Halford with Exhumed, Vio-lence, Death Angel and Testament
Rating: 4.75 Skulls
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Halford with Exhumed, Vio-lence, Death Angel and Testament
Rating: 4.75 Skulls |
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Death's Review (2/2/03, House of Blues, Hollywood, CA (w/ Death Angel) & 2/7/03, House of Blues, Anaheim, CA ):
What a tour! I know, three dates don't exactly make a tour, but this one was a doozy. 2001's historic Thrash of the Titans concert featured many classic Bay Area thrash acts reuniting to support the cause of cancer-stricken Testament frontman Chuck Billy. Since then, there have been many rumors of a touring version of this event, or a similarly-populated package tour of classic Bay Area bands. Thus far, this run of Testament/Vio-lence shows is the closest we've come, with the recent Hollywood show adding in Death Angel for good measure.Of course these shows had more than just Bay Area thrash - they had the Metal God himself at the top of the bill, his first U.S. shows in a couple of years. After an I.N.S.-imposed abortion of the originally scheduled New Year's run and a bit of drama surrounding whether Rob would even have his credentials squared away in time for these rescheduled dates, anticipation was at an all-time high. As we know by now, the Metal God was allowed access into the country, and thus the stage was set for three nights of classic metal: Las Vegas, Hollywood and Anaheim.
Testament
Photos by HelThe way things worked out, I was able to make it to two of the three shows. We had originally intended on going to Vegas for the late December date - we had our suite booked at Mandalay Bay and were ready to party. Thankfully, we received last-minute word of the show's cancellation and did not make the trip. This time, we had other plans and did not do the Sin-City thing. I'm sure it was a blast.
Show number two was on a Sunday night, the night after Opeth played at the Troubadour. The House of Blues on Sunset Strip was either sold out or close to it, and due once again to our late start, we arrived to find that Exhumed and Vio-lence had already played! That sucked, but my initial disappointment was at least temporarily quelled by the fact that the mighty Death Angel had just taken the stage. The band was tight and energetic, thumbing their nose at the passage of time and looking and sounding as good if not better than they did "back in the day." Heck, they still had long hair and none of them were overweight! Of course, Death Angel was always a bit younger than their contemporaries, so they're probably all in their late-twenties now, perhaps in their musical prime. The set was awesome and the warm crowd response was a pleasant surprise - you got the feeling that if anyone was really going to bring Bay Area thrash back to the masses in 2003, that this just might be the act to do it. Set highlights included the "old-school" shout-along thrash of "Kill As One" and the fresh-sounding "Bored". I can honestly say that, while I was looking forward to Death Angel and had seen them perform at the Thrash of the Titans show, they totally surprised me and really ended up kicking my ass. I can't wait for them to bust out with a new studio record.
Next up? Testament. The mighty thrash legends returned. Chuck Billy looked healthy (complete with multi-colored braids/dreads in his hair) and sounded perfect. Eric Peterson championed the black metal cause with a Mayhem longsleeve and huge platform boots. Bassist Steve DiGiorgio, drummer Jon Allen and guitarist Steve Smyth all kicked serious ass. The sound was tight and unrelentingly pummeling. Highlights included "Over the Wall," "Into the Pit," "Disciples of the Watch," "Low," and lots of awesome "new" material from 1999's The Gathering album, including set opener "D.N.R.," "Down for Life," True Believer," and "Three Days in Darkness" (complete with Chuck Billy saying "2012 . . . not so far away . . . " at the beginning). Nothing from Practice What You Preach, The Ritual, or Souls of Black, but what can you do. In short, it was a killer set, and the fans ate it all up, every last one of them. Testament obviously has a huge fanbase in L.A. - let's hope they return soon as a headliner.
HalfordMuch drinking ensued, and soon it was time for the return of the Metal God. Rob Halford took the stage and simply dominated, with an old-school confidence that only he has the right to exude. His voice sounded pretty much perfect, and guitarists Metal Mike and Roy Z (Halford/Dickinson producer who was filling in on guitar) shredded through every song. Jason Ward (Flotsam and Jetsam) filled in on bass. All in all, it was a classic set. The first three tunes out of the box set the tone: "Painkiller," "Freewheel Burning," and "Jawbreaker" right in a row. I was floored, right then and there deciding that I absolutely had to pay tribute to the killer Defenders of the Faith album by writing a classic review for this site the second my turn came around again. Rob delivered material from both Halford records, including "Resurrection" and "Made in Hell" right on the heels of the opening trio of Priest classics. He also busted out some Fight songs, including the second "Into the Pit" song we heard that night. Things really kicked into overdrive by the time Rob returned to revisit the Priest catalogue with "Hellion/Electric Eye" and an awesome rendition of "Riding on the Wind." I sang along with every word. The encore was predictable: "Breaking the Law," but I was still satisfied. Sure, I would have preferred that the set include more forgotten Priest classics and would have loved for it to contain more surprises, but I'm sure the lineup changes and Rob's immigration problems necessitated the relatively pedestrian set list. Still, "Jawbreaker" and "Riding on the Wind" fucking owned, and that was enough for me on this night.
The week couldn't move by quick enough. Before I knew it, Solomon and my buddy Zohn had flown out here from New York for another weekend of mayhem and debauchery. We all took Friday off, and around noon, Hel, Solomon, Zohn and I piled in the car and headed south. We stopped off at the Century Media/Nuclear Blast offices to say hello to folks there before cruising down to the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim by mid-afternoon. We spent the day drinking beer and running around Disney's California Adventure (the looping roller-coaster was the clear highlight) before heading over to the adjacent House of Blues around 8 pm., meeting up with Chainheart as soon as we got there. It took forever to wait in the will-call line to pick up our passes, and once again we missed Exhumed. So be it. I think I saw one of the guys in the band wearing a Bill Romanowski #53 Raider jersey later in the night though, so I have to give props for that (I think it was one of the guys in the band; anyway, you can't get more metal in the football realm than the Raiders, and a Bill "sixty minutes of violence" Romanowski jersey is pretty fucking cool in my book).
TestamentWe did get to see Vio-lence, who was just going on as we walked in. Raider symbols adorned at least one of the guitars (Phil Demmel?) and Sean Killian sounded exactly right. "Eternal Nightmare," "T.D.S. (Take it As You Will)," "Serial Killer," "World in a World," "Officer Nice" and many more thrash classics were on display and the pit obliged accordingly. This band kicks ass, and despite having originally been signed to MCA records never really got their due. The packed Anaheim crowd ate it up though, and watching the pits develop from our balcony seats above was truly a sight to behold. Let's hope we hear a new studio record soon from these guys, as well as some additional touring. Truly outstanding.
Next I got my second dose of the week from Testament. This show was even better than the first. The crowd went absolutely fucking nuts!!! Highlights of this show included "The Preacher" and a couple of songs I don't think they played the first time, including classics like "Raging Waters" ("The triangle . . . the devil's triangle!!!!") and "Burnt Offerings" which features what is surely a candidate for "best. riff. ever." I said it for Death Angel and Vio-lence I'll say it for Testament: new studio record please? We can only hope.
Finally, the Metal God took the stage again in a seas of smoke and light. We were treated to pretty much the same set ("Living After Midnight" was tacked on as a second encore) but the Anaheim crowd's enthusiasm, particularly at the pause after the first three Priest classics, and the performance of newer Halford tracks like "Golgotha," "One Will" and the awesome "Hearts of Darkness" (but no "Crucible" or "Betrayal"?) was contagious and really pushed this concert over the top to classic status.
All in all, this was an amazing tour. I hope the bands had as much fun as I did. Halford is now presumably off on a Japanese tour. Here's hoping they and the Bay Area thrash acts are all gearing up to stage a fresh assault on SoCal in the coming months. By Saturday night, when Hel, Sabbath, Solomon, Chainheart, Zohn and I were all kicking back at the Rainbow Room, safely back in Hollywood, it all seemed like a distant metal memory. The next time can't come soon enough.
Hel's Review (2/2/03, House of Blues, Hollywood, CA (w/ Death Angel) & 2/7/03, House of Blues, Anaheim, CA ):2/2/03 - House of Blues, Hollywood - Exhumed, Vio-lence, Death Angel, Testament, Halford
Sunday night, the first of two LA area shows. In the span of five days, the Metal God would destroy this corner of Southern California not just once, but twice, and I intended to witness as much of this legendary occurrence as I possibly could. I knew I could make two of the three rescheduled this beleaguered mini-tour, that is, if Rob could. After a final, last minute close-call, Rob Halford finally received the troublesome Visa needed, the source of all the tour's trouble, a mere 20 minutes before the Embassy closed on the last possible day. At long last, it was now Sunday, and the time has finally come.
Vio-lenceCircumstances prevented me from arriving in time to see either Exhumed OR Vio-lence, and I was bitterly disappointed by that. But Death Angel was already onstage, and I knew I didn't have a moment to lose if I wanted pictures of them. They played for about three more songs, and were incredibly tight throughout. I was blown away when I saw them at the Thrash of the Titans, and here I was, less than two years later, being blown away again. The band seemed happy to be there as well, and looked like they were having a wonderful time, just like the audience. I hope to see them again very soon. Maybe I'll even get to see the entire set!
Next on the schedule was Testament, and after taking a few minutes to step outside for some air with Chainheart, it seemed the moment was imminent. We headed back inside, and less than a heartbeat after I broke off from Death and Chainheart to go down to the photo pit, an apparition from the East appeared before me. A certain longhaired, leather-clad New Yorker had come out for the show, and immediately coerced me into a drink before Testament. This, in and of itself is a feat, as I rarely imbibe alcohol, but for Tom, well, yeah, I'll have a drink. After a couple of swallows though, Testament did indeed begin, and I was off in a flash.
Death AngelDid you know Chuck Billy was diagnosed with cancer a couple of years ago? You'd never know it from watching him onstage. He's the same old Chuck, maybe a little leaner, but the same old Chuck, playing his mic stand like an air guitar, and belting the vocals out just like always. As anyone who has ever seen Testament perform live can tell you, they're fantastic, and nothing has changed. Welcome back!
The Metal God capped off the evening in grand style, playing songs from his solo albums, as well as recounting his days with Judas Priest and Fight. The crowd, while completely loving every band of the evening, was mostly there to see Rob, and they were obviously thrilled by what they saw. It was a stellar performance, and a fantastic way to end an incredible night.
2/7/03 - House of Blues, Anaheim - Exhumed, Vio-lence, Testament, Halford
Another day, another chance to catch Exhumed and Vio-lence opening on this mini-tour… Tonight there would be no Dark Angel, as their appearance was a special treat for the Hollywood show only, and what a treat it was. But that was Sunday, and this was Friday.
Ultimately, seeing Exhumed was apparently not meant to be, as I managed to miss them for the second time in less than a week. But such is my luck. Fortunately though, Vio-lence had just started, and I immediately began my quest for the photo pit. The last time I had seen Vio-lence was also at the Thrash of the Titans, just as with Dark Angel on Sunday. Again, they had impressed me then, and impressed me now as well. They played most of my old favorites, and the cozy photo pit was a great setting to watch the show up close. These are the moments when I'm happy to be wielding a camera.
HalfordWe were lucky enough to have a friend who could get us passes for the VIP Lounge area. Our little crew secured a nice corner and settled in with a pretty great view of all the action. I was pleased to have a place to sit when I wanted, and even got something to eat. But soon it was time for Testament, and I happily abandoned my seat and food to work my way down to the photo pit in order to get some more photos, and to have a great place to watch the band.
There's nothing better than a Testament show, than a Testament show you can watch up close without being squashed. I enjoyed this at Sunday's show too, but having already gotten pictures then, I didn't feel as much pressure to make sure I got a certain amount taken now, and I was able to really enjoy the show. They played a few tunes that they hadn't the other night, and generally seem to be giddy throughout the entire set. It was a lot of fun to watch and hear. And twice in one week - whoopee!
Then, once again, it was the Metal God's turn, and the audience was here to see him above all the others. This crowd seemed a bit older than the one on Sunday, and the woman behind me shrieking "I love the 80s" was not helping this image from forming in my mind. Other than a few annoying people, who didn't seem to believe that everyone was entitled to be in their little corner of the club, everyone was happy to be there, and enthusiastically responded to every note of Halford's set.
Two amazing nights from one amazing tour, and I still wish I could have seen more. You know a package like this is a rare event, but if any of these bands come around, regardless of whom else is on the bill, you should be sure to go. And go to as many of the shows on the tour you can. These bands are worth it, one and all.
Chainheart's Review (2/7/03, House of Blues, Anaheim, CA ):
HalfordIt does not get much better than seeing Rob Halford live, and pile on Testament, Vio-lence, and Exhumed and you have an all-star lineup that is well worth the price of admission. It has been over two years since Halford's last U.S. tour and since then he has released Crucible, a full on metal assault that completely rips your head off. As a vocalist, he is at the top of his game and the only question was if he could still pull it off live. With the rumors of a Judas Priest reunion everywhere you turn who knows how long it will be until there is a full-scale reunion, new record and tour. Testament has spent most of the past two years dealing with misfortune as lead vocalist Chuck Billy had a long battle with cancer causing the band to take a brief hiatus until he fully recovered. This would be one of Chuck's first shows back and everyone was wondering if he still would be able to deliver. All of these questions would soon be answered and I was more than excited for this show. It was time for Anaheim to receive the Bay Area beatdown from the thrash pioneers.
As I walked up to the House of Blues the line was wrapped around the building and it turned out to be a sold-out crowd. First up were gore metal savages Exhumed and from the little I saw of them it did not prevent me from heading right back outside. They sounded strong, but it was not about the gore metal tonight, it was more about 80s thrash metal and that is what everyone was waiting for. Vio-lence soon took the stage led by original guitarist Phil Demmel and they got the crowd moving right away. It has been a long time since this band performed live and they were not rusty by any means. This was also Rob Flynn's (Machine Head) original band as well and for all you MH fans do yourself a favor and go pick up these trash classics to hear Rob at his best. The only downfall to this band had to be their frontman and his annoying high-pitched vocals. As soon as the band would get into a killer groove the vocals just turn you right off. It is sort of a Dave Mustaine thing, either you will love or hate it. In this case, I couldn't stand it. The band kills and if they found a new vocalist I could see them appealing to more people. Nevertheless, they put on a great show and they all had a very energetic stage performance playing all their hits. This just warmed the crowd up for the mighty Testament who were about to take the stage.
TestamentOnce the lights went down the entire crowd pushed their way forward and you could easily tell that they were ready for a full on thrash assault. The curtain opened with Chuck Billy standing in the middle of the stage and the place went insane. They kicked into "DNR" from their last record, The Gathering, and it sounded better than ever. Right away Billy proved that he was indeed back and more than 100% healed. The band was rounded out by original member Eric Perterson (guitars), Steve DiGiorgio (bass), John Allen (drums) and Steve Smyth (guitars) and they were a fine tuned killing machine. It has been almost four years since the release of The Gathering and we can hopefully expect a new record in the fall. Their hour-long set consisted of a well distributed mix of old and new material with such favorites as "The Preacher", "Into The Pit, "Disciples of The Watch", "Dog Faced Gods" and "Burnt Offerings". You could feel the intensity flowing out from the stage and these metal veterans have only got better with age. With five tracks of their set coming from The Gathering it further proves that their most recent material is even more brutal than their past work. It is easy to see that Testament are going to be around for many years to come and their best work might still be ahead of them. By the time their set was over the crowd had nothing left and Halford had his work cut out for him after this flawless performance.
The last two Halford records, Resurrection and Crucible, I felt were amazing and if he played all new material I would have been totally satisfied. I know that this is not how most of this sold-out crowd felt, as almost everyone just wanted to hear some classic Judas Priest material. All of a sudden the lights go down and the drum intro to "Painkiller" kicks in as the band storms onto the stage with Halford leading the charge. He was in great shape and sounded better than ever as he hit every note with a clear sense of confidence. His backing band consisting of Mike Chlasciak (guitars), Ray Riendeau (bass), Roy Z (guitars) and Bobby Jarzombek (drums) performed perfectly and are an indestructible unit. They played the classics better than Judas Priest does these days. The crowd was going insane and as Halford started the intro to "Resurrection" he let everyone know that his solo material is just as strong as the classics. Mike Chalasciak is the one of the best guitarists in metal today and he plays with such an intensity that he makes everything look so easy. He will definitely give KK Downing and Glenn Tipton a good run for their money.
Death AngelPlaying such new hits as "Made In Hell", "Cyberworld", One Will" and "Golgotha" the band just flattened the rabid crowd with their massive hooks and maniacal shredding. They even broke into some of the Fight material with "Nailed To The Gun" and "Into The Pit" and these songs sound massively heavy. Once again though you could see the crowd getting impatient as they waited for more Judas Priest material and they soon got it. Once the intro to "Electric Eye" rang in the pit started to move and the crowd became rejuvenated. They proceeded to wrap the set up with "Breaking The Law" and "Living After Midnight" and you just had to have a great feeling after leaving this show. To see a legend such as Halford perform in such a small venue there is no way possible not to be in shock in how he delivers a perfect set at his age. Halford is back and ready to show these newcomers how things should be done.
I would have to give this show a five out of five because it was just the best metal night that anyone could have asked for. It looks as if Halford will be headed out on a full U.S. tour this spring and it is going to be a strong metal package from what I hear. If you get the opportunity to see Halford you definitely do not want to miss it. Halford and Testament are back to lead the metal charge against all the commercial garbage and the metal world welcomes them back with open arms. It's time the younger generation learns a valuable lesson from the bands that created the metal scene over the past 20 years.
Solomon's Review (2/7/03, House of Blues, Anaheim, CA ):After slogging through the winter blahs of the American Northeast for a few months, it was time for a bit of Southern California sunshine. Okay, it was a bit chillier than normal, but 60 in L.A. beats 10 or below in New York any day. After hanging with the Century Media crew for lunch and braving the rides at California Adventure, a metal show at the House of Blues on the Disneyland "campus" topped the day off nicely. I found it a bit odd that you could find 80's thrash metal and Donald Duck on the same stretch of property but, hey, if the big red shoe fits, wear it. The parents of little chitlins need not fear, as the activities of HOB/Anaheim are well concealed from the wholesome atmosphere of Walt's wonderland. Drinking, fighting, women with big...hair, yeah, you won't find Mickey at home here. This is the first HOB I've ever been to, and my feeling about the experience is mostly a positive one. Granted, we were situated on the upper balcony almost directly on top of the stage, but the sound quality did leave something to be desired, the individual parts of the players coming across with vague clarity. I don't think this joint was built with loud-ass metal in mind, but what venue is? They also used a curtain to introduce each act and how cool is that? HOB served food and beverage right to your table or "bench" space during the show if you wanted it, and the camera pit was decent, provided you could push through your way through the crowd to make it there.
Vio-lenceWith Hel, Death and another friend in tow, we missed Exhumed's opening set, but were able to catch about half of Vio-lence and all of Testament and Halford. I was never a huge Vio-lence freak, although I do vaguely remember liking some of the stuff off Eternal Nightmare and Oppressing The Masses. I'm not the thrash kinda guy I used to be, but Vio-lence delivered a raw, pummeling set of old-school slash-and-burn with enthusiasm. I was looking forward to Rob Halford and Co., but Testament was my real reason for being there. Growing up in a sparsely populated area, metal shows were far and few between for me, and I never got a chance to see Testament until 2001's Thrash of the Titans benefit show for Chuck's on-going (but apparently successful) battle with cancer. That was a cool moment, but this is more of the real deal now that Mr. Billy, who appears to be ten-feet tall, is back in action! Sporting a new braided hairdo, Chuck dominated the stage and roared like a bear, leading his band mates through the classics from The Legacy to The Gathering. It would have been nice to hear a track or two from Practice and/or The Ritual (yes, despite what they say, I think it's a killer record), but this absence was negligible considering all the other definitive songs present. Older fare like "Raging Waters," "Over The Wall," "Disciples Of The Watch," "The Preacher," and "Into The Pit" sat right along side newer material like "DNR," "True Believer" and, my favorites from The Gathering, "Three Days In Darkness" and "Eyes Of Wrath." Again, the sound quality took away from the overall presentation, but the band stomped on it hard and fast, and bassist Steve DiGiorgio comes off particularly well as a live entertainer.
HalfordThe curtain closed once more only to open a few minutes later with Mr. Halford in full sunglasses/leather 'n' stud gear, crouched onstage and ready to pounce. I think it's appropriate to compare Halford to Dio in that they both prove that rock 'n' roll is for the young and the young at heart. After fifty, Rob is still going strong and sounds like a million bucks. Bulletproof opener "Painkiller" and subsequent songs proved this, as Halford prowled around the stage like a cat and the band chugged through tunes from various points in The Metal God's thirty-year career. "Freewheel Burning," "Breaking The Law" and "Living After Midnight," among others, represented the Priest years while "Into The Pit" (hmmm...) and "Nailed To The Gun" paid tribute to Fight, still a vital part of the Halford legacy, if you ask me. Solo material like "Resurrection," "Made In Hell" (fun to sing, isn't it?) were in there, too, as well as stuff from the latest album 'Crucible.' The closing encore with "Living After Midnight" included an extended solo duel between guitarists Roy Z and Mike Chlasciak which, while maybe a little besides-the-point, still drove home the point that Halford still surrounds himself with top-notch players. If you are in the New York area, catch The Metal God and Symphony X at L'Amour, this should be a winner.
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