Live report KREATOR, LAMB OF GOD & MUNICIPAL WASTE, edel-optics Arena, Hamburg – March 5th, 2023

A tour, which unfortunately also had to be postponed more than once, is the one of Germany’s metal institution Kreator. Originally planned for April 2020, the ‘State of Unrest’-tour could not take place in 2021 and 2022 either. But now the time has come. Kreator and Lamb Of God are touring Europe and have chosen a very good support act with Municipal Waste.

The start time this Sunday is very early. Showtime is at 18:00 and Municipal Waste are on time. After the entry works smoothly, the venue is already well crowded, when the Americans come on stage with ‘Demoralizer’. It is said to have happened a time or two that opening bands don’t always have the best light and/or the best sound. Tonight this does not apply. The thrash metal enthusiasts from Virginia can both come up with a good sound and are literally in the spotlight. Since Municipal Waste songs are not too long, the guys can offer twelve songs and a solid cross-section in which only songs from the debut album are left out. But fans don’t mind that much and the band is welcomed warmly. The atmosphere in the hall is getting better and better and when the quintet starts the last song after approximately 30 minutes, everyone is at working temperature for a good metal party. Municipal Waste combine hard metal riffs, a solid groove and a rocking party atmosphere to a great metal cocktail and definitely belong to the winners of the evening.

Lamb Of G od, who are co-headlining this tour with Kreator, are also from Richmond, Virginia. With ‘Lamb of God’ and ‘Omens’ the band has released two albums whose songs for known reasons they could only present live in Europe to a limited extent. Nevertheless, there are only two songs from the respective albums on tonights setlist, while the sophomore album is a main focus of the show.

However, ‘Memento Mori’, a new track, kicks off the set and it’s the classics like ‘Vigil’ and ‘Redneck’ that end the gig as expected. What is noticeable, though, is that the spirit in the arena can definitely be described as restrained. Of course, the front row kids enthusiastically go along with every song and there is much more than just one single circle pit during these 70 minutes. Nevertheless, one has the impression that the audience isn’t fully electrified and even though Lamb Of God put on a professional show, maybe it’s just this professionalism and routine that limits a certain spontaneity.

A big curtain with the Kreator logo covers the stage while it is being prepared for the performance of the German metal icons. When Iron Maiden’s ‘Run tot he Hills’ starts playing in the hall, everyone is aware that the show is about to start. And when the curtain falls after the ‘Sergio Corbucci is Dead’ intro, the band starts their set with ‘Hate über alles’. Besides the title track of the most recent album, there are with ‘Strongest of the Strong’ and ‘Midnight Sun’ two more new songs on the setlist. For ‘Midnight Sun’ the four guys get support from Sofia Portanet with whom Mille already shared the vocals for the song on the latest record and the two harmonize very well live as well.

Mille and Kreator, they are the veterans of thrash metal and therefore it is a bit surprising that the arena is not sold out. Even more; in the back of the venue the rows are thinning out, which certainly has nothing to do with the quartet’s performance. Kreator offer the classics with ‘Phobia’, ‘Enemy of God’ and ‘Violent Revolution’, next to which the new songs can stand well, by the way. That the flag is being waved during ‘Flag of Hate’ is a standard of the show and of course it’s the Kreator classic “Pleasure to Kill” that can’t be missed either and marks the mighty ending of the show. The band has been delivering quality for decades and even if the one or other part of a Kreator show is predictable, Mille and bandmates deliver a thrash metal firework that makes fun and a offers a good time. And since, no kidding, halfway through the show the beer in the hall was sold out, the only thing left for the fans is the music.

To sum up: With Municipal Waste we witnessed a band that is hungry and brought pure energy on stage. Lamb Of God were professional and routined before Kreator used their home advantage and left no doubt that they belong to the Champions League of thrash metal. All in all, everyone will have had their favorite tonight before a wintry Hamburg hopefully didn’t make the way home difficult for the fans.