Testament announced that they would be embarking on a revival of their epic Klash of the Titans North American Tour on their social media accounts on April 30, 2024. This time around the Klash of the Titans Tour would feature another thrash metal icon Kreator with additional opening support from a death metal forefather, Possessed. Both Testament and Kreator can say that their roots lay deep in the early days of the thrash metal revolution in the 1980s. Possessed can also carry the same designation in the 1980s, but it would land deep in the roots of the death metal genre.

Testament

And what makes this tour even more special than it already is featuring two giants of the thrash metal genre and an integral part of the death metal genre, Testament will be performing an “old-school” set for their most die-hard fans featuring songs from their massive discography that pays tribute to the re-releases of their influential first two albums: The Legacy (1987) and The New Order (1988). With songs like “Into the Pit”, “Trial by Fire”, “Over the Wall”, and “Burnt Offerings”, I was excited to hear what songs Testament would pick for this blockbuster tour with their buds Kreator and Possessed.

Possessed is a death metal band from San Francisco, CA. who has been performing 1983-1987, 1990-1993, and 2007-present day. Possessed are Jeff Becerra (vocals), Daniel Gonzalez (guitars), Robert Cardenas (bass), Claudeous Creamer (guitars), and Chris Aguirre (drums). Possessed has released (or been included) three (3) LPs, three (3) EPs, one (1) Live album, three (3) Compilation albums, two (2) Music videos, and one (1) Documentary. Possessed is currently signed to Nuclear Blast Records which is the label that released their third (3) LP, Revelations of Oblivion, was released on May 10, 2019.

Possessed

Kicking off the evening, Possessed took the stage at the Tabernacle and you could feel the anticipation with the crowd as they prepared to headbang to one of the one of the forefathers in the death metal genre. Many consider Possessed the band that started death metal with their debut album, Seven Churches, in 1985. And Possessed has not lost a step over the decades since their debut album made music history. I hope people understand that this tour was not only for us as fans but this tour is also for these three bands to celebrate their rich history as metal pioneers.

You can see the epic setlist performed by Possessed as opening support during The Klash of the Titans Tour at the Tabernacle:

· “Pentagram”

· “Ritual”

· “Tribulation”

· “Graven”

· “The Exorcist”

· “Demon”

· “Death Metal”

· “Fallen Angel”

You can support Possessed by checking out their official merchandise page. Follow this link to Possessed’s official YouTube channel or their official TikTok account.

Kreator is a thrash metal band from Essen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany that formed in 1982. They are also signed to Nuclear Blast records and have released fifteen (15) LPs since 1985 with Hate Uber Alles (2022) being their latest release on Nuclear Blast Records. Kreator currently consists of Miland “Mille” Petrozza (vocals/rhythm guitar), Sami Yli-Sirnio (lead guitar), Jurgen “Ventor” Reil (drums), and Frederic Leclercq (bass).

Kreator

This would be my first time catching the thrash metal legends from Germany live, so I was eager to check another band off my bucket list. The stage setup was probably one of the most elaborate since I saw Amon Amarth perform at the Tabernacle a few years back. Some fans that were riding the rail were discussing their past times seeing Kreator when they toured the States. Since this was my first time seeing Kreator live, I was excited to hear some songs like “Coma of Souls”, “Terror Zone”, “Satan is Real”, “Pleasure to Kill”, “Endless Pain”, and “Enemy of God”. Ending their set with one of my favorite tracks from their 1986 release of the same name, “Pleasure to Kill”, made me a happy camper.

Check out this headbanging set from one of the forefathers of the thrash metal genre:

· “Hate Uber Alles”

· “Phobia”

· “Coma of Souls” (Intro only)

· “Enemy of God”

· “666 – World Divided”

· “Hordes of Chaos (A Necrologue for the Elite)”

· “Hail to the Hordes”

· “Betrayer”

· “Satan is Real”

· “Phantom Antichrist”

· “Strongest of the Strong”

· “Terrible Certainty”

· “Violent Revolution”

· “Pleasure to Kill”

You can show Kreator some support or check their music out on their official Bandcamp page or their official online merchandise store today!

Testament is a thrash metal band that originated in Berkeley, CA. in 1983 under the previous name Legacy. In 1986, Legacy transformed into the juggernaut of thrash metal that we know today as Testament. Testament is comprised of Chuck Billy (vocals), Eric Peterson (rhythm & lead guitar/backing vocals), Alex Skolnick (lead guitars/backing vocals), Steve Di Giorgio (bass/backing vocals), and Chris Dovas (drums). Testament has released thirteen (13) LPs since 1987 with Titans of Creation (2020) being the last release on Nuclear Blast records. Peterson, a founding member, and Billy are the only members to have appeared in all of Testament’s releases to date.

Testament

It was finally time for the thrash metal gods to take the stage at the Tabernacle in downtown Atlanta, Ga. Starting the night with “Eerie Inhabitants” and “The New Order” made me very happy and I knew that this was going to be a memorable, classic set from the thrash legends Testament. It’s not often that Testament revisits songs from their first two albums, but we were all lucky to get a chance to hear songs like “Eerie Inhabitants”, “The New Order”, “Trial by Fire”, “Into the Pit”, “Over the Wall”, “The Haunting”, and “Raging Waters”. That was just the tip of the iceberg, feast your eyes on this classic setlist from one of the pioneers of thrash metal below:

· “Eerie Inhabitants”

· “The New Order”

· “Apocalyptic City”

· “Raging Waters”

· “The Preacher”

· “The Haunting”

· “Trial by Fire”

· Drum Solo (Chris Dovas)

· “First Strike is Deadly”

· “A Day of Reckoning”

· “Alone in the Dark”

· “Do or Die”

· “Disciples of the Watch”

· “Over the Wall”

· “Into the Pit”

You can check out my first time covering Testament when they came to Atlanta as part of the farewell tour for the legendary Slayer: The Final Tour: Slayer/Lamb of God/Anthrax/Testament/Napalm Death (Atlanta 08/10/2018). You still have time to see the Klash of the Titans Tour featuring Testament & Kreator with Possessed on the following dates:

Sat, OCT 19

KLASH OF THE TITANS North America 2024

San Antonio, TX

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Sun, OCT 20

KLASH OF THE TITANS North America 2024

Dallas, TX

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Tue, OCT 22

KLASH OF THE TITANS North America 2024