For those of you long enough in the tooth, you might remember that this whole thing started back in the early 90s with the very first Clash Of The Titans tour, whose debut appearance on these shores featured Slayer, Megadeth, Anthrax, and, oddly, a very new/young Alice In Chains. Fast-forward nearly thirty-five years later and Klash Of The Titans is back, this time sporting three of the best thrash has on offer in 2024. Tonight, our team of globe-hopping live metal connoisseurs made a cross-border trip to Detroit, Michigan to catch Testament, Kreator, and Possessed destroy the Motor City.

POSSESSED
The history of these Bay Area godfathers garners the utmost respect. Getting their start waaaaay back in the early 80s, they rose to prominence at a time when extreme metal was just getting started. To say they wrote the book for nearly everything that was to come is an understatement. Without the forward-thinking of band maiman and only original member, Jeff Becerra, extreme metal as we know it today might never have come to exist. Tonight, Jeff and crew were warmly welcomed to the stage of the Royal Oak Music Theatre by a near-capacity crowd. It should be noted that this was our first visit to this venue, and what a venue it is! Opening as a vaudeville theatre all the way back in 1928, the theatre still retains all the charm that it did all those years ago. Comprising of several raised floor platforms and a huge balcony with plenty of seating, you’ll never find yourself at a disadvantegous view. All the site lines to the grandiose stage are open. It should also be noted that the staff were incredibly helpful and accomodating, and there was a ton of room for merch booths in the large foyer. Drinks were a bit on the expensive side, but the servings were huge and the whiskey pours were generous.

Back to the music. The guys opened with ‘Pentagram’, the second track from their highly-acclaimed debut album, Seven Churches. This was a smart choice, as the Possessed lovers in attendance were immediately captivated, which didn’t let up one bit through the next seven songs of their set. Between songs, Jeff interacted with the crowd, who, in turn, showed their love and support with some of the loudest chants of ‘Possessed’ I have ever heard. A fantastic set that truly got the mood set for the rest of the night.

Setlist
‘Pentagram’, ‘Ritual’, ‘Tribulation’, ‘Graven’, ‘The Exorcist’, ‘Demon’, ‘Death Metal’, ‘Swing Of The Axe’

KREATOR
It goes without saying that German legends Kreator have perfected their live performance after fourty years of shows and touring. They spare no expense as it relates to the visual aesthetic of their live performances. Gracing the stage tonight were large busts of the demons that have become synomonous with their album artwork. In addition, the pyrotechnics were on full display this evening. Mille and his bunch ran through a set of hits culled from nearly every album in their catalog, with a big focus on 2022’s Hate Über Alles. No matter your preferred era of the band, the guys had you covered. The excitement reached such a fevered pitch that the pit opened up and Mille incited a wall-of-death. Given that the area directly in front of the stage didn’t allow for a lot of space, the punters obliged and did their best, separating and careening into one another with the gusto of a large European festival. All in all, Kreator put on one helluva show. Tonight’s headliners, Testament, definitely had their work cut out for them!

Setlist

‘Hate Über Alles’, ‘Phobia’, ‘Coma Of Souls’ (Intro only), ‘Enemy Of God’, ‘666 – World Divided’, ‘Hordes Of Chaos (A Necrologue For The Elite)’, ‘Hail To The Hordes’, ‘Betrayer’, ‘Satan Is Real’, ‘Mars Mantra’, ‘Phantom Antichrist’, ‘Strongest Of The Strong’, ‘Terrible Certainty’, ‘The Patriarch’, ‘Violent Revolution’, ‘Pleasure To Kill’

TESTAMENT
Moving forward, there can’t, and shouldn’t, ever be a Klash Of The Titans without Bay Area legends, Testament. As one of the longest-running classic thrash bands, the guys have more than paid their dues over the last thirty-seven years of their existence. As was the case with Kreator, Testament are about as well-oiled of a thrash machine as you are gonna get. I first saw the band way back in ’89, as a wee one, and as far as memory serves me, the Testament of today is just as potent and vigorous as they were all those years ago. It’s as if age defies them. I mean, to do this nearly every single night for months on end is absolutely mind-boggling at their age. Tonight, the guys were on absolute fire, dropping hits like bombs, and even venturing into territories not often explored (there were a few suprise songs). The capacity crowd was treated to the full Testament experience, and the band showed their utmost appreciation by inviting anyone who wanted to come up onto the stage the chance to shine alongside their heroes. Needless to say, at least forty people clambered up onto the stage while the band blasted out ‘Into The Pit’. I have to say, in my nearly four decades of attending metal concerts, I have never seen this to the degree I saw it tonight. Very fucking cool!

Setlist
‘Eerie Inhabitants’, ‘The New Order’, ‘Apocalyptic City’, ‘The Preacher’, ‘Raging Waters’, ‘The Haunting’, ‘Trial By Fire’, ‘Drum Solo’, ‘First Strike Is Deadly’, ‘A Day Of Reckoning’, ‘Alone In The Dark’, ‘Do Or Die’, ‘Disciples Of The Watch’, ‘Over The Wall’, ‘Into The Pit’