Let’s get one thing straight: Exodus and Obituary touring together is such a great idea. Arguably one of the most aggressive Bay Area thrash bands uniting with one of the most respected and pure death metal bands out of Florida for one hell of a tour is exactly what this year needed. We’ve seen extreme acts unite this year, but one driven for straight insanity like this one was absolutely necessary.
What made this show truly amazing was it’s opening act. Power Trip have been making the news lately with Nightmare Logic, and understandably so. The crossover thrash band have toured with Lamb of God and are scheduled to head out with Cannibal Corpse soon, so seeing some new blood ready the stage for Exodus and Obituary with a lot of hype behind them was surely an appetizer. Except the appetizer ended up being as good as the main course.
Power Trip came out with little flair and not wasting anyone’s time. Retro thrash fans are hard to impress, but Power Trip made sure to show everyone they were the real deal. Opening up the night with the first two tracks of Nightmare Logic quickly let Power Trip crank the energy up to 11, with frontman Riley Gale jumping onto the barrier during “Executioner’s Tax (Swing of the Axe)” to scream the lyrics with the adamant fans lining the front of the barricade.
Whereas bands usually slow down with their set towards the end, Power Trip kept the energy at it’s highest for their 30 minute set. You don’t see this with opening bands too often, as usually they make a great first impression but show fatigue by the third and fourth song. With intense songs, an aura of confidence surrounding them, and the musical chops to back them up, Power Trip proved they are truly the next big thing in up-and-coming metal acts.
I had never seen Exodus or Obituary before this night, and to be fair I had no idea what to truly expect out of the former. I had done my homework with Exodus a long time ago and considered myself familiar with the the band’s discography, but I wasn’t so sure about how I felt with seeing them. That changed as the band took the stage and I realized Gary Holt and Lee Atlus were shredding and riffing at lightning-fast speeds in front of me, I realized I had been missing out all this time. Exodus was furious in their musical ability and their show was like it was straight off an old VHS tape from the 80’s.
With a set heavily focused around Bonded by Blood and other older selections, Exodus was playing to their old-school fans. That said, tracks like “Blood In, Blood Out” and “War is my Shepherd” were still making appearances alongside “Strike of the Beast.” In roughly an hour, the band hit all the right notes, but the one thing they did right was ultimately specific: I wanted more. They didn’t overstay their welcome, but at the same time another 15 minutes couldn’t have hurt.
This applied to Obituary as well, who carried themselves very much in the same manner as Exodus, albeit in their signature, grimey OG-death metal style. Whereas Exodus was drapped in toxic-green and blue lights of an 80’s thrash VHS tape, Obituary took the original death metal aesthetic of red and yellow lights, providing that death metal aesthetic that has been solidified into my brain.
Obituary, however, were punishing in their heaviness and overall aesthetic. It was literally everything you could expect from a band like them, and to be honest they’re a reliable death metal band. If you like everything they do, then you’re in luck: Obituary delivers on the live front for being a reliable live act. However, 33 years into their career, if you’re not with them and what they’re about, then that’s your loss.
Usually retro tours don’t do it for me and it seems like a total cash grab from some bands trying to stay relevant. However, with Exodus and Obituary giving in their 100% and Power Trip going above and beyond as an opening act, this tour may have been one of the few exceptions and has proven me wrong. I’m okay with that, too, as while bands can put on a good show and be a solid live act, very few can wrap up their set and make me want them to come back out for a few more at the end of the night. That’s something truly unique and a gift horse shouldn’t be looked in the mouth or passed up on.
