ANTHRAX // IRON CITY

ANTHRAX // IRON CITY

So good they had to do it twice. After the success of last year’s “KillSwitch” tour, heavy metal icons KillSwitch Engage and Anthrax announced their highly-anticipated sequel, cleverly dubbed the Killthrax II tour, a 29-stop-trek, which included a stop at Birmingham’s Iron City on Feb. 6. Denver-based thrash band Havok served as the Co-headliner’s supporting act.

Kicking off the festivities, Havok warmed the crowd with a moderate 7-song set, which included headbangers “Hang Em High”, “Out of My Way”, and “Intention to Deceive.”

It was a southern reunion for the Westfield-based group, who last performed at the Birmingham venue in 2014. Returning with a bang, Killswitch Engage delivered a powerful 17-song set, performing a bevy of hits from their extensive catalogue including “Rose of Sharyn”, “My
Last Serenade” and an encore cover of Dio’s
“Holy Diver.”

Closing out the night, Co-headliner Anthrax took the stage a little before ten to the tune of the Blues Bros. Shifting gears, the veteran rockers dived into vintage tracks “Caught in the Mosh” and the title track from their studio album “Among the Living.” The stage’s lighting, which alternated from blood red and dark blue paired well the band’s unyielding and fluctuating flow.

Front man Joey Belladonna commanded the crowd with gusto while guitarists Scott Ian and Dan Lilker took turns showcasing their shredding skills. Feeding off the audience, Belladonna’s charismatic vocals beckoned patrons to cross the barricades only for security to hold them back.

Taking little breaks to converse with the audience, Belladonna and crew let the music do all the talking.  Throughout their 70-minute set, Anthrax cruised through their thirty-year discography, visiting vintage tracks “Belly of the Beast”, “Medusa”, and “Intro to Reality.” However, the concert wasn’t just a nostalgia trip. The thrasher ensemble made sure to include hits like “Breathing Lighting” and “Fight ‘Em Til You Can’t” from their more contemporary records.

Ending with a trip down memory lane, Anthrax closed the night with their rendition of Trust’s “Antisocial” and the politically-charged “Indians.”