Author: Crossfire

London Astoria,
5/11/08

In the early hours of this very morning, Barack Obama was announced as the new US President, and – as you might expect from a tour dominated by American bands – there’s a distinct celebratory vibe inside the Astoria tonight. Unfortunately the incompetence of London Underground prevents us from witnessing openers Time Again, but by most accounts their raw street-punk sounds went down well with the early birds.

Boston’s very own Street Dogs are nothing if not a true band of the people, and in vocalist Mike McColgan, they have an engaging frontman who clearly doesn’t care much for any kind of division between band and crowd. These guys play powerful, unpretentious rock n’ roll, and they play it like it’s the last chance they’ll ever get. By the end of their set, the sea of pumping fists speaks volumes – this is seriously life-affirming stuff.

Skindred’s multi-hued cocktail of dancehall, punk, dub and metal influences is somewhat at odds with the rest of the bill, so it’s pleasing to see their arrival greeted with roars of approval from a crowd that are clearly in the mood to party. Benji Webbe and co don’t let them down; with the Astoria arguably at risk of a premature demolition as the likes of ‘State Of Emergency‘ detonate like ragga-metal smart bombs. Sound-wise, these guys are in a league of their own, and finally their punishing touring schedules seem to be paying off.

Flogging Molly first visited the UK six years ago, and proved a surprise highlight of the 2002 Deconstruction festival. Since then, countless flash-in-the-pan chancers have sold out the Astoria on the back of one or two hit singles and a shitload of hype – but it hasn’t been such an easy ride for Flogging Molly. Needless to say, it’s great to see a band finally make it to such a level through hard work and some excellent, honest music.

It’s easy to forget just how many great tunes FM frontman Dave King has penned over the years; ‘Drunken Lullabies‘ and ‘Selfish Man‘ incite the heartiest jigging since the Pogues last played this fair city, whilst the ballad ‘Whistles The Wind‘ prompts the loudest sing-along (and some seriously drunken swaying) of the evening. In between, Dave takes the time to exchange some banter with the crowd, and to take the piss out of a West Ham fan on the balcony. It’s all good-natured, of course, and as the band rip through a finale of ‘Seven Deadly Sins‘, it’d take a churlish punter to not salute these folk-punk troopers for a job well done. Thanks Eastpak.

Alex Gosman

With SSS & Tortuga The Islington Acadmeny,
London 31/10/08

From the second I heard 2006’s debut offering ‘Black Thunder‘, Doomriders instantly became my favorite band.

Not only that but the last time they came to these shores, touring with Coliseum and Lords, they played one of the best gigs I had seen that year. Their mix of old school rock ‘n’ roll and metal instantly ticked the ‘Danzig meets Thin Lizzy’ and ‘Motorhead meets Sabbath’ boxes.

Safe to say, I had high expectations for tonight’s show. With the addition of Liverpool’s finest, SSS, to the bill this was truly going to be a Halloween show to end all Halloween shows…..unless you went to see Slayer.*

With much regret I missed Tortuga who, from what the guys at the bar tell me, were “totally fucking yes!!!”. I’m assuming that’s a good thing. After picking up a copy of the new LP ‘The Dividing Line’ at the merch table it was time for SSS to stand up and take names. After hearing only a handful of new songs before going into the show, I didn’t know what to expect from a new SSS set list.

What I got was a terrifying dose of Merseyside thrash. Having seen SSS multiple times before, I wasn’t expecting the new material to be quite so visceral. It’s good to see that this band aren’t just ‘phoning it in’ and are growing into an even bigger force to be reckoned with. New songs ‘Oil and Water‘ and ‘The Bastard Stench‘ make their London debut tonight alongside old favorites ‘Damaged Goods’ and the ever entertaining ‘Thrash With A Small Mustache‘. SSS are always going to be value for money and are one of the best bands to rise from this country in recent years.

Finally Doomriders make their long awaited return to a London stage. I, along with most there, was hoping to hear some new material from the band after such a long absence. We were rewarded for our patience as they fired out new track ‘Crooked Path‘ which instantly had heads banging. The track ‘Mercy‘ is an absolute classic. Available on their ‘Long Hair & Tights‘ split with Boris, it’s a dueling guitar spectacular between axe men Nate and Chris. This all proceeded by an avalanche of killer riffs that I’m sure reduced the nearest church to rubble.

With an amp malfunction halfway through their set, Nate takes it upon himself to flex his comedy muscle with a quick stand up routine. “How do you find Will Smith in the snow?….You look for the fresh-prints.” It’s not all rock ‘n’ roll at a Doomriders gig. You get 100% comedy genius as well. Doomriders continue a beast of a gig with what has now become the band’s calling cards, ‘Black Thunder‘, ‘Ride Or Die‘ and chaotic whirlwind of a song, ‘Fuck This Shit!‘. Everybody by this point was seriously into what JR, Chris, Jebb and Nate were unleashing. Doomriders know how to have a good time on stage and know what pleases a crowd of head bangers. Tonight we get nothing short of heavy metal glory. The boys from Boston finish as they did last time in London with ‘The Long Walk‘. With blistering licks and some filthy bass it was fitting way to end what truly was a raging set.

After almost beheading ticket holders at The Islington Academy with some serious neck breaking riffage, Doomriders saddle up and ride on through the caverns of darkness. Onward to Mount Gogorath. Once there they will pledge their reaped souls to the keeper of the damned via the swords of fortune and glory…..well, that’s what they said anyways.

Tom Lindsey

*I actually sold my Slayer ticket for that night because I’d rather see Doomriders. Yes they are that damn good. Ride or Die motherfuckers!!!

Chapter III w/ Trivium, Mastodon & Amon Amarth
The Hammersmith Apollo, London
30/10/2008

I had never seen Slayer before. As somebody who claims to be a huge Slayer fan this is not a fact that I let slip very often around my metal brethren. It’s not that I haven’t wanted to see them it’s just I have always been in the wrong place at the wrong time. I nearly got arrested at the Reading Festival once trying to break into to see them. My past failures didn’t matter anymore because on this cold, London night……my time had finally come.

Unfortunately I got there too late to see Mastodon (I’d like to say a massive fuck you to the staff of Cha Cha Moon in Soho for being so shit and slow. Pull you fucking finger out!!). Anyways, after dragging my gutted carcass from the bar to the main arena I had the misfortune of seeing Trivium. A band who seem to be more concerned with telling you to “get up!” and “come on!” than singing their own songs. Granted they were fucking loud and fast but not a band to be supporting Slayer on any day. Fact.

Then finally after all my years of waiting, Slayer took to the stage to unleashing a wall of sound on the leather clad, metal heads in attendance destroying them all. Opening with ‘Flesh Storm‘ from recent album ‘Christ Illusion’ followed by a half set full of ear bleeding, death metal, gems featuring ‘Chemical Warfare’, ‘Disciple’ and the astonishing ‘South Of Heaven’.

The main selling point of the night was that the band would be playing 1986’s ‘Reign in Blood’ in its entirety. Exploding back on to the stage with ‘Angel Of Death’ I just couldn’t resist but to jump in the pit along with every other intoxicated psycho. After almost dying trying to retrieve the phone that fell out of my pocket I decided against lowering my head below waist height again and enjoy Tom Aray’s blood curdling screams.

The band were as into it as the raging crowd as Slayer shred through classics ‘Piece By Piece’ and ‘Necrophobic’. Jeff Hanneman shred like a manic whilst Dave Lombardo pounded his drum kit harder than your average Kerrang! reader pounds his pre-pubescent wang.

Kerry King’s punishing licks on ‘Altar Of Sacrifice’ are a work of genius live. It just goes to show after all these years on the road that Slayer can still keep their sound fresh. All that combined with the fact that are such a tight band, prove they can still lay all competition to waste. Every track tonight was pulled off with ease and excellence. ‘Criminally Insane’ and ‘Epidemic’ were huge highlights and kept the crowd, now running on pure adrenaline, thrashing.

Slayer plow through the album at break-neck speed with absolutely no let up. Tonight it’s kill or be killed. The band finish their relentless set with the now iconic ‘Raining Blood’ leaving every single sweat coated, blood dripping, Slayer fan totally gob smacked.

So, I’m a mobile phone light, my ears were ringing so loudly after the gig it kept me awake half the night and I’m still convinced I have broken ribs but to see Slayer this good after such a long wait, it was more than worth it.

Oh yeah, and one more thing…………..FUCKIN’ SLAAAAYYYYEEEEEER!!!!!!

Tom Lindsey