“perish in flames…”
Athens was hit by heatwave but we had the pleasure to experience a band that was always on our concert bucket list but never visited Greece. It doesn’t really matter, forty years after they formed the band they finally arrived and all those old school thrash metal fans got excited as Dark Angel offered us a remarkable killer show that had really old-school vibe. What’s more, they had some great special guests, Xentrix from UK.
During the summer in Greece it is normal to think/dream about the beaches and not gig in venues and I have to be honest that after a long tiring day (don’t forget that it was a normal working day) I was walking down the avenue to Gagarin205 with not great appetite as the heat was hitting me from every direction. Doors opened at 20:00, many fans were already there wishing that there will be A/C inside. To my surprise there was although it wasn’t enough for the heat that the two bands threw on us making it even hotter, having the beers as the only solution to chill out for a while.
“Don’t compromise…”
I remember back in 1990 Roadrunner Records released Thrash The Wall, a compilation that had many famous metal bands but also some new ones like Xentrix from UK that had released their debut album one year before. Apart from some similarities with Testament and Metallica they were great and many fans got excited but the band decided to change after the first two albums and fans started to look away. I must admit that when I saw them live at Up The Hammers in 2014 I was wondering if they had something more to add with their reunion but back then they haven’t released a new album.
But the truth is that their last two albums are great and the new compositions (they played five tracks from Seven Words) matched nicely with the old stuff (most of them were taken from their first two classic albums) and the fans seemed to enjoy them to the maximum. Some technical issues with one guitar and he general mediocre sound didn’t seem to bother anyone as we were hooked to the band and since the first two songs but especially on Balance Of Power we went once more back to that compilation and we started to scream “balance swings for you…”
live video Xentrix:
Xentrix setlist:
behind the walls of treachery / balance of power / questions / reckless with a smile / bury the pain / alter of nothing / the red mist descends / for those advantage / crimes / black embrace / dark enemy / everybody loves you when you’re dead / seven words / no compromise
During the break we got outside to breath some fresh air but we were really wondering what was about to come. Will the band be in good shape? Is it possible for middle-aged guys to do their old school thrash justice? Yes, we loved their albums back then but will it be the same? Thoughts like those vanished in seconds as they kicked off with “We Have Arrived” and chaos occurred in the moshpit, fans in delirium started crowd surfing and stage diving and yes, it was like were back in the early 90s again, good friendly violent fun all the way…
“the sentence is death / darkness descends…”
Honestly I didn’t expect it, it was pure energy on and off the stage, with the band offering us a great best-of show that teared the venue apart. There’s no need to go track by track to describe the gig (but oh god, they played Darkness Descends in its entirety), the fans went crazy with all the songs, they opened a huge mosh-pit while other were just screaming out loud with joy.
As you can understand there was no need for me to hold my breath before I get into the venue, Dark Angel was in great form,, Rinehart had the crazy eyes but also I found touching the fact that they dedicated the show to Jim Durkin (R.I.P.). Gene Hoglan was a beast behind the drum kit but I really enjoyed all of them and the band was also excited with the fans’ reactions. When we finally got out we felt our whole bodies tremble, we were tired but also so happy with a gig that we will remember for a long time…
live video Dark Angel:
Dark Angel setlist:
We have arrived / time does not heal / never to rise again / no one answers / the promise of agony / darkness descends / the burning of Sodom / hunger of the undead / merciless death / death is certain / black prophecies / perish in flames
® words/videos: Konstantinos Mindcrimek Vlachos
® photos: Konstantinos Mindcrimek Vlachos / Peter Papapetros
