BY MAUI CABRAL Hanabie. has made it to the Ritz! Walking into The Ritz Raleigh, you could already tell this wasn’t going to be your typic...
BY MAUI CABRAL
Hanabie. has made it to the Ritz! Walking into The Ritz Raleigh, you could already tell this wasn’t going to be your typical metal show. The crowd felt different--a mix of diehard heavy fans, anime-inspired fits, and people ready for something a little more wild than usual.
And that’s exactly what this lineup delivered.
Enterprise Earth kicked the night off with zero hesitation. No slow build. No warm up. Just straight into the heaviness. Coming out of the U.S. deathcore scene, they’ve built a reputation for technical brutality and dark, atmospheric soundscapes. Their set hit like a wall deep gutturals, crushing riffs, and a presence that felt massive from the jump. From behind the lens, it was chaos in its rawest form. Bodies moving, heads swinging, and that unmistakable energy that only comes from a band that heavy. This was the kind of opener that doesn’t just wake up the crowd... it shocks them awake.
Then came Nekrogoblikon, and everything flipped. If you’ve never seen them live, imagine crushing metal mixed with humor, personality, and a literal goblin running around the stage. And somehow… it works perfectly. Formed in California, they’ve carved out a lane that blends melodic death metal with satire and storytelling, becoming one of the most unique acts on the scene. Their set felt like organized madness. Heavy riffs colliding with moments that had the crowd laughing, moving, and completely locked in. From a photography standpoint, this was gold. Unpredictable. High energy. Pure character in every frame.
And then... Hanabie. took the stage. Hailing from Tokyo, Hanabie. has been blowing up globally with their self-described “Harajuku-core” sound--a mix of metalcore, hardcore, electronic elements, and pop culture energy that feels as chaotic as it does intentional. The second they stepped out, The Ritz transformed. Bright colors. Explosive energy. Rapid shifts from brutal screams to catchy, almost pop-like hooks all happening in seconds. It shouldn’t work on paper... but live, it hits perfectly.
Their performance felt like sensory overload in the best way possible. Fast. Loud. Fun. Unapologetically different. And the crowd? Fully bought in.
You had pits opening one second, then people dancing the next--a perfect reflection of the band’s ability to blur the line between aggression and fun. From the pit, this show was nonstop movement. Lights flashing. Colors shifting. Artists bouncing across the stage like there was no off switch.
Every band brought something completely different, and that made the night feel dynamic from start to finish. No two sets felt the same just constant evolution of energy.
Enterprise Earth brought the weight.
Nekrogoblikon brought the chaos and personality.
And Hanabie. brought something entirely their own.
This wasn’t a traditional metal show, it was an experience. One that proved heavy music doesn’t have to fit into one lane. It can be brutal, fun, colorful all at the same time. And honestly... nights like this are the ones you don’t forget. In the best way possible!
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- JOSH "MAUI" CABRAL
Hey! I'm Maui. Originally from Queens, New York, now making Raleigh, NC my new home. I'm a touring photographer and Nomadic Motorcycle Rider, obsessed with seeing the world through different lenses!
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