Wiesbaden can be loud. And when the Schlachthof transforms into a cauldron, that’s not a metaphor but a mission statement. On December 18, 2025, In Extremo turned the 3,000-capacity venue into a seething ritual of rock power and medieval flair – with that immediate intensity that makes every chord, every drum hit tangibly close.
The evening carried symbolic weight: the final photo set of 2025. A fitting conclusion, as the concert year had begun forcus with In Extremo recordings aboard the 70,000 Tons of Metal. Between Caribbean deck and wintry Rhine-Main region lies a complete cycle of shows, tours, and stage moments. Wiesbaden delivered the finale in the most consequential form imaginable: loud, dense, uncompromising.
Domnium: Powerful Opening
Domnium took the stage first – and immediately raised the bar above standard support level. The band didn’t „warm up,“ but instead delivered tempo, presence, and a performance that quickly brought the room to operating temperature. The audience responded accordingly: attentive, engaged, charged. That’s exactly how support acts work when they don’t just fill gaps but prepare the ground for the headliner.
In Extremo: Proximity, Power, Ritual
With In Extremo’s first note, the Schlachthof definitively tipped into a state of exception. The sound compact and powerful, the dynamics in constant flux between driving passages and anthemic moments that had the entire hall singing along. In Extremo didn’t play „a show“ – they created an atmosphere. Somewhere between celebration, friction, and ecstasy.
And then the fire: Approximately every second song was accompanied by pyrotechnics – not decorative gimmicks, but an integral part of the performance. Flames shot upward in time with the music, showers of sparks accentuated crescendos, heat became palpable. In the dense atmosphere of a packed venue, every ignition had immediate impact, transforming songs into sensory experiences and the stage into an archaic spectacle.
Visually, the band presented exactly that DNA that makes their concerts so distinctive: hard light edges, strong contrasts, movement as scenery. The Schlachthof provides the ideal setting – large enough for impressive production, intimate enough for genuine connection between stage and audience. No arena distance, no sterile separation.
The Verdict
Domnium delivered a convincing opening, In Extremo confirmed their status as a live institution. The Schlachthof Wiesbaden became the backdrop for a year-end finale with symbolic resonance: The concert year had begun with In Extremo aboard the 70,000 Tons of Metal – it ended on December 18, 2025, in a venue that enables live music in its most intense form: up close, loud, authentic – and on this evening, damn hot.
See the photos from the show here.
Photos by Picture-Rebels.Com