Author: Primož Novak
Photos: Aleš Podbrežnik
Location: Ljubljana / CUK Kino Šiška / Slovenia
Concert date: January 18, 2018
Attendance: 850
Ticket price: €32.00
German thrash metal veterans Kreator have been visiting Slovenia since their younger days. Nowadays it’s hard to even dodge a Kreator show within a five-year span. The band comes back to Slovenian soil with every album, and we get them on both club and festival tours. Kreator already presented last year’s album »Gods of Violence« at the Metaldays festival, and now it was time to prove themselves again at a club show. Of course, Kreator always bring along some well-known names on tour. This time the support slots went to Polish death metal veterans Vader and promising French band Dagoba.
Tickets were selling like hot cakes, but you couldn’t feel that strong turnout during French outfit Dagoba’s set. Makes sense, since Dagoba don’t exactly play thrash metal; they’re chasing a more groove-oriented sound packed with electronic elements. The biggest problem is that the band describes itself as groove metal, which automatically invites comparison with the mighty Gojira, but Dagoba’s music was nowhere near that. The band did serve up a few interesting hard-hitting songs, beefed up with electronic extras. To seal the deal, after a few songs they started leaning on catchy choruses, and the potential of an interesting band went down the drain. Not even the inventive and skilled drummer could help here. As a whole, Dagoba just don’t convince; you could see experience on big stages, but the music told a different story.
Like Kreator, Vader are old friends of Slovenian stages. This year they’ll hit 35 years of existence, which is a very long haul for death metal. Of the original members, only vocalist/guitarist Piotr Wiwczarek is still in Vader, while the supporting cast is considerably younger. Piotr decided not to present a standard best of set on this tour, and instead devoted the show to a single album, one that turned 25 last year. So Vader played The Ultimate Incantation from start to finish. It’s the album that steered Vader toward death metal, which makes it an important milestone for the band. Of course, Vader didn’t sound like they did in 1992; the songs got a more modern makeover, with clearer instruments and more extreme drums, handled by James Stewart. As for the playing, there’s nothing to complain about. Vader were confident and tight. You could accuse them of being too routine and not energetic enough, but the point was undoubtedly made. Above all, the old-school fans got their money’s worth, which counts as a plus, considering how readily bands forget their early material.
It’s always been known that Kreator throw a proper party live, so expectations were high, and they were justified within a very short time. The spotlight was on the current album »Gods of Violence«, which they were keen to promote as much as possible. Besides the new stuff, there were also some other renowned songs that have always been part of the band’s repertoire. Here the old debate comes up: with such a huge discography, Kreator somehow refuse to play anything beyond their set of biggest hits. But apparently even the “old farts” know how to surprise. The first surprise was that Flag of Hate wasn’t saved for the end, and frontman Mille Petrozza didn’t spend 15 minutes addressing the crowd before the song. The band’s form was more than solid. Petrozza’s vocals didn’t sound worn out by all the touring for the current album, and the band’s tightness remains right up there. Of course, guitarist Sami Yli-Sirniö stood out, delivering precisely played melodies and solos, which is what has made Kreator special since the album Violent Revolution. The rhythm section didn’t fall behind either, so the band as a whole worked the way it should.
Kreator made sure both young and old fans got their fill. With the classics Betrayer, People of the Lie, Total Death and the closing Pleasure to Kill, they recalled their early days. Of course, plenty of newer stuff was played too, especially the songs with standout choruses and melodies aimed at a bigger audience. Still, the Kreator show never felt monotonous; the band still goes the extra mile to impress. One more song wouldn’t have hurt, but in the end most people left looking satisfied.
The first major metal show of 2018, with old friends Kreator joined by Vader and Dagoba, was a success and a great kickoff to another fruitful concert year.
Setlist
KREATOR:
1. Mars Mantra (recorded intro)
2. Phantom Antichrist
3. Hail to the Hordes
4. Enemy of God (intro includes the main guitar riff from “Army of Storms”)
5. Satan Is Real
6. Civilization Collapse
7. People of the Lie
8. Extreme Aggressions
9. Phobia
10. Gods of Violence
11. Total Death
12. From Flood
13. Fire
14. Hordes of Chaos (A Necrologue for the Elite)
15. The Patriarch
16. Violent Revolution
17. World War Now
—encore—
18. Fallen Brother
19. Betrayer
20. Pleasure to Kill
21. Death Becomes My Light (recorded outro)
VADER:
1. Creation (recorded intro)
2. Dark Age
3. Vicious Circle
4. The Crucified Ones
5. The Final Massacre
6. Testimony
7. Chaos
8. One Step to Salvation
9. Demon’s Wind
10. Decapitated Saints
11. Breath of Centuries
12. Imperial March (recorded outro)
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