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With four bands and several hours of metal, this incredible bill is like a mini-festival marauding its way through the UK & Europe. Europe and the Nordic nations are on standby to have their retinas blitzed and their hearing impaired, because this is an endurance test for even the most battle-hardened metalheads. And what makes it all the more special is that each of the four bands participating have been around for decades without compromising their legacy, and can still pull in a crowd and put on one hell of a show.
With the early start and four bands to fit in, California hardcore/powerviolence outfit Nails take to the stage while the majority of the massive queue is still shuffling forward outside, in an attempt to get in and play their part. There are still enough inside, though, to kick up a storm, and it’s not very often that you will encounter such ferocity from band and punters alike at such an unmetal hour. Especially when vocalist/guitarist/founding member Todd Jones is whipping the crowd into a frenzy by pumping both fists and shouting “Violence…Violence…” over and over as the intro to ‘Violence Is Forever’ builds. 13 songs in almost 30 minutes, even the Ramones would be telling them to slow down. Carnage. Utter carnage. And it’s not even 7pm yet.
With Rob Dukes back in the line-up, legendary thrashers Exodus have a bit of momentum about them again. Looking utterly possessed, Dukes prowls the stage, demanding that the crowd start circle pit after circle pit. And given the manic look in his eyes, who would refuse him? To be honest, given the chants of “Exodus…Exodus…Exodus” that greet the darkness once the intro tape of ‘We Will Rock You’ fades out, this is a home crowd for the Bay Area veterans.
‘3111’ opens the recently released ‘Goliath’ album and also acts as the set opener. Over on stage left, Gary Holt is headbanging like a demented loon, and it is a thrill to see him up close and personal again, clearly having a blast and loving life. His whammy-bar-fuelled solo midsong is dazzling, and highlights a slower, sludgier feel that acts as a brief reprieve from the breakneck speed. The back of his jacket pays tribute to his time with Slayer, as do the instantly recognisable few snippets of ‘Raining Blood’ that lead into ‘The Toxic Waltz’.
A full-throated version of ‘Strike of the Beast’ ends the set and features the first wall of death of the night, with Dukes pulling the strings. Sometimes, though, it’s the smallest things in life that last the longest, and tonight it’s Dukes pointing at every crowdsurfer coming over and giving them a smile and a raised fist by way of salute. The fact that so many of them might not have been born during his first stint with the band could not have been lost on the beaming frontman.
With the pivotal pair of Jeff Walker and Bill Steer at the helm since the extreme/grindcore metallers reconvened in 2007, Carcass are one of the most revered acts in the genre. Integrity and steadfast refusal to compromise on the hard-earned legacy of a band formed in 1985 have brought the outfit from The Republic of Liverpool, the mantle of trailblazers, and, in a sense, mavericks. And they are not about to let go of that mantle anytime soon.
The first sign that the atmosphere has ramped up considerably is the arrival of a squad of reinforcements for the hard-working (and amiable) security team in the pit. Within a few moments of opening track ‘Unfit For Human Consumption’, the sheer number of crowd surfers coming over has increased a hundredfold. No time for chit-chat. No “Thank you for coming out”. Just one slab of extreme metal after the other. Flanked by guitarists Bill Steer and James ‘Nip’ Blackford (two cool long-haired dudes who could have just come from a night playing with Skynyrd), bassist/vocalist Jeff Walker is in commanding form as he watches the chaos unfold in front of him. Almost impossible to take your eyes from, Walker is amazing to study. Short, spikey hair, shirt sleeves rolled up, bass slung low, he could be the coolest Dad on the school run if he wasn’t out there bellowing out ragers like ‘Genital Grinder’ (released in 1988 if you need reminding) and the immediate follow-on ‘Exhume to Consume’. Special shoutout to Opeth drummer Waltteri Väyrynen, who has stepped in as cover for Dan Wilding at insanely short notice. Carcass: still arguably the most influential band to come from Merseyside since The Beatles.
With Kreator frontman/founding member Mille Petrozza promising the biggest and best Kreator production ever, the stakes were high for the headliners. And although the Glasgow show had several restrictions in place by comparison to the previous nights in Manchester and London, this was still a show that will be talked about for some time to come. Rob Zombie has played this venue twice in the last decade or so and never had the same amount of pyro that the thrash legends from Essen, Germany had. Or gnarly mic stands with impaled heads on them. Lots of impaled heads.
Iron Maiden’s ‘Run to the Hills’ acts as a good excuse for the crowd to warm up their vocal cords before the band parade onto the stage to unleash hell on the opening track ‘Seven Serpents’. Deep red lights are flashing; heads are banging (bassist Frédéric Leclercq leading by example), bursts of pyro are scorching the front few rows, and Petrozza is barking out the time-old tale of “Snakes in human form”. 44 years after their formation, Kreator still know how to make an entrance.
Like Exodus and Megadeth, Kreator are still creating new music that packs a punch, and their recently released studio album ‘Krushers of the World’ is a bit of alright. With 16 albums to call upon, it’s hard to fit everything in, and the 16-song setlist has something for everyone. Newer songs such as the aforementioned ‘Seven Serpents’, ‘Satanic Anarchy’, ‘Loyal to the Grave’, and the blistering title track to ‘Krushers of the World’ itself all slot in seamlessly alongside Kreator nuggets, and judging by the crowd’s reaction, the new stuff has the seal of approval. Surprisingly, pickings from 2022’s majestic album ‘Hate Über Alles’ are slim, with only the insanely good title track making the cut. Such a strong song though, and visually, it is stunning – with the pyro exploding to life at every scream of “Hate über alles…Hate über alles…” from Petrozza.
Heaps of bangers from the Kreator jukebox: ‘Enemy of God’, ‘People of the Lie’, ‘Hordes of Chaos (A Necrologue for the Elite)’, ‘Satan Is Real’, a stunning closing salvo of ‘666 – World Divided’, ‘Violent Revolution’, and a shattering rendition of ‘Pleasure to Kill’ (complete with ticker tape/streamer explosions) that sees Kreator drummer Jürgen Reil almost taking off as he batters out the intro. The wall of death that opens up on the latter is the biggest of the night, and rather fitting for a track that is often referred to as the ultimate Kreator track, from the ultimate Kreator album.
Here we go. Kreator. The very best there is. When you absolutely, positively got to kill every motherfucker in the room, accept no substitutes.
Review – Dave
All images – Dave Jamieson
Remaining tour dates:
Fri 3rd Apr – NL – Den Bosch Mainstage
Sat 4th Apr – DE – Essen, Grugahalle
Sun 5th Apr – DE – Frankfurt am Main, Jahrhunderthalle
Tues 7th Apr – IT – Milan, Alcatraz
Wed 8th Apr – SI – Ljubljana, Media Center
Thurs 9th Apr – AT – Vienna, Gasometer
Fri 10th Apr – DE – Ludwigsburg, MHP Arena
Sat 11th Apr – DE – Munich, Zenith
Sun 12th Apr – CZ – Prague, Forum Karlin
Mon 13th Apr – HU – Budapest, Barba Negra
Wed 15th Apr – PL – Warsaw, Arena Torwar
Fri 17th Apr – DE – Hamburg, Inselpark Arena
Sat 18th Apr – DE – Berlin, Uber Eats Music Hall
Mon 20th Apr – LV – Riga, Palladium Riga
Tues 21st Apr – FI – Helsinki, Black Box
Thu 23rd Apr – SE – Stockholm, Annexet
Fri 24th Apr – NO – Oslo, Sentrum Scene
Sat 25th Apr – DK – Copenhagen, Poolen
Kreator in America:
Thur 21st May – US – Baltimore, Maryland Deathfest 2026
More information, HERE.
