Having just completed the European leg of the tour, Kings Of Thrash turned to the UK under the title of Anarchy In The UK, which is unsurprisingly quite fitting. This was the first night of the tour at The Underworld in Camden. That in itself gave this show the appearance of nostalgia. Being able to see musical heroes from our youth and hear those old songs back in the live environment was something else.
Kings Of Thrash
The Underworld, Camden – 24 October 2024
Words: Adrian Stonley
Photography: Steve Ritchie
Yes, it was a stroll down memory lane, but it was so much more and made you realise what an important part of our youth Megadeth were, and realistically Kings Of Thrash still are.
For those unaware, Kings Of Thrash are comprised of ex-Megadeth members bassist David Ellefson and guitarist Jeff Young who have reunited to perform the early ‘Deth’ Thrash classics from the ’80s. The rest of the band is made up of drummer Fred Aching as well as guitarist/vocalist Chaz Leon.
Like the audience, the band members may have been around for a few years, but that did not diminish the high-energy performance and hard-hitting drive of those old Thrash standards and classics.
Opening with the instrumental Into The Lungs Of Hell from the So Far, So Good, So What album, they roared into Last Rites/Loved To Death from the first album, Killing Is My Business. It was quite clear that the band were here to ensure that everyone had as good a time as they were clearly having up on stage.
One important factor to consider tonight was that 2024 is the 30th anniversary of the Megadeth album Youthanasia, and unsurprisingly, this received a visitation with four songs played back to back. Memory lane, here we come again. Train Of Consequences was a powerhouse with its dirty, chugging opening riffs before Reckoning Day moved the aggression and tempo up a further level.
There is a rawness about some of these songs, which is summed up in Victory, with its lyrics based around Megadeth song titles.
With the Youthanasia section closed off with fan favourite The Killing Road, the band slowed matters down slightly. However, that was only momentary as they then charged into the full-throttled 502 with its opening line of “Pull over, shithead. This is the cops!” spat out venomously.
There was the obligatory drum solo to give the band a few minutes of breathing space before they continued the So Far theme with a barnstorming In My Darkest Hour.
There are times listening to Chaz Leon on vocals that if you close your eyes, you wonder if there is a young Dave Mustaine on stage, yet Chaz is a superb vocalist in his own right and more than capably addresses these songs and stamps his own mark on them.
When you think that the band could not raise the tempo any higher, they turn the screws, push up the volume and intensity and lay waste to The Underworld with Good Mourning/Black Friday, Rattlehead and, of course, the obligatory Killing Is My Business. This was an incredibly powerful and dynamic performance and bodes well for the future. For those lucky enough to be crammed into The Underworld tonight, they left knowing they had heard and seen something very special.
The encore sees the band return, stating that as they were in London, they would play a song from a London band. Realistically, that could only mean one thing and a forceful cover of Motörhead Ace Of Spades is unleashed on all and sundry.
Finishing with the obvious Peace Sells, this was a storming concert. Brutal, intensive, but thoroughly entertaining.
So Far, So Good is an obvious title to sum up this show, and if “killing is their business,” then Kings Of Thrash killed this show. Let’s hope that it is not too long until they return to these shores.
For those who have yet to see them on the UK leg, you have an absolute treat in store.
Kings Of Thrash – Set List
- Into the Lungs of Hell [So Far, So Good, So What]
- Last Rites/Loved to Death [Killing Is My Business… and Business Is Good!]
- The Conjuring [Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying]
- Train of Consequences [Youthanasia]
- Reckoning Day [Youthanasia]
- Victory [Youthanasia]
- The Killing Road [Youthanasia]
- 502 [So Far, So Good, So What]
- Drum Solo
- In My Darkest Hour [So Far, So Good, So What]
- Good Mourning/Black Friday [Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying]
- Dawn Patrol [Rust In Peace]
- Rattlehead [Killing Is My Business… and Business Is Good!]
- Killing Is My Business… and Business Is Good! [Killing Is My Business… and Business Is Good!]
- Set the World Afire [So Far, So Good, So What]
- These Boots Are Made for Walkin’ (Lee Hazlewood cover) [Killing Is My Business… and Business Is Good!]
- Ace of Spades (Motörhead cover)
- Peace Sells [Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying]
