ANTHRAX, KREATOR, TESTAMENT

Hammersmith Apollo London, UK, November 21, 2024

A special review by Meathook Mike

This is a gig I have been looking forward to since I bought my tickets way back in January this year. At a venue that is very special and holds a place in my heart as I have seen so many bands there since I started my gig going life in 1981 with Black sabbath on the Mob Rules tour.

SOLD OUT beams out at the large queue slowly snaking it's way into the venue and among the queuing masses there are conversations aplenty about this event and the bands playing it. The crowd are a mixed bunch encapsulating many age groups; I saw older people like myself and younger people; some with their children aged from about 10 up to teenagers. One thing in common among all is the large smiles and positive vibes. Many comments are about how great a line up this is and how good the bands individually are live right up to some peoples "This is my first gig" and what a choice this is for those who are attending this as a first show, much as my first gig was Sabbath on that night in 1981.

I was certain that all at this gig would come away as happy as they felt when they queued in this cold and damp line to get into the venue. Anyway enough of the intro already. Any of these bands has the pedigree and quality back catalogue to have been the headliner of the night and maybe they could have switched it up a bit but all the bands played 50 minutes plus sets and left their indisputable claim to having played at this great, legendary venue.

TESTAMENT are up first and as the Beastie Boys blast through the PA there is a great atmosphere bouncing about the venue before they launch into D.N.R quickly followed by 3 Days In Darkness blasting their way into your face; setting the tone and throwing down the gauntlet letting all present know that TESTAMENT are not here as an opener but as an equal. They are tight and ferocious and the stage presence of all the members of the band is of a band seasoned in their art.

Frontman Chuck Billy whilst not as active as he once was oozes presence through his powerful voice and sheer size dominating not only the stage but the whole venue. WW111 and Children Of The Next Level continue the musical onslaught pushing the crowds enthusiasm levels to the max, Chuck Billy announces that it's been almost 37 years since they last played this great venue and declares that it had seats then but he was glad they were no longer there so people could mix it up now, The crowd certainly took the hint and did indeed mix it up. The Formation Of Damnation led into a song not played live for more than 30 years and brought back into the set for London.

Return To Serenity brings TESTAMENT into a more laid back mood displaying a more musical side and allows Chuck to show his voice has more to it than his powerful distinctive aggressive voice, (perhaps a nod to the much talked about ballad collaboration with Floor Jansen) on the forthcoming and much anticipated TESTAMENT album in 2025. This is a much loved song and Chuck acknowledges this after the song before launching into Low, ensuring that the set slams back into life. Native Blood, Electric Crown and More Than Meets the Eye all follow on allowing the crowd no let up before Chuck demands people get into The Pit. TESTAMENT as usual deliver and do so in style. All the band are seasoned performers and the movement of Skolnick, Peterson and Di Georgio is enough of a performance to slam home the songs in the set without overshadowing the undeniable powerhouse presence of the great Chuck Billy all held together by a great performance behind the kit of Chris Divas.

Next up are German Thrash Titans KREATOR who after the intro of Sergio Corbucci Is Dead grab the gauntlet thrown down by TESTAMENT'S perfectly delivered opening performance and take the baying crowd by the throat with a ferocious opening salvo of Hate Uber Alles and Phobia (one of my favourite KREATOR songs), Enemy Of God and 66 World Divided follow. Mille is in fine form delivering the razor sharp Riffs, adding his inimitable vocal style whipping the hungry crowd into submission and compliance, demanding circle pits and walls of death. Make no mistake KREATOR were in no mood to fuck about and they deliver a set with an energy level of a band with a point to prove. He addresses his crowd of Hordes declaring them Hordes of Chaos and then Hail to Hordes smashing the point home. Mille has fond memories of 1987 at this venue when they opened for CELTIC FROST and declares that their set is from old school to new school, and from stuff in the Middle before launching into a blistering Betrayer. He then declares that Satan Is Real.

A brief interlude with Mars Mantra allows the crowd a short breather before Phantom Antichrist whips the crowd back to life. Strongest Of The Strong is dedicated to the phenomenal bands on the bill of this tour by Mille. Again this is a band of seasoned professional performers who are not just a backing band of musicians, but a part of this great band's fabric. They are held together by the powerhouse drumming of Jurgen Ventor Reil the bottom end of Frederic Leclercq and the lead guitar skills of Sami Yli-Sirnio. The front 3 utilize the stage and move about providing a visual performance with energy to match the songs.

Mille works the crowd well throughout the set getting cheers, pits and a wall of death throughout KREATOR'S set which closes with Violent Revolution and the phenomenal sheer viciousness of Pleasure To Kill. Not a band to give anything less than 100% energy.

ANTHRAX are up next and they are going to need to deliver because the bar has already been set incredibly high by the opening musical onslaughts of 2 great bands. I feel I should point out that I am not the greatest fan of ANTHRAX albums finding them to be a bit hit and miss in their recorded backlog, but I have never been disappointed by their live performances having seen them for the first time in 1986 opening for METALLICA on the Damage Inc tour and at various festivals and gigs over the years since. I also had to leave after after the 4th song due to transport issues getting home. Keanu Reeves fills the screener the stage followed by a variety of artists from the musical, film and writers world: including Lady Gaga, Stephen King, John Carpenter and more all singing the praises of ANTHRAX before the band launch into AIR and the screen curtain is dropped from the ceiling and Scott Ian, Frank Bello (a veritable Tasmanian Devil of energy) and Jonathon Donais eat up the stage. Then Joey Belladonna launches into the equation and is all over the stage side to side and back to front in a whirlwind of energy providing another focal point to compliment the spinning dancing madness of Scott Ian.

Got The Time and Caught In A Mosh with that great Bass line bringing it in the crowd singing "I don't wanna live my life this way" drowning out Mr Ian's backing vocals shows that he crowd love ANTHRAX. There are pits and energy aplenty in the venue and the fact that it is sold out, shows the scene is in a great place here in the UK and I would encourage the metal heads to get themselves to the healthy underground scene small venues to see that the future of the metal scene is in good hands. Fight "Em Til You Can't follows on and as Madhouse begins so my night ends having to leave to ensure getting home. So I can't say who was the best band overall as all 3 bands are powerhouses in their own right and anyone of the 3 could have headlined this tour. Safe to say though that everyone here witnessed an evening of great music and great live performances. Value for money and some.

Meathook Mike, HMS

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