Overkill - Exodus - Gama Bomb

Killfest Tour 2009

[Psycho] Finally a revival that makes sense! After useless trips back to the 60’s and 70’s – generally speaking – we arrived in the 80’s again. And that means Metal as its best! Much better, great to see the old heroes playing live again. Besides OVERKILL and EXODUS also TORTURE SQUAD and GAMA BOMB joined in, two bands, young and still quite unknown but dedicated to the same kind of Thrash Metal ;) Back to the future… somehow *lol* And I finally feel young again ;) (Hey, hey, hey… I’m still young! :P – Cal)

:: pics ::

Psycho] I haven’t heard of :: TORTURE SQUAD :: before. But I have to admit, their 4 tracks spanning performance was a great one. Thrash to the bones, in the veins of old Dark Angel or Demolition Hammer, offering crispy breaks and sheer enthusiasm in playing. Audience got quickly infected by that rewarding the guys with kind of standing ovations afterwards. Sound was excellent, probably the best tonight. Thumbs up for TORTURE SQUAD! The other bands really have to push themselves to top this performance. The crowd really loved them. The Brazilians almost sold all their CD’s afterwards.
[Cal] Almost? They sold everything! Haven’t seen any CD’s afterwards anymore. I already had seen TORTURE SQUAD playing live anywhere, anytime, remembering something good. But I didn’t have in mind that TORTURE SQUAD was THAT great! Tonight’s show topped everything! Really. Fuck, what a great show! But way, waaaaaaayyyy too short! Now I know how they won last year’s Wacken Metal Battle. Also their current record Hellbound got raving reviews.
Setlist: MMXII (Intro], Living For The Kill, The Beast Within, In The Cyberwar, Chaos Co.

[Psycho] Afterwards more time travel got offered. Seems like these young Irish guys known as :: GAMA BOMB :: have found some old US Speed Metal albums from the early 80’s in the depths of their parent’s vinyl collection and completely absorbed the style. Closing my eyes I felt 25 years younger. One can say, GAMA BOMB sounded antiquated, in a positive way ;) (by the way, also when it comes to the thin guitar sound and quite high-pitched singing). GAMA BOMB couldn’t reach or top the previous band but at least had the chance to thrash down 10 tracks, although these youngsters acted a bit leggy.

[Psycho] Perfectly suiting the unofficial motto tonight :: EXODUS :: roadies were wearing white tennis socks *lol* Posh guys!
[Cal] Everything tonight looked like being put in a time machine dated back to the middle of the 80’s. Teens and whippersnappers were wearing Kutten and white basketball sneakers… damn… what long time ago… *sighs*
[Psycho] To bring the Zeche to the boil (or every other location) EXODUS has to open with Bonded By Blood. At best in such a brutal version as they did tonight!!! After this kick off, nothing could go wrong anymore. And although the Bay Area thrashers had to struggle through some technical problems – first the sound was to quiet on stage, then to loud to the audience, Lee Altus pissed off coz of this, four-stringer Jack Gibson looking kinda mopish and Rob Dukes bitching around killing his micro – it was a Thrash Metal gig par excellence, the way it has to fucking be: hellish loud, rough and brutal! For Tom Hunting enjoying sun and beach in Mexico, notorious Nick Barker was maltreating the skins, serving speed and looking quite different ;) So Thrash-like… hehehe ;)
Unfortunately EXODUS didn’t play any encore. On the other hand, with songs such as War Is My Shepherd, A Lesson In Violence and Fabulous Desaster as well as the wall of death at The Toxic Waltz and the all destroying finale Strike Of The Beast a break was well deserved…
Setlist: Bonded By Blood, .44 Magnum Opus, Fabulous Desaster, Piranha, Children Of A Worthless God, Blacklist, A Lesson In Violence, War is My Shepherd, The Toxic Waltz, Strike Of The Beast

[Psycho] …and needed… for what still has to come! *lol* Ok, with Exodus I knew more or less what to expect, but to be honest, I didn’t do with :: OVERKILL :: But… to foreclose… HOLY SHIT WHAT A FUCKING GREAT SHOW! OVERKILL downright steamrolled the audience with smashing weight and power. Dunno, if someone has told them that they have to hurry finishing the show on time… anyway, OVERKILL played with blistering speed. THAT I never experienced so far at an OVERKILL show, I tell ya. And now have a look on the setlist. That’s all classics! Already the opening trilogy: Deny The Cross, E.vil.N.ever.D.ies and Hammerhead… to kneel down!
[Cal] Agreed! A show and setlist do die for! And now try to take photos at this. It’s a superhumanly volitional act to keep still…
[Psycho] And on this high-class level they went on… From the current record Immortalis they only played one song, namely Skull & Bones. Never mind! There was absolutely nothing to nag about ;) Singer Bobby “Blitz” melancholically recalled the old days when OVERKILL played the legendary Metal Hammer Road Show at this location here, around 23 years ago. He asked the crowd who has been here back in the time and was luckily surprised, how many people gave a sign. Regarding his voice Blitz was in best form and OVERKILL likewise enthusiastically played their show.
[Cal] Bobby „Blitz“ Ellsworth was not only in best form regarding his voice but also physically: Not even one gram fat on his body, he is in best shape, six packs, and flexible like a whip. Ok, I stop it now before I start drooling… ;)
Setlist: Deny The Cross, E.vil.N.ever.D.ies., Hammerhead, Hello From The Gutter, Rotten To The Core, Elimination, Skull & Bones, Feel The Fire, In Union We Stand, Overkill // Horrorscope, Fuck You/Overkill

[Psycho] 3 encores and 75 minutes later the audience had to face the end. Of course, this show was way too short! OVERKILL could have filled another 2 hours with all their classics ;) AND… I would like to get a live recording of this show! Everything was perfect! Doing it this way furthermore OVERKILL will stay for sure on top of the Thrash Metal genre.
[Cal] Not that much to add anymore. All I can say is: HELL, WHAT A FUCKING GREAT SHOW! To kneel down, to die for. Now it’s ok to die ;) Too bad that we had to leave right after. With a day off following I’m sure the guys did party all night. And I wanted to catch Lee Altus asking about the new Heathen album… damn…