February 21st, 2024
London, ON @ London Music Hall
Photos By: Kim Baarda
Words By: Jason Deaville
It’s not too often that little old London, Ontario, Canada gets a big tour like this… maybe once a year. So, as you can imagine, every one and their mother’s grandmother made it out to this one. The London Music Hall was packed to the gills, and it ain’t a small venue (tonight was an all-ages show and, by the looks of things, every underage headbanger was in attendance). It certainly made for an interesting evening, as at one point the cops were called and seven officers of the law showed up. As the story goes, someone in the pit called the cops during Ghoul’s set complaining that the pit was too violent. Can you believe that? Only in little old London, Ontario.
DEAD HEAT
Californian crossover/hardcore/thrash five-piece, Dead Heat, started the evening off with a vicious set filled with songs from their two full-length albums, Certain Death and World At War, as well as a few tracks off their latest EP, Endless Torment. Even though the venue was a little less than half full at this point, it’s like the guys in Dead Heat didn’t even notice; they gave it their all and literally crushed eardrums and heads.
Setlist
Endless Torment, 2 Cents, Smite Thee, World At War, Tears Of The Wolf, Age Of DH, Eyes Of The Real, Hard Reset, Pay The Toll
NECROT
Oakland, California death metal dealers, Necrot, who are set to release their brand new album, Lifeless Birth, on April 12th (their first in just under four years), were the standalone band tonight as far as bringing the old-school death metal brutality. With no frills or fluff, the guys tore through a handful of songs from their two full-lengths, Mortal and Blood Offerings, as well as one brand new track, ‘Cut The Cord’, from the aforementioned Lifeless Birth. A killer set that certainly made the band some new fans among the throngs of underage pizza thrashers.
Setlist
Cut the Cord, Your Hell, Stench Of Decay, The Blade, Empty Hands, Sinister Will
GHOUL
Another killer band from Oakland (three quarters of tonight’s billing call California home… must be something in the water). Bringing the best of death, thrash, and grind, the nameless ones of Ghoul put on the night’s most theatrical performance, spewing fake blood and guts onto the all-too-eager audience. It was immediately telling what we were in for when all nine stage security guards busted out rain ponchos at the start of the set. The band, in a GWAR-like way, have some sort of narrative going throughout their set. At various points throughout the set, costumed creatures would saunter out onto the stage spewing blood, guts, and various monologues. I’m certain hardcore fans knew what the hell was going on, but for the rest of us it was slightly over-the-head… but still very cool.
Setlist
Off With Their Heads, Dungeon Bastards, Noxious Concoctions, Word Is Law, The Eyes of the Witch, Shotgun Gulch, Splatterthrash, Rot Gut, Ratlicker, As Your Casket Closes, Graveyard Mosh, Gutbucket Blues
MUNICIPAL WASTE
Richmond, Virginia thrash gods, Municipal Waste, proved tonight why they – second to only the legendary D.R.I. – are the next best thing in crossover thrash. Maybe it’s just me, but I’ve always associated this kind of pizza party thrash with drunken sloppiness and over-the-top debauchery. But, as it relates to Municipal Waste‘s set, nothing could be further from the truth. With just over twenty years of touring, the wasted ones have honed their set into a fine-tuned, professionally-executed thrashzone. Great detail was put into the aesthetics of their stage show, with a massive stylized backdrop and several glowing radioactive/hazardous waste barrels scattered across the stage.
With a vast array of material to choose from, Municipal Waste‘s setlist tonight was a smorgasbord of crossover classics spanning twenty plus years, that included twenty-six songs. Yeah, this might seem like a lot of songs to spew out in one set, but keep in mind that the band’s songwriting approach takes the form of quick, to-the-point crossover facerippers… and rip fucking faces they did!
Setlist
The Executioner, Sweet Attack, Mind Eraser, Breathe Grease, You’re Cut Off, Grave Dive, The Thrashin’ Of The Christ, Poison The Preacher, Beer Pressure, Thrashing’s My Business… And Business Is Good, Headbanger Face Rip, Blood Vessel, High Speed Steel, Waste ‘Em All, Toxic Revolution, Drunk As Shit, Substitute Creature, Wave Of Death, Sadistic Magician, Slime And Punishment, Under The Waste Command, Thermonuclear Protection, Pre-Game, The Art Of Partying, Born To Party, Demoralizer
