Megadeth - Birmingham Academy - Friday 22nd February 2008

The Gigantour rolls into Birmingham. Are Megadeth making a mistake having two up-and-comers on the bill or can they see the young pretenders off?

Evile started the night off. This was an intriguing one for me; third time I'd seen them in six months and so far they had taken everything in their stride. Headlining the thrash all-dayer at the Irish Centre they comfortably held off the challenge of Gama Bomb amongst others. Sanctity found out how good they are when they got blown off stage at the Little Civic. Now they take on the larger Academy, and took to it like a duck to water. Opener "First Blood" set the tone and "Thrasher" converted any sceptics there may have been (although there was a spell midway through where the drummer lost the plot). Slowing down the intro to "We Who Are About To Die" was a masterstroke and the crushing opening riff led to thrash metal heaven - this song gets better every time you see it performed. "Bathe In Blood" and "Enter The Grave" completed the set and the band looked stunned at the audience response with the repeated Evile chant giving them grins like Cheshire cats. Couldn't fault their display other than the drumming blip; they clearly enjoy what they are doing and the thrash world is theirs for the taking. Legends in the making - seriously that good and a pity their set was so short.

Job For A Cowboy had to follow that - and couldn't. Difficult position they were in tonight as their more extreme take on rock was always going to sound strange sandwiched between two thrash outfits. I found them very ordinary with the exception of the stunning bass player. At the risk of sounding old, they sounded like an over-complicated and disjointed metalcore/ death/ extreme outfit, passable when they slowed it down and generated power, but interchangeable for hundreds of other bands out there when they upped the tempo. The bar I was at after leaving my vantage point midway through their fourth song was three deep and there seemed to be a lot of fans milling about waiting for their set to end. Muted response when they finally finished. Won't be tracking down their CDs but will keep an eye on any news of the bass player defecting!

And so to Megadeth. Seventh time I've seen them since first being staggered by their savagery on the "So Far So Good So What" tour in 1988 (twenty years ago? Blimey where did that go?!). I've seen the UK tribute act Megedeth too (and very good they are) so clearly I am a fan. Could they revisit their past glories? Oh yes... Utter mayhem from the word go and nothing could prepare you for the ferocity of the pit - total carnage!! Blows to my cheekbone and the back of Bill's neck necessitated swift exits from the fray, but like falling off a horse we soon returned for more! Played a little bit too much of their catalogue post "Countdown To Extinction" for me but they mixed the set up well. Dave Mustaine's trademark growl was a little low in the mix for me but his guitar work was as blistering as ever. Great band he has assembled around him too. Good stageshow, great looking drumkit and strobes as well! Standouts of the set for me were "Peace Sells", "In My Darkest Hour", "Hangar 18", "Symphonies Of Destruction", "Tornado Of Souls" and the particularly brutal final encore "Holy Wars". The persistant crowd surfing blonde lass with the black bra and no T-shirt was a nightmare though..... or more accurately a very attractive distraction!!

Evile again proved what a fine band they are and will lead the thrash revival with distinction for a good while yet. Job For A Cowboy were on a hiding to nothing on this bill I'm afraid and I can only really say anything positive about their bass player. Megadeth have weathered their spell in the wilderness well and like Machine Head have come back, not so much fighting, but brawling violently not ready to give up their place in the thrash metal hierarchy just yet.