Jimmy Kimmel Fans Want Apology After Heavy Metal Band Knocked Loose Performs

Knocked Loose’s performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! this week proved that not everyone is ready to see a heavy metal performance on live TV.

On Tuesday, the Bryan Garris-fronted group performed on the late night show’s outdoor stage alongside Poppy to perform their Grammy-nominated single “Suffocate,” the lead track from their 2024 album You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To. Garris took the stage with a fiery entrance, exploding into the lyrics: “Suffocate / Eclipsing weight / Strangled by every mistake / The wind will hush your cries / In the storm of your restless fate.”

The outdoor crowd head-banded and moshed along — while even opening-up a circle pit. While metal acts like Slayer and Slipknot have appeared on live TV before, Knocked Loose certainly delivered one of the most hardcore performances of all-time on a late night show.

Some viewers were less than enthused by Kimmel’s musical guest and are even calling for the host to apologize.

“I was trying to enjoy the show sitting on the couch with my son, who is a TEENAGER, waiting to see the musical guest because we like the good music the show usually hires,” one Kimmel fan wrote on social media. “On the third or fourth guitars “JUNT”, my son was crying. He doesn’t like scary things and frankly, I think Kimmel’s program and its staff should formally apologize.”

Despite some of the criticism, others were quick to praise the band — calling Knocked Loose’s performance a “huge step” for the metal community, showcasing the genre on mainstream TV.

Kimmel has not publicly commented on any of the backlash at this time.

You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To, the group’s third studio album, dropped this past May.  Instantly, it made noise in the scene with the lead single “Blinding Faith,” as well as “Don’t Reach For Me” and “Suffocate.” The record received widespread acclaim for its heavier, hard-hitting sound. It follows 2019’s A Different Shade of Blue and their 2016 debut Laugh Tracks, which garnered attention for tracks “Deadringer” and “Counting Worms.”

Knocked Loose wrapped-up a North American run last month in support of the record. Throughout spring 2025, they’re set to play a round of shows across the UK and Europe, and they’ll also appear at festivals including Inkarceration, Welcome to Rockville, and When We Were Young.