Review by Pedro Felippe

It’s been 9 years since Kreator last closed a show in Manchester and, within that time, they’ve twice appeared as co-headliners alongside Lamb of God and Anthrax. Now, though, with a new album hitting streaming platforms, their chance to tour as sole headliners in England was finally granted as they obliterated the O2 Apollo in an 85-minute masterclass of Teutonic thrash metal.

Nails were on first and, if security thought their jobs would only get harder as more fans arrived, they were deadly wrong. The venue was far from full, and crowd surfers were already coming over in large quantities—unsurprising, because it’s not a grindcore or hardcore show without it.

Todd Jones on guitar and vocals orchestrated the chaos that followed with a voice like thunder and dirty riffs that would cause riots in an underground club. Drummer Carlos Cruz was on absolute fire. With just over half an hour to play, he filled the slot with a vast array of fills, blast beats, and smooth transitions, while Andrew Solis kept Todd company with more screams that kept the energy up until the break.

Up next were Exodus, one of the biggest names of thrash to have come out of the Bay Area, and the hype could not have been any greater. With singer Rob Dukes making his much-awaited return to the stage during his second spell with the band, people went wild as Exodus rolled back the years in a vintage display of madness.

It’s impossible to ignore Rob’s importance because he’s simply a machine. His presence is second to none, and he never stops moving or controlling crowds until he’s satisfied. Musically speaking, few can rival his abilities on the mic. He screams with so much authority that you know every emotion he evokes is natural, not forced.

Speaking of guitars, you don’t need to think much about putting the spotlight on Gary Holt. It’s like his mojo never runs out. His energy levels are ridiculous for someone his age and, most importantly, he’s remained consistent.

That classic gnarly guitar tone, which produces the mother of all teeth-grinding riffs, was on full display that evening. Both he and fellow guitarist Lee Altus did a wonderful job of trading call-and-response shredding solos in the same way Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman once did for Slayer.

Another standout feature of Exodus, both live and in the studio, is just how crystal clear their production is. The Apollo itself has excellent acoustics, but my word, can they excel.

It’s not often that we can comment on bass live without thinking of it drowning out everything else in the mix. However, the way Jack Gibson’s guitar scrapes cut through was so crisp and satisfying that it could serve as a lesson in how to sound like true pros. Exodus don’t just pull it off away from the road—they back it up in concert too, and that’s what most impressed me.

Finally, Tom Hunting, the only original member left, smashed it out of the park yet again on the drums. You’d think his kit is far too small to pull off so many complex fills and blast beats, but he made it look effortless while playing like a boss.

Exodus’ set may have been short and certainly worthy of a headliner slot, but the trail of destruction they left was going to take a lot to beat. Thankfully, Carcass, the last of the support acts, made sure the sturdy ship didn’t sink.

The Liverpool four-piece, who played a fundamental part in the evolution of grindcore, went on a chaotic frenzy of nothing but noise. Showing no mercy towards Manchester, they barely spoke a word and simply got on with the task at hand. At times, they played five songs or more without a break and, for those not too familiar with them, it would have been hard to keep up.

However, those characteristics are what make them unique and entertaining to watch.

Jeff Walker on vocals and bass single-handedly stole the show. His figure sends shivers down one’s spine and, when combined with those raspy screams, you can tell where so much inspiration for other extreme metal singers still comes from today. Standing over us with a menacing grin, it’s no surprise these guys were a wise choice to keep the tension alive before Kreator came on.

Bill Steer and Nippy Blackford, as always, know how to do extreme metal justice with nasty guitar licks, solos, and riffs. Even though they didn’t pause much when moving into a new song, it all flowed beautifully, like a new chapter in a well-written book.

Susbitute drummer, Walterri Värynen’s agility on the drums is clear as day because the number of techniques he can fit into seconds takes sheer skill that only dedicated practice brings. It’s therefore not hard to be stunned into silence watching him whack the life out of his defenceless sticks.

After an epic climax, the Apollo was waiting for Kreator to end the night with a bang. Anyone who had waited agonisingly since 2017 to see them as the final act had their prayers answered as they unleashed a relentless assault on Manchester that sent fans into ecstasy.

When it comes to delivering more than just a performance—music, props, iconography, choreography, production, and crowd rapport combined—the chances of finding other groups that can give Kreator a run for their money are like looking for a needle in a haystack. The inflatable satanic balloons, pyrotechnics, and songs like ‘Satan Is Real’ pulled you into the plot and carved that message into your head so you couldn’t escape the nightmare.

Then, of course, there’s the production side of things. These guys invest in their mix quality and refuse to bow down to poor engineering. They won’t play until not only they are satisfied but also the audience’s expectations are met. The better the sound, the more memorable the experience becomes. As mentioned before, the Apollo itself has wonderful acoustics, but Kreator still put the extra effort in. Vocals, guitars, drums, and bass were all balanced and never overpowered each other.

Regarding their display, every single member played their part in putting on a show of the highest professionalism. Singer and rhythm guitarist Mille Petrozza led the charge with spirited charisma.

Having a normal chat with him is nothing like his on-stage character. He can switch from chilled vibes, as if he’s being interviewed on the band bus, to a beast live. His warrior-style chants and banshee-like roars, combined with harsh semi-clean vocals, already cement his presence without needing to move a muscle. Not to mention the clever use of his guitar tone and tuning as another voice to propel the rage even further.

Sami Yli-Sirniö’s teamwork alongside Mille has only grown stronger with time. For the past 25 years, they’ve been winning hearts by producing headbanging riffs and solos passed down from one generation to another without losing any finesse. That night was no different, as Sami and Mille put on an impeccable display of shredding, tapping, and divebombs.

Jürgen Reil, aka Ventor, remains the undisputed drummer, and no one is taking that throne away from him. Apart from Mille, he’s the only other remaining original member, and his composure and tidiness while keeping the band in time is a prime example of how to remain cool when the pressure is on. While he did struggle at times to keep the double kick fully in sync, he made up for it with clean 16th-note hits and fills.

What is especially admirable is that Ventor does what few drummers in extreme metal do: adapt to their own limits live. Going back to ‘Satan Is Real’, he plays everything else at its original tempo, but the double kick is half the speed of what it was in 2017 when Gods of Violence came out.

Kreator’s sole headlining tour drought went on for far too long, but once it ended, their set was a strong reminder that if you give them the opportunity, they will always go the extra mile to deliver a performance that feels beyond five stars.