Haunt: “No Sleep Till’ Death” Tour Review

Haunt performed their No Sleep Till’ Death Tour at the Black Magic Social Club on Sunday, September 10th, 2023. With an ambiance matching the night’s music, the crowd eagerly awaited the performances.

First to start the night was Sound Barrier, a local heavy metal band from Houston performing their song “Reckless Rider.” Their music style consisted of a blend of intricate instrumental and vocals that distinguished their sound. The band consists of Rommel Morot (Vocals, Guitar), Jad Minkhara (Bass), Jose Villalobos (Drums), and Anthony Sanchez (Guitar).

They performed the other songs, “Living Forever,” “Alchemist Apprentice,” “Sound Barrier,” “Hell In the Sky,” and “Assault at First Sight.” Their standout songs were “Alchemist Apprentice” and “Sound Barrier.” After they performed their final song, “Assault at First Sight,” they ended the night thanking the crowd for their support. The crowd waited in anticipation for the next performance to come.

Hell Fire was the second performer of the night with a spectacular opening, introducing themselves to the crowd and performing their song, “Medieval Cowboys.” Hell Fire is a heavy metal band originating from San Francisco, California. Known for their high-energy performances and a sound deeply rooted in classic heavy metal and NWOBHM (New Wave of British Heavy Metal) traditions, Hell Fire has been a prominent figure in the modern metal revival scene. 

The band’s music is characterized by powerful vocals, intense guitar work, and a penchant for storytelling through their lyrics. Their members consist of Jake Nunn (Vocals), Herman Bandala (Bass), Tony Campos (Guitar), and Mike Smith (Drums). Hell Fire has gained recognition for their dedication to the timeless sound of heavy metal and their captivating stage presence. After they performed “Mania,” they got the crowd ready for the rest of the night’s excitement.

Thank you! Now, I want to get everybody to move over this way! [crowds left] Move over here, just a little bit, just so I can see your beautiful faces, that’s right! How are we doing tonight?! [crowd cheers] We are Hell Fire! We are “Addicted to Violence!”

Jake Nunn of Hell Fire

Hell Fire continued performing songs from their albums Reckoning, Mania, and Free Again and the single “Victims.” The standout songs of their performance were “Thrill of the Chase” and “Reckoning.” They ended their night segment with an energetic performance of their song “Warpath” and thanked the crowd before they left the stage. The highly anticipated performance of Haunt was soon to come.

Houston, come on up here, guys! We are Haunt from California!

Trevor William Church of Haunt

Haunt started their performance with a powerful hold on the crowd with their song “It’s in My Hands.” Haunt is the musical project of Trevor William Church, a talented musician and songwriter known for his contributions to the heavy metal genre. Haunt’s music is characterized by its revival of classic heavy metal and traditional hard rock sounds, drawing inspiration from bands of the late ’70s and early ’80s. 

Church’s dedication to capturing the spirit of vintage metal has earned Haunt a dedicated following. The band consists of Church (Vocals, Guitar), Andres Alejandro Saldate (Drums), Andy Lei (Guitar), and Sammy Harman (Bass). With a prolific output of albums and EPs, Haunt continues to deliver energetic and melodic metal that resonates with fans of both classic and contemporary metal music. 

Haunt possessed incredible stage presence, capturing the entire room’s attention. The melodic semblance of their songs and their artistic capability to perform difficult melodies on instrumental mixed with intricate vocals set them apart artistically. After performing their song “Burst Into Flame,” Church discussed the importance of their tour performance.

This is awesome. This is actually my first Houston show that is not Hell’s Heroes! [crowd cheers] Thank you! I’ve seen you guys, a couple not. Thank you so much for coming out and supporting us! This next song is called “Flashback!” 

Trevor William Church of Haunt

The band continued the night with incredible energy and charisma as they continuously hyped up the crowd with their impressive musical ability. They connected well with the crowd, and in between songs, Church would tell bits about the song they were about to perform or about the group’s history. After “Face of Danger,” he told the crowd about the band’s current situation.

Something about being here playing music is insane. So before this band formed, I’d like to perform a piece my dear friend Christian brought to me. I wouldn’t even have a band if it wasn’t for him. I was recording songs when he was like, “You must put together a band and play in Houston.” Which is not like an easy task when you think about it. 

Starting from Fresno to Houston with no band. Starting this by myself, and I was like, hmm. And everybody was like, you can do it, you can do it! I have had four bass players since, and now I have Sammy here. [crowd cheers] All that comes with this role, so why don’t we give him huge love for pushing it through [with] this band? Now let’s play some “Mind Freeze!”

Trevor William Church of Haunt

Haunt performed songs from their albums Golden Arm, Flashback, Mind Freeze, If Icarus Could Fly, Beautiful Distraction, and Burst Into Flame. Standout songs of their performance were “Fight the Good Fight,” “Burst Into Flame,” and “Hearts on Fire.” They ended their songs with the performance of “Light the Beacon.” They continued on to perform song requests from the crowd. Once they finished, they thanked the crowd and wished them a good night.

Overall, it was an amazing night with spectacular performances. I am excited about what these bands will do next and hope to see them back soon! Be sure to check out Sound Barrier, Hell Fire, and Haunt, as they are doing incredible things in the metal scene! If you want to see more live coverage, check our live coverage page for the latest concert coverage.