Well, of we go again to a happy go lucky brain wash what's up to neat thrash - beat the hell outta us - philosophy, and this with even five participants of those kind of musical gourmet dinner, smoothing and careing 'round our eardrums.
But as we say so: every musical style has got it's right to be here. And when you bring the necessary understanding and love along for this, then it can be pretty amusing.
And some of those musical acts have indeed a high potential of expression and power. We got them here tonight, including both headliners Sepultura and Exodus, who you can easily name already legends of thrashmetal. Actually it's said, that Exodus even invented the thrashmetal.  Well, I guess, everybody has his/her own opinion about this fact. But also a fact is, that both just mentionend bands, and also Destruction have started off in the early Eighties. Those again get supported by US collegues Heathen, also around since 1984, and last but not least it's Mortal Sin from Australia, who also celebrated their birthdate already in 1985. 
So all members of the Thrashfest tour are old rabbits in the biz, as we say so, having already left their 40th birthday behind for quite a while. And most of the fans here could easily be their kids. Never mind, and to repeat myself for the 145th time: Rock'n'Roll doesn't know any age and keeps you young.
And we are here at Munich's Backstage Werk, unfortunately not quite sold out, to catch some of the thrash hurricane blowing round our heads...


The event starts with the fact, that despite the average announcements about a 6.30 p.m. take off, they are starting the thrashmetal thunderstorm  much earlier.The result is, that Mortal Sin escape the attention of my cameralense. Sorry about that. But that's not built on my potato ground. And despite the earlier start, a delay develops during the evening, - who the hell knows why. 

The Aussies are out with a new Longplayer ‚Psychology Of Death’ and take the chance with a vengeance, well at least what the short opener time allows them to do so. The special thing about this group is, that they are going for some sort of christian thrashmetal, and not like most fo those kind of bands who rather go for the dark side of existence. 
But in the end you can't make out the difference very much pu there on stage, despite the croos in their name logo. Because be honest, whatever thrashmetal bands shout out loud up there on stage, is right at that moment not understandable for most non native english speaking people - acoustically I mean. 
Okay, it hasn't got to be anyway, as those stage orgys are therefor to develop new moshpit scenerys.
During Mortal Sin's stint, not all fans have found their place in here, but the average mood is a pretty good one. at least what I catch during the last 10 minutes of their show. These boys from Down Under arer offering their fans a Best of from  ‚Mayhemic Destruction’ and ‚Face Of Despair’, and also a little bit  „Psychology of Death“.
That's it again what's up to australien metal culture, and Mortal Sin don't leave a bad taste indeed. 

http://www.mortalsin.com.au/


Heathen do come from the city with the Golden Gate Bridge - same as  Exodus.  


No surprise, so this band is the second leg of Exodus guitarist Lee Altus, and this since 27 years, with a little break between 1991 and 2000. And it seems no other band has undergone so many line up changes than Heathen. With their style, the group steps a little out of this package, as they do have more melodic chords in their song material. And some of the tracks truly get stuck in our middle ear, showing lots of potential. 


Last year the band has put out their third album 'The Evolution Of Chaos'. Though they are rather going for a Greatest Hits flower bunch, - yeah well, as much as you can take out as best of... of 3 albums so far. Heathen are closing their set down with 'Death By Hanging' from their 87 album 'Breaking The Silence'. And the band goes off here having surely won some new friends and fans. 


Rob Dukes trys out  his new photographer job next to his duty with Exodus 

Okidok, Heathen leave a decent impression with a re-recognition effect, after they put out their last tune. And band boss Lee Altus has got aprox. a little more than one hour to regenerate for his second show tonight with Exodus...
http://www.myspace.com/heathenmetal 

But first of all it's Destruction, most of all a highly ambitioned and fit looking Schmier, who first of all apologizes to the fans, that the band, believe it or not, - not had been to Munich since 1985.


Halleluja, and I bet ya' there is noone in here right now, who has seen their show back than 26 years ago. Marcel 'Schmier' Schirmer himself, hasn't really changed over the years, although meanwhile he counts already 45 years of age and has surely a very colourful life behind him. With 'Day Of Reckoning' the band has put out their latest release and 11th studioalbum on wth whole past february. Also still in the band is Michael 'Mike' Sifringer. However, here in Munich people still do know the band pretty well, though they hadn't been here for so long. 
The only thing I really have to criticice about Destruction are the absolute disasterous light conditions, which makes takingn pics without flashlight almost impossible. The crowd don't care of course and receive the thrashmetal rain like the christening of jesus. It's rockin' like hell exspecially at tracks like 'Thrash 'Till Death' or the 'Black Mass/Antichrist/Death Trap Medley. 

The leaking sound conditons during Destruction's set gets drowned thanks to the constant thrashy thunder, so it's actually not necessary to mention it at all. Not much more to say to that, so let's wait and see, whether it takes another 26 years for Destruction to find their way back again in our little non meaning small town place Munich again. 
http://www.destruction.de/

Exodus are on at 9.15 p.m. 
and get the earth mixed up in a melting pot with the Andromeda Galaxy. 


And I actually do ask myself for quite a while now, whether these band has never thought about to move over to Germany for good. Because Gary Holt and Co. are here at least once, when not even twice in our Country. So no surprise, that that this band is welcomed once more with a hell of enthusiasm. In fact Exodus do have this, above mentioned, potential. They do have aura, power and a strong kinda expression, making their show a strong cloud of sound, reigning down on the aprox. 800 headbangers here. Exodus put their focus on rather new material as well and not so much onto the old classics. And you can feel their fun to play, as there is a lot of laughing up there, exept maybe singer Rob Dukes, who always puts on this crumpy face, but is actually a good boy grumbly teddybear. - But beware, when they got loose, then you can hear the angels sing a prayer up on cloud 7. The rest of the gang is Tom Hunting you can only guess behind his drumkit and guitarist Lee Altus has regenerated again from his earlier stint with his second baby Heathen. And there is Jack Gibson, delivering a 4 string attack. (PS: by the way, he's got a sideproject  named Coffin Hunter for a while now, which is pretty interesting as well -
here you find a sound example. 


The setliste of Exodus shows also some songs, which usually gets neclected. Maybe they thought, it's time for some changes, who knows. But one thing is for sure, most fans rather prefer listening to their fave tunes for 150th time, then to some unusal tunes. Well 75 minutes ain't no full set, and so the ingredients of the gourmet dinner has to be chosen carefully to meet everybody's taste and expectations.

I think Exodus have done once again a good job, and later on it becomes clear, that they are the real kings of the night, exspecially what's up to the audiance reaciton. 
http://exodusattack.com/

Last but not least with yet another delay, Sepultura storm the battlefield. 


And those boys should know every tiny corner within this four walls, because they are even more often here than Exodus. Meanwhile they are almost something like the house party combo here, putting their focus on a dark and very foggy timbre, which ain't too nice for us photographers. Sepultura are also going for a renewed concept and not so much on to the old well known songs as for instanced 'Roots'. But first of all singer Derek 'Leon'Green' welcomes the audiance with his questionable german skills: 'Servus, mein Name is Herr Grün'. And the fans luv it. Sepultura, who's only founding co member is bassist Paul Xisto Pinto jr.,  have their new and 12th studio record 'Kairos' in their luggage. Over the years guitarist Andreas Kisser has taken over the role of the band boss somehow. Not to forget the recent line up change. So there ain't Jean Dolabella on drums anymore but newbe Eloy Casagrande. And that one seems to feel very well in the band. 

Despite the fact, that Sepultura enjoy Headliner status here, it can also have a disadvantage. Not they have been bad. But having five bands of this sort playing in a row, and this with quite a delay, it can be exhausting, and so many people start leaving the place, before the magic is finished. Mind also the fact, that many of us have to get up early next morning for work. And when Sepultura play their last tune, many fans already seeking Morpheus arms - as we say so. 
http://sepultura.uol.com.br/2011/
Let's put it that way, for a ticketprice of 30 euros, you get hell of a lot offered here, but I'm not sure, whether it'll be better to have just 3 acts playing with a little difference in timing. 
Well, that's it, and Thrashfest 2011 is over in Munich, our ears have once again enjoyed a cosy thai massage, and the longing for tender and gentle thrashmetal is satisfied for now again.

Further pictures on  metalhammer.de

Some Offstage Snapshots can be found at the 
Diary section.