TESTAMENT, EXODUS, DEATH ANGEL – Austin, Texas, U.SA. April 21, 2022

TESTAMENT, EXODUS, DEATH ANGEL – Emo’s, Austin, Texas, U.SA. April 21, 2022

EXODUS

TESTAMENT, EXODUS, DEATH ANGEL – what a tour for thrash metal fans. Three of the best in the biz on tour. TESTAMENT have always accepted the best touring packages and here, once again, they join their friends in support of a another Titanic tour.

Unfortunately, for me, the show was very hard. I was a combatant against Morpheus, the god of sleep and dreams. I wanted to sleep, but not miss the show. Due to my illness, I could not sleep the night before. I was very tired from doing martial arts, and no sleep (except the minutes I got while watching LORDS OF CHAOS with my friends before taking off for the show.) I watched about 3-4 songs for each band and then wrestled with my inability to sleep on a bench, so I left the concert early to get sleep and rest up (which I did…)

I was looking forward to the show because of Dave Lombardo, but also to see my community, my friends, friends like Richard, like stage hand Richard, the crazy, drinkin, drummin, Mexican/Indian stage head. He loves Unleashes and I jam “The One Insane” with him. Tristan with his goofy black metal band, Vorst or something like that. It’s a lot like his interpretation of Abbath. I also received support from the smokers on the patio, which is pretty nice, but again you’re sitting on a wooden bench with the only other available seating is either the concrete floor or brick structures. Very uncomfortable!

Also GOAT AND YOUR MOM  was in attendance. Their lead singer, head sexual commander, expert on sodomy, GOAT was there (video promoting his new thing) was there with his girlfriend (gf) Reanna. Her experience with being tired and the parking debacle were quite similar to mine.

DEATH ANGEL , sleep on the bench talked to people fought for a place to sit. I am disabled, old, sleep deprived and tired from exercise. I don’t want to have to stand to watch the show. Why can’t Emo’s make an upper deck? Yes, the stage is tall, but still, I don’t want to have to be in the pit to watch a show. This was a bad venue for a thrash band with old school fans.

Show started way too early. I missed the intro and my chance to photograph DEATH ANGEL, getting there, braving traffic in the Austin metro area (some of the worse in the country), and people are hustling getting out of work to get down there. Why not start the concert at 8? Hey sorry, you have to go to bed at 11. Oh well, get over yourself, you rat in rat race cage!

Death Angel set – couple songs, then went outside.

Watched more of EXODUS. They were in fine form. Everyone was in top shape. Tom Hunting looked great. He is very fit. Much skinnier than when I interviewed him at Housecore Horror Film Festival in San Antonio, Texas. His drumming was fierce. You could see he was having a good time, but he was determined to play his best, and this was probably his best performance for me. It was certainly the most special performance.

Of course the other guys in EXODUS were in top form. Gary Holt is the man and is obviously a bit of a tutor for my friend Mike DeLeon (concert footage facebook.com/mike.deleon.79/posts/5305468266164903) who toured with him on SLAYER  final run (with MINISTRY and PRIMUS). He furiously picked his guitar and banged his head impressively for a man his age (age). He is a true riff master and progenitor of thrash metal guitar. If you have not seen Gary Holt play SLAYER, EXODUS, then you need to get off your fat ass, quit working so much, don some converse and your favorite denim and rock out to some EXODUS!!!

TESTAMENT were in fine form of course. They had an impressive back drop. One thing about Emo’s is that it has a large ceiling to accommodate a large stage. TESTAMENT were able to employ their full stage set of props including a massive MASSIVE backdrop and places for the band to stand so everyone can see them. Still, there were faces in my way. I don’t want heads and faces of tall people to obscure my view. I would like some better, more comfortable seating at the venue, maybe some VIP for journalists.

I believe I saw the first three songs of TESTAMENT’s set. I thought they were very energetic and the new material did come off as super cool and epic. They were finally giving proper live support to the “Titans of Creations” album, one of the highlight of the last couple of years in metal.

Of course, Dave Lombardo played drums and will continue to play drums in TESTAMENT, at least according to Chuck Billy in a Metalegion Magazine interview I conducted, at least until Gene “The human drum machine” Hoglan finishes his commitments. For now, we’re stuck with Dave Lombard—the G.O.A.T. of all metal drumming. His resume includes, of course, SLAYER, a founding member of SLAYYYYER. He left Slayer in the ‘90s and played in the terrific groove thrash, under rated, GRIP INC! I met Dave when GRIP INC. toured with MORBID ANGEL back in 1995 at Harpos in Detroit (right after I graduated from high school). He was a very very nice guy, in tuned with his fans, who actually made time to talk to his fans. I respected that. I have encountered Kerry King and I did not get a good impression. I got a different vibe with Dave Lombardo. He is not only a legend, having played in esteemed bands such as SUICIDAL TENDENCIES (ST), MR. BUNGLE and MISFITS—he has earned his stamp as one of the all-time great metal and punk rock drummers. We shall see how he does tonight!

Lombardo was on, of course, his fills were tremendous. His drum kit was impressively large, as you will see in the photo evidence. Was he the drummer of the night? No, Tom Hunting was the man. I feel Hunting’s performance outshined Lombardo. He is very much under rated and under deserving of praise for he is one of the best playing in one of the best thrash bands ever!

I remember walking through as TESTAMENT played a cool dittie, it was running through my head but I can not recall the title. Anyways, the last song I remember their playing was “Practice What You Preach.” Certainly, this was one of their best songs, a true anthem from their early period. So it was great to see that song, but then it was time to leave and sit in the court yard again and rest. I decided, after getting my photos and hearing what I had heard, to leave early. I left at 10. I survived 3 hours on hardly any sleep (I battled sleep to watch Lords of Chaos with my friends, but only got about a half-hour of sleep during the film).

My fight with Morpheus continued to rage even after I left the concert. I had noticed a notice on my window stating I was in violation of their parking lot rules, the parking lot next to Emo’s, on the other side of the road. I believe I parked in a place where people were doing car repairs in the parking lot. I did see a sign posted saying something about not parking there, but everybody else was doing it, so I did it like a good little sheep. I am sorry. I wanted to see the concert, so I was lazy in my parking. However, many people had just gotten out of work and had to book ass to the show only to have to spend, who knows, hours looking for parking?

My night ended sleeping in my bed. But it was a journey getting there. I had to pay “guards” with no formal training in law enforcement, 100 dollars, 100 dollars extorted from my wallet. If you drove off it was a 200-dollar fine and you risk further damage with your car. I know the GOAT from GOAT AND YOUR MOM dealt with his gf getting a fine. She swore and cussed at the attendants and even threatened them because she was so angry. I too was angry and tired and threatened them. Their being there was a big money maker for whomever is extorting these parking lots, but it put their staff in danger. It put many lives in danger and inconvenience. The parking situation on Riverside, the fight between Emo’s and Come and Take It Live, has to end and there has to be more parking or I will not attend concerts at this plaza!

I would like to thank Nuclear Blast Records for trying to get my coverage on this show and Chuck Billy for putting me on the list. Thanks Chuck, you the man!

TESTAMENT official: http://www.testamentlegions.com/

EXODUS official LINK: https://exodusattack.com/site/

DEATH ANGEL official LINK:https://www.deathangel.us/

EMO’S in ATX: https://www.emosaustin.com