Supports: Killrazer + Temtris
Crowbar, Leichhardt, Sydney
Saturday, 16th December, 2023
American West Coast thrash metal veterans, Metal Church last toured Australia, for the first time, at the end of winter in 2019. They’ve returned here on the back of their latest 13th studio album, Congregation of Annihilation, which sees them in somewhat heavier territory, now fronted by new multi-octave range vocalist, Marc Lopes [from Ross the Boss, and Let Us Prey], following the tragic death of previous vocalist Mike Howe. Main songwriter and rhythm guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof has steadily driven the band’s direction, despite the many challenges the band has endured. Their musical legacy remains intact, and their ferocious new material is demonstrative of Metal Church’s ongoing resilience, and determination to succeed in what can be a volatile music industry.
The venue was teeming with old school metallers in patch adorned battle jackets, and newer thrash metal and heavy metal fans eager to investigate the band that once played alongside fellow San Francisco veterans Metallica, during their formative club years. So, there was a certain buzz in the air.
Kicking off proceedings was consistent and experienced Australian South Coast based five-piece metal band, Temtris, who have recently returned from playing selected dates in the UK, including at London’s Cart and Horses, aka Iron Maiden’s birthplace. Temtris supported Metal Church at the same venue back in 2019, so they clearly made an impact. Temtris’ six song set consisted of key tracks from both their latest album Khaos Divine and from their second most recent release, Ritual Warfare. Starting the set with “Khaos Divine”, the twin guitar work between guitarists Anthony Fox and newer co-guitarist Nadi Norouzian indicated the band’s well-rehearsed precision, as did the powering rhythm section of drummer Nicholas Bolan and new member, fingerstyle bassist Vane Danov.
Frontwoman, Genevieve Rodda, has improved her stage presence and vocal projection skills, whilst still being able to windmill her blue dyed locks in time with the galloping power metal of the very Maiden sounding track, “Forever” from Ritual Warfare. Fluid guitar lines with a dash of neoclassical and plentiful harmony parts took the track back to sustained power chords, quickly followed by the rhythm section introduced “One for All”, whereby Rodda removed her jacket, revealing her sartorial elegance, and twin guitar parts morphed into traded solo spots, with the odd dive bomb whammy trick. “The Lies Become the Truth” from Khaos Divine had a suitable level of aggressive attack and guitar virtuosity, as did the very old school Megadeth sounding recent album track “Evolution of Hate”. Closing their set was the traditional metal influenced track, “Race to the End”, which included some melodic finger tapping solo trade-offs between Fox and Norouzian, as Rodda coaxed the audience to participate with ‘hey!’ calls and raising clenched fists. Temtris delivered a solidly executed set that demonstrated improvements in both their performance and songcraft.
The second support band was Killrazer, and they hit with the subtlety of the proverbial brick. Most of the material in their set was drawn from their 2021 release, The Burial Begins, which is not overly surprising since guitarist and co-vocalist Doug Dalton is usually busy running Hardline Media, the promoter of this last metal tour of the year. Newer lead guitarist Peter Bursky favours a weathered looking single cutaway solid body guitar over Dalton’s whammy fitted Gibson flying V guitar, but the sonic combination was more abrasive and metallic than the toneful capabilities such instruments present. Their melodicism is also restricted by the nature of the material being of the extreme thrash and death metal genre.
Bassist Zoran Mrakic barked and growled his way through opening track “The Legions”, whilst hammering out bone rattling bass lines on his Ironbird shaped pointy weapon of a bass guitar. Even with reprieve of the of half-time section, the barrage of Killrazer was relentless, such that even the initially old school Testament drone of “Salt in the Wound” soon became a demonstration of heavy blast beats from drummer Zac Sale and frenetic chromatic based, twin guitar rhythm figures, and paint peeling screams from co-vocalist Doug Dalton.
New track “Theatre of War” followed suit, as any slower sections soon became hyper blasting death metal excursions with Bursky and Dalton trading guitar neck spanning solos. Relatively new track, “Decades of Blood”, included some Sepultura stylings, with guitar lines referencing vocal lines and tremolo picking rhythms. “Suicide Command” was pulverising, as was “Unleash Hell” which changed from a marching beat to thrash metal, as the stage lighting went was generally red with the odd blue background filter. The very Slayer reminiscent “Sunken” closed out the set, and as aggressive bass tremolo picking coincided with Bursky’s ever present scowling facial expression, a circle pit ensued, oblivious to Dalton’s finger tapping and whammy filled soloing. It’s amusing that Dalton’s stage banter is so laidback and personable, given the brutality of Killrazer’s music, even with the drummer crammed into the corner of the stage.
Soon enough, as the venue filled up with more punters, close to capacity, The Darkness track “Everybody Have a Good Time” was played over the PA. As Metal Church took to their stage positions, but not taking themselves too seriously, their introduction music kicked in. They launched straight into the dual punch of the thrash metal lesson with “Ton of Bricks” and the tight heavy metal driving rhythms of “Start the Fire”, both from the second album from 1986, The Dark. As new frontman Marc Lopes demonstrated his unbelievable vocal range, and searing singing power, guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof effortlessly played tight rhythm parts on his black Les Paul Gibson guitar at stage right, whilst lead guitarist Rick Van Zandt played melodic and technically skilled solo parts at stage left, between reinforcing ‘musical director’ Vanderhoof’s rhythm guitar skills.
Former W.A.S.P. drummer Stet Howland sat behind a large drum kit, situated on a stage riser, with a vast array of cymbals and two double bass drums that ensured the PA copped a sonic beating. His percussive brilliance was in lockstep with bassist Steve Unger. This was particularly evident during the faithful rendition of debut album Metal Church track “Battalions”, whereby the stage sound reinforcement needed some adjustment as the PA temporarily took on a woofy tone, from the sonic onslaught. “Gods of Wrath” followed and was sensational, with opening clean guitar sounds perfect in tone, due mainly to Vanderhoof’s efficient Kemper profiling equipment, enhanced by drumming embellishments before the track progressed to heavier sections, bolstered by Unger’s bass skills, as the audience sang along with energy.
A couple of new tracks from Congregation of Annihilation naturally got an airing, commencing with the chainsaw guitars and hammering drumming of the album’s first single, “Pick a God and Prey”. Van Zandt’s fluid soloing was a bit clearer with sound issues ironed out, as guitar chords sliced through the mix. The new album title track followed and as the bouncing riff proceeded, both Unger and Howland’s backing vocals added some tonal colour to the rather wordy chorus. Lopes clenched his microphone with both hands, as he sang with utmost force, whilst Vanderhoof played some more bluesier based guitar soloing lines, before trading off with Van Zandt higher pitched guitar soloing.
Trotting out a deeper album cut from The Dark saw “Burial at Sea” finally being played live, allowing for Lopes’ falsetto vocals to shine against the driving rhythm figures, to briefly vacate the stage during a rhythm figure interlude within the song. Two more tracks from The Dark were played with the fast-galloping thrash metal of “Psycho”, followed by the classic track “Watch the Children Pray”, which offered a suitable change of pace. Clean opening guitar lines introduced climbing, heavier chords and as the pace picked up, accented by Stetland’s cymbal prowess, more expressive guitar soloing ensued, and Lopes demonstrated his excellent vocal vibrato.
Still delving into older material, two tracks from the 1989 release Blessing in Disguise were next, shortly after Vanderhoof addressed and thanked the audience, introducing the band members with some level of humour, and offering heartfelt tributes to those fallen within the ranks. “Fake Healer” provided a powerful, driving metal track, full of falsetto vocals, and the classic track “Badlands”, again with clean opening guitar sounds, saw Metal Church at their synchronised best, with pedalled guitar rhythms, prominent bass playing before the bridge, and Lopes encouraging the audience to sing along.
To round out the set, three more tracks from debut album Metal Church were played, and were received with enthused audience response. After Lopes wisely dodged a ‘shooey’ request, “Hitman” was unleashed and saw all band members contributing to the song, with the soloing of Vanderhoof and his engrossed facial expressions whilst playing, followed by swift fingered outro guitar soloing from Van Zandt. Second in the final batch of tracks was the musically diverse for the time track of “Beyond the Black”, which was met with an audience chant of ‘Metal Church!’ Ranging between clean sounding guitar parts to heavier Eastern rhythm guitar sounding parts, accented by walloping drum work, the juxtaposition of heavy parts to clean sounds was executed flawlessly.
Lopes asked the audience, ‘Shall we take the congregation to the metal church?’ to commence the set closing track of “Metal Church”, as slower bass parts and guitar chords then melded into tremolo-based rhythms. Lopes seamlessly jumped between barked vocals and falsetto notes, whilst the rhythm section locked in with the guitar figures, playing bursts of metal, against the descending harmony riff. Van Zandt soloing produced some whammy bar manipulated squeals as Lopes took his falsetto power to the utmost intensity against Stetland’s drum fills, as the final song of the night concluded.
Metal Church rewarded patient fans with their first tour here in 2019. Now, in 2023, they delivered a massive live set that again rewarded old and new fans, without fleshing out the set in any way. It was tight, with minimal banter, and a lean, relentless demonstration of who thrash metal should be done in a live setting. A brilliant, entertaining, and very loud performance from Metal Church, on their second ever tour here. A roaring success.
Setlist
Ton of Bricks
Start the Fire
Battalions
Gods of Wrath
Pick a God and Prey
Congregation of Annihilation
Burial at Sea
Psycho
Watch the Children Pray
Fake Healer
Badlands
Hitman
Beyond the Black
Metal Church