MANCHESTER GOT KRUSHED

KRUSHERS OF THE WORLD TOUR @ MANCHESTER APOLLO (SAT 28/03)1

Kreator, Carcass, Exodus and N.A.I.L.S

Gig review by Steve Harrison

So it was over to Manchester for a night of heavy music and thrash. Looking at the line-up you might be forgiven for thinking that it was going to be a night of metal nostalgia, let me tell you how wrong you are!!

Tonight’s packed out show at the iconic Manchester Apollo, a grand venue, old school but still capable of containing absolute sonic violence; was never going to be for the faint of heart, neither was it about legacy bands just coasting. Tonight was about originators still playing with real passion, menace and serious intent!

Opening the proceedings were N.A.I.L.S who I saw at Damnation Festival a couple of years previous for the first time.

 Hitting tonight as a three piece did not diminish the sheer brutality of the set, short sharp stabs, riffs as blunt as a sledgehammer to the face, minimal banter and maximum effect. This was the sort of set that doesn’t bother with foreplay or finesse — it’s the sound of a band walking out, planting a boot on your chest, and asking if you’ve got any complaints. The sound did leave a little to be desired but when you music sounds like it’s being expulsed  directly from the bowels of hell, with songs like Conform and the short set closer Unsilent Death, clarity isn’t a foremost necessity.

If thrash was a contact sport, Exodus would no doubt be world champions! With the intro of Queens ‘We Will Rock You’ blaring out and the crowd happily clapping along, this was going to be a case of light the blue touch paper and stand well back!

Seeing Rob Dukes back on vocal duties was great to see (but I do have a soft spot for long time former vocalist Steve ‘Zetro’ Sousa) and of course how can we forget Gary Holt switching his duties with Slayer and looking like he loves every minute of playing again with Exodus.

Even with a cheeky intro of ‘Reign In Blood’ sent the crowd crazy,  that abruptly stopped and fired into ‘Toxic Waltz’!

With pits opening all over, Exodus delivering metal precision at speed, with tight riffs and aggressive delivery, this was a set of relentless, sweaty and unashamedly old-school thrash.

Up next was Carcass, who were always a band that seemed to pass me by, and after tonights set, I kick myself and ask Why?

The sound was crystal clear and the entire set was a masterpiece in melodic death metal, demonstrating why they are so revered. Even more astounding was the fact that sitting in on drums was Walterri Vayrynen, drummer with Opeth, who was a last minute stand in and had no rehearsals with the band, other than straight into a show the night before.

Carcass delivered clinical tightness (something to be said for Walterri right there!) Grooves that were locked in hard, with riffs that were cut so cleanly, a real paradox that signifies there ability to morph death metal brutality with memorable hooks!

Carcass are a reminder that extreme metal can be savage without being sloppy — not sterile, not polite — just surgical. On a line up stacked with blunt-force trauma, Carcass are the blade. Same outcome, different method.

I shall endeavour to dive deeply into their extensive back catalogue that’s for sure!

This is where the night stops being “a gig” and becomes a rapture. Kreator have the kind of presence and authority comes from decades of doing it and still sounding like they’ve got something to prove.

With a stage that has all the atmosphere of being in the presence of the most diabolical demon entity, fire blazing throughout every song, burning effigies, 20ft beasts stood proud at the entrance, menacing gaze, enticing you in.

Mille Petroza and his band Kreator show with a set that had songs from the new album ‘Krushers Of The World’ the ‘Old Guard’ haven’t gone soft or stale. Blitzing through ‘Satanic Anarchy’ and ‘Krushers of The World’ and ‘Satan is Real’ with fire spurting almost every second; ‘Loyal To The Grave’ saw bassman Fred Leclerq switch and take the guitar for this song. You’d be forgiven you were in the presence of Hades themselves.

Closing out a momentous set with ‘A Pleasure To Kill’, there’s a reason they’re at the top of the poster.

Kreator don’t headline because they can. They headline because they still should.