Klash of the Titans has been used many times over the years as tour names for various bands with the most famous being in 1990, a European tour featuring Megadeth, Slayer, Testament and Suicidal Tendencies. Well in 2024 the name has been used again, this time with a “K”, titled Klash of the Titans and featuring co-headliners Testament and Kreator with special guests Possessed. This tour of thrash royalty was a 33 date, 6 week run, making a stop at The Palladium in Hollywood, CA on Saturday night October 26 for a night of epic Bay Area thrash with a side of German Teutonic Terror.

Possessed hit the stage early at 6:50pm to kick off the night with a brutal set of eight Possessed classics from across their catalog including three songs from their 2019 album Revelations of Oblivion. Vocalist Jeff Becerra remains the only original member from their 1983-1987 classic lineup and even though in a wheelchair, Becerra still pumps out those growling vocals with brutal intensity and still sounds incredible doing so.

The circle pits and crowd surfing gained intensity throughout their set as they played “Pentagram”, “The Exorcist” and “Death Metal” from their critically acclaimed Seven Churches album. Guitarists Daniel Gonzalez and Claudeous Creamer traded off scorching riffs and blazing solos while bass player Robert Cardenas thrashed intensely but the star of the set was the insane drumming from blast-master Chris Aguirre.

The night ended with the ever so fierce “Swing of the Axe” from the 1987 EP The Eyes of Horror. Possessed is a headliner in their own right and they were the perfect opening act for this night of metal in Hollywood.

Kreator is still out supporting their fifteenth studio album, 2022’s Hate Über Alles and although playing before Testament they are co-headliners for Klash of the Titans. The band has a killer stage setup for this tour with 20 ft tall blow-up demons flanking each side of the stage with one also behind the drum kit, that coupled with CO2 cannons and a crazy light show laid the perfect foundation for Kreator to destroy The Palladium.

Opening with “Hate Über Alles” then into “Phobia”, guitarist/vocalist Mille Petrozza along with lead guitarist Sami Yli-Sirniö, longtime drummer Jürgen "Ventor" Reil and the newest member of the band, bassist Frédéric Leclercq, put on the most intense Kreator show they have played in Los Angeles in many years. Prior to the third song “Enemy of God”, Petrozza setup the crowd for the first Wall of Death and it was nothing short of war out in the pit as the crowd attacked each other viscously.

Kreator plowed through thirteen songs that included such thrashers as “Betrayer” and “Phantom Antichrist” that had a gigantic circle pit going all night and the security was continuously catching bodies tumbling over the barrier. Kreator was full of piss and vinegar on this night and when you are in what Petrozza called Kreator’s second home (Los Angeles) and playing directly before Testament there is nothing else to do but slay all those in attendance.

Prior to the closing song, one of their most brutal thrash classics “Pleasure to Kill”, Petrozza once again setup the crowd for a final Wall of Death and those brave souls in the pit did not let Petrozza down as the band ended their time onstage. A final bow in unison and their time was up. It cannot be put into words how mind blowing Kreator’s set was – how does any band follow that . . . well if any band can it surely is the mighty Testament.

At 9:40pm, behind a giant curtain, the intro to “Eerie Inhabitants” blasted over the PA and with a bang the curtain dropped and saturated in red lighting Testament kicked off a 14-song journey exclusive to their first two albums, 1987’s The Legacy and 1988’s The New Order (both that have recently been remastered and re-released by Nuclear Blast Records). Now all of Testament’s material is strong and goes over well live, but to hear ONLY these classic songs, some that have not been played in many years was truly a Testament’s fan thrash dream come true.

The hulking Chuck Billy sounds better than ever and was quite active onstage the entire night. Billy has one of the most diverse voices in thrash metal with spine tingling clean vocals to demon summoning death growls and everything in between. Testament is loaded with talent and guitarists Alex Skolnick and Eric Peterson combine for one of the premier thrash duos in the business. Skolnick's scorching solos marry up perfectly with Peterson’s six-string gallops that make up Testaments thrash attack they are known for.

Bass duties for the last 10 years have been by the fretless bass monster Steve Di Giorgio, one of the most technically proficient bass players in extreme music. Di Giorgio’s partner in crime is the newest member of the band, drummer Chris Dovas who (with all due respect to Testament’s former legendary drummers Gene Hoglan, Dave Lombardo, Paul Bostaph and many others) brings powerful energy and precision to every Testament song played.

It was classic after classic – “Apocalyptic City”, “The Preacher”, “Disciples of the Watch”, so many songs that don’t get played live much in recent years. The stage had a huge backdrop with Testament inspired graphics and the strobe lights coupled with the colored front lights and CO2 cannons added to the blood pumping experience of the show. The crowd caught a second wind and was crazier than when Kreator was onstage and YES, as amazing as Kreator was, Testament somehow took that energy and elevated it tenfold.

The last two songs of the night were just beyond epic as the band and crowd collectively unleashed an energy that cannot be described as “Over the Wall” and “Into the Pit” ended this soon to not be forgotten night of thrash metal in Hollywood. Testament, Kreator, Possessed . . . each one of these bands is a legend in their own respect and Klash of the Titans delivered possibly the premier extreme metal tour of 2024 and without a doubt the most intense show The Palladium has hosted in quite some time.