Venue: Willemeen, Arnhem
Date: 09-07-2010

By Rob

At this Friday in July it was time for another thrash evening at the Willemeen venue in Arnhem. Before this one there were 2 other succesful thrash evenings. The bill for today looked good for the old skool thrashers.When I entered the Willemeen it was still very hot outside so I know it isn’t better inside. When I entered the door a letter was hunged up at the door saying Fueled By Fire cancelled their show cause they couldn’t make it due to problems with their bus. So everybody showed up get a 2 euro discount on the entrance fee.

First band on stage this evening was the local band Nail King. I think their music is best described as a mix of death and thrash metal. I saw the band a lot in the past and you could really see and hear how they grow on stage each gig. They hit the show with ‘Don’t Mention Yourself’. They continue with 3 unnamed songs that also have no lyrics. It are no new songs cause they played them for a long time now. Why the songs have still no lyrics and no title is a mystery to me. So for today the songs are just called ‘number 10’, ‘number 11’ and ‘number 9’.While playing them they really enjoyed them selves. The sound is good and very clear. You can really enjoy all the solo’s the throw to the audience by both guitar players. Some solo’s are great. It’s also very hot in the venue and also on stage cause you can see the sweat flying from their heads. After more than half an hour they end the show with ‘Death Is A Gift’.

After a 20 minute break Witchtower from Germany hit the stage to play a set full of typical German Thrash. So you know what to expect. They start the set with ‘Shadows Bleed’ and ‘Absolute Diabolical Dynamite’. Also this band enjoyed themselves on stage with a energetic set in this hot place. So it didn’t take long before the sweat was flying around from these guys. There were more people in the hall and the first mosh pit was born. And also the first crowdsurfers were there. The sound was pretty good during the show. The continued with ‘Dead At Last’, ‘Magnitude Triple Six’ and Scythebeast from the last album released in 2009.
Also the audience enjoyed themselves very good. Between the songs they shouted ofcourse Holland, Holland and people were blowing on vuvuzela’s. The German Thrashers could laugh about it. After the last song ‘Older Than Time’ they came back for 1 more songs ‘Faster Than Death’. And that closed a good show where the temperature only rises more and more.

The last band of the evening was Violator from Brazil. Ofcourse people shouted even more Holland, Holland and blowing on vuvuzela’s between the songs of this concert but also the Brazilians could laugh about it. From the first second of the show the guys didn’t stop moving and jumping until the end of the show. What a energy these guys have on stage and it only becomes hotter till it reach Brazilian temperatures. The audiance going totally crazy with a lot of headbanging, mosh pits and tons of crowdsurfers. But when they play the song ‘Thrash Maniacs’ the audience only becomes more wilder. Violator is by far the best band of the evening.

At the end of the night everyone van look back on another successful ‘Back To Thrash’ evening. I’m already looking forward to the next evening.

Nail King