eonmusic: music for life.
  • Home
  • News
  • Interviews
  • Video
  • Reviews
  • Features

The Bay Area Strikes Dublin as Testament & Exodus Give One More Lesson in Brutality.

5/3/2020

0 Comments

 
Testament rolled into Dublin on Wednesday (4th March 2020) for a night of thrash metal brutality nary seen since their last visit. Upping the ante, the San Francisco act brought along two of their contemporaries – Exodus and Death Angel – for the package aptly dubbed ‘The Bay Strikes Back’.
Picture
Photo: Darren McLoughlin.
By Eamon O'Neill.​

Testament rolled into Dublin on Wednesday (4th March 2020) for a night of thrash metal brutality nary seen since their last visit in 2018. Upping the ante, the San Francisco act brought along two of their contemporaries – Exodus and Death Angel – for a package aptly dubbed ‘The Bay Strikes Back’.

With a three-act bill that combined the best of the Californian region’s heaviest acts, the National Stadium was packed to the rafters for a night of old school 80s’ thrash with contemporary bite.

As the bands that helped birth the thrash metal genre, the ‘Bay Strikes Back’ tour has been a veritable treat for old school metallers, bringing out fans of all three bands in their numbers. The show also saw the generations mixing, as proud parents in faded denims who’d witnessed Testament making their debut in the city as guests to Anthrax back in 1987, showed their kids what it was all about.

Following Death Angel’s display of technical brilliance, Exodus took to the stage to a heroes’ welcome. “Look who we’ve brought with us”, enthused screamer Steve ‘Zetro’ Souza; “Gary Holt is back!”, referring to the band leader and guitarist whose sabbatical with Slayer over the last few years has seen him absent from live work with Exodus.  Making his presence felt, Holt stepped right into the groove, with the band on blistering form as they belted out a vintage-heavy set.

It may have said ‘Testament’ at the top of the poster, but judging by the rabid response to the band that had just played, this was definitely an equal billing. With a new album to promote in the soon to be released ‘Titans of Creation’, there was a fear that the band might deliver a plethora of unknown material. Not so tonight however, as the five-piece formerly known as Legacy delved deep into their catalogue, kicking off with the seldom-performed ‘Eerie Inhabitants’; the first of a fistful of classics from their defining ‘The New Order’ album.

Greeting the crowd, chief growler Chuck Billy - who was in fine form throughout said; “How are we feeling Dublin? Fuck yeah, it's good to be back! I've been looking forward to coming out here. You know why? I was born in Dublin… Dublin, California!”

With the band tight and focused - thanks in no small part to the on point rhythms of ‘Atomic Clock’ Gene Hoglan - what followed was nothing short of a masterclass in thrash metal, from the unofficial ‘fifth’ member of the Big Four.

However, it was Alex Skolnick who shone throughout. A master of his instrument, the guitarist’s improbable licks, other world fluidity, and inventive melodies lifted the band’s sound above what was at times, an otherwise one-dimensional evening. Jumping from platform to platform and back to stage, the New York resident’s constant smile belied the complexity of his fretwork, which he seemed to deliver with carefree ease.

Adding neo-classical and blues touches to standouts that included later-period gem ‘Dark Roots of Earth’, Skolnick, along with co-guitarist Eric Peterson shredded their way through the band’s considerable catalogue, as they veered from the old school likes of 'The Preacher', to more recent work like 'Night of the Witch' from their forthcoming release.   

Summing up the evening, and the nature of the tour, Chuck Billy dedicated ‘Brotherhood of the Snake’ to his travelling companions, saying; “everyone that's been on this tour, we’ve known each other for over thirty years. We always talked about going on tour, and well, god damn it, it’s finally happening!”

Signing off with a trio of fan favourites in ‘Practice What You Preach’, ‘Disciples of the Watch’, and ‘Over the Wall’, Testament proved exactly why they’ve endured as one of metal’s finest bands. 

Testament, Exodus and Death Angel continue the tour in London, on Friday 6th March. For a full list of dates, see below. 
​
Like this story?  Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for regular updates & more of the same.

Testament, Exodus. Death Angel 'The Bay Area Strikes Back' 2020 Tour Dates:
06.03.2020 UK London, The Forum
07.03.2020 UK Manchester, Academy
08.03.2020 UK Glasgow, Barrowland

10.03.2020 BE Brussels, AB
11.03.2020 DE Hannover, Capitol

Check out our gallery from the show below. All photos by Darren McLoughlin. 
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Picture
    EXCLUSIVE: Rex Brown on Pantera's Rise and Fall, & Why Their Glam Years Will Remain Buried.
    Picture
    His love of U2, and Anthrax's "Big" plans for 2021: We Talk 'Silver Linings' with Charlie Benante.
    Picture
    WORLD EXCLUSIVE: "There will definitely be no more Sabbath – it’s done", says Geezer Butler.
    Picture
    EXCLUSIVE: David Coverdale's Plans to Remix Whitesnake's Works, & His Pride and Joy in Coverdale Page.
    Picture
    Steve Lukather on the end of Toto, and the loss of Eddie Van Halen.
    Picture
    EXCLUSIVE: Trey Spruance Charts the Return of Mr. Bungle.
    Picture
    Rory Gallagher Remembered; 25 Years Gone.

    Archives

    June 2025
    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    September 2015

© 2016 - 2025 eonmusic.co.uk

Contact: [email protected]
ABOUT
  • Home
  • News
  • Interviews
  • Video
  • Reviews
  • Features