Anthrax is the law, Kreator is the enemy of God – read our report from their show in London

The report is by Sabrina Schiavinato – a huge thank you to Joe of Nuclear Blast for hosting us!

When in metal history will you witness an event as powerful as this?

We were obviously delighted to attend this unusual performance at the Eventim Apollo in London, but we were most excited to see Anthrax return to Europe after around four years and co-headlining with Kreator.

Wait, did we mention Testament as a support band?! Hell yes! Can it get better than this? The band stated:

As 2024 begins, we are happy to reveal plans to end the year in epic fashion: By travelling with Kreator and Anthrax, two of the most powerful bands who are also close friends. Our first tour with Kreator was in 2023, and it was an excellent fit. Our relationship with Anthrax extends back to our early years and includes some of our favourite tours of the 2010s. 2024 will be the first time all three bands tour together as a package.

Yes, you said clearly that this was the first time all three bands toured together, with the London show serving as the concluding of three UK performances.

Testament

1. D.N.R. (Do Not Resuscitate)
2. 3 Days in Darkness
3. WWIII
4. Children of the Next Level
5. The Formation of Damnation
6. Return to Serenity(First time played since 2000)
7. Low
8. Native Blood
9. Electric Crown
10. More Than Meets the Eye
11. Into the Pit

The selection of the first three tracks, “D.N.R.” and “Days in Darkness,” which feature Chuck Billy’s deep voice that echoes throughout the entire auditorium, show that they are not seeking to wind down just yet after four decades of brutally aggressive music. They prepared the audience for a dramatic evening with some of their most popular songs, including “The Formation of Damnation” and “Low.”

With “Return to Serenity,” we had a quiet moment of breath right before the storm hits again; according to Chuck Billy, the song hasn’t been performed live in thirty years, so I guess it was a really rare occasion to dust off such a piece of art.

Testament‘s stage performance did not quite match that of the main acts, with their music taking the lead instead. However, given the performance’s length of about sixty minutes, we expected more engagement with the audience.

Photo: Peterson Marti.

Kreator

1. Hate Über Alles
2. Phobia
3. Enemy of God
4. 666 – World Divided
5. Hordes of Chaos (A Necrologue for the Elite)
6. Hail to the Hordes
7. Betrayer
8. Satan Is Real
9. Mars Mantra
10. Phantom Antichrist
11. Strongest of the Strong
12. Terrible Certainty
13. The Patriarch
14. Violent Revolution
15. Pleasure to Kill

Co-headlining allows us to see the finest of those bands for an extended period of time, and there is no time to waste with Kreator.

Kreator stated:

This is possibly the most irresistible thrash package ever put together, the best of the US and Europe in one night! These will be some of our biggest shows in Europe, so we are bringing a huge production and plan to tear it up every show!’ And they bloody delivered!

The incredible energy of Kreator’s performance of “Hate Über Alles” left us breathless. With the amount of time we’ve seen Kreator performing live, we always find the band in top form and always giving the best of the best to every show.

Monstrous statues, resembling figures from hell, adorn the stage, staring directly into our souls as we marvel at the power of their riffs. Four mannequins, hanging from the stage ceiling, intensify the already captivating theatrical stage when the riffs of “Phobia” started.

Mille Petrozza invites the crowd to the first wall of death of the evening with the song “Enemy of God” before even giving them time to recover from the first mosh pit we experienced.

As the band continues with their set list, we hear songs such as “666 – World Divided“, “Hordes of Chaos” and “Satan is Real.”

The pyrotechnic impact made the entire auditorium incredibly warm, giving us the sensation of being in hell. As the concert progressed, we saw additional stage effects such as stunning lighting and smoke games, all of which contributed to a fantastic performance that only the Hammersmith Apollo’s dramatic framework can provide.

We couldn’t miss the conclusion, which featured our favourites “Violent Revolution” and “Pleasure to Kill.”

Photo: Peterson Marti.

Anthrax

1. A.I.R.
2. Got the Time
3. Caught in a Mosh
4. Fight ‘Em ‘Til You Can’t
5. Madhouse
6. Be All, End All
7. Metal Thrashing Mad
8. I Am the Law
9. The Devil You Know
10. Antisocial

Encore:

1. Indians
2. Gung-Ho

After what seemed like a long wait between bands, Keanu Reeves’ face appeared on the enormous white stage banner. Along with his face, several others, like Kerry King, Phil Anselmo, Gary Holt, and others, spoke about the huge influence Anthrax has had and will continue to have.

After this incredibly touching moment, in which we knew how much our presence was about to witness a chaotic event, the banner dropped and the first tune to kick off this one-of-a-kind night was “A.I.R.”, with Joey and others jumping and racing around the stage.

We excitedly cheer as the playlist progresses, which includes hits like “Got the Time,” “Caught in the Mosh,” and “Madhouse.” However, we were disappointed to learn that the band was currently working on new material, which we had expected to hear as a pleasant surprise. Nonetheless, we were able to mosh and soak up every moment of Scott and his bandmates’ performance, jumping about the stage and singing along. On the other hand, we observed lead guitarist Jonathan Donais, who was not as present as the rest of the band and kept himself to the side of the stage, nearly making us forget he was there.

Despite some vocal errors, Joey Belladonna’s presence generated a lot of excitement: he still bounces like a teenager, and his enormous smile remains the most unusual thing in the metal world. He did not speak to the audience for as long as we had wanted, but when he invited them to chant “I am the law,” he clearly demonstrated his passion and devotion.

We were delighted to hear some of the songs that weren’t naturally included in Anthrax‘s most recent performance before this tour, given the 40th anniversary of their career. As the show came to a close, we were really expecting the finale to be, as usual, the incredible rendition of “Indians,” with the entire audience singing along and raising their fists against the power. However, we were taken aback by one final song, “Gung-Ho,” which, according to Scott Ian, hasn’t been played at a show in decades.

With weary knees and necks, we left the Hammermish Apollo after witnessing a spectacular spectacle that surely made history!

Photo: Peterson Marti.