German thrash titans Kreator arrive in Manchester on their Krushers Of The World tour with a stacked bill of classic bands.

All photography by Andy Pountney (Event Photography Awards Winner 2024 and 2025). You can check out more of his work on Instagram.

NAILS

Nails arrive to Motörhead’s Speedfreak. It’s apt for Nails as they deliver their breakneck, crushing hardcore metal. ‘This is Suffering Soul,’ screams singer and guitarist Todd Jones, before the first of many circle pits break out. Such is the ferocity and duration of the songs, before you know it, you’re at the end of Conform; the bands third track. Nails do not mess around. The only disadvantage is that the band are so far back on the deep Apollo stage with all the equipment onstage for Kreator’s show.

That being said, there is a riotous feeling in the air; a steady stream of punters surf over the top. Security will clearly have their hands full tonight! Whilst there is a certain disconnect in distance from the crowd, Jones works impressively to build a rapport. He clearly senses the energy in the room, which is a testament to the band and the atmosphere they create. He acknowledges he shouldn’t mention ‘thrash metal activities,’ at least not in a way that he actively encourages it. However people don’t need an invitation. This is utter carnage from the Oxnard trio. Unsilent Death rounds off a quite phenomenal opening half an hour. If you have tickets for this tour, be sure to arrive early.

EXODUS

Exodus, in contrast, are thrash legends. Coming out the Bay Area in the late 70’s early 80’s, it was Bonded By Blood that put them on the map some forty something years ago. We Will Rock You announces their arrival onstage to the baying crowd. Their new record cover, Goliath, adorns the huge backdrop. It’s from the new one where the band kick off with 3111 before an immediate smash hit in Bonded By Blood.

Deathamphetamine further increases the temperature. Those ‘thrash metal activities’ are once again in full effect with an ever increasing stream of surfers and communal fist pumping. What is thoroughly endearing about Exodus’ set is that the band are in red hot form, but so are the crowd. On the floor of the O2 Apollo, the movement is massive with the security again earning their crust.

Folks up in the circle sing and chant along with each song and the reception they get is huge. Chants of ‘EX-O-DUS’ break out before the title track of the new album. Bassist, Jack Gibson, opens it up with a rib shaking bass line. Singer, Rob Dukes, conducts some Freddie Mercury style crowd participation before teaching Manchester ‘A Lesson in Violence.’ Drummer, Tom Hunting, sporting a #30 Steph Curry Golden State Warriors basketball jersey, raises his sticks in salute to the crowd. Much like the namesake on his jersey, Exodus show just how consistently great a band they are. Toxic Waltz is preceded by a tease of Reign In Blood, a nod to Gary Holt’s tenure with Slayer. A stonking Strike Of The Beast ends things as a young fan is brought onstage to help finish the song on guitar.

CARCASS

During the changeover, the PA blasts out a steady stream of Thin Lizzy. The excitement for the Liverpudlian legends is palpable. Flying the flag for England on this bill, the band arrive as their trademark amp screens display the surgical steel. Now looking a little more clean cut, Jeff Walker still has one of the most distinct voices in death metal. In Bill Steer, they have one of extreme metal’s great guitarists too. His riffs churn as Walker’s bass drives things along.

What is notable is that the band have a stand in drummer for the evening in the form of Waltteri Väyrynen. According to Walker, he performs without a practise with the band. It’s an incredible feat considering the complexity of the material. But Väyrynen is an experienced sticksman, so it is no surprise that he kills it. James Blackford plays his part on guitar too as Carcass rip through a career spanning set that again sees the Manchester crowd unrelenting in energy.

BILL FUCKING STEER

‘On lead guitar…Mr Bill Fucking Steer,’ shouts Walker to massive reaction. Not only that, Steer shares vocals on Exhume To Consume, teed up by Genital Grinder. It’s a great nod to the early days of the band with Dance of Ixtab (Psychopomp & Circumstance March No. 1 in B) bringing things full circle from 2021’s Torn Arteries record. At several points during the set, Walker steps to the lip of the stage throwing bottles of water to the crowd, acknowledging everything that the crowd are giving.

Guitar virtuoso Steer has a huge smile on his face as he catches sight of the crowd chanting, fist pumping and surfing over the barriers when they deliver other choice cuts like Corporal Jigsore Quandry, Buried Dreams, and an absolutely triumphant version of Heartwork. The latter is one of those songs that just never gets tired; it is always a joy to hear.

KREATOR

And so, to Kreator. The German thrash legends are perennial stalwarts of the game, much like Carcass and Exodus. Run To The Hills has the PA volume rising and the crowd naturally get involved. Iron Maiden are like the great unifier in metal. Funnily enough, the last time this writer saw inflatables at a metal show it was when Iron Maiden played the Apollo on the Virtual XI tour!

Upon the curtain covering the stage, there are images projected of destruction through the ages to the soundtrack of Barry McGuire’s version of Eve Of Destruction. If there was any doubt where Kreator are coming from in their standpoint, this says it all.

GREAT TO BE BACK…

‘MANCHESTEEEERRRRRR – THE KREATOR HAS RETURNED…’ announces Miland “Mille” Petrozza in a fury of fire and smoke as Kreator unveil their lavish stage set. Track one side one of Krushers Of The World, Seven Serpents, opens the show. The stage set is genuinely very impressive for a venue of this size, and it takes a few moments to take in all the detail. All the while, the quartet play with bombast and passion. ‘Snakes in human form,’ sings Mille. It backs up the sentiment of the opening. The drum line from Jürgen “Ventor” Reil mid song allows for some crowd participation. Ventor is seated behind his kit, elevated atop huge devil horns below the brainless creature from the cover of the new album.

‘It feels great to be back,’ says Mille, and you can tell the band are genuinely buzzing to be back in Manchester. In all the years I have been watching bands, I don’t think I have ever seen a supporting bill set things up for a headline act like they have. Kreator have the crowd eating out of the palm of their hand from the get go. Hail To The Hordes is an early highlight, as is Enemy Of God, which also gets a confetti pop.

CHAOS IN MANCHESTER

A few guitar issues dog Sami Yli-Sirniö on Hate Über Alles; he has to exit the stage to sort things as the band plough through as a trio. They naturally work through things with incredible professional integrity. Mille requests chaos like it is 1989 as Kreator deliver a sublime version of People Of The Lie. Betrayer also brings the old school energy, showing the band to be a super tight unit.

‘We are Kreator….you are our hordes of chaos,’ declares Mille before Hordes Of Chaos. Such sentiments seem like cheap pops, but they land amongst a crowd that are witnessing one of the best touring bills in years.

PHANTOM ANTICHRIST

Loyal To The Grave is another cut that makes the set from Krushers Of The World. Mille adorns bat wings for the song, creating another demonic image amongst the fire and the fury. From Phantom Antichrist, momentum keeps growing and growing ‘like a runaway train’ with the atmosphere getting more and more intense.

Endless Pain takes things all the way back to the mid 80’s and 666 – World Divided again speaks of the state of the world. It has a huge chorus that demands the crowd to chant it back.

To round things out, Kreator bring Violent Revolution and a final turn in Pleasure To Kill. The latter serves as an awesome finale to the set and whole evening.

If you have a ticket for this tour, you will not be disappointed. Every band gave everything they have in Manchester, and so to did the crowd. It’s a rare thing to get the band/crowd dynamic together in such harmony. On this night, everything simply turns to gold.

A huge thank you has to go to the security teams as well; they work tirelessly all night keeping people safe when those ‘thrash metal activities’ threaten to spill over.

Kreator: Website

Carcass: Facebook

Exodus Website

Nails: Bandcamp

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