Satan w/ Reaper, Manchester Bread Shed

Walking into this gig I feel like I’ve stepped into a time machine which for me feels amazing. As a lover of 80s thrasher metal seeing the big curly hair and battle jackets fully out makes me happy and makes me feel like I’m in my happy place.

First up is Reaper thrash metal band from Liverpool, UK take to the stage looking the part but they’re supporting a band that’s been doing this for decades, these guys formed in 2010 and have a few EPs and a new album out this is the place to widen their fanbase but confidence is not something that they’re lacking. Starting off the set with cracking jokes on if they’re in the correct city or not they jump right into heavy riffs which is very much a weird clash with their humour, they jump from jokes and making the crowd laugh to heavy head banging to the most incredible thrash metal vocals I’ve heard in a while.

Bring thrash metal to the modern day and you have these guys, walking into the Bread Shed you do feel like you’ve stepped into that aforementioned time machine and you’re seeing your favourite thrash metal band in their prime. The vocals from Dan are just perfect throughout the show from start to finish, with immaculate guitar and bass riffs. Considering that these guys were a last minute add on to the UK leg of the tour they were prepared because this is one insane performance from a group of highly confident lads from Liverpool.

I don’t know what thrash metal injection they have put into themselves but it’s working and they’re insane in all the best ways. Bring 80s thrash metal with these guys and keep it coming. I’ve already sent their stuff to multiple people by the time their set had finished. These are guys to check out 1000% if you love thrash metal and want to see it continue on for years to come, these guys will help lead the way.

Also not a phone in sight which felt refreshing

9.5/10 – you get a minus 0.5 for the red light

Satan took to the stage next, the heavy metal band from Newcastle Upon Tyne formed in 1979 and were part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. Based on the time they formed they are part of the many bands that brought thrash metal into the scene and got it as popular as it is now, with many fans of the genre decades later, as seen by their choice of support band.

For me seeing bands from the prime of thrash metal touring in 2024 brings me a next level bit of joy, seeing the different generations come together with the same love of music is just something you can’t beat. One thing to note about bands from the prime days touring now is people always say it’s a hit or miss saying some bands should call it a day because they don’t sound anywhere near as good as they used to, that entire statement isn’t needed with Satan at all. Seeing someone still being able to hit high notes and have all that energy like it was still prime days is always incredible and that’s what the people going to this tour are fully witnessing. Brian Ross is hitting every single one of the high notes with impressive skill, as if it isn’t insanely hard to hit some of those notes.

With the light show and the stage presence you think you have gone back in time, or like time is frozen nothing has passed and you’re still in the early 80s. The looks on the guys in the band are still the same, they dress the same with the same attitude and love for the craft.

Every member of this band has been around to see the fans stick around since the beginning and got to witness a younger generation appear to watch glory in front of them. I’m one of those people who has a love for metal bands that appeared over ten years before I did so watching Satan felt like I had ticked another band off my long list of metal legends to see in my lifetime.

Incredible show!

9/10

Setlist: