Slayer slaying London, once more: Live report of the show at Finsbury Park

I thought Slayer had a farewell tour back in 2018-2019. Was I mistaken? It seems like retirement isn’t something that really lasts in metal, huh? It’s hard to believe it’s been 6 years since the “farewell” tour wrapped up, and honestly, it’s great to see that it wasn’t really a goodbye at all. Sure, there won’t be any new songs or albums in the works, but maybe this is the day we realise we could catch Slayer every now and then.

Amidst the light rain, bursts of sunshine, and shifting clouds, we ended up in Finsbury Park, a spot I hadn’t been to for a festival before. So, the capacity is about 49,000, but since the event isn’t sold out, I wouldn’t expect that many people to show up. I didn’t keep track, but it was quite a big shift, especially since a lot of people were in Birmingham for the final Black Sabbath show.

Before getting into the event, I came across some complaints about the show in Cardiff where Neckbreaker got cut from the lineup because the gates opened at 5pm, due to some strict licensing rules in the city. It seems like most of the bands had shorter or delayed sets, and honestly, people weren’t too happy about it. But it turned out to be a totally different outcome in London, as the well-organised Finsbury Park welcomed all kinds of metalheads with awesome facilities and fantastic food trucks…and of course, an incredible lineup of music.

Thank you for Kirsten from CosaNostra PR for having us. All pictures courtesy of Bryce Hall.

Neckbreaker is the first band to hit the stage, and let me tell you, their crushing riffs and high-energy vibe create an experience that’s both raw and intense. They really blend in perfectly with the heavy lineup of the concert. Their lively performance really gets the crowd going, creating the perfect vibe just before the rain starts to come down. I was thrilled we got to see them! After hearing the disappointing news about their set being cancelled in Cardiff, the band showed up with so much energy to start everyone’s day off right.

Hatebreed fans really stick together, no matter what happens. Honestly, after all the amount of time I saw them, I can’t say I’ve ever felt disappointed. This band really knows how to maintain their high standards, and they absolutely do! They’re really into that hardcore vibe and aggressive style, boosting the vibe at Finsbury Park. “Destroy everything, destroy everything,” echoed around the park. Starting off with the captivating “Tread Lightly” and then diving into “Crystal Skull,” “Mother Puncher,” and “Megalodon,” Mastodon‘s progressive music really changes the vibe of the day, whether it’s pouring rain or bright sunshine. Their sounds provide a rich and complex break, creating a fascinating contrast to the intense thrash of the other bands performing that day. I found their live performances really interesting—so simple, yet so effective! They still manage to get everyone moshing and screaming despite the unstable weather.

As their classic signature, Anthrax starts the show with “Among the Living,” showcasing their years of thrash experience around 16:25. Joey Belladonna totally brought the energy! In between songs, he brought up his worry about people not showing up after the gig the day before, but honestly, he was just bouncing around and laughing like a kid, and so were the people in the crowd, me included. His huge smile was totally contagious, keeping everyone entertained. As they wrapped up their amazing set, they played “Indians” following their covers of “Got The Time” and “Antisocial.” The crowd was really into it, singing along and pumping their fists against the power. It wasn’t exactly breaking news about the setlist, but I have to say, it was pretty short.

As we got closer to the end of the day, we were just hanging out, waiting for the Guardians of Asgard to show up! With the captivating beats of “Shield Wall” and “Deceiver of the Gods,” it was all about the continuous stomping of feet and raising of fists in the air for Amon Amarth. We noticed Johan Hegg had tape on his elbow after a mishap during his performance in Cardiff, where he slipped and fell. Even Vikings put on band-aids! It’s contagious how their energy is always such a blast to watch, and their props are always so carefully researched, even if they’re inflatable… Yeah, the Viking guards were actually swaying a bit with the wind at one point.

Photo: Bryce Hall 

Slayer

1. South of Heaven
2. Repentless
3. Disciple
4. Die by the Sword
5. Jihad
6. War Ensemble
7. Chemical Warfare
8. Reborn
9. Mandatory Suicide
10. Born of Fire
11. Dead Skin Mask
12. Spirit in Black
13. Hate Worldwide
14. Seasons in the Abyss
15. Hell Awaits
16. 213
17. Wicked World (Black Sabbath cover)
18. Postmortem (followed by “Wicked World” reprise)
19. Raining Blood
20. Angel of Death

Once the clouds cleared and the rain let up, the sun made its appearance, and after a 5 minute almost career recap video and 10-minutes delay—probably to build some suspense—Slayer took the stage at 19:45. The opening riff of “South of Heaven” cut through the air, sending the crowd into madness. At that moment, you could hear shouts from all over the pitch… probably even outside of London by now.

Tom Araya walked up to the stage with that signature smirk, standing there like a veteran preacher of doom. His voice still possessed the ability to unleash the iconic snarls that transformed songs such as “War Ensemble“ and “Dead Skin Mask” into legendary metal. Sometimes, there wasn’t even a need to sing because the crowd was louder than his voice. Kerry King and Gary Holt were like two warlords, trading razor-sharp riffs back and forth, while Paul Bostaph’s drumming packed a punch like heavy artillery.

I counted at least 3 moshpits, or as I prefer to define them a wave of black shirts and dust flowed together.

Every song delivered a powerful impact, with hardly a pause in between, it was almost hard to catch a breath. But I have to admit, this time around, differently from their farewell tour, they felt a bit more distant and less emotional compared to before. I guess there’s still a part of me that hopes to see them live again, even if it’s just now and then.

The huge screens showcasing the iconic art and artworks from Slayer‘s discography, along with those powerful blood-red lights, inverted crosses, and that unmistakable Slayer logo looming over everything, really made an impression. It’s just raw, intense metal, like it was always intended to be.

Photo: Bryce Hall