Live Review: Lamb Of God, Kreator and Municipal Waste | O2 Academy Bristol | 08/03/2023
After three years, two new albums and one pandemic, Lamb Of God finally return to the South West, with stellar support in tow.
Municipal Waste
After appearing in this very venue just months prior with thrash legends Anthrax, one may assume the populace of Bristol may have had more of enough of tonight’s opener. After all, judging from the sea of leather, denim and patches lovingly applied by unimpressed partners and mothers, it appears the band are playing to the exact same crowd as they where just last October. But as the party thrash unit Municipal Waste kick off proceedings with ‘Demoralizer’ and ‘Breathe Grease’ it’s clear the South West can’t get enough of the beer guzzling antics of the Florida thrashers.
Dressed in denim vests punctured with more studs than they’ve probably had washes and more or less adhering to every stereotype associated with the thrash metal genre, the band don’t deliver what one would call a composed and articulate set. But as they gallop through ‘You’re Cut Off’ and the brilliantly titled ‘The Thrashin’ Of The Christ’, it’s nigh on impossible to deny that they’re a fun time in this room. It appears to be a sentiment shared universally in the room too; their bladed riffs, dive bombs and hasty thrashings being delivered with a kind of precision stereotypically not associated with the thrash metal archetype, swiftly thawing out the room frozen from the subarctic conditions outside. Yes, not much has changed within their live set since their last appearance here – or seemingly in years – but why alter things that don’t need changing? Again, Municipal Waste tonight treat Bristol to a well versed lesson in both partying and classic, no frills thrash.
Photo Credit: Connor Mason
Score: 7/10
Kreator
In contrast to their mostly well meaning and party connoisseurs, Kreator establish somewhat of a different atmosphere; something that’s mainly in thanks to the saints hanging from the rafters. Opening with the foreboding ‘Hate Über Alles’ prior to diving into the likes of ‘Hail To The Hordes’ and ‘Awakening Of The Gods’, the German thrash titans clearly dedicate their set to enlivening the gilded age of no nonsense metal, a time where the genre remained untainted by experimentalism or dynamism. Whilst there’s nothing inherently wrong with this – their music is performed with the kind of effortless prediction that can only come from decades in the game – it does seem to unmotivate the masses before them. Perhaps the crowd remains frozen from their nicotine break post openers, but for the most part their set falls on a polite, yet static ears.
‘Satan Is Real’ ultimately triggers a response though, with its thunderous drums and mantric chorus sounding imposing as it did back in 2019. This, backed with the proceeding ‘Hordes of Chaos’ and ‘Flag Of Hate’ does ultimately change the dynamic in the crowd, with the blast beats, groove and endearing riffs kickstarting the carnage from naught to 80 in seconds. This set may be a by numbers show for Kreator, with the band now clearly having performed these track hundreds of times over the years, but much akin to their opening peers, why change things? Kreator now how to how perform their craft with ease, and they know how to invigorate crowds when required. Those wanting a more impactful, violent and hardcore orientated affair maybe left wanting – something promised back when Thy Art Is Murder, Gatecreeper and the tragically missed Power Trip where on the lineup – but as they close on the 1986 classic ‘Pleasure To Kill’, Kreator still now to make their time tested work impactful even after all these years.
Photo Credit: Connor Mason
Score: 8/10
Lamb Of God
After three years and two postponed dates, one would presume Lamb Of God would finally be met with a rapturous reception when they finally take to the stage. However, given how the crowd immediately turns feral as soon as the opening ‘Memento Mori’ rings out, it’s safe to presume no one, not even the band themselves, would have expected an audience such as this. As the opening leads into the immortalised classics of ‘Ruin’ and ‘Walk With Me In Hell’, it appears both the band and capacity crowd are decanting a whole pandemics worth of energy tonight, developing somewhat of a symbiotic relationship where their respective energies bounce and reflect off each other, intensifying in the process.
Of course, anyone who has seen Lamb Of God before will certainly know that their sets are intense experiences at the best of times. Given the sheer number of previous tour shirts being worn and ripped in the put, it’s most likely sentiment well shared and acknowledged. But even then, with that in consideration, Lamb Of God seem to be playing with a sense of vengeance and malicious intent tonight. One could easily pin point this impactful intensity on the years they’ve been forced to rest due to the pandemic, but as the set progresses, it appears it’s the new content from their latest record that has influenced them with volatile energy. ‘Ditch’ sounds absolutely annihilating live and see’s this the band enlivening the crushing contents with amplified density, something in thanks to the fluid and pounding drumming of Art Cruz, hammering this song home behind a drum rig bigger than most affordable flats within this city.
Ultimately, and of course, it’s both the classics the presence of Randy Blyth that draws the most response. Bouncing around the stage whilst bellowing the lines ‘Laid To Rest’ and ‘Contractor’ whilst prowling with menace during ‘512’ and a rare performance of ‘Omertà’, Blyth is a vocalist born for this role and emphasises the menace, haste and density of the band with effortless ease. ‘Omens’ sees him enlivening all three qualities in equal measure, whilst the inclusion of new content within the set can finally appease those who had grievances with the band for refusing not to mixup their set lists with each tour. Ultimately though, as the band close out with ‘Redneck’, it’s crystal clear that the events of the last several years have only bolstered Lamb Of God with a sense of purpose that ensures their longevity for years to come.
Photo Credit: Connor Mason
Score: 9/10