Less than 24 hours after Denver’s Blood Incantation shook the foundations of another venue across the city, the Thrash party of 2025 rolled into Bristol as Testament, Obituary, Destruction and Nervosa arrived to rock the Bristol Beacon.
Testament – Obituary – Destruction – Nervosa
Bristol Beacon – 7 October 2025
Words And Photography: Paul Hutchings
All these bands have been in the UK in recent times, with the headliners having toured with Anthrax and Kreator last December and Obituary headlining the final day of Bloodstock in the summer.
It is rarer to see the Teutonic masters Destruction in town, though, whilst Brazilians Nervosa appeared on the bill in place of Goatwhore. Despite this incredible bill, the venue was far from full. Whether it was the recent visits, the start of the saturated autumn season or a Tuesday night, who knows. For those who were there, all four bands made it well worth the effort.
Testament
Perhaps somewhat unusually, Testament hit the road on this tour with several dates coming ahead of the release of their 14th album, Per Bellum. This meant that it’s the singles Infanticide A.I and Shadow People that get an airing tonight.
By all accounts, the latest album stands strong alongside their output for the past decade or more, with Chuck Billy stating it is their best yet. Both songs slot into a set that continues their approach in 2024 of mixing songs from all eras of their discography.
The set is impressive, if a little Spinal Tap, with a large inflatable demon dominating the back of the stage behind drummer Chris Dovas.
Opportunity to roam for the rest of the band comes via a walkway that sits atop the row of amps that spread across the stage. It’s mainly Alex Scolnick who takes advantage, although as the set progresses, bassist Steve DiGiorgio and guitarist Eric Petterson both have turns up top.
The sound is muddy for much of the set, the clarity of the dual guitar work not always punching through as one would expect, and the lighting is hazy. Creating a demonic feel is one thing, but the mix of reds makes it a somewhat uneven visual experience.
Front and centre, though, is Chuck Billy. Slimmer than I have seen him for some time, vocally, he is in fine form, as he roars his way through the 14-song set.
It is a strong set as well, with opener DNR followed by WWIII from 2020’s Titans Of Creation. They may be new, but the front row is raging along to Infanticide A.D, with many already mouthing the words to a song that has not been out that long. 
Old favourites, and there are many, surface sporadically through the set. Practice What You Preach gets the pits swirling, whilst the other track from that album, Sins Of Omission, is a welcome deeper cut. Trail Of Tears from Low also falls into that camp, proving that the band can still mix it up a little.
Eyes inevitably are drawn to the wizardry of Skolnick, who takes centre stage on several occasions to deliver his usual blistering solos. But he sits in tight with Petterson and DiGiorgio to create as tight a unit as you will see on the circuit. These guys have been around the block a bit, as they say.
The challenge that Testament have is that they are not Obituary. The Floridians have already stomped a size ten hole in the venue, and it’s evident that the crowd are flagging a little. The crowd surfers slow, the pits lack the energy and fire of earlier, and despite the quality of the songs, it’s a little tepid in the Beacon by comparison.
Whether it’s early days or not is questionable, but having seen Testament bring a huge show in London in late 2024, it feels a little safe. But a Testament show is always hugely enjoyable and tracks including the welcome return of Native Blood, More Than Meets the Eye, and the closing double whammy of First Strike Is Deadly and Into The Pit ensure there is plenty more to scratch the Thrash itch.
Despite my observations, this was a solid set from a band who deserve their headline status after over 40 years on the road.
Obituary
It’s billed as a co-headliner, and Florida’s gnarly Death Metal vets Obituary demonstrate a masterclass in how to bulldoze a building to rubble.
Despite some obvious technical issues, including drummer Donald Tardy smashing his snare in after just two songs, this was imperious and brutal stuff. With the eye from Cause Of Death staring out from the backdrop for most of the set, it is no surprise that Obituary draw deeply from such a seminal album. 
Six songs from Cause Of Death is unsurprising, neither is the increase in pit action and the relentless waves of surfers who work the event staff hard. They are up to the task, coping with all shapes and sizes, including Elmo, who makes several forays across the barrier, continuing his efforts that started much earlier with Nervosa.
The sound is huge, the buzzsaw riffs cascade, and the grand old venue, probably just about healed after a visceral kicking from Cannibal Corpse last year, shakes once again.
The Wrong Time from Dying Of Everything brings a modern song into the arena, whilst the band’s version of Celtic Frost’s Circle Of The Tyrants is almost as much theirs as the Swiss legends.
Amidst the swirling dry ice and devilish red lighting, Obituary simply obliterate. It would not be Obituary without a massive finale, and Slowly We Rot puts the icing on a particularly vicious hour of intensity. Obituary take poll position tonight. The gauntlet is down.
Destruction
It is rare to see Destruction on these shores, and almost two years to the day since we covered their last UK show at KK’s Steel Mill, the German Thrash machine is in no mood to do anything other than remind you why they stand with Kreator and Sodom as the big three of Teutonic Thrash Metal [Yes, add Tankard if you want a big four].
Destruction do not have a huge amount of time, so instead carve the flesh with some classics, including Mad Butcher, Bestial Invasion and the huge Nailed To The Cross.
There is also time for Schimer and co to unleash three from this year’s Birth Of Malice, with Scumbag Human Race and No Kings No Masters, both politically charged anthems.
They have a decent sound, allowing the dual guitars of Damir Eskic and Martin Fuira to slice through the air. It is Thrash Metal delivered with military precision. Forty-three years since Destruction formed, they remain a compelling and powerful machine.
Nervosa
Apart from a couple of summer shows, this run is the first time we’ve been able to see Nervosa since their slashing assault at Bloodstock in 2024.
They have 30 minutes and hit the stage early with the venue still filling. It matters not one jot, for they throw everything at those in the stalls with passion and high intensity.
Probably the least well-known on the tour, Nervosa are 15-year veterans with five albums under their belt. The bulk of the set comes from 2023’s Jailbreak, bookending the set with opener Seeds Of Death and closing song Endless Ambition.
There are focused grimaces at times, but founder member and vocalist Prika Amaral has a smile broader than the Clifton suspension bridge, especially when Elmo sails over the barrier for the first of many times.
It is a strong opening set, and there is enough here to ensure a headline show in one of the city’s smaller venues would be well attended. 
