Billing: Kreator, Anthrax and Testament
Concert from November 30th, 2024 / December 13th, 2024 | Mitsubishi Electric Hall / Century Hall, Düsseldorf / Frankfurt
With TESTAMENT, ANTHRAX and KREATOR, the three edges of thrash metal history are also meeting in the Frankfurt Jahrhunderthalle during the current pre-Christmas period, previously for the corresponding co-headline tour in Düsseldorf. During the course of the tour, the Sparrows were already whistling the favorites of this threesome from the rooftops, and this impression should also be reinforced in the middle of Germany. But more on that later.
Gallery with 21 pictures: Testament – Kreator+Anthrax Co-Headline Tour 2024 in Düsseldorf
In any case, in the well-filled location, solid and liquid refreshments had to be served first, so that the Californian thrashers TESTAMENT were already deep into their own set. The quintet around icon Chuck Billy has a reputation for rarely being able to come up with a really good soundscape. Even if it's completely decent overall today, the Americans' sound is still lacking a little bit of pressure and dynamism. Furthermore, the band seems so experienced that any accentuation of the actually strong song material is lost. At the end, songs like “Low”, “Electric Crown” or “Into The Pit” lose their uniqueness and tones like radio accompaniment in the kitchen for breakfast. The West Coasters aren't getting on anyone's nerves, but they aren't leaving a lasting impression either.
Setlist:
01. DNR (Do Not Resuscitate)
02. 3 days in darkness
03. 3rd World War
04. Next level children
05. The emergence of damnation
06. Return to serenity
07. The first strike is fatal
08. Low
09. Native blood
10. Electric crown
11. More than meets the eye
12. Into the pit
Gallery with 25 pictures: Anthrax – Kreator+Anthrax Co-Headline Tour 2024 in Düsseldorf
The New Yorkers from ANTHRAX do things completely differently afterwards. Simply because of their eight-year full-length absence, the boys are not quite as present on the record as the other two representatives of this evening. In addition, pretty much every fanboy of John Bush, who hasn't sailed under the banner of this troupe since 2010, but Heidewitzka, what ANTHRAX is launching here will undoubtedly leave mouths wide open. The exuberant power with which Scott Ian & Co. hurl songs like “Caught In A Mosh” into the massively captivated audience can only be described as absolute bliss.
Exuberant US power
ANTHRAX don't sound that wide on the best system in the world and singer Joey Belladonna also has a great time, so this slightly harder version of the song interpretation fits together perfectly. This is an art of perfection, which makes the tracks sound almost original, as if they were on recordings, but on the other hand also offers this incomparable live power. At the latest with “I Am The Law” or the TRUST cover “Antisocial”, the Americans can be sure of all the sing-alongs and have their incredible joy of playing and agility acknowledged accordingly.
Setlist:
01. AIR
02. Have the time
03. Caught in a mosh
04. Fight them until you can't anymore
05. Madhouse
06. Metal Thrashing Mad
07. Be everything, finish everything
08. I am the law
09. Medusa
10. Antisocial
11. Indians
12. Efilnikufesine (NFL)
Gallery with 20 pictures: Kreator – Kreator+Anthrax Co-Headline Tour 2024 in Düsseldorf
After this show of force, it's practically self-explanatory that KREATOR would have a hard time. The people from Essen are really impressive when it comes to the stage design and create a headliner atmosphere with the lighting, design and ultimately the playful tightness. Nevertheless, the exuberant energy of their predecessor is missing, which ANTHRAX had squeezed out of their instruments quite naturally and which the collective around singer and guitarist Mille Petrozza tried to bring onto the stage with a crowbar.
Pleasure shooting confetti
In this context, the frontman's breakneck announcements, which are as omnipresent as possible, always seem like they're a step above, and even the confetti rain during “Pleasure To Kill” doesn't do the song justice in an obscure way. And why you are only hooked with the intro of “Coma Of Souls” also remains an unanswered question in human history. Nevertheless, KREATOR lose out overall here, but the bottom line is that they still put on a solid show with a few quirks. “Enemy Of God”, “Hordes Of Chaos” and “Violent Revolution” remain simply good songs that the North Rhine-Westphalians have mastered to the core. There should have been just a few more classics.
Setlist:
01. Hate About Everything
02. Phobia
03. Coma Of Souls (Intro)
04. Enemy of God
05. 666 – A divided world
06. Hordes of Chaos
07. Hail to the hordes
08. Traitor
09. Satan is real
10. Phantom Antichrist
11. The strongest of the strong
12. Terrible certainty
13. Violent Revolution
14. Joy in killing
Images: Siegfried Peeters (Düsseldorf)
Texts: Patrick Olbrich (Frankfurt)
