Testament / Anaal Nathrakh / Warbringer
24 July 2009
Shepherds Bush Empire, London
Hmmm, the new wave of thrash continues to fail to provide a top notch band able to compete with the old school as far as I’m concerned. Warbringer are yet another band that, whilst reasonably entertaining live, lack quality songs. It felt like I’d been sent in a time warp back to the late 80s and could be watching any number of UK thrash band’s that failed to make a break through.
Warbringer are however from the other side of the pond and understandably are having the time of their lives touring the UK with Testament. The band were a blur of whirling hair with the manically grinning face of frontman John Kevill leering at the crowd. A cry of “You didn’t come to stand with your hands in your pockets” inspired the first mosh of the night to Living In A Whirlwind, but whilst the energy is contagious it can’t take away from the fact that the thrash is generic.
Warbringer set list:
Total War / Severed Reality / Living In A Whirlwind / At The Crack Of Doom / Jackal / Prey For Death / Combat Shock
Onslaught had been taking the main support slot on the previous UK shows, however at Testament’s specific request Anaal Nathrakh had been drafted in for the London show. Frontman Dave Hunt (aka V.I.T.R.I.O.L.) admitted that they were a weird match on tonight’s bill and he wasn’t wrong.
Despite the aid of a copy of the setlist and owning all the band’s albums, I had difficulty keeping up with what Anaal Nathrakh were playing once the songs’ speed hit hyperblast. This quickly turned out to be one of the most intense sets I’ve ever seen but the Shepherd’s Bush sound system did the band no favours, rendering the songs into an impenetrable wall of noise.
The majority of the crowd were quickly turned off with a few hardcore fans left to flail about in a large empty pit which opened in front of the stage. On occasion when the pace let up, the impact was impressive but soon lost again.
I’d highly anticipated my first opportunity to see Anaal Nathrakh live but it just didn’t work tonight and the set was far too long for this crowd.
Anaal Nathrakh set list:
In the Constellation of the Black Widow / I Am the Wrath of Gods and the Desolation of the Earth / Bellum Omnium Contra Omnes / The Final Absolution / Submission Is For the Weak / More of Fire Than Blood / Der Hölle Rache Kocht in Meinem Herzen / The Lucifer Effect / The Destroying Angel / Do Not Speak / Pandemonic Hyperblast
By the time Testament’s intro started it was obvious due to the usual curfews in London’s larger venues that this would not be a lengthy set. Whilst not expecting a repeat of the marathon run through of the band’s first two albums at their last London headline show, it was disappointing that the songs chosen for this shorter set where very familiar to anyone who’s been attending Testament’s numerous UK visits since the “reunion”.
Three new songs from the band’s latest album made appearances and it was good to have D.N.R. and 3 Days In Darkness in the encore but the remainder was far too predictable. As ever Testament’s performance was top draw, though spoiled a little by the guitars being very low in the mix. This was obviously not the case on stage where the band seemed to be enjoying their performance, with Alex Skolnick in particular feeding off the crowd interaction and seeming much more at ease than when he originally rejoined the band.
There was little let up in the pace as Testament raced through their setlist with few pauses. Eyes were drawn to the disabled section of the balcony where a fan was going nuts rocking backwards and forwards on a barrier. Eventually the security decided that his response was too excessive and removed him to boos from the crowd and to the dismay of Chuck Billy who dedicated Burnt Offerings to him.
All too soon the band had wrapped up with The Formation Of Damnation with my unlucky 13th Testament gig leaving me feeling a bit short changed.
Testament set list:
The Preacher / The New Order / Over the Wall / Practice What You Preach / More Than Meets the Eye / The Persecuted Won’t Forget / Burnt Offerings / Into the Pit / Souls of Black / Disciples of the Watch / D.N.R. (Do Not Resuscitate) / 3 Days in Darkness / The Formation Of Damnation
LINKS:
Testament
Anaal Nathrakh
Warbringer
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