Trivium and Hatebreed pushed the envelope early in the evening
Last night, thrash legends Megadeth heavy music juggernauts Lamb of God unloaded a massive heap of heavy metal at the BB&T Pavilion in Camden, NJ. Along with special guests Trivium and Hatebreed, the Metal Tour of the Year lived up to it’s name. After being previously reschedule due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the trek is finally chugging across North America giving fans their much-needed metal fix.
Hatebreed kicked off the evening’s festivities with a crushing set. The seasoned veterans made it clear they are a force to be reckoned with, no matter where they are on the bill. Frontman Jamey Jasta reminisced about playing festivals like Warped Tour and Mayhem Festival at the same venue and being “stuck in the parking lot.”
He made it clear that now was their time to shine on the venue’s main stage, and they made the made the most of the opportunity.
Highlights included “Tear It Down,” “This Is Now,” “Looking Down the Barrel of Today,” “I Will Be Heard,” and “Instinctive (Slaughterlust)” from their latest studio effort Weight of the False Self. The covered Slayer’s “Ghosts of War” and wrapped things up with their brutal fan favorite “Destroy Everything.”
Trivium took this first tour back as an opportunity to showcase their last two studio albums which were released back-to-back. The played three tracks from 2020’s What The Dead Men Say and two songs from 2021’s In The Court of the Dragon. Trivium never got to properly support their 2020 effort live, so their pulling double duty on this tour.
They also treated fans to some throwbacks – “The Heart From Your Hate” (2017) and “Down From The Sky” (2008).
The set’s final song was “In Waves,” the title track from their breakout 2011 LP.
Over the last decade, Trivium are one of metal’s most enduring acts. Their technical ferocity was once again on full display after being off the road for over a year. Whether they’re headlining or not, Trivium are one of those bands that should never be missed.
Lamb of God’s set was, in a word – brutal. Sheer brutality is the best way to describe this band’s live performance. There are no breaks. There’s no letting up. Just 12 tracks of unrelenting molten metal. After starting with “Momento Mori” and “Ruin,” they set the stage a-blaze for “Walk With Me In Hell.” Whether you have a clear conscience or not, one might feel as though they were actually down in the deepest depths of the underworld during this song.
Other highlights included “Set To Fail,” “512,” “Vigil,” “Contractor,” and “Laid To Rest.”
The blew the roof of the joint with fan favorite “Redneck” to close out the set.
Lamb of God continue to prove that they are one of the most dominant forces in metal and the heavy music ambassadors we truly need.
Thrash metal legends Megadeth are synonymous with metal music. Throughout a career that spans nearly four decades, Dave Mustaine and company have managed to stay heavy and relevant. After a pandemic that crippled the music industry, Megadeth are back headlining amphitheaters in front of capacity crowds.
Megadeth had a new spark heading into this tour (or an old flame reignited, depending on how you look at it). Former bassist James LoMenzo rejoined the group following the departure of long-time member David Ellefson. LoMenzo was previously a member of Megadeth from 2006 to 2010. He played bass on two studio albums – 2007’s United Abominations and 2009’s Endgame.
Megadeth kicked things off with “Hangar 18” from their seminal 1990 outing Rust In Peace. From there, they fast-forwarded to “The Threat Is Real” form their latest album – 2016’s Dystopia which peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and No. 1 on Billboard Top Rock Albums.
They would revisit Rust In Peace throughout the set for “Take No Prisoners,” “Tornado of Souls,” and “Holy Wars… The Punishment Due” which served as their encore.
Other highlights included “Trust,” “She-Wolf,” “Sweating Bullets,” and more.
They delivered a massive one-two punch at the end of their set with “Symphony of Destruction” and “Peace Sells” – two of heavy metal’s greatest anthems.
Almost 40 years in, Megadeth are showing no signs of slowing down. Their riffs are still heavy and the solos are lighting fast. After beating throat cancer, frontman Dave Mustaine is seemingly back in tip-top shape. While the band has been a bit of a revolving door of musicians, Mustaine has always managed to surround himself with a stellar supporting cast. Combined with his songwriting and god level guitar playing, Megadeth have secured their spot as one of rock music’s greatest bands.
The Metal Tour of the Year rolls on through October 2. Tickets are on sale now HERE.
Megadeth: Live Photo Gallery
Lamb of God: Live Photo Gallery
Trivium: Live Photo Gallery
Hatebreed: Live Photo Gallery
