20th Anniversary of The Truth Tour 2026: Bleeding Through/ I Declare War/ Extortionist/ Fauvism/ Gouged

Phantom Light Media
Jun 15
7 min read

After a week of gloomy weather, American metalcore band Bleeding Through out of Orange County, CA brought us their sunny skies and "The Truth 20th Anniversary Set" to Seattle, WA. The show took place on 6/12/2026 and marked the first date of the 3-day west coast run celebrating the January 2006 album. Formed in 1999, Bleeding Through has paved their way as legends in their scene who still deliver a killer performance to this day. They were joined by PNW bands I Declare War, Extorsionist, Fauvism, and Gouged.

The show took place at one of Seattle's most iconic venues, El Corazón. Originally built in 1908 and then established as El Corazón in 2005, the venue is overflowing with music history. Bleeding Through has played there several times before, as recently as 2024. Just last month, vocalist Brandan Schieppati boasted on Instagram about it being one of their favorite venues to play. The room was bustling with fans and it was HOT in there after the warm weather we had been experiencing all day. It was packed but not quite sold out, which I was honestly grateful for as it is nearly impossible to move around in there during sold out shows. While waiting for the night to start, I overheard venue staff discussing the "energetic night" we were all about to have between this show and the punk show in their smaller room (The Funhouse) right next door, which we got to listen to during set changes.

The room went dark at 7 p.m. for just a few moments before being lit up with bright green lights and Gouged taking the stage, calling for everyone outside to get in the venue. Gouged is a deathcore band out of Olympia, WA. They opened with "This Hell, Your Home" (2026) before moving quickly into playing their debut single "Villain" (2022), successfully setting the tone for the night. My personal favorite from their set was "As Above, So Below" (2023), a song reflecting on the anguish that comes with depression and other mental health struggles. It was clear to me how much passion they put into these songs and I think the whole room could feel it that night. I was impressed by how much raw emotion they managed to convey during their short set. Their audio was well mixed, they sounded phenomenal, something not always easy to achieve at smaller venues like this. To end their set we got to hear the live debut of their most recent single, "Unholy Perversion of Nature," which is the song I have found myself circling back to the most after hearing the intense breakdowns in person. They also brought a guest up on stage during one of the last songs who did a great job, but I unfortunately wasn't able to catch their name. Our director/editor, William, learned a lot about these guys while interviewing them just last month. The interview can be found here: Gouged Reflect on Influences, Live Shows, and Their Biggest Year Yet!

Next up we got to see Fauvism, another local support band from the Seattle area. I had heard of these guys but had not yet gotten the chance to see them, so I was stoked to see them added to the bill. They have previously shared the stage with some of my favorite bands like Avoid, Enterprise Earth, and Belmont. As soon as I heard Jaysea sound checking her heavy vocals I knew we were in for a treat. The crowd knew it too and opened the pit shortly after Fauvism started. I took note of how many people were there in support of them, showcasing the impact they are already making in the local music scene. They began with several songs off their 2025 EP "What Happens To A Soul Like This?" including "Datura," "Creating Evil," and the title track itself. We then got to hear two unreleased songs that I hope we will be able to stream soon! They ended the set by bringing out James Chappell, a member of Seattle bands Pine Box and Pastel Faces, for "Liminal Grave" (2024), which Pine Box is featured on. Their set felt like it flew by way too fast, so I look forward to whenever I can get another chance to see these guys. I see a big future for this band.

Third up was Extortionist, a band that I admittedly was not familiar with prior to the show, but they ended up being one of the highlights of the night for me. Formed in Idaho in 2013, they describe themselves as "the world's heaviest grunge band" and, after seeing them play, it's a description that I feel fits them quite well. Opening with their song "Starve" (2025), they walked onto the smokey stage where the strobe lights and breakdowns began immediately. Vocalist Ben Hoagland emphasized how they only had 25 minutes with us and wanted to make it count, and they definitely did. The lights were intense the entire set and, while strobe lights are generally not my favorite, they had a good balance and the lighting really added to the heavy atmosphere. I thoroughly enjoyed their entire set. While the majority of the setlist was songs off their most recent album "Stare Into The Seething Wound" (2025), we also got to hear some of their earlier tunes such as "Low Like You" (2018) and "Circle of Serpents" (2019). Fans clearly loved the as there were a ton of people screaming the lyrics. The set included lots of crowd interaction, a very rowdy pit, and even the first stage diver of the night. I am a new fan and will definitely be trying to catch these guys next time they are in town.

Providing direct support was I Declare War, another Seattle deathcore band formed in 2005. I have known of these guys for at least a decade, but this was my first time seeing them live, so they were one of the reasons I was most excited for this night. They have toured extensively over the years alongside bands like Whitechapel, The Plot In You, Kublai Khan TX, and many more. Their set was LOUD and shook the whole room, which is exactly how it should be. The pit instantly opened back up as they took the stage, opening with "We Wait" (2016). This is the kind of band that you go see when you're wanting to let out some serious emotion in the form of moshing that only gets more intense as the set goes on. My favorite thing about I Declare War is their lyricism because they frequently touch on very meaningful subjects and they do it well. The heaviness that the instruments add to their songs and the emotional expressions on their faces really bring it all together for an incredibly powerful performance. The set continued with songs that are a perfect example of this, such as "Putrification Of The Population" (2010) and "Isolate" (2024). There were so many fans who knew every word and were screaming them back at the band with pure passion, proving just how much this music means to people. The lighting remained a deep blue for most of the set. In the moment I was left a little disappointed by this, but looking back on it now I recognize that it is yet another layer that they have carefully crafted to emphasize the music and its pure intensity. They ended with their instrumental track "Malevolence" (2010), which was the perfect way to round out the set.

10 p.m. rolled around and Bleeding Through finally took the stage. Brandan began with a short meaningful speech, most notably stating, "This is your microphone, this is your stage." It was obvious that they truly meant that because they spent the rest of the night heavily interacting with the crowd. They gave the microphone to several fans both on and off stage who all crushed it. The first part of their set consisted of songs off "The Truth" (2006), which was the album we were all there to celebrate. They played eight songs from the album, including heavy hitters like "For Love And Failing," "The Pain Killer," and "She's Gone." Slowing it down about halfway through, they played "Line In The Sand" as the audience temporarily paused the pit to sway and soak in the power of the ballad. The pit activity kicked right back up as they got into a couple more songs from the 2000s, such as "Love Lost In A Hail Of Gunfire" and "Orange County Blonde And Blue." The rest of the set was a mixture of newer songs and more early 2000s hits. The band joked about the audience being annoyed that they were playing new songs, but I think the crowd seemed just as excited to hear those too. They also paused the show at one point to shoutout the "creepy" history of Seattle and all of the incredible bands that have come out of our city. To end the night they played one of their most popular songs "On Wings Of Lead" (2003) and then just like that, the show was over.

It is clear to me that Bleeding Through has cultivated a sense of community within their fanbase. I usually feel a little out of place at anniversary shows like this for albums that came out when I was just a kid myself, but the energy at this show was extremely welcoming. It was really cool to see how many families were there because I think introducing your children to the bands that you yourself grew up listening to and bringing them to shows is a great way to encourage future generations to love and protect live music just like we have. There was even a 13-year-old fan who took the stage and impressed the audience with her vocal capability.

Overall, this was an incredible lineup, and I'm stoked that the stars aligned enough for me to be able to cover it. Every band had something unique to offer, which made for a well rounded show. The sound and lighting guys did a great job, and the venue staff was awesome, as they always are. It was obvious how special this night was to both the musicians and the fans as the love for the music radiated through the room. I left smiling and with a new appreciation for every band there.