Montreal's Bell Centre hosted an eclectic metal bill featuring Amon Amarth, Dethklok, and opening act Castle Rat on May 2.

While Amon Amarth's reputation as a metal machine is well-established, Dethklok brought a unique dimension to the evening with its animated universe-based visuals.

Originally created for Metalocalypse, the animated series by Brendon Small, Dethklok exists in a space between fiction and reality.

The evening opened with Castle Rat, whose theatrical approach distinguished it from the rest of the lineup.

Their fantasy-inspired visuals, costumes, and storytelling gave the set an elaborate identity.

Amon Amarth followed with a performance that was efficient but largely unchanged from previous shows.

Tracks such as "Shield Wall," "The Pursuit Of Vikings," "Put Your Back Into The Oar," and "Raise Your Horns" triggered massive crowd reactions.

In contrast, Dethklok closed the evening with a radically different setup centered on giant animated screens displaying clips tied to Metalocalypse.

Despite being hidden in darkness, the musicians landed crushing force, but visually the focus remained fixed on the animation rather than on them.

This created an interesting tension in the room, raising questions about how exactly you stage a live performance built around a cartoon band.

The evening became an unexpectedly interesting reflection on what a modern metal concert can look like, with Amon Amarth representing the opposite approach - a very physical and traditional conception of live metal performance.

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