Metal mayhem unfolded at Montage Music Hall on May 20, 2026! Metal heads showed up in force, waiting to see the five bands on the bill for the night. Three local acts (DramaScream, Promachina, and WHEN SKIES DECIDE), Stitched Up Heart, and the headliner Infected Rain had fans lining the sidewalk prior to the doors opening at 6:00 PM. The venue is standing-room-only, with a capacity of roughly 400, creating an up-close experience for fans. It's fantastic to see national acts perform in such an intimate setting. Infected Rain is here on their Mutation Phase In The US 2026 Tour. The Rochester stop is about midway through the 25-date US tour, and Stitched Up Heart is a supporting act for all but six of those dates. At roughly 6:45 PM, the show kicked off, and the openers set the tone for the night, crushing it, getting the fans pumped and primed for the final two performers!
Stitched Up Heart
Stitched Up Heart took the stage at 9:00 PM and brought a ton of energy, delivering a set that seemed both heavy and personal. From the opening song "Sick Sick Sick," the crowd was locked into the show. Front woman "Mixi" Demner sounded incredible live; her powerful vocals gave the songs depth in a smaller venue like the Montage. The band played with a certain energy and kept that force going throughout the set, mixing hard-hitting riffs with catchy choruses that had fans invested from the very beginning. The band sounded tight and was having fun on stage, standing on a small wall at the front, engaging with fans. They included some new material from their upcoming album "Medusa", including my personal favorites "Glitch Bitch” and "Cannibal". Close to the end of the set, the band stopped the show and made a special announcement. Mixi told fans today was a special day, as it was drummer Delaney Jaster's 24th birthday; a cake with candles and a birthday balloon were brought on stage, much to her surprise, and everyone sang "Happy Birthday " as she blew out the candles. They closed out the set with "Monster," leaving fans energized for the headliner.
Band Members: Alecia "Mixi" Demner - lead vocals/rhythm guitar, Merritt Goodwin (currently not on tour) - guitar, Randy Mathias - bass/backing vocals, Delaney Jaster - drums
Setlist: Sick Sick Sick, To The Wolves, Possess Me, Glitch Bitch, Lost, Medusa, My Demon, The Architect, Cannibal, Finally Free, Immortal, Monster
Infected Rain
At 9:40 PM, the lights dimmed, and the crowd cheered loudly, fists held high, pumping the air. Fans were excited to see Infected Rain up close. The Napalm Records recording artists have been on the rise for years. Formed in 2008 in Chișinău, Moldova, the quartet has 6 albums in its arsenal. New material is on the horizon. In fact, the current Mutation Phase Tour will debut a brand-new single, “Stranger,” which teases the evolving sound and creative phase the band is entering. With the opening song “Mutation Phase” playing, the queen of metal, Lena Scissorhands, moves to the front and center stage as the fans go wild. With her long signature hair and her powerful vocals, Lena commands a stage. One moment, she delivers haunting, clean vocals; the next, she unleashes screams from the depths of the underworld! The band delivered an intense performance, even on a small stage; they didn't hold back and put on a hell of a show. Playing through “The Answer is You”, “Dying Light,” and “Fighter,” Lena pauses before the next song and asks fans, “How's everybody doing so far?” Fans cheer, "If you know the words of this next song, please sing out loud with us. If you don't know it, dance like there's no tomorrow. This is Orphan Song.” It was great to hear it live, as it's a favorite of mine! Over the next few songs, the intensity of the show doesn’t pause as the musicians and fans feed off of each other; there's no being lost in the crowd here; everyone can see and be seen. Hair flips and shredding guitar by Vadim “Vidick” Ojog only intensify the frenzy as mosh pits open up. Alice Lane on bass and Eugene Voluta on drums fuel the fire even more with a blistering low-end pace. The energy in the venue is electric, and the leader of it all, Lena, continues the pace. She toys with the audience. “What do you want, seriously, what do you want?” Fans cheer, “What do you want, more? How about I do this, the right part of the stage over here.” She walks to the right side. “Do you want more? because I don't hear you, I don't feel you. How about you guys over here?” She walks to the left side. "Do you want some more? How about we do this together, like a big beautiful family, because in metal, this is who we are.” Cheers erupt from the room; she replies with a smile beaming on her face, “F**king hell you can be loud, Holy f**king shit”. The band continues with “Pandemonium”, ”Never To Return,” and “Because I Let You,” all the while keeping the pace as Lena directs fans to open a circle pit at one point. Before the encore song, Lena explains that it's only fitting that the show's last song is “Judgemental Trap”, the title track of their 2009 debut EP! It's a full circle for the band. It’s after 11:00 PM, the show is winding down, and the band waves from the stage. Lena tells the now-exhausted fans, “Thank you, Rochester, NY. You've been absolutely fantastic. Thank you for being here for all the musicians involved; thank you for supporting music and dance. We love you so, so much. We are Infected Rain, and you are in our hearts forever — thank you!” Hopefully you can experience this show in a city near you!!
Band Members: Elena Cataraga(a.k.a. Lena Scissorhands) - vocals, Vadim “Vidick” Ojog - guitar, Alice Lane - bass, Eugene Voluta - drums
Setlist: Mutation Phase, The Answer Is You, Dying Light, Fighter, Orphan Soul, Black Gold, Stranger, The Realm Of Chaos, UT Supra, Pandemonium, Never To Return, Because I Let You, Judgement Trap
