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The dingy corner bar, in gang-infested Trenton, NJ, is a quantum leap backwards from the European festival stages onwhich I've previously witnessed each band, more than once. Despite a lineage to the '80s, such is all too often the state of touring in North America, less than savory settings in the least hospitable locales. Metal forever!

Sunday, November 2nd, the show began at 4pm, a bill packed with nondescript local "talent". Another indignity. So why trudge to a show an hour away, under iffy conditions, to what was essentially a glorified basement party, especially if you've already seen the band? One, respect. They've come all this way and who knows if (given online "crowd" estimates throughout the tour) they'll ever return, so support the effort. Two, as an old-timer myself, live music is in the blood, the backbone of the scene. Forget social media commentary and online invites. Get off your ass and attend a show! Lastly, the entire jaunt provided the rare opportunity to see original Anthrax frontman Neil Turbin singing for Onslaught. Due to the debilitating illness of Sy Keeler's son, the Brits asked Turbin to fill in. From all reports, early dates were sketchy, with the singer utilizing an electronic tablet, mounted to the mic stand, as a make-shift TelePrompTer, lyrics clearly visible to the fans. Ten days into the month-long tour, the prop is still there, but he's no longer reliant upon it.

The Danes were minus half the original guitar tandem, Morten Stützer, replaced on tour by a bearded youngster. His brother, Michael (also on guitar) perpetually wears a backwards baseball cap, onstage and off. This stage was only a foot high, which was a good thing, since the ceiling was only 8 ft! Could barely get four guys across the front of the approximately 15 foot expanse. A half dozen light canisters hung just over the stage, precariously within fans' thrusting arms reach. Bespectacled bassist Peter Thorslund, besides Stützer the lone other original member, looks something like Eugene Levy, the former SCTV star best known for his role as the father in the American Pie films. A bunch of underage kids (many from the opening bands and their friends) pressed against the stage and while none too familiar with the lyrics, the music incited periodic fits of moshing. Newer tracks like "Legions" and "When Death Comes" were mixed with the classics: "By Inheritance", "Khomaniac" and the closing "Terror Squad", which was introduced by Stützer playing the guitar with his mouth. Shame there weren't more people there to see it.

Warning sirens call everyone stage front, announcing Onslaught are about to begin. "Killing Peace", with its infamous "Spitting blood in the face of God" chorus, kicks things off. With dark sunglasses to cut any glare from the lyric screen (a trick perfected by Judas Priest's Rob Halford, for years), Neil Turbin wasn't reading the words, nor utilizing it as a crutch, but rather like a Karaoke performer familiar with a song, offering an occasional glance for reassurance. Despite claustrophobic conditions onstage, the band is fairly active, especially bassist Jeff Williams, thrashing about and chiding the audience for an even larger response. On the opposite side is original guitarist Nige Rockett, shaking his head from side to side. Speaking of air raid sirens, Turbin punctuating the high notes on "Chaos Is King", which was quickly followed by "The Sound Of Violence", sticking to the newer, post-reformation material. The sonic barrage of "Let There Be Death", the lone vintage chestnut until the end, threatens to splatter a couple of youngsters against the black painted wall, but they survive, in time for the aptly entitled "Rest In Pieces". "Destroyer" of Worlds" and "66 Fucking 6" are also aired, but everyone's waiting for more oldies. In time, they oblige, first with "Fight With The Beast" then brutal renditions of the two tracks which defined them, in the 80s: "Metal Forces" and "Power From Hell". Under the circumstances (last minute substitute singer), Onslaught acquitted themselves well, attitude/intensity making up for any misgivings about the exactness of execution. Hopefully they'll be able to return with Keeler onboard.