Stepping into the O2 Academy for Thrash of the Titans – for three bands I’ve loved for two-thirds of my life – the lower-than-expected attendance is disappointing, though understandable with another brutal bill happening up the road. Still, the crowd here is fired up and ready to thrash.
By the time I arrive, São Paulo’s Nervosa are already deep into their closing tracks, but even in this short stretch it’s clear they possess a raw, uncompromising energy that grips the room. That said, when Teutonic legends Destruction take their place and launch into ‘Curse the Gods’, its like a hammer blow – the crowd kicks into full-throttle thrash, the intensity ramping up so sharply it’s impossible not to be swept along.
Schmier spits every line with venom, his rasp tearing into the mix. The chemistry in this line-up is taut and unrelenting as they strip through ‘Nailed to the Cross’, ‘Mad Butcher’ and ‘Bestial Invasion’. Decades have honed, rather than dulled these tracks, with the newer material: ‘Scumbag Human Race’ and ‘No Kings No Masters’ making it clear this band isn’t relying purely on nostalgia – they’re still evolving.
The interplay is furious, giving every aggressively technical riff and solo room to strike. Schmier’s bass powers the attack with unwavering force, while Damir Eskic and Martin Furia’s guitars slice and weave through the chaos with lethal clarity. Drummer Randy Black anchors the onslaught, his tireless rhythms pushing both band and pit to the edge.
As the pit opens wide and bodies fly, Destruction remind everyone why they remain essential – their precision is as punishing live as it is on record. The crowd is lost in the frenzy, and by the end, adrenaline is still coursing as the venue hums with the aftermath of pure, unyielding thrash. Destruction don’t just play classics; they define what thrash can be in 2025.
Florida death metal veterans Obituary take the stage, and an overwhelming heaviness descends. Easing in with the thundering groove of ‘Redneck Stomp’, the riff hangs in the air and the audience sinks into the rhythm. ‘Sentence Day’, ‘A Lesson in Vengeance’, and ‘The Wrong Time’ vary in tempo but hit with methodical force, drawing the crowd into a trance-like state. When John Tardy growls over the guitars, bodies tense and every eye locks on him. Each rasp and shout pulls them deeper, moving in sync with the band’s unrelenting drive.
For Obituary, this tour also marks the 35th anniversary of their seminal album ‘Cause of Death’, and the title track lands with real force. Surrounding it are ‘Body Bag’, ‘Dying’, Celtic Frost’s ‘Circle of the Tyrants’, ‘Chopped in Half’, and ‘Turned Inside Out’, each one striking with the power that defined early-1990s death metal. Every riff and lacerating vocal highlights why this album became a blueprint, its ferocity and atmosphere still resonating three decades on.
Behold a masterclass in controlled brutality. John Tardy prowling, his voice ripping through every groove, while Ken Andrews unleashes sharp, precise solos and trades riffs with Trevor Peres, his long blonde hair swinging with every riff. Terry Butler pulses beneath them, while Donald Tardy thumps with a punishing drive. Together, they flood the room with unstoppable force.
‘Slowly We Rot’ drives the set to a merciless, adrenaline-fuelled climax. Bodies slam and surge in the pit, as the riffs cut through the room with persistent force. Another classic track to leave the crowd heaving, and drenched in the chaos of the performance. Obituary leave no room for compromise – thirty-seven years in, and they can dominate any stage in the world with unflinching severity.
Testament tear into the opening riff of ‘D.N.R. (Do Not Resuscitate)’, with the kind of exactitude that only decades of mastery can deliver. Guitars cut and the low end thuds, Alex Skolnick and Eric Peterson layered on top of Steve Di Giorgio and Chris Dovas, pushing the pace with a pulse that shakes the room. Every note is sharp, every transition tight, this is an all-out onslaught from a band in complete control, and firing on all cylinders from the start.
The venue belongs to the Bay Area legends tonight. Leading the way, of course, is Chuck Billy, looking mean and probably leaner than I’ve ever seen him. He towers at the front, shifting between his signature growl and fierce grin, feeding on the energy that has seeped into every corner, the crowd moving, shouting, and caught in the momentum.
Through ‘WWIII’, ‘Practice What You Preach’ and onwards, guitar hero Alex Skolnick elevates himself atop risers, fingers darting through intricate solos that land with flawless precision. Eric Peterson balances the dual guitar attack, weaving heavy riffs and counterpoint leads that push and pull against Skolnick’s flourishes. The interplay is mesmerising, a constant, dynamic conversation underpinning every song.
From the quite superb new album ‘Para Bellum’ come ‘Infanticide A.I.’ and ‘Shadow People’, before the 1992 ballad ‘Return to Serenity’ displays the band’s versatility. The rhythm section is immovable: Steve Di Giorgio’s fretless bass coiling through the low end while Chris Dovas’s drums cut with pinpoint accuracy. The crowd responds in kind, heads banging and fists pumping, fully immersed, as Chuck Billy praises what might be the most relaxed circle pit I’ve ever seen.
Closing with the far rockier ‘Electric Crown’ and classic ‘Into the Pit’, the action in the Academy pit reaches its peak. Bodies slam and spin in time with every riff, the music driving adrenaline higher with each beat. Testament don’t just end the set – they crush it, sending the energy surging to the last note and cementing themselves as a living, vital force in thrash metal.
While the O2 Academy may not have been full tonight, the intensity never wavered. Every band left its mark, the music reverberating through the venue with raw power.
Thrash of the Titans isn’t about nostalgia – it’s a celebration of legacy and a reminder that, after decades, thrash metal still hits hard, commands attention, leaves a lasting impression, and is alive and unstoppable.
Review & Photography: Steve Johnston
