LIVE FROM THE PIT: Slayer, Amon Amarth, Anthrax, Mastodon, Hatebreed and Neckbreakker

This weekend has been a true celebration of heavy metal, Black Sabbath’s last ever gig put many metalheads in a contemplative state after seeing everything that makes metal great placed upon the global stage. Metal fans are often some of the most dedicated music fans around, and arguably the band with some of the most loyal fan is Slayer. When they announced a handful of American reunion shows last year, many fans in the UK and Europe were upset that they would not get a chance to see the band again; however, their reunion finally hit the UK with many other legendary bands joining the bill for another celebration of what makes metal truly special.

First on this day long celebration of metal is Danish death metalers Neckbreakker bringing their unique brand of high energy death metal. Despite the size of the stage, the band managed to bring the joy of a small local show to the crowd with the pits already bursting to action as soon as the riffs hit the crowd. The band, despite being so young, have found their sound in metal and they know how to work the crowd into a frenzy. Despite being the only band on the bill without a long standing legacy, they are starting to carve their own way into the heavy metal lineage. They were the perfect band to kickstart the day with a nod to local scenes.

Hatebreed brings their own take on metalcore with them everywhere they go and often seem to appear at festivals to give the right burst of intensity that other subgenres just don’t seem to touch. The band bring a lot of what makes hardcore great to a new audience as their fanbase seem to be built mostly from metal fans. The band work the crowd with such intensity starting the waves of crowd surfers for the day. Being in the crowd, you can feel the communal intensity already being built up. Circle pits starting with a pace that would make many headliners jealous. Hatebreed’s legacy has been built by playing absolute belters of shows that match the crowd. what other band for an opening slot would have a giant inflatable demon and balls of death.

The crowd started off slightly relaxed with Mastodon’s trademark take on progressive metal, but once the riffs became heavier,r the crowd reacted with pure joyous moshing. The band haven’t been to the UK in a fair while, so many fans came to just for the chance to see them bring their unique take on metal. Tracks like ‘The Motherload’ have become modern metal classics with the combination of great riffing, intense drumming and iconic lyricism. The band are tight, and it’s impossible to tell their new guitarist only joined this year. The different vocal stylings brought by the band’s members are one of the most iconic parts of the band, and they manage to keep it working well live. The band don’t bring the largest stage show, but they bring pure progressive metal intensity that leads the crowd singing along to tracks written about Moby Dick.

Almost by accident, this gig has ended up with 2 of the big 4 of thrash metal on the lineup. Anthrax is a party band, they bring a lot of that old school metal, slight cheesiness with sing along choruses and Scott Ian’s legendary guitaring. For a band going since the 80s, they don’t seem to have slowed down at all, as every member works together bringing their sound together. Vocalist Joey Belladonna, despite being 64, still brings energy to the stage and intensity on the vocals. The slightly nerdy side of metal is brought out again with their song ‘I Am The Law’ being based on the comic character Judge Dredd, but this is such a core part of metal. The band works the crowd well, still hungry for more metal, at one point stopping a song so they can push the pits to grow larger. Waves of crowd surfers drift above the head during the set. Anthrax may be the smallest of the big ,4 but they bring a great stage show and a lineage of songs with them, proving their place in thrash and metal in general.

Amon Amarth have become such a beloved band within metal for their stage show, theme and just generally great songwriting. The band despite not being today’s headliners still put on a headline show full of fire, props and their legendary row pits. The band bring a full production stage show along with them, complete with two towering inflatable statues of Vikings, just adding to the impressive nature of their set. Frontman Johan Hegg knows that the crowd is here to ‘Party like a Viking’ as he often asks the crowd to do so. Complete with chugging from his drinking horn, he embodies the band. His vocals lead the band through their setlist of metal classics. As soon as the band enter into ‘Put Your Back Into The Oar’, the crowd starts the row pit, everyone tongue in cheek pretending to row as the band marvel in their place within the audience’s heart. As with most of the bands at this gig, the band had many fans within the audience, with many donning the band’s shirts or generally being excited to get a chance to finally see a band they’ve now been listening to for many years. Amon Amarth are a perfect live band with a giant stage show, great music and an audience who wants to see them. They have a definitive place within metal history, like every band playing today.

Slayer are a band whose fanbase is truly hard to put into words. The announcement of the band’s retirement came as a shock to many, as Slayer have been such a consistent part of metal from their inception. The one band that is guaranteed to have some of the most intense pits you’ll ever see. A band whose two-word catchphrase of ‘Fucking Slayer’ was guaranteed to be shouted hundreds of times at any festival. But the band and their fans returned for this gig with all the intensity you would expect from both sides. The band don’t sound like they’ve aged from the time they have taken away from the stage. Even with the technical issues created from their curtain, the band remained professionals and delivered a setof pure intensity. Their may have been heavier bands that have come since but Slayer retain that guttural punch you have come to expect.

The band’s stage show is built mainly from the sheer amount of pyrotechnics they use. The band iconography of satanic imagery remains such a core part of their identity, leading to the stage having two giant upside-down crosses being engulfed in flame at various points within the set. Kerry King, as a guitarist, shines through the set with his constant headbanging and signature noisy solos. Every song retains the initial intensity that you get upon first hearing it. Many of the crowd are getting tears in their eyes whilst moshing with furious intensity or crowd surfing to their favourite songs because they are seeing Slayer together again. A lot of the crowd is made up of those whom never got to see the band play due to being too young, so they are taking every second to go through the joy of a Slayer show.

As the set draws to a close with the second-to-last song being the all-time classic ‘Raining Blood’, the stage show reaches its pinnacle of flames and now joined by fireworks heading down on the stage as the song approaches full pace. The riff that so many have learnt on guitar hits the audience with everything it truly can give. The song then blends into the final track of the night and one of the band’s other legendary songs, ‘Angel Of Death’ . Tom Araya’s scream is at its best, it has ever sounded pure metal intensity. The band play the song in the way it should be played, with absolute power. Slayer drew the gig to a close with the band seeming emotional to share the time with fans and play together again.

As an overall package of metal, the gig is perfect, a true distillation of what makes metal a true joy to experience. Over the top extremity, pits that are a true workout to be in and of course, great riffs. It feels like a bonus on this weekend, celebrating metal, but every band being given a long set to make sure they can share what makes them special with the community. Metal crowds leave you with some of the greatest sense of community one can truly feel within music. Everyone becomes one and the same when in metal. Sometimes, all you need in life is to see Slayer and many of the greatest bands deliver a gig for the ages, bringing tears to the eyes of many.

Words: Will Freeman

Photos: Bryce Hall