{"id":105,"date":"2011-11-13T08:00:33","date_gmt":"2011-11-13T16:00:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/metalassault.com\/gig_reviews\/?p=105"},"modified":"2012-05-02T02:57:48","modified_gmt":"2012-05-02T10:57:48","slug":"anthraxs-earth-on-hell-tour-delivers-good-friendly-violent-fun-to-los-angeles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/metalassault.com\/gig_reviews\/2011\/11\/13\/anthraxs-earth-on-hell-tour-delivers-good-friendly-violent-fun-to-los-angeles\/","title":{"rendered":"Anthrax’s Earth On Hell Tour Delivers Good Friendly Violent Fun To Los Angeles"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Avinash Mittur<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Oct. 22nd 2011, Club Nokia, Los Angeles CA:<\/strong> Anthrax, Testament and Death Angel- these three acts have long been considered \u201cbaby brother\u201d bands of much more popular groups such as Metallica, Megadeth and Slayer. After last night in Los Angeles, I felt this notion could still apply today. All three groups gave performances with the energy of bands half their age, and provided Los Angeles with a superb thrash metal experience.<\/p>\n

Death Angel began the show with a taut 30 minute set that highlighted their newest album, \u201cRelentless Retribution.\u201d After seeing the band twice on their headlining tour six months ago, I knew that Los Angeles was in for a treat. The band delivered; vocalist Mark Osegueda unleashed his road-worn howl as if every word was his last, and the rest of the band followed suit. Guitarists Rob Cavestany and Ted Aguilar frequently traded positions on stage, while bassist Damien Sisson provided a few very cool wah-wah breaks. The tracks from \u201cRelentless Retribution,\u201d which made up half of the six-song set, received a deservingly strong reception from the crowd. \u201cClaws In So Deep\u201d in particular drew a massive applause, likely because of its frenetic pace throughout. The classic \u201cEvil Priest\u201d had the audience in the pit jumping along with Mark, and triggered the first of many circle pits throughout the night. The band capped off their short but powerful set with the intro to \u201cThe Ultra-Violence\u201d followed by \u201cThrown To The Wolves.\u201d It was a great way to combine new and old, and ended a fantastic set full of adrenaline and aggression. \u00a0In the late 1980s, the members of Death Angel were noted for their youth; the ever-cited example being that original drummer Andy Galeon was only fourteen when the group recorded their legendary debut \u201cThe Ultra-Violence.\u201d Last night, it was as if Death Angel had never grown up.<\/p>\n

Testament then took the stage and proceeded to throw the crowd into a frenzy of headbanging, moshing and horn-raising. From the opening notes of \u201cThe Preacher,\u201d Testament immediately had the crowd in the palms of their hands. The setlist was a perfect balance of old and new, with staples like \u201cOver the Wall\u201d and \u201cThe New Order\u201d countering newer tracks such as \u201cHenchmen Ride\u201d and \u201c3 Days Of Darkness.\u201d Lead guitarist Alex Skolnick aptly demonstrated why he is considered one of thrash metal\u2019s greatest talents. His solos sounded distinctively his own, being balancing minor scales with exotic modes and many atonal pinch harmonics. Alex\u2019s axe-wielding partner, Eric Peterson, held his own with perfect rhythm guitar playing and even occasional dueling solos with his counterpart. An immense highlight of their set was \u201cInto the Pit,\u201d for which the crowd erupted<\/em> into a sea of violence and shouts of the song\u2019s anthemic chorus. The entire set had the crowd moving and the band was in top form throughout.<\/p>\n

John Tempesta, filling in for sidelined drummer Paul Bostaph, gave the band a tight metronomic precision that only he could offer. His fills matched those recorded by the past drummers of Testament (of which there are very many) to perfection. It is worth noting that the drum mix during Testament\u2019s set was perhaps the best I\u2019ve ever heard at a thrash metal concert. John\u2019s toms boomed loud and clear, while every cymbal was well defined and his snare gave a sharp, yet thunderous crack every time they were hit. Original drummer Louie Clemente\u2019s iconic drum performance on \u201cDisciples of the Watch\u201d perhaps never sounded greater than last night in the able hands of John Tempesta and Testament\u2019s sound tech. Bassist Greg Christian was no slouch as well, providing a virtuosic performance. Unlike far too many metal concerts he was easily audible, exhibiting a metallic clanking tone not dissimilar to Iron Maiden\u2019s Steve Harris.<\/p>\n

Then there was of course, one of thrash metal\u2019s greatest frontmen, Chuck Billy. If last night was representative of the tour as a whole, his voice has vastly improved since the band\u2019s last couple of go-rounds. Every word he belted was clearly enunciated, unlike prior performances where lines would be slurred. Chuck was always engaging the audience throughout, and constantly moving about and interacting with his fellow bandmates. Even his signature half-size mic-stand was given an overhaul, now glowing in the dark to perfectly complement his (surprisingly and hilariously on time) air guitar playing. Chuck didn\u2019t waste too much time talking to the audience; as a result the band jammed 13 absolutely killer tunes into one hour. The band gave a phenomenal performance, and left the audience hungry for more. As a cool way of showing their love for their fans, Testament brought a member of the audience onstage to give him a free guitar for crowd-surfing over the barrier more times than anyone else throughout the set. It was a nice gesture on the band\u2019s part, and a neat ending to a fantastic set from a band that has never delivered anything less.<\/p>\n

Finally, Anthrax came on to the sounds of \u201cWorship,\u201d the intro to their newest album, \u201cWorship Music.\u201d The band kicked things off with \u201cEarth On Hell,\u201d which started the set strong. Singer Joey Belladonna (possibly one of the few thrash metal vocalists who truly deserve the adjective) was in fine voice throughout the night, singing every song as if it were 1985 again. Even though he now sings in a lower register, his voice has lost no power or range. Every high note was hit with ease, and he still managed to work the stage well. As if the lyrics prompted it more than the music itself, \u201cCaught In A Mosh\u201d summoned a massive circle pit after Charlie\u2019s legendary drum fill before the first verse. Perhaps the most awe-inspiring moment of the entire night was the sheer explosion of violence during \u201cIndians\u201d upon Scott\u2019s cry to mosh, his infamous \u201cwar dance\u201d shout. The audience sang along to every word of the classic tracks, and gave plenty of applause to the new tracks from \u201cWorship Music.\u201d Ending the set with \u201cOnly,\u201d my personal favorite Anthrax song, was a classy way to acknowledge former vocalist John Bush\u2019s time in the band. Joey sang the track wonderfully, even though John will always be the definitive singer for any material he recorded and wrote with the band.<\/p>\n

There was of course bassist Frankie Bello, who seemed to have an endless amount of stamina. The man always had a giant smile on his face, and worked to provide a visual spectacle for the crowd throughout the entire set. When he wasn\u2019t leaping about the stage, he was headbanging, making goofy faces or providing high vocal harmonies to help out Joey. Even though Frankie would often stop playing to use his arms to interact with the audience, it ultimately served the show for the better and helped the band\u2019s overall stage presence and gave the band a youthful vibe missing from many groups these days. The other band members, while nowhere near as active as Frankie and Joey, held their weight well enough. Lead guitarist Rob Caggiano provided the band with classy, melodic leads and solos and gave an overall professional performance Even though he lacked the sheer technical wizardry of Testament\u2019s Alex Skolnick, Rob turned in a more than respectable performance. Rhythm guitarist Scott Ian could be seen headbanging frequently and providing gruff backing vocals to complement Frankie and Joey\u2019s melodic singing. Drummer extraordinaire Charlie Benante turned in an expectedly powerful performance. Last night, he proved why he\u2019s known as one of thrash metal\u2019s most technically proficient percussionists.<\/p>\n

The set, while highly enjoyable throughout, seemed purposefully stretched to a length longer than it should have been. This included an extended intro and outro to \u201cAntisocial,\u201d and long addresses to the audience from Joey and rhythm guitarist Scott Ian. While Testament had packed thirteen songs into one hour, Anthrax somehow made fourteen songs last about eighty minutes. The set was heavily stacked with tracks from \u201cWorship Music\u201d and \u201cAmong the Living,\u201d with the band\u2019s other classic albums barely being represented. Considering the short set length, it\u2019s hard to see why the band simply couldn\u2019t include more tracks to both lengthen and diversify the setlist. On a positive note, the tracks from \u201cWorship Music\u201d sounded phenomenal live; the band would be stupid not to play \u201cIn the End\u201d at every show they do from this tour onwards. Overall, the set was still perfectly performed and absolutely enjoyable; it\u2019s simply a shame that it suffered from unwarranted flaws.<\/p>\n

Throughout Death Angel and Testament\u2019s sets, the sound was wonderful. According to a note by the soundboard, there was a decibel limit, which I feel helped the sound immensely since far too many shows suffer from being too loud. The bass was audible, guitar solos cut through, and the vocals were completely clear. As mentioned before, the drum sound during Testament\u2019s set was one of the best I\u2019ve ever heard. Despite prior reports, Anthrax\u2019s sound was for the most part fine, although Frankie\u2019s bass was reduced to a low rumble and Joey\u2019s vocals were a tad too low in the mix. Charlie\u2019s drums were clear and audible, but his bass drums were dominated by weak trigger sounds. It seemed to only show off Charlie\u2019s speed rather than serve the songs.<\/p>\n

For those who do not know, Joey was tackled by the venue\u2019s security during \u201cMetal Thrashing Mad\u201d when a fan jumped on stage and approached him. In short, there was a small pileup, Frankie got involved and ultimately \u201cMetal Thrashing Mad\u201d was cut short from only the guitar solo onwards. All the audience lost was a minute or two of \u201cMetal Thrashing Mad.\u201d Joey was given a minute to recover, the band graciously apologized for the incident and finished the set as planned. Anthrax was extremely professional about the entire episode, and their behavior is a model for other bands to follow in similar situation.<\/p>\n

Overall, this was an astounding show with a terrific lineup. Every band played as if their lives depended on it, and Anthrax\u2019s perseverance and dedication to their fans was a truly admirable act to witness. Every one of the three groups may not have the sales or notoriety of some bigger acts, but they are the ones keeping thrash metal truly alive and well. For the time being anyway, I and everyone else in the audience last night will continue to worship their music.<\/p>\n

Rating: 9\/10<\/strong><\/p>\n

Related: Anthrax interview<\/a> | Testament interview<\/a> | Death Angel interview<\/a> | Dallas gig review<\/a> | Dallas picture gallery<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Avinash Mittur Oct. 22nd 2011, Club Nokia, Los Angeles CA: Anthrax, Testament and Death Angel- these three acts have long been considered \u201cbaby brother\u201d bands of much more popular groups such as Metallica, Megadeth and Slayer. After last night in Los Angeles, I felt this notion could still apply today. All three groups gave … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “Anthrax’s Earth On Hell Tour Delivers Good Friendly Violent Fun To Los Angeles”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/metalassault.com\/gig_reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/105"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/metalassault.com\/gig_reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/metalassault.com\/gig_reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/metalassault.com\/gig_reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/metalassault.com\/gig_reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=105"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"http:\/\/metalassault.com\/gig_reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/105\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":609,"href":"http:\/\/metalassault.com\/gig_reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/105\/revisions\/609"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/metalassault.com\/gig_reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=105"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/metalassault.com\/gig_reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=105"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/metalassault.com\/gig_reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=105"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}