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The  Klash Of The Titans tour arrived in Montclair, NJ at the Wellmont Theater on October 10 playing to a crowd ready for some ‘80s thrash metal. Found in the center of town, the Wellmont is surrounded of plenty of places within walking distance to eat, as I did, and many of the metal masses were out and about powering up before a triple bill. 

I even saw Possessed singer Jeff Becerra on the street by the tour bus talking to a few fans. Speaking of, death metal inventors Possessed went on at 6:50, playing to a respectable turnout for their 30-minute set. Becerra, surrounded by a younger generation of players, tackled those classics like "The Exorcist", "Death Metal" and "Pentagram" as heard on Seven Churches. The stage was bathed in fitting red lights with a backdrop behind the drums of the latest album artwork, Revelations Of Oblivion, which they played three from. There were plenty of the old school fans (40 and 50 over) in their metal shirts and battle vests, as many from the teen to 20-something generation carrying the old school fashion flag. 

Kreator came with the production, four hanging bodies from the ceiling, inflatable mascot demon behind the drums and two stage left and right, and two more bodies impaled on stage. Mille Petrozza and drummer Jürgen Reil with Sami Yli-Sirniö on second guitar, and most recent addition Frédéric Leclercq on bass. Kreator have toured the states pretty often in support of the last five new albums and always play many newer songs. In the past few years they did do a retro set overseas, but it never came to the US. With that, was hoping for a few more ‘80s songs in the set instead of one from each album like "Terrible Certainty", "Betrayer" off Extreme Aggression, title track to "Pleasure To Kill", "Phobia". 

And it's annoying only the intro to “Coma Of Souls” (Mille asks for the crowd to do a wall of death), and no "People Of The Lie" or "Terror Zone". No "Flag Of Hate" either this tour? Regardless, the new songs are of course as good, and the fans also think so as the pit didn't stop moving, often chanting "Kreator" between songs. The mascot (two) comes out in costume for the intro of "Phantom Antichrist", Petrozza dedicates "Strongest Of The Strong" to Possessed, Testament, and the fans. 

Testament is playing songs only from The Legacy and The New Order this tour. Need I say more! Chuck Billy, guitarists Eric Peterson and Alex Skolnick are joined by Steve DiGiorgio on bass, with Chris Dovas on drums the latest addition bringing some young blood. Should make for a fiery new album, yes? 

Strangely no stage production, just a couple backdrops, and three platforms for Skolnick and Peterson to often stand on for the twin guitar parts. "Eerie Inhabitants" into "The New Order" is just crushing. Followed by "Apocalyptic City" which really got the crowd going, with plenty of crowd surfers coming over the barricade into the photo pit. Love when Alex and Eric come together for parts of "The Haunting" and "The Preacher". And does Skolnick ever mess up his sweep picking?  Flawless player always. 

Billy favors his tone on more recent albums, mid to low range, and it works on the ‘80s classics. Great to hear rarely played ones like "Do Or Die", "Day Of Reckoning" which Billy calls a fav. And "Trial By Fire" does come and go in the set. "Over The Wall" and "Into The Pit" close the thrash metal storm.