“THIS NEXT ONE’S ABOUT SATAN”: KREATOR/EXODUS/BELPHEGOR/WARBRINGER/EPICUREAN AT THE “HORDES OF CHOAS” TOUR
Tuesday, May 12th, 2009 at 11:20am by Corey Mitchell
This past Friday, I decided to take a break from writing my latest book Savage Son to catch some old school, new school, and something-in-between-school metal. After spending a sweltering hot day at the San Antonio Zoo with my three-year-old daughter and witnessing a Gibbon monkey with an anal prolapse and a pair of crusty old horny humping turtles, I figured the Kreator-led Hordes of Chaos Tour at San Antonio’s Scout Bar might actually be a bit less mentally taxing.
It definitely was, but in a good way.
The doors opened at the very non-metal hour of 7:00 p.m., thus ensuring I would not catch Epicurean’s set. I walked in on literally the last song of their set. I have no idea what song they were playing, but they reminded me of Unearth in both sound and image – not a good thing.
No problem, as I was stoked to finally see New Kids on the Thrash Block, Warbringer. The Ventura, California-based retro-thrashers had already blazed through Satantonio a couple of times and I had missed each set. Not this time.
After seeing these really young looking guys tear up their tiny-allotted space, there is still hope that the recent Thrash Revival is the real deal. Along with Mantic Ritual, Gamma Bomb, Fueled by Fire, Bonded by Blood, and Evile, Warbringer pay homage to their obvious forefathers including Metallica, Megadeth, Testament, and Overkill while putting their own 21st-century spin on events.
Lead singer John Kevill brings energy and a solid stage presence to the crowd with enough Invisible Oranges and Woody Woodpecker headbangs to make any mosher happy. I’m not so sure, however, about that milky sputum he puked onto the heads of the unsuspecting front row headbangers, not to mention the biggest fucking snot rocket I’ve ever seen since Puck from Real World 2.
Approximately halfway through Warbringer’s set, Kevill announced that their drummer Nic Ritter had been out of commission for more than a month with a broken elbow. Ably filling in was Epicurean drummer John Gensmer. Unfortunately, the band only offered up five songs – whether it was due to set-time constraints imposed by the headliners or Gensmer’s stamina, I’m not sure – but the crowd definitely wanted more of these new Thrash titans in the making. I especially liked Kevill’s intro to “At the Crack of Doom” that gives this article its title – “This one’s about Satan!”
After hearing the likes of “Total War,” “Living in a Whirlwind,” from their forthcoming new album Waking Into Nightmares, and the brilliant, “Combat Shock,” Warbringer left the fans wanting much, much more.
Next up, and seemingly out of place on this bill, were Austrian black metallers Belphegor. Any doubts about their inclusion were immediately erased, however, as soon as the band marched onto stage and proceeded to tear the crowd a new one. Led by ferocious guitarist/lead howler Helmuth, Belphegor did not opt for corpsepaint and stage props, but instead, wicked guitar playing and unearthly growls from the bowels of Satan’s nutsack.
The incredibly fit Helmuth led the charge with his uncanny ability to rip leads, bellow from hell, and dole out the coolest fist-to-chest bump in metal I have ever witnessed. While certain elements of black metal can come across as relentlessly cheesy in a live setting, Belphegor appears heavy as fuck, and a little eerie at times – something missing from most metal today. Highlights of Belphegor’s set included “Soaked in Blood” and Helmuth’s donning of a bespiked bondage mask for the title track to their last album Bondage Goat Zombie.
The real reason I ventured out was to check out the latest incarnation of Bay Area thrash legends Exodus. It had been more than 22 years since I had last witnessed Exodus in Austin (with Celtic Frost), with Steve “Zetro” Souza on vox, touring behind The Pleasures of the Flesh album (yes, album). This time around, lead guitarist Gary Holt, a MetalSucks favorite around the mansion, brought new singer Rob Dukes in tow.
Had I been a contributor here in 2007, I would have eagerly listed Exodus’ The Atrocity Exhibition: Exhibit A as one of my top 10 albums for the year. I love that album and I think Rob Dukes is a more-than-welcome addition to the band. Though Axl castigated the 2008 Bonded by Blood remake Let There Be Blood, it paid off in spades as the band launched into a post-Enya-inspired intro to unleash “Bonded by Blood” on the ecstatic audience. Dukes hit every note, commanded the stage with his wide girth, and blew away old skool fave Paul Baloff in the vocal department. The S.A. crowd went nuts and would continue to do so for the next hour.
A brilliant mix between the new and the familiar positioned classic cuts such as “A Lesson in Violence” and “Strike of the Beast” alongside such powerful newer tracks as “Children of a Worthless God” and “Iconoclasm.” Despite the twenty-plus years difference in release dates, they all sounded as if they could have come from one album.
Dukes has a knack for keeping the crowd entertained without being overbearing. His seemingly clichéd braggadocio about an after-gig blow job was self-deprecated with doubts as to the sex of the fellator, not to mention Holt’s dis that the giver had “long-hair and was clean shaven.” I’m sure they’ve told the story 100 times in the last year, but you could tell the band was thoroughly enjoying themselves.
Exodus highlights were many: Dukes messing with the crowd about whether or not they would play “Toxic Waltz” (of course, they did); the Wall of Death that preceded said song; the merch girl who jumped on the table to dance to said song; Dukes strumming Holt’s guitar while the latter fretted and drank from a plastic cup simultaneously; and the biggest circle pit I have ever seen inside a club.
Great set, great band, great to see the Old Farts back in rare form.
By the time Kreator hit the stage, this Old Fart had had enough. It had been more than 10 years since I last saw Kreator on tour with industrial metallers Skrew in Portland, Oregon. Back then, in the recent post-grunge world of the Northwest, a whopping 40 people were in the crowd. It was great to see at least 10 times that many show their love and support for the Teutonic titans of thrash this night. I caught four songs including the title track of their latest album Hordes of Chaos before calling it a night. Even though I have seen Kreator seven times prior, I have never been a huge fan, so this small sampler did the trick.
Besides, for me, Exodus were the true headliners — and they killed it.
-CM
I look forward to Savage Son. I did, btw, write that review on Amazon. Yes, it was a good review.
John Kevill is a great name “Keeeeeeeeevil”, but Exodus is always good. Nice blog.
Best Star Wars t-shirt ever.
I like this review. I love Warbringer. But fuck you, Unearth is one of the very few Metalcore bands that is actually good. So rrraaaawwrrr…
Han shot first. Fuck Greedo.
@Sammy: Thanks for the great review of PURE MURDER. Hope you like SAVAGE SON. Of course, you’re gonna have to wait a year before you can get your paws on it.
@JB: Thanks, glad you liked the post.
@Beastmaster: Thanks. Warbringer is phenomenal. As for Unearth, I’ve seen them live three times now and all I can say about them is that I look forward to a bathroom break when they’re on.
@Star Wars nerds: Boba Fett is still the shit!
Yeah, the cute blonde merch chick danced out here as well. There should be more cute dancing merch girls.
“Hordes of CHOAS?” This site needs a third editor.
@Yeah, it should have said “Choads.” Thanks, Grammar Nazi, now fuck off!
I caught this show in San Diego and most of what you said is pretty accurate. I saw almost all of Epicureans set and I thought they were pretty decent, if not great. Warbringer was awesome but they also only played 5 songs. In fact, they played the same amount of songs as Epicurean, but shorter, so Epicureans set was actually a little longer. Exodus was definitely top notch and they had a brutal pit going in there. The only thing I really disagree with is that I think Kreator blew all the other bands out of the water. I’ve never been a huge fan of Kreator, but I thought their live set was amazing. It’s actually kind of disappointing because they sounded so much better live than on their albums, so listening to their studio work just is a let down because I know it could sound so much better. All in all I thought it was a fantastic show.
Saw this in NYC and I agree with you on Kreator. Their studio albums don’t even compare. I think Warbringer made a lot of new fans on this tour, but their drummer shouldn’t have broken his arm or whatever. I didn’t enjoy Belphegor at all.
The tables turn, Corey! I was at this show, too. If you remember, I was the one that left the Tesla show early in Feb., only to catch shit from yours truly. I’ve seen Kreator countless times over the years, and I can honestly say this is the tightest I’ve ever seen them. You missed a killer set, and I wish you could have hung around for the entire show.
Exodus put a HUGE grin on my face. I agree with you 100%: That was the biggest pit I have EVER seen in a club. Period. I’ve been going to shows for 25+ years, and that pit was one for the record books. Amazing.
As for Epicurean, you were way off on the Unearth comparison. They’re closer to a cross between Dream Theater and the finer elements of the current death/thrash movement. I was impressed enough to download their album when I got home, and was glad I did. The kids can play, and the guitars are absolutely shredding. Give ‘em a second chance.
I’ll be at the Opeth show next Tuesday, and I will NOT be leaving that show early. Not a chance in hell.
If I recall correctly, however, you left because you thought Tesla sucked. I left because I spent three hours at the zoo in 90+ degree heat, two hours on my bike, and then four hours on my feet at a metal concert. Not to mention the fact that I had already seen Kreator a buttload of times. Plus, I mainly went to see Exodus. I don’t think you went to Tesla to see the opening band.
Thanks for the Epicurean tip. I’ll have to dig out their last album. It didn’t leave any kind of impression on me nor did their live shoiw. But I’m always willing to give a band another chance.
Hope to see you at Opeth next week.
I was at this show! I was the kid in the very front in the Pleasure to Kill shirt and dark hair (real specific there) who seemed to be one of the only ones headbanging to Warbringer, they should have gotten more respect from the crowd. How metal is puking and continuing the song without missing a beat? Kreator was amazing, but I have to give it to Exodus, they were definitely the better act. Even if I got crushed by two 200lb stagedivers during their set.
THE PHOTO AT THE TOP OF THIS ARTICLE SHOULD BE WHAT YOU SEE WHEN YOU LOOK UP ‘EUROPE’ IN EVERY DICTIONARY AND ENCYCLOPEDIA THERE IS.
I saw this tour in NYC, I thought Kreator had a great live prescence, especially with the epicness of saying “THE KREATOR IS BACK” as a way of making the Kreator into a being….
I’m friends with Warbringer, they’re great fucking dudes, they put on a great show, I’ve seen them a bunch and have smoked weed with them a couple times :p
Amazing show, I’m not huge into Exodus but it was great seeing Warbringer again, and Kreator!
Epic fucking shit.
To be precise, I left the Tesla show because I thought they were devoid of energy that night. Like you, I was exhausted that night as well, so it may have just been a recipe for disaster. See you at the Opeth show.
Good review, but man you really should edit your spelling. I am the Grammar Nazi mother fucker.
Willie C AKA Trey – blow me, old man! Mrs. Casey thought you were a moron…
Dancing merch girl here, thanks for the kind words! :) But there shouldn’t be any more of us…that would take my edge on the competition away!
Warbringer had a short set because I had exactly 16 hours to learn and be good at their songs. 5 was all my brain could handle. They have a lot of little odd meter changes that are so subtle, you’d only know it if you were a musician actually learning the songs. Or if your ear is that good. I learned a 6th song, “Prey for Death”, but we never played it because we never had a chance to rehearse it.
Epicurean is not metalcore nor does it sound anything like Unearth. lol! If we did, maybe our paycheck would be a lot fuckin bigger. lol!