With such a stacked bill, it’s unsurprising that each show on this tour with Anthrax, Kreator and Testament is posting full house signs. Social media reports of the early forays into Manchester and Wolverhampton merely fuel the expectations of those who have travelled to the venerable old Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith for a night of ferocity combined with an element of Metal nostalgia.
Kreator
Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith – 23 November 2024
Words: Paul Hutchings
Photography: Steve Ritchie
Testament set the bar high, but it is smashed into pieces by an imperious set from the biggest of the German Thrash Four, who show how to combine theatrics with savage Thrash Metal. For 75 minutes, Kreator hold Hammersmith in the palm of their hands, with a balanced set that spans their 40+year career.
Iron Maiden’s Run to the Hills sounds the call to arms, the huge Kreator banner flapping front of the stage, before the Sergio Corbucci Is Dead intro rolls out.
When it drops, it’s like entering Dante’s Inferno, with flames shooting into the air, huge steam jets bursting upwards, and the stage bathed in a devilish red glow.
On either side of the huge Hate Über Alles backdrop, huge devil statues watch on. Later in the set, mannequins drop from the lighting rig, their lifeless bodies hanging over the stage, giving the show an even more macabre feel. We also get two sinister visits from the flaming torch-bearing Violent Minds.
It is a virtually flawless show, with only one minor technical hiccup that slows the ferocious tempo. Hiccup negotiated, the band roars on, with Phobia eliciting the first real singalongs, Enemy Of God stoking the already erupting pit into even greater excess, and Millie Petrozza soon demanding the first wall of death. It may not be the strongest set of songs, but it’s not far off.
Strongest Of The Strong (dedicated to their touring companions) isn’t their best song and Hail To The Hordes is, for me, the runt of the litter tonight. But otherwise, this is a solid selection.
Kreator are still a relatively youthful band in comparison to some of their peers. Powerhouse drummer Jürgen ‘Ventor’ Reil, the oldest member of the band at 58, delivers a phenomenal performance, whilst Petrozza and fellow guitarist Sami Yli-Sirniö deliver those chainsaw riffs with brutal accuracy.
Bassist Frederic Leclercq, the youngster in the band, is a never-still blur of movement. Petrozza is animated between songs, thanking the crowd for their continued support for over 40 years. He is the Thrash Metal ringleader, splitting the crowd before getting them to roar their approval.
Petrozza is demanding. “Everyone into the pit,” he screams as the band deliver an old-school triple ending of Terrible Certainty, Violent Revolution and, of course, a blistering Pleasure To Kill.
This is a set of top quality, with a production to match. For me, the band of the evening, Kreator show once more why they remain a vital cog in the Heavy Metal wheel.
The Eventim Apollo Thrash Metal Special. The young pups may be scratching at the door, but old dogs Anthrax, Kreator and Testament are in no mood to give up their place at the top table.
This was such a special evening the reviews have been published separately: Anthrax | Kreator | Testament.
