Settle down with a cup of tea and a jammie dodger . . . this is an epic!
It’s Saturday afternoon (yes – 17:30 doors!) and we’re at the Apollo in Manchester – a Grade II listed, art deco concert hall for Kreator’s ‘Krushers of the World’ Tour. They’re supported by grindcore/death metal pioneers Carcass, thrash veterans Exodus, and hardcore punkers Nails. Capacity is 3500 and we should be pushing that for this line up, which is arguably the biggest name heavy metal line up of the year so far.
We should be used to this when Kreator come to town, who’ve frequently stacked their tours with heavyweight line ups in recent years e.g. 2024 w/ Anthrax and Testament, and 2023 w/ Lamb of God (headliner), and Municipal Waste. Heaven forbid – it’s reached a point where I’m admittedly a little tired of seeing them, particularly as in my (humble) opinion some of their recent albums have a ‘going-through-the-motions’ vibe about them – albeit good motions. That said, last year’s ‘Krushers of the World’ record is a welcome return to form, and I’m excited for this tour even with the ‘kringey’ title.
Nails
Kicking us off are Todd Jones’s rebooted Nails. Many of their albums are under 20 minutes long, with short sharp blasts of punk energy and power-violence, so I’m keen to see what they’ve got planned, particularly on a bill like this. How long will a Nails set be? Will a thrash crowd appreciate it? The grindcore presence of Carcass on the bill would suggest so, and the room has filled early despite the early doors time – so we are ready to go!
They begin with some classic cuts from debut album ‘Unsilent Death’. Set opener ‘Suffering Soul’, ‘Conform’, and ‘Scum Will Rise’ all clock in between just 30 seconds and 2 minutes, and longtime fans will surely be pleased. However once things get going, they include a few of their longer songs as well – in ‘Violence is Forever’ and ‘Wide Open Wound’. So far it’s a less frenetic set and experience than I was expecting, with even slower lurching riffs at times! Hearing them live, I’m surprised to hear the HM-2 guitar sound come through so clearly – evoking Swedish Death Metal legends like Entombed and Dismember.
Visually the band appear to be too far apart. They’re stretched right across the wide stage, a little disparately, when it feels like the music needs to be delivered and experienced in closer quarters, almost claustrophobic to get the full hit. The crowd are loving it however, and Jones appears to be appreciative of that. He declares “We’re not supposed to talk about thrash metal activities” referencing the large signs threatening removal if anyone comes over the barriers a few times. It is indeed a very policed gig, and anything with O2 in the name probably isn’t for them, but they throw down all the same. Jones is counting down the songs from 4 to go, and the crowd’s energy increases with each one, just as the songs increase in tempo and aggression. They finish on ‘Unsilent Death’s’ self-titled main single, and they retire to the back after a job well done.
Exodus
It’s a shame Nails didn’t finish with their song ‘In Exodus’ – as the Bay Area thrash outfit are up next. They’re promoting both new album ‘Goliath’ with a massive album cover backdrop behind them, and also the return of vocalist Rob Dukes following Steve Souza’s departure last year. They’ve not even started and Dukes is motioning the crowd for a circle pit so you can tell what kind of set we’re in for! They begin with ‘3111’ – first single and lead off track from the new album. It also offers an effective early opportunity for an insane guitar solo from Gary Holt which surely won’t be the last. ‘Bonded by Blood’ keeps things going, eliciting (as expected) a huge response from the crowd. It’s great to see Dukes back with them, dripping with menace as he stalks across the stage. His vocals seem a little on the quiet side however, and the sound as a whole is quite muddy. I very much doubt their timing is off so it’s a shame that the production is detracting from the performance.
The sound cleans up a bit for ‘Blacklist’ from 2004’s ‘Tempo of the Damned’ album and thank goodness, as the crowd passionately belts along every word! Is any thrash metal set complete without this little belter? They then go into new song ‘Goliath’ – a slower hulking number that highlights Jack Gibson’s grimy bass tones, sounding like iron bars trembling away in some dank boiler room in hell.
It’s a headbanger but the crowd don’t know the song well enough yet, so I expect we’ll be getting some familiar old school thrash ditties soon. Between songs, as they’re in the UK, Dukes acknowledges his idolism for Freddy Mercury and goes through some call-and-response Freddy-isms with the crowd. He also attempts to talk sports but in a city of divided loyalties this doesn’t go down as he seemed to expect, with murmurs and boos at the mere mention of ‘United’ or ‘City’.
He can unite them through metal however, and ‘A Lesson in Violence’, ‘Toxic Waltz’ (featuring a deliberate false start of ‘Raining Blood’ – teasing at Holt’s divided loyalties), and ‘Strike of the Beast’ all do what Exodus does best – tearing it up and leaving crowds exhausted. Exodus are a band that thrives on raucous, feral energy from the crowd. Tonight’s muddy sound and strict O2 policing has probably affected that but it was brilliant to see them all the same.
Carcass
Entering appropriately to their walk on soundtrack music ‘The Living Dead at the Manchester Morgue’, Carcass hit the stage to much excitement. I haven’t seen them in a while – and clearly not as singer and bassist Jeff Walker has since gone grey and cut off his long hair. Sporting a smart white shirt, he resembles an evil Morrissey on a Saturday night out! ‘Unfit for Human Consumption’ from 2013’s fabulous comeback album ‘Surgical Steel’ starts things off, and the sound quality in the room has notably improved. It’s crisper and rasping, cutting almost, and Carcass sound like they are here with lethal purpose.
Joining them on drums tonight is Waltteri Väyrynen from Opeth – a very last-minute call up due to a sudden illness with regular sticks man Daniel Wilding. Walt wasn’t even alive when most of these songs were conceived but it matters not one jot as he’s one of the best drummers in the world today, and clearly a very handy friend to have on speed dial. As the band rip through some essential numbers from the ‘Heartwork’ album, I am spellbound and captivated. They’re bouncing on stage – guitarist Bill Steer especially – with both the music and the visuals all up tempo. They are note-perfect, smoke is rising, and flashing yellow and red lights engulf the stage. This feels like something really special is happening.
It’s a ‘Heartwork’ heavy set overall and one wonders if the late line-up change may have something to do with that. That’s no bad thing of course, and we still get somewhat of a greatest hits selection including ‘Corporal Jigsaw Quandary’ from the ‘Necroticism…’ album, and a blistering version of ‘Exhume to Consume’ from ‘Symphonies of Sickness – with Bill’s backing vocals working perfectly alongside Jeff’s gravelly screams. This even prompts some daring crowd surfers to waterfall over the barrier and the image is damned near perfect. It’s an “Oh My God!” set now, full of intricate, melodic, death metal majesty and mastery.
The normally loquacious and playful ‘El Cynico’ (Jeff) has been a bit quieter in-between songs than usual tonight, again perhaps due to the late line-up change, but he is at pains to acknowledge Walt’s fabulous last-minute contribution – and rightly so. An almighty roar goes up from the crowd – that was absolutely terrific! More please.
Kreator
It’s now time for the Kreator to return. Their introduction video of animated ancient tapestries in conflict evolves into more modern-day images of warfare and revolt, and indicates we might be in for a fight for the ages tonight! The screen drops to reveal a stage full of grotesque gargoyles, hanging corpses, a giant bull’s head framing drummer Ventor’s kit, and the over-bearing ‘Violent Mind’ character staring out ominously at the crowd. New song ‘Seven Serpents’ starts us off in earnest, and as the pyro begins (which rarely stopped) you can tell this is a band that puts their heart and soul into everything they do.
Crowd favourite ‘Enemy of God’ drops quite early in the set to really ramp things up, and tickertape canons blast off to signal it’s passing. The house lights then go up revealing the true extent of their gorgeous backdrop in every intricate detail.
‘People of the Lie’ continues the quick pace as the crowd cheer on enthusiastically. Kreator really don’t do any songs less than at full pelt and you wonder, ‘How do they keep this up?’ Watching him live, guitarist and vocalist Mille Petrozza’s shrill high-pitched bark stands out more than on record, resembling some kind of wounded vulture or an angry Skeksis from Jim Henson’s ‘The Lost Crystal’ film. Despite the elaborate set-dressing there’s plenty of room on stage and guitarist Sami Yli-Sirniö and bassist Fréd Leclercq (formerly of DragonForce) frequently run around and cross over, saluting fans at every opportunity.
There’s the odd golden oldie thrown-in including ‘Extreme Aggression’s’ ‘Betrayer’, and ‘Endless Pain’ from 1985’s debut album of the same name, but it’s clear (and no mean feat) that Kreator’s set is heavily weighted towards their new album and most recent releases. This has perhaps affected the crowd however, who whilst continuously vocal and appreciative, aren’t exactly going bat shit crazy either – or maybe it’s just those darned O2 police again. Their songs are consistently, and at times irresistibly, chanty – and they will always tick a thrash fan’s box – but after nearly 5 hours of metal it appears the crowd are starting to tire, with the odd few heading off early for last trains home. That said, there are still a few treats in store for those remaining: with burning effigies on display for ‘Phantom Antichrist’, the biggest circle pit of the night for the aforementioned classic ‘Endless Pain’, and 2001’s ‘Violent Revolution’ being roundly chorused from front to back like it was from the very birth of thrash metal in the 80s.
Set closer ‘Pleasure to Kill’ brings the house down showing that Kreator really have found a long-term home here in Manchester. Mille closes the night with his customary cry “THE KREATOR WILL RETURN”. They will be richly welcomed!
Setlist:
- Seven Serpents
- Hail to the Hordes
- Enemy of God
- Satanic Anarchy
- Sergio Corbucci Is Dead
- Hate Über Alles
- People of the Lie
- Betrayer
- Krushers of the World
- Hordes of Chaos (A Necrologue for the Elite)
- Satan Is Real
- Loyal to the Grave
- Mars Mantra
- Phantom Antichrist
- Endless Pain
- 666 – World Divided
- The Patriarch
- Violent Revolution
- Pleasure to Kill
Words: Dave Yarwood
Images: Rob Lindesay @rock.the.lens
