptors to adequately paint a picture of their live show, it can only truly be felt by being there. The pace is set by Luanna Dametto – arguably one of the greatest metal drummers in 2025 – acting as the anchor of Crypta’s live show. Hyper-focused, in full command of the concept of time itself, and yet still expressive in a genre that struggles to allow more than triggered blasts to shine through, Luanna’s powerful performance is absolutely a highlight. Fernanda Lira, the band’s ringleader, is a born performer. It’s a given, at this point, to say that her vocals and bass are tight as all hell. She becomes larger than life on stage, demands your attention, and earns it. She’s completely restless on stage, and never planted on stage for longer than the length of a verse, where she needs to be up on the mic. Her mere presence on the stage changes the entire vibe of the room. As always though, she is gracious to her fans, not feeding off their energy but breathing life back into the audience. At this point in their career though, I don’t think we talk about Tainá Bergamaschi as much as we could (or should) be. While the other guitar slot in the band has seen some incredible members (Sonia Anubis & Jéssica Falchi), Tainá is the epitome of precision. A silent killer on stage until she cracks a smile, her guitar playing is completely locked in, rounding out the trio. Stand-in guitarist Victoria Villarreal absolutely holds her own. Dualing leads and harmonizing with the machine that is Tainá is no small task, and she stepped up – and given that this was the first night of the tour, she was 100% prepared to keep up.

The setlist tonight was expertly crafted – not a hair out of place. They played all the hits you’d expect from them – “Lord of Ruins,” “From the Ashes,” “Lift the Blindfold” – and while it’s hard to call anything a deep-cut with a discography this small, it’s the smaller tracks that hit the hardest live. “Dark Clouds” and “The Outsider” were the definite standouts live, especially the former. The energy Fernanda throws into her entire body makes you question how sustainable a tour of this length has to be, but having seen her since her Nervosa days, I have no doubts she’ll continue to deliver. Having seen Crypta live multiple times, she leaves everything on the stage, and tonight was no exception. Long story short, Crypta’s live show is absolutely unmissable. Never have I seen a band more in tune with their fanbase. While the Monarch is by no means a small room, see them in a “smaller” room now, while you still can – because the next time they headline, they’ll be on a much bigger stage. 

Crypta

Photo Credit: Tom Mis

Tom Mis

See Full Bio