The annual celebration of all things metal, The Metal Alliance Tour, hit Philly for the first time in its 3-year history with a sold out TLA crowd more than ready for Anthrax, Exodus, Municipal Waste, Shadows Fall, and Holy Grail.
We were bummed to have missed the openers, Holy Grail, who are supporting a ripping new effort on Prosthetic Records. If you’ve never checked out these Judas Priest riff-worshipers, Holy Grail just dropped a new music video for the title track, “Ride The Void,” from their current LP. We got inside just in time for Shadows Fall who continue to support its 2012 release Fire From the Sky via Razor & Tie Records. Interesting side note- Shadows Fall were kind enough to offer up guitarist Jon Donais, who stepped for Anthrax on this tour and pulled double-duty.
Things got truly wild as Richmond thrash masters, Municipal Waste, put the fire back under asses with a smoking set showing no signs of road weariness with this being the third to last date of a long tour. Municipal Waste are continuing to support their Nuclear Blast debut, and sixth overall full-length The Fatal Feast, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Charts last summer. The band continues its legacy as one of the most fun and energetic thrash bands on the planet. Always a do-not-miss when they hit your town.
Thrash mainstays, Exodus were next and they brought the roof down, dirty old-school style. The band touched on many a crowd favorite spanning their impressive 30+ year career. Exodus will be swinging through Europe for some festival dates this summer including Resurrection Fest in Spain Aug 1st-3rd, as the band reportedly continues work on an unnamed forthcoming studio effort.
Anthrax had the honors of closing this year’s tour with the venue so tight, it could lift you right off your feet. Mayhem ensued all the way from the pit to the masses of bodies crashing over the barricade in constant waves. Anthrax performed Among The Living in its entirety and long time fans couldn’t have been happier, singing along with the TLA’s brand new sound system that was being used for the first time. And might we say, it was well worth the investment, the new sound system kicks you the chest as the tunes rage through.
Enjoy a massive set of photos by Blow The Scene Senior Photographer, Dante Torrieri (Useless Rebel Imaging)
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