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Hell's Heroes VIII: Best of the Rest (Day 2)

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Hell's Heroes VIII: Best of the Rest (Day 2)

HOUSTON — For those who attend multi-day festivals, a game within the game is often selecting which day had the best bands and performances.

To those who attend for the experience and to see more artists than you can count on both hands, well, that may be like choosing your favorite child.

Hell’s Heroes VIII dowtown at White Oak Music Hall from March 18-21 provided difficult decisions indeed. First there was the Wednesday night pre-party. Then the official first day included Helstar’s Houston homecoming (coverage here), Jag Panzer playing its 1984 debut album Ample Destruction (coverage here), headliner Doro “The Queen of Metal” Pesch performing mostly Warlock tracks (coverage here) and the likes of original W.A.S.P. guitarist Chris Holmes, 3 Inches Of Blood making their first Texas appearance in a decade, Swedish black metallers Hellbutcher playing their first American gig ever and Leather Leone and her band unleashing ‘80s tunes from Chastain (coverage of all here).

And while life got in the way of ATM being able to attend the third and final day that featured Blood Fire Death’s tribute to Bathory plus Enslaved, Tankard and Virgin Steele, Day 2 offered up its own raucous enjoyment.

Udo Dirkschneider headlined for the canceling Loudness and played an extended set that included the entire 40th anniversary celebration of Balls to the Wall (coverage here), and Cleveland masked marauders Midnight ensured that White Oak’s grass would need a makeover post-festival (coverage here).

But it’s not like the best of the rest of Day 2 consisted of mere leftovers. That’s because Voivod, Sanctuary and Eternal Champion didn’t need to do a whole lot to get an energetic crowd to let loose with its enthusiasm and whatever angst had built up inside of them.

Voivod’s original duo of vocalist Denis “Snake” Belanger and drummer and band founder Michel “Away” Langevin joined guitarist Daniel “Chewy” Mongrain and bassist Dominic “Rocky” Laroche in bringing their unorthodox brand of Canadian metal to Hell’s Heroes with huge doses of fun and history.

Centering mainly on the first three albums from 1984-87 in War and Pain, Rrroooaaarrr and Killing Technology, Voivod “killed everyone here” according to Midnight frontman Athenar. Judge for yourself by watching ATM footage below of “Tornado” and “War and Pain.”

The Motorhead T-shirt clad Belanger then dedicated the band’s 1984 eponymous track to Phil Campbell, who passed within the week, as well as Lemmy Kilmeister and Phil “Philthy Animal” Taylor.

After Midnight’s set, Sanctuary took to the main stage outside at 6:40 and performed all of 1988 debut album Refuge Denied.

Guitarist Lenny Rutledge and drummer Dave Budbill remain from the original lineup and have been fronted by Joseph Michael since the 2017 death of Warrel Dane. And although it’s been nearly a decade since Dane’s passing, it would’ve been nice to hear at least one instance of acknowledgement of the former vocalist, but it never came.

Along with bassist George Hernandez and new touring guitarist Will Wallner, Sanctuary shined while playing the album that was co-produced by Dave Mustaine when Megadeth was only on its third album So Far, So Good . . . So What! Watch ATM footage below of album finale “Veil of Disguise” before Sanctuary tore into the lone non-Refuge Denied track “Taste Revenge.”

And just how special of an occasion was Hell’s Heroes for even the musicians? Michael declared to the audience: “I haven’t had a drink in five months, and I’m doing it for you motherfuckers!”

Loudness was scheduled to headline Day 2 but canceled due to visa issues from Japan a mere 72 hours prior to the festival’s start. That put Hell’s Heroes organizer Christian Larson in a major bind (and it couldn’t stop the fact “Loudness” was already printed on the fest’s T-shirts), but he was fortunate to add Austin natives Eternal Champion and move Dirkschneider up to the headlining slot after the former Accept vocalist agreed to play a longer set.

Eternal Champion, which formed in 2012, has released two full-length albums in 2016’s The Armor of Ire and 2020’s Ravening Iron. They also have been playing with heavy hearts following the 2024 death of bassist Brad Raub. Vocalist Jason Tarpey let the crowd know that the band was playing with “our fallen brother’s tracks.”

Tarpey, drummer Connor Donegan and guitarists Arthur Rizk and John Powers helped save the day with an inspiring performance, as can be witnessed below via ATM footage of “The Last King of Pictdom” and “The Cold Sword.”

Tarpey inadvertently summed up the general feeling of being present at the fest when he said, “It’s kind of a last-minute gig for us. But we’re happy to be here and be invited.”

Toss in, and toss back, a few brews, peruse the multiple booths of T-shirts, food, patches and jewelry and walk the grounds for three days with your current and new friends — many of whom came from other states — and Hell’s Heroes could once again be deemed a success. And a much-needed void filled for those who can’t get enough heavy metal.

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Broad daylight doesn't stop satanic royalty from striking Midnight

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Broad daylight doesn't stop satanic royalty from striking Midnight

HOUSTON — One of the beautiful aspects of attending a music festival is watching an artist play live for the first time among the ones you paid your hard-earned money to see. Maybe even discovering such bands outright while they’re on stage.

For instance: Hell’s Heroes VIII at White Oak Music Hall, the brainchild of Necrofier vocalist / guitarist and Night Cobra singer Christian Larson, presented on a silver platter the utter punk-influenced butchery and savage dominance of masked marauders Midnight.

A one-man band from Cleveland known as Athenar who plays all instruments and sings on his studio efforts and recruits a drummer and guitarist for live shows, Midnight took to the downtown main stage March 20 at 5:25 p.m. and incited vicious mosh pits and crowd surfing in garbage bins among the masses on a steamy 90-degree Spring Break day.

Following eight years of demos, splits and EP releases, Athenar unleashed his debut full-length album Satanic Royalty in 2011 and used Hell’s Heroes to celebrate it as part of a 15-year anniversary.

Taking the stage as if they were about to rob a bank with guitars and the kit, the chain-clad Athenar and his trio made an instant fan of yours truly with their assault on the masses (watch ATM footage below of “Violence on Violence,” “Savage Dominance” and “Holocaustic Deafening”).

Midnight’s brutality of short punk-infused Motorhead-influenced underground metal tunes was only half of the reason the band made such an impression. Proving that they’re not to be taken too seriously, Athenar provided a litany of humor that may have overshot some members of the audience. Highlights:

*Referring to the fact Day 2 headliner Loudness canceled its appearance 72 hours before the festival began, Athenar stated: “I have some news. Manowar is going to play tonight instead of Loudness. Christian wanted to keep it a secret. And they’re only going to play their new album.”

*“This is our 19th time playing this festival.” Unbeknownst to the frontman, his statement caused at least one fan to turn to his friend and ask, “How is that possible if there’s only been eight of them?”

*After one song, he declared: “There it is, in its entirety: W.A.S.P., The Crimson Idol.”

*Keeping the crowd hydrated, Athenar asked who wanted a water bottle, then while it was midair, he added, “Who wants herpes?” He then made an Eddie Murphy: Comedian reference by saying, “Shit’s like luggage.”

*Taking the stage after Voivod’s performance (coverage forthcoming) and as can be seen below in the video, Athenar told the audience: “It fucking gave me great pleasure to see the snuffville that Voivod did by murdering all you fuckers today. That was great. Thank you, Voivod. Come on! Thanks, Voivod. They just fucking annihilated you all. They literally murdered every single person here. Thank you for killing people. Very technologically they did that” as an ode to the group’s Killing Technology album from 1987.

Being signed to arguably metal’s top record label Metal Blade certainly doesn’t hurt Athenar’s cause. And with a performance such as the one Midnight put on at Hell’s Heroes VIII, it wouldn’t be overstating things to say theirs was one of the best of the three-day festival.

Royalty of the church, visible faces and 100 percent truth telling be damned.

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Dirkschneider dazzles Hell's Heroes VIII with 40 years of 'Balls to the Wall'

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Dirkschneider dazzles Hell's Heroes VIII with 40 years of 'Balls to the Wall'

HOUSTON — Perhaps the most obvious indication of how timeless songs, or an entire album, prove to be is how quickly fans anywhere in the world react to hearing them years after they hit the public’s ears.

A lesser sign, though no less important, is when the artist of said timeless material announces he’s no longer going to play any tunes from his former band, let alone the ones fans always clamor for, only to not only revisit them eventually — but celebrate them.

Enter Udo Dirkschneider.

Perhaps the only musician on the planet who has one band for his first name and another for his surname, Dirkschneider brought his latter outfit to Hell’s Heroes VIII on March 20 and marked 40 years of the album from the band (Accept) he’s most known for that still resonates like no other: Balls to the Wall.

While the title track is by far and away Accept’s most popular song, the rest of the album is nothing to gloss over. Dirkschneider treated the Day 1 crowd of the three-day downtown festival at White Oak Music Hall to the record in its entirety (watch ATM footage below of “Balls to the Wall” plus its final three tunes: “Losers and Winners,” “Guardian of the Night” and “Winter Dreams”).

Due to the fact original Day 1 headliners Loudness canceled a mere 72 hours before their scheduled appearance because of “visa issues” from their native Japan, Dirkschneider, who was originally scheduled to go on before Loudness, agreed to play an even longer set (see setlist in 18-photo gallery).

Backed by his son Sven Dirkschneider on drums, original and longtime Accept bassist Peter Baltes and guitarists Fabian Dee Dammers and Alen Brentini — the latter joining Dirkschneider’s band this past Oct. 27 — Udo and Co. bookended the album with three songs before and after Balls to the Wall.

While other nations had already witnessed and heard a special performance all the way through from Dirkschneider of Accept’s 1983 record (and fifth overall), the German frontman with the unmistakable raspy voice had just listened to his inner metal heart — and had a change of that heart — and given the people what they wanted at Hell’s Heroes.

And that was music to everyone’s ears who was lucky enough to be there.

Danke schon, Dirkschneider.

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Jag Panzer, Hell's Heroes VIII show how generally hostile destruction can be

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Jag Panzer, Hell's Heroes VIII show how generally hostile destruction can be

HOUSTON — When it comes to albums released in 1984, arguably a time when metal was just beginning its crescendo into its mainstream musical peak period, that year’s title track by a certain band named Van Halen comes to mind. Other titles such as Out of the Cellar, Tooth and Nail and Defenders of the Faith find their way to the forefront as well.

Through no fault of their own, Ample Destruction by Jag Panzer tends to get lost in the shuffle. And the band might not have it any other way.

While heavily influenced by the New Wave of British Heavy Metal when formed in 1981, Jag Panzer has always relished a mix of the underground scene and the hardcore dedication of fans around the globe its music has inspired.

And just because it’s 2026 doesn’t mean Jag Panzer and its legion of devotees can’t still party like it’s 1984. That was on display last Thursday outside White Oak Music Hall downtown during Day 1 of the three-day Hell’s Heroes VIII festival in which Jag Panzer unleashed its 1984 full-length debut and follow-up to 1983 Tyrants EP in its entirety.

Well, almost in its entirety.

Original vocalist Harry “The Tyrant” Conklin, original rhythm guitarist Mark Briody and original bassist John Tetley took to the stage at 4:05 p.m. on an upper-80s Spring Break afternoon with lead guitarist Ken Rodarte and drummer Jacob Lee Coleman throwing all commercialism out the door.

And the fans? Message received.

The barrier and security staff earned their keep as the crowd surfers plowed their way over in conveyor belt-like fashion, forcing those in the photo pit to keep one eye on the stage and one behind them. Fans raised the ante at times by riding the wave of metal in garbage bins while Conklin flew the flag of the Ample Destruction cover and wore its T-shirt (see 38-photo gallery).

Although Jag Panzer went through a lineup change between the final recording and release of the album in the mid-’80s, Briody and Tetley have churned out 13 albums in all — most of them with Conklin on vocals — up to 2023’s The Hallowed.

But Hell’s Heroes VIII was all about Ample Destruction, and you can watch a taste of it below via ATM’s footage of “Generally Hostile” and “The Watching” with the former including a cameo by Helstar vocalist James Rivera, whose own band tore up its hometown with a 1:45 p.m. kickoff set (ATM coverage here).

The band had to cut out final tune “The Crucifix” and a planned bonus song, 1986 title track “Shadow Thief,” because it ended up being allotted 40 minutes just like preceding bands Helstar and Leather even though the original set times had given Jag Panzer an hour to fit in the entire album. But that unfortunate blip didn’t come close to dampening the enthusiasm and sheer energy of the band and fans.

The ferocity and fun of Jag Panzer’s set helped set the tone for a memorable first day of Hell’s Heroes 2026. Briody, Tetler and Coleman later joined the metal masses walking around, handing out guitar pics and posing for photos — just one example of how Hell’s Heroes, the brainchild of Necrofier singer/guitarist and Night Cobra vocalist Christian Larson, isn’t your typical metal gig.

The booze was flowin’, the metal was riffin’ and the heads were bangin’ in large part to Jag Panzer. And for that, you can’t blame anyone if they’re already counting down the days to Hell’s Heroes IX.

For more of Alamo True Metal’s Hell’s Heroes coverage, click the ‘Views page on this site (then click “View Post” under the cover photo). You can also visit Alamo True Metal on Facebook and subscribe to YouTube channel Hawkeyedude93.

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All triumph, no agony for Queen of Metal at Hell's Heroes VIII

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All triumph, no agony for Queen of Metal at Hell's Heroes VIII

HOUSTON — The term “influential” may get tossed around the metal community as often as hair headbanging in a swirl and horns pointed to the sky. And though it applies to Doro Pesch, “Queen of Metal” is how metalheads have come to know the former vocalist of Warlock.

“Dedicated Doro” also works. After all, how many musicians of either gender have purposefully withdrawn their name from any chance at holy matrimony in favor of a full-time life of making heavy metal and rocking out for thousands upon thousands all over the world that the 61-year-old refers to as her family?

That dedication, rock enthusiasm and trip down Warlock’s memory lane came this past Thursday as Pesch and her solo band headlined Day 1 of the three-day Hell’s Heroes VIII outside and downtown at White Oak Music Hall.

Accompanied by former Warlock guitarist Tommy Bolan and two musicians who have played in the Doro band for more than 30 years — bassist Nick Douglas and original Britny Fox drummer Johnny Dee — plus Savatage and Trans-Siberian Orchestra guitarist Christopher Caffery, the delightful Doro came out scorching with 1985 classic and traditional opener “Earthshaker Rock.”

Pesch’s set was advertised as a Triumph and Agony performance pre-festival by Hell’s Heroes founder Christian Larson, whose efforts and tireless work to bring so many artists to the fest and have it run as smoothly as it does despite cancellations and other assorted curveballs tossed his way since 2018 cannot go unnoticed.

Although Pesch didn’t perform all 10 tunes from Warlock’s most successful and 1987 album, she did do half of them including “I Rule the Ruins,” “East Meets West” and of course the band’s most famous song thanks to MTV: “All We Are” (setlist in 15-photo gallery).

The native German, who lives in New York and had her home there destroyed in 2011 by Hurricane Irene, enthusiastically told the audience on several occasions she would be spotlighting “old school metal,” and that was evidenced by the title tracks to Warlock’s first three albums: Burning the Witches, Hellbound and True As Steel (ATM footage of which can be viewed below).

It would’ve been great to hear one of Warlock’s “Headbanger’s Ball” hits from 1986, “Fight for Rock” or even a semblance of her blood curling scream on Triumph and Agony’s “Touch of Evil” — the latter of which was on the printed setlist. But Pesch omitted that tune as well as “Metal Tango” due to time constraints.

Pesch has also been influential in terms of the metal friends she has made among her peers over the years, with two of her closest ones having passed several years ago in Ronnie James Dio and Lemmy Kilmister. Pesch wrapped up her set with the latter’s “Ace of Spades” as an ode to Kilmister and Motorhead guitarist Phil Campbell who passed only five days earlier.

Not to be outdone, Pesch has collaborated with her fellow German and vocalist Udo Dirkschneider, who headlined Hell’s Heroes the following night (coverage forthcoming), Rob Halford and Blaze Bayley while having solo albums produced by Gene Simmons.

Influential? Dedicated? Queen of Metal?

Call her what you want. And call us lucky and fortunate to have her.

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Hellacious festival return home for Houston heroes Helstar

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Hellacious festival return home for Houston heroes Helstar

HOUSTON — As a pioneer of H-town heavy metal beginning with its 1984 debut album Burning Star that considers the Alamo City more than a second home, Helstar has made just a few sacrifices along the journey into 2026.

For vampirish vocalist James Rivera, however, none may have been more attention-getting or impressive than agreeing to not only whittle a 42-year career into a six-song set, but to do so at the bloodsucking brutal time of 1:45 in the afternoon.

But when it comes to playing its hometown — particularly for the eighth annual Hell’s Heroes festival at White Oak Music Hall that is the brainchild of Necrofier singer/guitarist and Night Cobra vocalist Christian Larson — this past Thursday’s performance was all in a day’s work for Rivera and his partner in crime, band founder and guitarist Larry Barragan.

Adorned in his customary black cloak and fang-like teeth jutting from the corners of his mouth, Rivera was no worse for the wear vocally despite the abnormal start time in 90-degree Texas heat.

On the contrary, Helstar brought heat of its own, making the most of its brief itinerary with five tracks from the first four albums plus “Carcass for a King” from terrific new effort The Devil’s Masquerade (setlist in 36-photo gallery). But it was the inclusion of the final track on second album Remants of War from 1986 — “Angel of Death” which Rivera said the band hadn’t played in 20 years — that wowed the audience just a little extra and stamped Helstar’s latest showing as magnifique (ATM footage below).

Barragan, who also plays lead in Spanish-singing metallers Santa Oscuridad, riffed his way with sheer intensity that woke up any fans still hung over from Wednesday night’s pre-party.

Rivera, who more than dabs his way around San Antonio stages also as part of James Rivera’s Metal Asylum and the South Texas Legion, found time after the set to make a cameo with Jag Panzer as that band performed its own 1984 debut Ample Destruction in its entirety (ATM footage here).

Along with veteran drummer Mikey Lewis — who also woke up those hurting from the night before with his ferocious pounding of the skins — and bassist Garrick Smith, Helstar’s latest addition is another component of its San Antonio-Houston connection: Alan DeLeon Jr., who joined two years ago, is also the guitarist for S.A. black metal group Fluxus Mortis as of last year.

Luckily, Helstar’s hard work in putting out new music four decades into its career has given fans another cause to check out the band anytime it plays live in the Lone Star State even though its members have every reason to rest on their laurels.

Then again, that wouldn’t be the Helstar or Texas way. No matter the time of day — or blood screeching night.

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There's A Revolution: Geoff Tate closes book on Operation: Mindcrime

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There's A Revolution: Geoff Tate closes book on Operation: Mindcrime

For a man who has performed in San Antonio since the third concert his former band ever played back in 1983, a couple of consistencies have glaringly rung true regarding Geoff Tate:

  • As long as promoters want him to play Operation: Mindcrime in its entirety, he will

  • San Antonians will never get tired of hearing him do so

And why should they?

Widely regarded as the greatest heavy metal concept album in history, the original voice of Queensryche has performed the 1988 masterpiece from beginning to end on at least five occasions in the Alamo City, nearly always at the Aztec Theatre.

Saturday night’s rendition at the Aztec marked what Tate has billed as “Operation: Mindcrime: The Final Chapter.” Though he has said that prior occasions would mark the last time he would play the album live, including as recently as 2025 at the Aztec, this latest performance may have been the most scintillating of them all.

Given the energy, musicianship, enthusiasm and electricity that was vibrant on stage and throughout the venue, it would’ve been easy for fans to forget that Tate had open heart surgery just four years ago — another reason this man and his band should always be appreciated on stage going forward no matter what he chooses to play and something we discussed before his 2022 appearance (watch here).

Accompanied by Irish support acts Ogma and Tomas McCarthy — each of whom employed a musician that pulled double duty in Tate’s band, and neither of which had even been mentioned by the Aztec as being on the bill — Tate donned a black cowboy hat and appeared to feel right at home.

His band featuring guitarists Kieran Robertson (Glasgow, Scotland), Dario Parente of Rome and James Brown (Kilkenny, Ireland), bassist “Smilin’ “ Jack Ross (Glasgow, Scotland), one-moniker drummer Baker of Seattle, keyboardist Bruno Sa Ferreira from Rio de Janeiro, cellist Julia-Maria and violinist Ryan Parsons (both of Cork, Ireland) and alto saxophonist / vocalist Clodagh McCarthy from Wexford, Ireland, were impressive throughout the show.

McCarthy, the wife of Tomas, reprised the role of “Suite Sister Mary” following in the footsteps of others such as Sass Jordan and Tate’s daughter Emily Tate. Watch the band in action via ATM footage below during the Mindcrime portion on “I Don’t Believe in Love,” “Waiting For 22,” “My Empty Room” and one of the greatest songs in Queensryche’s catalog, album closer “Eyes of a Stranger.”

There’s no denying Operation: Mindcrime’s influence on metalheads around the world. For this writer, the album was purchased immediately after high school let out on release day with a trip to an Illinois record store six months before the video for “Eyes of a Stranger” even dropped on MTV and would take the metal community by storm.

Following the album’s hour-long performance and chapter closure (theoretically), Tate told his audience, “Guess what? We’re just getting started.”

With that, Tate and Clodagh McCarthy broke out the saxes for a unique jazzy playing of the revolutionary “Can . . . you . . . hear . . . it calling” part of the title track to 1990’s Empire (ATM footage below) that morphed into the second half of the set (see setlist in 65-photo gallery).

Tate was fresh off a New Year’s Eve acoustic set at Deco Ballroom only 39 days earlier in which he delved into deep cuts “Until There Was You,” “I Will Remember” and a pair of Hear in the Now Frontier tracks in “Sign of the Times” and “Chasing Blue Sky” — the latter appears on the reissue edition. So naturally, this night’s performance stuck mostly to the hits including “Jet City Woman” during which Tate brought up a fan named Mitchell Miller onstage to join in the singing.

But that wasn’t all.

At song’s end, Tate presented Miller with a surprising souvenir that he’s sure to treasure forever (ATM footage below).

Then it was time for the one track that wasn’t part of the norm. Not to mention, the most serious part of the show. Turning into an acoustic bit that spotlighted Parsons on violin and Julia-Maria on cello, Tate gave his two cents on the recent trend of violence around the nation without directly mentioning Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE).

“Fuck this violence,” Tate said as he took a drink. “Let’s get rid of it. Here’s to those families that have been torn apart by acts of violence.” That segued into the rarely ever played “Blood” from 2003’s Tribe (ATM footage below).

The changing tone was odd given that it came immediately following the happiness of the fan participation on stage. But its inclusion was more important than its placement.

Tate’s concerts that include deep tracks from albums that may not have resonated with Queensryche fans as much as Mindcrime and Empire was something ATM spoke about with Tate before one of his two Aztec appearances in 2014 (watch here).

Ogma played an energetic 30-minute rock set led by singer / guitarist Brown that included an ode to fellow Irish mainstays Thin Lizzy with “Jailbreak,” though that would’ve fit better toward the end of the set rather than the second tune. Watch ATM footage below of original track “Enslaved.”

Tomas McCarthy, meanwhile, wowed the crowd with his own 30-minute opening set. Joined by his aforementioned wife Clodagh on vocals and alto sax and guitarist James Keegan, the Mrs. told the crowd that when they opened for Tate previously at the Aztec, it was their favorite gig of the entire tour due to the venue’s marvel.

The challenge the trio faced of keeping the crowd’s interest and attention due to the fact it doesn’t employ electric guitars or a drummer is akin to what instrumental guitarists face performing live, but they more than pulled it off. Watch the group in action below on the title track to EP Colours, a Grammy-nominated track Tomas McCarthy wrote after the passing of a friend that wasn’t meant to be released musically.

Meanwhile, Tate is said to be working on Operation: Mindcrime III with Disturbed bassist and Austin native John Moyer producing.

That, of course, would leave the door open to Tate eventually playing the original, its 2006 sequel and forthcoming effort live at once.

So does that mean “The Final Chapter” of Nikki’s story with Sister Mary and Dr. X is not so final after all?

Or has it just begun?

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Local artists Voltreus & Aeternal Requiem advance to state final of Wacken Metal Battle

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Local artists Voltreus & Aeternal Requiem advance to state final of Wacken Metal Battle

The annual competition for worldwide supremacy of bands battling to represent their respective countries at metal’s most renowned festival this summer has kicked off around the globe. Closer to home, it all began Friday night at the Rock Box as the San Antonio Regional of the Wacken Metal Battle commenced to crown the top two bands that would advance to the state final Sunday, March 15, at Come And Take It Live in Austin (tickets here).

Some bands brought their “A” game. Some treated it as another opportunity to play in front of their friends and family and hawk their merch. Others stayed home for reasons only known to them.

When the night was over, a two-man panel of judges decided that the artists which most made like Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” and seized the moment rather than letting it slip were San Antonio’s own Voltreus (regional winner) and local runner-up Aeternal Requiem.

Each of those bands came with an eyebrow-raising story on its quest for success.

The regional’s official flyer announcement began with 14 bands around the Christmas holidays. Soon thereafter, Thunder Horse, Surge, Glorious, Cheese Grater Masturbation and Wicked Angel withdrew.

By the time Friday rolled around, the event had whittled more from nine to seven bands.

Slated to kick off at 5:50 p.m. with San Antonio’s Blood Moon, with each group allotted 20 minutes to strut its stuff, Blood Moon did not appear. Nor did Forever Silent, a Spanish metalcore outfit from El Paso that would’ve had to make a 10-12-hour trek to San Antonio. The latter band did not make any mention of the Wacken Metal Battle on its social media pages, so perhaps something got lost in translation.

The more bands that succumbed, the better the chance the ones at the Rock Box were going to advance to Austin.

Voltreus (Voal-TRAY-us) arguably exhibited the most energy and, from a person who has covered and judged prior Wacken battles, that is always one of the top qualities that can help bands impress the panel. While it isn’t a guarantee it will lead to victory, artists can certainly play themselves out of the running if they take up part of their 20 minutes giving shout-outs to their friends in the front row or telling the audience to “come say hello to us at the merch booth.”

Note to bands: the Wacken Metal Battle is not your typical show. You are playing for 20 MINUTES TO ADVANCE TO MOVE ON TO HOPEFULLY AND EVENTUALLY PERFORM AT THE WORLD’S BIGGEST HEAVY METAL FESTIVAL IN GERMANY. You can play in front of your friends and family in your city anytime and point out your merch then. When you only have time for three or four songs to put a stranglehold on your opportunity and give the best you have, take advantage of it. Furthermore, when you’re playing in a bar and there’s fewer than 100 patrons there, they will see your merch stand simply when they’re walking around. If you’re going to emphasize that over your performance — a performance that, by the way, should concentrate on impressing the judges more than anyone else there — you’ve already lost. Consider it a lesson learned for future battles if you so desire.

Voltreus and Aeternal Requiem needed no such PSA.

Voltreus came out with black paint, eerie horned masks, loud music and an intriguing story as told by vocalist Tyler “Obidius” Groshon of how three of the band’s four members have been adopted (himself twice). The end result was the one song in which the band showed its faces in an uplifting message to what family and their fans mean to them on “Kith & Kin” (ATM footage below), which the band was scheduled to shoot a video for the day after winning the regional and releasing the song as a single April 10.

Voltreus was formed in 2019 by 27-year-old guitarist / singer Ferni “Infyct” Ramirez and bassist Devin “Obelith” Guy, 29.

Groshon, who turns 32 next month, drummer Fox “Primal” Alexander and Guy were adopted. Groshon, originally from Washington, D.C., spent six years in the Navy but said it was his dream to move to San Antonio not because it is Military City, but because of its music scene.

“The plan for me was to get into the military to figure out what I wanted to do with my life, and then when I wanted to get out, that’s what I wanted to do,” Groshon told Alamo True Metal. “San Antonio just kept popping up in my head because that was a place that I could go. There’s a music scene there, it’s always been a dream. You know what, I’m going to try my best to get there. When I was applying for places to go, you never get anywhere that you pick. Ever. And I chose San Antonio as my No. 1. I’m the only person that anyone knows that got their No. 1 choice right off the rim. It’s super rare. I got my orders before my buddy who applied for orders six months before me, and he also came to San Antonio.”

Groshon joined Voltreus in 2021 after being asked by Ramirez to try his luck at vocals but not until he had declined several times. “Then I was in Calculus class, and I messaged him and said, “Alright, let’s do it. I blew out my voice the first practice, and I was like ‘That’s never gonna happen again.’ We just kept working at it,” Groshon said.

Aeternal Requiem has quite an interesting tale of its own.

Formerly a trio led by singer/guitarist Austin Zettner, the band competed as a quartet in the 2020 Regional at Fitzgerald’s. Basically defunct ever since, Zettner has resurrected the group with an all-new quintet that is now meshing folk metal using a mini flute Zettner keeps in his back pocket with songs from their initial album Rise (ATM footage below of “Forlorn Hope” and “Invictus”).

Friday night marked only Aeternal Requiem’s second gig in six years after playing the Texas Viking Festival in December in Paige, Texas. Now the band finds itself preparing for its third gig with its new lineup in Austin at the State Final.

While bands emanating from the Alamo City dropped out of the regional before the competition and the day of, Egregious made an incredible statement of its own by driving 10 hours from Albuquerque for its own 20-minute opportunity at exposure.

It wouldn’t have been the first time a band traveled that far to play 20 minutes. Texas Voodoo Stomp did that deed from El Paso to the Alamo City and ended up advancing out of the San Antonio Regional in 2020 to the state final in Austin that ended up taking place the day before the world was shut down due to Covid-19, eventually wiping out the national final and Wacken Open Air entirely.

This time, Egregious visited the Rock Box after raising $650 for a rental van through a GoFundMe effort “because nothing was really close to us” in terms of the Battle.

The mere fact that a band demonstrated that level of dedication to put all their eggs into such a brief set spoke volumes about certain bands’ outlook and goals for themselves as artists.

Egregious was one of the bands to shine on stage (see ATM footage below of “St. Vengeance”), though the judges had them finish just outside of the top two.

Immortal Execution, Corpse Hole, Overlay and Ariah Falls — all local bands — joined Voltreus and Aeternal Requiem in bringing their various genres to the stage. Corpse Hole, impressively, was fresh off an appearance at the annual 70000 Tons of Metal Heavy Metal Beach Party the week before at The Clevelander on South Beach in Miami. See each of those bands in action below.

In the end, only two could move on to Austin. Voltreus and Aeternal Requiem will need to step up their game with each round of the competition. They will join A Good Rogering, BountyTX, Nemesis and We Are Man at the State Final, with only the winner advancing to the national final June 13 in San Diego. The winner of that will be on the road to Wacken in Germany from July 29-Aug. 1 also earning VIP camping and $1,000 for the flight to the fest that will include 80,000 headbangers and headliners Judas Priest, Def Leppard, In Flames and Powerwolf.

The Wacken Metal Battle is a great way for fans and industry folks to discover bands — and to find out just how serious each outfit is in an attempt to “make it.”

Losing the competition also tests whether a band is going to ask itself, “Are we good enough going forward, and what do we need to work on? Or, are we going to give up because a couple of judges didn’t feel we were talented enough?”

While Voltreus and Aeternal Requiem move on in a competition featuring bands from 62 countries this year that is slated to grow to a whopping 102 nations in 2027, they know the stakes get higher and the contest gets tougher with each round.

“We don’t have to overthink it because we’re accounting for every little detail always,” Voltreus bassist Guy said. “All we gotta do is execute the plan.”

The quality of songs and a band’s look go a long way toward success in such a competition. But it also more than helps to have the right attitude.

“Honestly,” Groshon said, “don’t get me wrong, and I don’t want this to sound mean or anything, but when someone says, ‘You guys did great,’ we love that and we appreciate that a lot that everyone had a good time. But what I’m here for is I wanna hear what you have to tell us that we can do better.”

May the best band win.

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Throw your Rah-Rahs up! Lineup of locals joins Florida's Severed Sun in hammering down

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Throw your Rah-Rahs up! Lineup of locals joins Florida's Severed Sun in hammering down

When a city has established itself as the “Heavy Metal Capital” over five decades, certain aspects of the flip side of that moniker also come to fruition.

Namely, the fact that bands and venues come and go as part of the circle of metal life.

But much like your favorite pizza place or Mexican restaurant in the Alamo City that may have been short lived, concert venues — particularly of the bar variety — tend to resurrect from the dead from time to time.

A convenient jaunt around the corner from North Star Mall, at 6322 San Pedro Ave., lies the newly revamped and reopened Rah! Rah! Room, where five bands didn’t give a rat’s ass about reliving history or getting nostalgic last Saturday.

They just wanted to kick ass and entertain.

Local crushers Wicked Angel, Metalriser, Even In Death and Konvxtion did the honors and were joined by “groove metal” quintet Severed Sun, which made the 17-hour drive from Clermont, Florida, in the Orlando area to close the show.

Two years ago, Rah! Rah! Room was known as The Rec Room -- and, going back to the ‘80s, may have even been a pizza joint or two. While that installment of a local concert venue didn’t last long, more shows such as this gathering, combined with an increase in spreading the word about said show beforehand around town through various methods, may ensure Rah! Rah! has a longer life span.

The gig came to life thanks to Joseph Dwyer of Hammerhead Productions, which was making a bit of history of its own. Dwyer and Hammerhead, a once steady influence on the local metal scene, had taken a break from the business and hadn’t put on a show in town in nearly five years.

That changed when Dwyer reconnected, oddly enough, with the one non-local band on the bill — Severed Sun and vocalist Rod Rawlins, a longtime friend.

Before they knew it, Severed Sun added San Antone to its “Call to Arms” itinerary. And although the group closed after the four locals with an 11:08-11:52 p.m. set that shouldn’t have been past too many bedtimes on a Saturday night, it was disappointing to see only roughly 30 fans stick around from what had been a larger turnout for its predecessors.

But demonstrating the true epitome of “doing it for the love of Rock N’ Roll,” Severed Sun treated those on hand to a heavy, energetic and headbanging performance mixed in with some fun and humor.

Rawlins took the time to thank those on hand by sharing a few shots with Wicked Angel guitarist Roland Casias and fans (see 85-photo gallery). He came off the main stage at one point and dosey-doed with an attractive onlooker who had declined the shot offer but was one of the most dedicated patrons who was also there for the first note of openers Konvxtion at 7:30 p.m. on the muggy outdoor stage.

Toward the end of the seven-song set, Dwyer held up one of the group’s banners and had anyone remaining in the venue sign it as a keepsake for Severed Sun to take back to Florida.

You can watch Rawlins, lead guitarist Kevin Miller, new rhythm guitarist Ricky Rock, bassist Daryl Jones and drummer Justin Telfer in action on “Fuktard” from their 2021 EP Catacombs. Or, at least half of it. The Rah! Rah! didn’t have any available outlets, incredibly, indoors or out, and after having shot and filmed the four other bands, well, batteries tend to run out when they can’t be recharged.

But that wasn’t an issue with Wicked Angel, Metalriser, Even In Death and Konvxtion.

Wicked Angel is always a treat to watch due to its storied history dating back to the early ‘80s and its “haunting” thematic songs.

Vocalist Dave Caballero is always entertaining, setting the tone in his black cloak, wide-ranging vocals, unique stage presence and willingness to engage with the crowd.

Watch Caballero, Casias, guitarist Joseph Valdez, bassist Raymond Castaneda and drummer Ernest Chavarria in action below via ATM’s footage of ‘80s track “People of the Black Circle” and the brand new “Phantazma.”

Wicked Angel will celebrate the release of its new EP on June 21 at The Starlighter (1910 Fredericksburg Rd.; $10 cover) with Santa Oscuridad and Perfect Darkt. The former group is the Spanish-signing band led by Helstar guitarist Larry Barragan, who produced the new tunes.

Preceding Wicked Angel on the new and fantastically lit inside stage (Rec Room bands played on the floor) was a veteran yet still young local outfit that always tests one’s neck elasticity.

Metalriser brings the thrash to its shows every time, and with band founder, vocalist, rhythm guitarist Joel Estrada delivering new tunes “Thoughts of Chaos,” “Reality is Death” and “Inner Self” in addition to “Hell’s Gate” from 2022 album Demise, diehard headbangers now have more reasons to check out the group’s shows.

Estrada has welcomed back drummer Kevin Ortiz to the fold along with guitarist Raymond Valdez and bassist John Talabay. Having toured with D.R.I. and been around for more than 12 years, which is when ATM first began covering Metalriser, the group has endured a slew of lineup changes. Two months ago, former bassist Nick Gamboa passed away.

But Estrada’s vision for the band remains steady, and with new tracks hitting our eardrums at last, metalheads far and wide would be wise to appreciate this band live and in the flesh whenever the opportunity arises. Er, metal rises.

As three quarters of Metalriser were about to take the stage inside, the only missing piece, momentarily, was Talabay. That’s because he was watching every note of his former band Even In Death being played on the outside stage before running back in to fulfill his current obligations.

What he heard was a seven-song set filled with the group’s staples such as “Fire All Your Guns” and “Abandoned,” and you can watch ATM’s footage below of “Freeze” and “My Salvation.” Vocalist Sean Nations and crew also tossed in Bullet For My Valentine cover “Your Betrayal” before ending a 38-minute set with new track “World Upside Down.”

Whether Talabay, or anyone else for that matter, actually saw it may have been debatable, however — through no fault of the band. On a cloudy and very muggy night, the 8:30-9:08 p.m. set was “lit” more with Christmas-like bulbs than actual lights, particularly around David McGilvery’s drum kit.

And in all ATM’s 26 years of covering gigs in various states and by whatever name ATM has gone by, Even In Death’s set featured an oddball occurrence first: guitarist Anthony Carrillo was on site, but not on stage, because he had a prior commitment with his Metallica tribute act Blackened and had to leave halfway through his original group’s set.

Saul De Leon came to the rescue on only four days’ notice, joining lead guitarist James Garza, bassist Anthony Aleman, Nations and McGilvery.

The night kicked off with Konvxtion outside, but with more clear natural light for its 7:30 p.m. start.

Vocalist Ed Rios and drummer Eric Rios led the way, getting things warmed up with tracks such as new single “Burning A Hole In Me” and 5-year-old tunes “We All Bleed Red” and “Guillotine,” the latter watchable below.

As for more chances to see some of these acts in action?

Wicked Angel will open for Watchtower’s return with James Rivera’s Metal Asylum on Friday, Sept. 5, at Fitzgerald’s (tickets here).

Konvxtion, meanwhile, plays tonight at Nowhere Bar on Austin Hwy with Dragging The Depths, The Broken Page, Blind Lies and A Cautious Optimist.

With Hammerhead Productions back on the map and the Rah! Rah’s existence led by one of the city’s most riveting vocalists — Wall Of Soul and Whiskey Bliss’ Chrissy Bliss — that tag team plus a bevy of local bands from which to choose can only mean good things for Rah Rah’s contribution to the scene going forward. How long it lasts, as always, remains to be seen.

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'The Sickness' turns Frost Bank Center into fiery & Disturbed haven of rock

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'The Sickness' turns Frost Bank Center into fiery & Disturbed haven of rock

The Frost Bank Center has had its share of scents, atmospheres and one-of-a-kind moments over the years even when it was known under different names. There’s the annual San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo, where animals fill the air with their own brand of aura. There was the time Hall of Fame guard Manu Ginobili caught a bat (the winged kind, not the baseball kind) out of the air during a Spurs game.

Last Friday night, a different type of feeling permeated the air: The Sickness. And it was swept up by approximately 15,000 dedicated fans of Disturbed.

The Chicago band, which includes one-time Austin resident and vocalist David Draiman and Austin native and bassist John Moyer, celebrated 25 years of their landmark 2000 debut album by playing it in its entirety with special guests Daughtry and San Antonio’s own Nothing More.

There was no fanfare for The Sickness coming to life live. Rather, the stage curtain illuminated many early images of the band (see 65-photo gallery) before slowly rising, allowing the Frost Bank Center to see its first in-the-flesh images of Moyer, guitarist Dan Donegan and drummer Mike Wengren.

Draiman was wheeled out a la fictional serial killer and forensic psychiatrist Hannibal Lecter, wrapped in a white straitjacket and covered in a black mask. He was assisted onto the stage, set free from the jacket and promptly delved into opening track “Voices,” setting the stage for a talk-free 12-song in-album-order rendition of one of the best rock records to come out of the first part of this century.

That meant that the group’s most revered tune, “Down With the Sickness” was performed as it is on the album — fourth — rather than a final encore. It also signified that some tracks that rarely, or ever, get played live saw the light of night such as “Violence Fetish” and mandatory neckbreaker “Droppin’ Plates.”

For album finale “Meaning of Life,” the band changed into orange prison jumpsuits, and Draiman was “electrocuted,” his forehead spewing fake blood as the crowd went animalistic.

Following a 20-minute intermission, Disturbed took to some of its greatest hits. Having already performed its cover of Tears For Fears’ “Shout” from the first album, the group launched into Genesis’ “Land of Confusion” before rolling out a piano that was set ablaze and played by Donegan during Simon & Garfunkel’s “The Sound of Silence.” Draiman sang that one at the front of the runway portion of the stage that jetted out into the crowd, while Wengren pounded a pair of Taiko drums and Moyer stayed behind on the main portion of the stage accompanied by female orchestra members.

Disturbed spared no expense of pyro at the Frost Bank Center, particularly during 2022 and latest album Divisive track “Bad Man” — when the album cover and group mascot came to life in a larger-than-life inflatable — and show finale “Inside the Fire.”

After taking a bow, the stage curtain read “Disturbed Celebrating 25 Years of ‘The Sickness.’ Thank You San Antonio!!”

Chris Daughtry, incredibly, has been on the rock music scene for 19 years since finishing fourth on “American Idol,” only to branch out into stardom status despite not winning his season of the program.

Setting the stage for Disturbed, the well-rounded vocalist who has done everything from brilliantly acoustically covering Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face” to collaborating with Sevendust on rejuvenating track “The Past” spotlighted several of his albums during an 11-song set.

Tracks such as “World on Fire” and “Heavy Is the Crown” meshed with his “American Idol” days cover of Journey’s “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” and self-titled debut album hits “It’s Not Over” and “Home.” Daughtry did the latter alone and acoustically, telling the audience: “If I hadn’t written this next song, there’s a good chance I wouldn’t be standing in front of you right now, San Antonio.”

Over the years of playing their hometown shows, the men of Nothing More have often shared with Alamo True Metal that performing in their city brings its share of challenges and pressures unlike other shows. Vocalist Jonny Hawkins has been one of those to state such sentiments.

On this night, Nothing More undoubtedly felt that pressure multiplied — because Hawkins wasn’t even present.

A mere 24 hours before the show, Hawkins had to bow out due to doctors’ orders after it was discovered he was bleeding from his vocal cords. In stepped Atreyu vocalist Brandon Saller on, yes, a mere single day’s notice to learn the tunes the group would be playing in its opening 30-minute set.

The band’s 2024 album Carnal includes separate tracks with guest appearances by Daughtry and Draiman, making this tour trio a match made in fiery Rock N’ Roll heaven.

Guitarist Mark Vollelunga allowed the band and crowd to get warmed up with a pair of new tunes before introducing Saller as the “saving-the-day” vocalist, to which those who were actually watching the group and not hanging out in the lobby, late to the party or in the concessions line applauded vociferously for Saller’s timely rescue and Nothing More’s latest hometown appearance.

But as brief as it was, Nothing More couldn’t leave the stage without performing “Jenny” and “This Is the Time (Ballast)” as Vollelunga, bassist Daniel Oliver and drummer Ben Anderson got through a show they’re not likely to forget anytime soon unscathed.

DISTURBED SETLIST: Voices, The Game, Stupify, Down With the Sickness, Violence Fetish, Fear, Numb, Want, Conflict, Shout (Tears For Fears cover), Droppin’ Plates, Meaning of Life; (20-minute intermission); I Will Not Break, Ten Thousand Fists, Bad Man, Land of Confusion (Genesis cover), Indestructible, The Sound of Silence (Simon & Garfunkel cover), The Light, Inside the Fire

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Hell's Heroes VII caters to entire metal community, shows festival organizers how it's done

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Hell's Heroes VII caters to entire metal community, shows festival organizers how it's done

HOUSTON — When it comes to the quaint gathering known as the metal festival, Hell’s Heroes doesn’t have the notoriety of Rocklahoma. It may not have the pomp of Louder Than Life or the circumstance of Aftershock.

What it does have is so much more meaningful: resonance with those who matter the most.

The artists and the fans.

Hell’s Heroes VII concluded another stellar year Saturday, March 22, at White Oak Music Hall, culminating the four-day, two-stage affair with a lot of something for everyone (see 185-photo gallery).

Enjoy your metal with a side of Satan? Goatwhore was happy to oblige spotlighting its 2000 debut album The Eclipse of Ages Into Black.

Fan of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal? Saxon headlined the finale with a special “The Eagle Has Landed” set 24 hours after playing Wheels of Steel in its entirety at the Tobin Center (coverage here).

Want to be a part of history? S.A. Slayer reunited for its first performance in 40 years (coverage here).

How about possibly reliving your high school years with a trip down Memory Lane from a guy who shouldn’t even be alive? That would be original Danzig guitarist John Christ highlighting that band’s first two game changing albums from 1988 & 1990 despite the fact he was nearly killed in an auto wreck in 2004.

Then there was Celtic folk / black metal band Primordial from Ireland, whose vocalist A.A. Nemtheanga performs with a noose around his neck.

And that was just scratching the fretboard.

The architect of Christian Larson, Hell’s Heroes VII may not be on the same platform as the bigger-name fests or performed on a cruise ship. Nevertheless, a big phat set of horns needs to be raised to Larson and his cohorts because it was a raging success with those who witnessed it no matter from where they came, independent of whether they were there one day, all four or somewhere in between.

Larson is the vocalist of heavy shredders Night Cobra, which kicked off Saturday’s festivities at 12:30 p.m. How many festival founders would put their band on first when the least amount of fans would be in attendance?

But Larson did just that, demonstrating he’s not interested in any sort of ego interfering with how his festival would be run.

And what a run it was.

Though Alamo True Metal was there only for the final day due to paying the bills and covering the aforementioned Saxon, Riot V, Lizzy Borden gig the night before in the Alamo City, the fest made quite an impression in many ways.

Despite the fact it was an 80-degree day in March as opposed to a brutal 100-degree muggy affair in July, both photo pits were stocked with cases of bottled water that security offered up for free to the hardcore fans that spent hours by the barrier.

There were no fights or visible signs of trouble. Instead, there were hours of safe metal mayhem accompanied by food trucks, and vendors selling everything from T-shirts and beanies with your favorite band’s logos to dog and cat jean jackets (somebody say MUTT-allica?).

Larson undoubtedly also put his band on first so he could spend the remainder of the fest overseeing the goings-on while admiring the fruits of his and the White Oak staff’s labor.

Larson, who also sings and plays guitar in black-metal outfit Necrofier, which headlined Hi-Tones in San Antonio on Jan. 26 (coverage here), fronted a slew of songs from Night Cobra’s 2020 debut EP In Praise of the Shadow and 2022 lone full-length Dawn of the Serpent.

Bass player Trevi Biles, meanwhile, offers up a different type of double duty. According to Encyclopaedia Metallum, he teaches high school students Precalculus and Algebra II Accelerated.

Speaking of double duty . . . drummer Dave McClain, who’s also in Sacred Reich and known for his time in Machine Head, went from S.A. Slayer’s reunion to providing the backstop for Danzig guitarist Christ less than 90 minutes later.

A stagehand resembling Glenn Danzig, complete with the sideburns, introduced the band simply by bellowing, “Do you wanna cross that line,” to which the crowd erupted, “ ‘Cause it’s a Long Way Back From Hell!”

That would be just one of the eight Danzig songs Christ, McClain and Co. would perform as part of a 45-minute set.

Each minute Christ lives, let alone plays guitar, is a victory in and of itself. While driving a truck in 2004, a tire blew out. Christ’s vehicle rolled, ejecting him into oncoming traffic and leading to years of physical and mental therapy.

Prior to launching into “Snakes of Christ,” (ATM footage below), Christ used a sense of humor to regale the audience about his frightening experience.

“I wanted to go for a helicopter ride, right? The only way I found out (how) to do it was to get thrown out of a truck on the freeway and get run over by traffic going the other way,” Christ said. “But I got my helicopter ride. I shut down the freeway in both directions in L.A., and I almost kicked the bucket. Broke half my body, and it took five years to be able to play guitar again. I had to learn how to talk everything and walk. Some people say I still can’t talk or walk at the same time. But anyway, and now it’s 20 years later. I’m back. I missed you guys.”

Christ, who stamped Danzig’s sound on the first four albums after a stint with Glenn Danzig in Samhain, was playing his first gig in Houston since 1995. The crowd ate it up on classic riff-laden opener “Twist of Cain,” “She Rides,” “Am I Demon” and of course, the hit that broke Danzig’s MTV bank: “Mother.”

“MTV hated us until ‘Beavis & Butt-head’ loved us in ‘93,” Christ said.

There was also Swiss trio Coroner, still being spearheaded by singer/bassist Ron Royce. It was a little surreal standing in line with them at one of the food trucks immediately after their set, but that’s the intimacy you get at Hell’s Heroes that doesn’t happen at all festivals.

There was Scotland’s Hellripper, packing them in during the hottest part of the afternoon while marking their first trip to America.

There was San Antonio’s own Las Cruces, which learned only about a week before that they’d be replacing the absent Blood Ceremony. Vocalist Jason Kane was a headbanging and singing machine, while guitarist Mando Serna, bassist Jimmy Bell and band leader George Trevino made the Alamo City proud throughout the set, a taste of which can be seen below on ATM’s footage of “Ringmaster” and “Cocaine Wizard Woman.”

Lest anyone call it a night early, they would have missed Saxon putting a metallic bow on another year of Hell’s Heroes.

At one point, vocalist Biff Byford lamented the discrepancy in Saxon’s appearances at festivals overseas compared to the dearth of American ones, saying, “We should play more festivals in America. We don’t get asked to play festivals here. It’s a bloody shame, really.”

But all it took was the performance of a few tracks Saxon didn’t perform at the Tobin Center such as “This Town Rocks” plus “And the Bands Played On” to make things right again immediately after thundering through “1066” and “The Eagle Has Landed” (ATM footage of both below).

Following the latter, Byford told the crowd Saxon would play “a few extra songs.” He gave the people the choice of hearing the two aforementioned ones along with their cover of San Antonio native Christopher Cross’ “Ride Like the Wind” before yielding, “Maybe we’ll do two of them. Or all three.”

After ending the trifecta with the remake, Byford instructed of Houston: “Don’t tell San Antonio we played that one.”

The generosity, however, came at a small price. As Saxon began to exceed the 11 p.m. curfew, the venue pulled the plug after the first verse of finale “Princess of the Night.”

It was the only blemish on the evening, if you could even call it that.

Barely a breath after the final note, Hell’s Heroes was already reaching out to fans asking for which bands they want to have at next year’s fest. A good start would be the groups that couldn’t make it due to visa or travel issues such as the aforementioned Blood Ceremony and Onslaught.

But again, Hell’s Heroes has something for everyone. Whatever the choices, they’re bound to be worth the time and price of admission you’re willing to invest in it in 2026.

Next time, you might want to bring your pet. Just don’t forget to raise those horns, and paws, high to the sky.

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40-Year Reunion of S.A. Slayer hits home at Hell's Heroes

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40-Year Reunion of S.A. Slayer hits home at Hell's Heroes

HOUSTON — When the five men in black hit the main stage outside last Saturday at White Oak Music Hall, it may have appeared as an ordinary metal concert.

It may have looked as if yet another festival band was playing the fourth and final day of Hell’s Heroes VII. But upon closer look, even with the recognizable star power coming into focus at that moment with each individual’s credentials morphing into the formation of a modern-day supergroup, the significance of the show about to unfold was not lost upon the masses.

Because there on stage, for the first time in four decades, was one of the pioneers of early San Antonio heavy metal. With four-fifths original or nearly original members fronted by the only vocalist appropriate to carry on the legacy of — not replace — the band’s late voice, S.A. Slayer had risen from the ashes.

Guitarist Bob Catlin, bassist Don Van Stavern and drummer Dave McClain — all there during the group’s formation in 1982 — were joined by 1983 guitarist Ron Jarzombek and South Texas Music Walk of Fame and Texas Music Hall of Fame vocalist Jason McMaster for a 45-minute concert 40 years in the making.

After opening with the title track to 1983 EP Prepare to Die, the band didn’t need a 40-year absence to be reminded of the perils of technical difficulties when Catlin’s guitar amps didn’t cooperate during second song “To Ride the Demon Out.”

McMaster utilized the time to tell the audience that initial talks of S.A. Slayer’s reunion involved the other members asking, “What’s Jason doing? Give Jason a call” when searching for the ideal complement to vocalist Steve Cooper, who died in 2006.

Cooper, who had replaced original vocalist Chris Cronk in 1982, also made his mark on S.A. Slayer’s lone full-length album Go For the Throat, which was recorded in 1984 but not released until four years later, well after the group had disbanded.

But of course, along the way came the famous Slayer vs. Slayer show on Nov. 30, 1984, at The Villa Fontana in San Antonio.

Touring in support of their Haunting the Chapel EP from 1983, the eventual Big 4 of thrash Slayer came to the Alamo City to play a gig with the Slayer that was only well-known to San Antonio locals and that, eventually, added S.A. to its name to avoid confusion among the two bands. That Villa Fontana show included the likes of Syrus and Militia, and those on hand to witness the Hell’s Heroes reunion included vocalist Mike Soliz of the latter.

And for those wondering how and why a band with S.A. in its name has thus far failed to announce a San Antonio date for its reunion ahead of Houston and next month’s scheduled gig at the Keep It True festival in Germany, take solace: conversations were spearheaded backstage by Helstar vocalist James Rivera, tossing around with various band members the idea of a Texas and European swing that would involve Helstar, S.A. Slayer and Militia.

Stay tuned.

In the meantime, the long-awaited return delivered the goods with a 10-song set (see setlist in 63-photo gallery). Watch ATM’s footage of four of those tunes below.

Jarzombek and McMaster have been leading the reunion charge as of late, having resurrected their progressive metal trio Watchtower in September 2023 (ATM coverage here).

Not to be outdone was McClain, the Sacred Reich drummer known for his tenure in Machine Head, who would pull double duty by taking the inside stage 90 minutes after S.A. Slayer’s performance to drum for original Danzig guitarist John Christ’s solo set (coverage forthcoming).

But nobody may have worked harder during the past week than Van Stavern. The Riot bassist kicked off Hell’s Heroes with his main band during Wednesday’s pre-party, headlined with Riot during its 50th anniversary celebration Thursday at Come And Take It Live in Austin, supported Saxon at the Tobin Center for his hometown show Friday (coverage here), then made the 3-hour drive back to Houston for Hells’ finale.

Time will tell whether the aforementioned trio of South Texas stalwarts will bring it in sports-huddle style and collectively take to the road in the Alamo City and beyond. One thing’s for certain: they can’t afford to wait another 40 years to make it happen.

So if you weren’t at Hell’s Heroes to enjoy and witness history, can’t afford to make it to Germany and won’t stomach the patience to wait for a local return, have no fear. Alamo True Metal just brought it to you here.

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Hell, Riot & Shock awe sold-out Tobin Center

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Hell, Riot & Shock awe sold-out Tobin Center

If the proverbial three certainties in life always include death and taxes, then the kicker — at least as far as San Antonio metal is concerned — is Saxon will always draw a sold-out devoted following whenever it comes to town.

In a town that knows how to rock, the latest example came last Friday night on Saxon’s second visit ever to the downtown Tobin Center, once again drawing approximately 1,800 fans filling all levels of the cozy and acoustically impeccable theater for the performing arts.

As in May 2024, Saxon shared tracks from latest album Hell, Fire & Damnation (coverage here). Unlike that show, the New Wave of British Heavy Metal stalwarts went eight songs deep before unleashing 1980 classic Wheels of Steel in its entirety — a treat on this “Hell, Fire & Steel” tour Saxon was not going to unveil the following night in Houston at the Hell’s Heroes VIII festival that it headlined (coverage forthcoming).

Original vocalist Biff Byford and Austin resident and (practically original) drummer Nigel Glockler were once again backed by longtime guitarist Doug Scarratt, bassist Tim “Nibbs” Carter and Diamond Head mainstay Brian Tatler on guitar.

Mixing songs from all eras (see setlist in 54-photo gallery), Saxon and the 74-year-old Byford (yes, you read that correctly) continue to defy age and logic in the city that gave the band its first taste of American radio airplay back in 1979-80. Watch them in action at the bottom via ATM’s footage of “Heavy Metal Thunder” and the band’s 1980 account of the John F. Kennedy assassination, “Dallas 1 p.m.”

Amazingly, the direct support act has been around a little longer than Saxon.

Riot V and hometown bassist Don Van Stavern are touring as part of their 50th anniversary in support of latest album Mean Streets.

Although no original members remain in the group, Van Stavern has been more than a huge contributor to Riot’s legacy beginning with the classic 1988 Thundersteel lineup, with guitarist Mike Flyntz following only five years later.

Backed by drummer Frank Gilchriest and new guitarist Jonathan Reinheimer, the group was injected with a new bolt of energy when vocalist Todd Michael Hall — then of Jack Starr’s Burning Starr and Reverence — was hired by Van Stavern in late 2013 and officially announced as the fifth singer in the band’s storied history in January 2014. Mean Streets marks the third Riot V album with Hall on vocals, a record that sees Van Stavern having written tracks in the vein of each of the band’s eras.

Hall, meanwhile, recently celebrated the fifth anniversary of his scintillating performance on “The Voice” of Foreigner’s “Jukebox Hero” (watch here) and released his latest classic-rock solo album of originals Off the Rails this past October.

Although it was a thankless task narrowing 50 years of music into nine or 10 “support act” songs, Riot pulled it off masterfully with tracks from various albums and nearly every era, highlighted by 1988 opener “Thundersteel,” the mandatory 1981 sing-along “Swords and Tequila” and 1979 dynamo “Road Racin.’ “

Riot added Thundersteel classic “Johnny’s Back” to the printed setlist and inserted it prior to finale “Warrior.” You can watch the group in action at the bottom via ATM’s footage of new-album single “Feel the Fire,” 1982 title track “Restless Breed” and Thundersteel MTV hit “Bloodstreets.”

Kicking off the night was the unpredictable shock-rocker Lizzy Borden, who came out in a three-headed monster contraption while singing the title track to his latest album, 2018’s My Midnight Things.

Longtime drummer Joey Scott provided the beats on classics such as “Notorious,” “Eyes of a Stranger” and “Me Against the World.”

ATM footage below of “Master of Disguise” and the crowd-pleasing “American Metal” captured Lizzy Borden’s uplifting performance in what was a rare San Antonio visit, buoyed by guitarist AC Alexander, who’s a luxury realtor in California known as Alexander Ciullo when he’s not playing, well, American metal.

From the shores of England, to the streets of New York and the glitz of Los Angeles, the trio of acts at the Tobin on this night provided a get-together that San Antonio could be proud of. The debate as to whether the Alamo City remains the “Heavy Metal capital” in 2025 will carry on. But there’s no denying there aren’t many cities in the U.S. that have welcomed, and flown the flag for, Saxon, Riot, Lizzy Borden and many others like them for as long as it has.

For that, San Antonio undoubtedly remains second to none — and the reason these bands will continue to return as long as they’re around to do so.

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Myles Kennedy and friends let go into a rockin' world of discovery and tales galore

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Myles Kennedy and friends let go into a rockin' world of discovery and tales galore


Many of the few hundred venturing to the Rock Box last Friday night likely came for the sheer enjoyment of witnessing one of rock and metal’s renowned and multi-talented front men put on an entertaining performance with his solo band.

While that certainly happened, they also ended up stepping into a world of discovery when it came to not only the Alter Bridge vocalist/guitarist but also his support acts Tim Montana and openers Sons Of Silver.

Kennedy, who of course is the voice behind Slash Featuring Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators, is touring in support of third solo effort The Art of Letting Go. He unleashed a few of those tunes, including opening with the title track before segueing into arguably the album’s most rocking song “Nothing More to Gain.”

Unlike when he’s fronting the band highlighted by the Guns N’ Roses guitarist strictly as a vocalist, Kennedy plays guitar throughout his solo shows — one of the many topics we discussed back in 2017 (listen here). His eponymous band includes bassist Tim Tournier and drummer Zia Uddin, the latter a friend of Kennedy’s for 40-plus years as kids growing up in Spokane, Washington, who also served as his backstop in The Mayfield Four.

Uddin performed songs from all three of Kennedy’s solo albums, including 2021’s The Ides of March and 2018’s Year of the Tiger, behind a unique plexiglass setup, which transformed into a humorous explanation by Kennedy during new track “In Stride” (ATM Facebook Live footage here).

If anyone came expecting Kennedy to bust out an Alter Bridge classic or a Slash tune, they would’ve left disappointed. Fact is, Kennedy has more than enough capable material to carry him through a gig via his three solo records, and he even left yours truly wondering why he hadn’t performed new-album single “Say What You Will” . . . until the trio re-emerged for its lone encore (footage in above link. No professional video of Kennedy’s set was permitted).

Burly singer/guitarist Tim Montana provided direct support . . . and brought with him a crew laced with a multitude of interesting and impressive credentials who knew how to more than dabble in fun while rocking — and rapping — the house.

So proud of his home state that he incorporated it into his stage name, Montana and his band unveiled a slew of tunes from 2024 effort Savage such as “Devil You Know,” “Get You Some” and the title tracks. Montana introed “Die Today” by recounting a hero who had saved lives by taking out a hotel terrorist, although the track should’ve been called “I Forgot to Die Today.”

Backed by bassist Jackson Moody, guitarist Tom Samulak and drummer Kyle Law, the band’s namesake has had quite an upbringing when it comes to his career.

He’s played on “The Late Show With David Letterman” and not only collaborated with Kid Rock and ZZ Top legend Billy Gibbons, he and the 75-year-old Texan have teamed up to produce several flavors of Whisker Bomb hot sauce.

Sure, rockers and metallers nowadays venture into side businesses such as hot sauce and beer. But how many of those who are more well-known than Montana actually scored a business venture with a guy like Gibbons?

Upon one of his first meetings with the ZZ Top mainstay, Montana regaled a tale of how Gibbons wanted him to “do that hip-hop shit,” so Montana busted out Tupac Shakur’s “California Love” in front of Slash. Montana spotted Slash mouthing, “What the fuck” while smiling — so of course, Montana had to do it at the Rock Box, which you can view below via ATM’s footage.

Montana also relayed a story about how he once played before one of his heroes, Alice In Chains guitarist/vocalist Jerry Cantrell (who will be at the Aztec Theatre next week; tickets here). Montana said Cantrell watched his performance stoically with his arms folded the entire time, and when Montana nervously asked his idol what he thought, Cantrell stated: “I think you guys are some bad motherfuckers.”

Montana, whose video for “Mostly Stoned” was directed by Charlie Sheen, even turned the oft-mundane act of a band plugging its merch into a time when you wouldn’t have wanted to miss it while utilizing the restroom:

“Buy a shirt, and that will get us 50 miles down the road if you like us. And if you don’t like us, buy two ‘cause that will get us 100 miles further away from you.”

Before the humor and storytelling unfolded, there was Sons Of Silver. The quintet from Los Angeles released their debut full-length album Runaway Emotions on Jan. 10 following a pair of EPs.

Highlighted by opening track “Tell Me This,” which the band played third on this night, the album is a terrific mix of up tempo hard rock with dashes of metal and steady musicianship that leaves you wanting to hear much more than the 25-minute set the Los Angeles outfit was relegated to.

Still, vocalist/guitarist Pete Argyropoulos (aka PeteRG), guitarist Kevin Haaland, bassist Adam Kury, keyboardist Brina Kabler and drummer Marc Slutsky delivered the goods on their first San Antonio visit as a band. As expected with a less than 30-minute set, there wasn’t much time for introductions or storytelling, so Sons Of Silver stuck to what they do best on the record. They brought that out at the Rock Box, including “Who’s Gonna Stop Us” and “Hold Tight,” both of which can be viewed below.

Haaland spent a few years playing guitar in Skillet, while Kury has had his stamp on San Antonio performances in recent years. He’s the bassist in Candlebox and longtime Alamo City favorites Legs Diamond, the latter having played twice here since 2022.

Kennedy’s solo band, along with Tim Montana and Sons Of Silver, may not have resonated strongly preshow on many radars locally. But for those who checked out all three artists and relished the chance to perhaps discover some new musical acts to add to their collections, who knows? Maybe one day down the road, you’ll be able to tell those acts you were there from their early days — if not from the very beginning.

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Death metal community bids farewell to Bonds Rock Bar in demonic fashion

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Death metal community bids farewell to Bonds Rock Bar in demonic fashion

No matter a band’s look, no matter its hometown, no matter its gimmick, most metal artists will tell you the same thing: it’s all about the music.

That has always held true for 25 years at 450 Soledad St., the two-storied home of Bonds Rock Bar (formerly known as Bonds 007 Rock Bar) in downtown San Antonio. And for the past 16 years, Bonds has been owned by the married tag team of Dirce and John Eguia.

The Eguias will never say it publicly or privately. But last weekend’s double dose of concert finales proved to be the exception to the bar’s purpose because the back-to-back musical extravaganza wasn’t about the music this time.

Yes, there were bands that provided both evenings’ soundtrack. A seven-artist death-metal program last Friday night that marked the bar’s final gig of all-original music before last Saturday’s sold-out tribute-band show.

Click on the group’s name to get a taste of their performances via ATM’s Facebook Live footage of Sledgehammer Guillotine’s “Buried Alive,” Lacination’s “Undying” and “Excruciating Ejaculation,” Laredo headliners Antisma on “Eyes of Damnation” and “Obscured Afterlife,” Chaotic End, Vvormking, Corpse Hole’s “World Rotted Black” and “Bone Cave of the Cannibal King,” and openers Nauseum.

Rather, the final weekend of 2024 was about paying respect, thank yous and giving a proper farewell to the bar and its owners and staff who have given so much of themselves to the metal community.

The Eguias have always given Alamo City metalheads, and those who just wanted to come in to take a load off regardless of their musical tastes, age, religion or creed a sanctuary to chill, play pool, listen to the jukebox downstairs, check out a live gig upstairs or simply share a few laughs and memories. Their bar has been the only one in San Antonio that has been metal inclusive — no rap or country music. Nothing but tossing your horns in the air.

However, Bonds has been forced to close its doors thanks to the fact a developer bought their property — and that of the bar formerly known as The Korova next door — to make way for another downtown hotel.

The downstairs portion will remain open until construction begins, but the Eguias must be given a 90-day notice before that happens.

Last weekend marked the final days of the upstairs portion that hosted live shows. As Dirce Eguia told Alamo True Metal, she and her husband did not want to book bands in advance of the closure, only to have to run the risk of canceling them after commitments were made.

“I feel like I’m letting a lot of bands down,” Dirce said. “There are plenty of venues in San Antonio, but not medium-sized venues that let local and regional bands play. A lot of bands played their first show at Bonds because we gave them all a chance. A lot of bands called Bonds their home.”

The fact the Eguias have been made to give up their home away from home on the city of San Antonio’s terms instead of their own may be the toughest part of it all.

“I’ve been crying. I’ve been crying. Yes I have,” John Eguia reflected somberly as Friday’s show wound down. “Last weekend, I was on stage with tribute bands. And they called us out. The third band called us out. The fifth band called us out.” Asked if that’s when it hit him, John said, “Oh, fuck yeah.”

“It’s been 25 years of Bonds, 16 years of John and Dirce,” he continued. “Everybody that was here tonight, downstairs, I met y’all. We became friends here. It’s like that guy that nobody hung out with, or this guy that nobody liked. I went up and I talked to them, and I met them. (People from) Germany, just people that I’ve met over the years. Ireland. So many memories.”

Although Bonds was the king of tribute-band venues, it hosted more than its fair share of national acts. Everything from annual visits by Houston legends D.R.I. to earlier this year, the all-female rock band Plush which opened for The Warning in 2023 at the Aztec Theatre.

Friday night’s gig was filled with swirling pits, good times and controlled chaos. Even though Bonds was about to close its doors, there were fans in attendance who had never frequented the bar but came on this occasion through word of mouth of the impending closure. They wanted to be able to say they had set foot at least once inside the heavy metal capital’s hallowed hall of sorts.

There were some big names that came through as well over the years. Lamb of God bassist John Campbell stopped by to play some pool, while Scorpions (ex-Motorhead and ex-King Diamond) drummer Mikkey Dee provided his John Hancock among the bar’s logo-filled countertops.

“Meeting people from the band Foreigner, Lamb Of God, Alice Cooper, Scorpions,” John Eguia said. “I was just hanging out with (them). It was just so casual. Nobody even knew, nobody even suspected. These guys are here.

“But what’s funny about that is some of these people, I ran into them. Like Foreigner in Vegas. They ran into me, and they’re like, ‘Hey, John!’ And I’m like, ‘Hey, what’s up?’ It’s like, ‘You’re coming to our show.’ I didn’t want to say, ‘I’m going to Scorpions.’ And they turned me on to tickets. It was so badass.”

One of John Eguia’s biggest memories, however, came from an unlikely source due to its unlikeliest of back stories.

“One of our biggest names in this bar was (black metal band) Mayhem from Norway,” he said. “They played here. They play for 50,000 people, and they played here for fuckin’ 300 people. I’m gonna guess (it was in) 2015.

“Their tour bus pulled up — I’ll never forget. Dirce was like, freaked out, when I told her, ‘This band, one of the dudes fuckin’ killed the other motherfucker and ate his flesh. And then he was arrested. He’s locked up. And I told Dirce, ‘You wanna get in the bus?’ “

Although that calamity among the band took place a couple decades earlier and thus, needless to say, the individuals involved were no longer in Mayhem, any hesitation on the Eguias’ part would have been certainly understandable.

Then again, this is heavy metal. A community that bonds (pun intended) together.

“They asked for a bottle of Jack Daniels,” John said, “and I said, ‘Let’s take it.’ And Dirce went in with me, and I said, ‘Alright. Watch out. We’re OK. The bus is in front of Bonds. And we’re gonna drink Jack Daniels with the band.’ It was funny.”

Bonds may be in the midst of being booted unceremoniously by its hometown. But its hometown can’t stop the Eguias from searching elsewhere to begin a new era.

But of course, that’s not going to happen overnight. John, however, remains optimistic.

“Our plans are, we’re going to find a place, somewhere,” he said. “If it doesn’t happen, my thought is, I want an acre lot. We’re going to build it. Four walls. I told Dirce … we’re going to put up four walls. And we’re going to put up a trough with cold beer and a boombox. And we’re going to start it. We’re going to hang out. And then we’re going to build it. My thought is, I don’t give a shit. If we can’t find nothing, we’re going to build something from nothing. And then we’re going to grow. We’re going to make it happen. Bonds will revive somewhere else. It’s going to happen.”

Added Dirce: “Overall, it’s very sad because we feel there will never be another Bonds. Even if we find a place, nothing can come close to what we have now.”

Bonds as we know it wasn’t just a place to listen to metal. It was a sanctuary to gather, make friends and memories, treat friends and even strangers to drinks, and share an undying love for the music.

It was a bar where you could bring your non-metalhead mother and she could feel comfortable tossing up her horns in front of a mural paying tribute to the late “Dimebag” Darrell Abbott. I did. And she did.

Bonds was an avenue where moms and dads could bring their kids to check out death metal (see 52-photo gallery). Where promoters of rock and metal bands could come out and support their death-metal counterparts behind the scenes.

Where a guy who used to work behind the bar could enjoy a full-circle moment and be the bassist for the final all-original band (Sledgehammer Guillotine) to play within these doors.

Where patrons could hold private parties. Where the Eguias could spend three months each year decorating upstairs for Halloween or hold a pre-Fiesta walk to NIOSA in April for its closest friends to party before the party.

It was simply — home.

Similar moments may be gone for now. But they’re likely to be reborn before it’s all said and done.

Because if there’s one message to the people in the position of power in San Antonio, it’s this:

You cannot kill the family. Especially not the Bonds Rock Bar family.

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Maidens of Swiss metal Militia sizzle in live San Antonio debut

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Maidens of Swiss metal Militia sizzle in live San Antonio debut

A check of nearby flagpoles last Friday night appeared to portend another evening of serene inactivity outside.

Inside Fitzgerald’s, however, was a different story.

A gale force of power blew in from as far as Switzerland, courtesy of five maidens of metal known as Burning Witches, and as near as Austin and locally thanks to a grouping of bands that helped form the backbone of the South Texas Legion scene in the mid-’80s.

Featured attraction Burning Witches made their live San Antonio debut one to remember with a powerful 14-song, 75-minute set in the quaint “party hearty at McCarty” bar with San Antonio stalwarts Byfist, Austin veterans Militia and a rare appearance by local trio Grind.

And because it was their debut in the Alamo City, the Swiss witches were basically touring in support of, at least in North America, their entire five-album catalog and not just 2023 effort The Dark Tower.

Dutch vocalist Laura Guldemond, Swiss natives Romana Kalkuhl (founding member & guitarist), bassist Jeanine (Jay) Grob and drummer Lala Frischknecht and newest guitarist and lone American Courtney Cox — formerly of The Iron Maidens and Femme Fatale — came out flying on new opening track “Unleash the Beast” and 2020’s “Wings of Steel.”

No ballads and no fillers comprised the highly energetic performance (see all setlists in 55-photo gallery), and it continued on “Necronomicon” and ATM’s Facebook Live footage of “Lucid Nightmare” and “Evil Witch,” which were just samples of Cox’s scintillating shredding capabilities and featured Guldemond leaving the stage to join the audience on the former track.

Burning Witches is already working on its 2025 album, which included the release of new single “The Spell of the Skull” just three days prior to the concert. It marks the first song the band has worked on with Cox on guitar, although Burning Witches did not play it live or even mention it.

By the way: sign me up for a Cox-vs.-Nita Strauss guitar battle any day of the week.

Although Burning Witches has covered Savatage’s “Hall of the Mountain King,” Ozzy Osbourne’s “Shot in the Dark” and W.A.S.P.’s “I Wanna Be Somebody” on their two latest albums — and Dio’s “Holy Diver” going further back — none of those were offered up at Fitzgerald’s. That decision was very respectable given the whole inaugural San Antonio concert thingy and fans wanting to hear more of their own music. However, Frischknecht and Cox’s predecessor, Larissa Ernst, spoke about the Savatage cover and more exclusively with ATM in 2021 upon the release of The Witch of the North, which you can watch here.

Guldemond was also a terror — in a good, evil, demonic way — on one of Burning Witches’ heaviest tunes: the 2018 title track to Hexenhammer which was followed by new song “World on Fire,” both of which can be viewed below.

Guldemond, Grob and Kalhuhl in particular made themselves readily available to meet fans throughout the performances of the trio of Texas artists, and Guldemond’s personal website goes a step further. The singer offers to lend her vocal talents to other artists with the following message: “Yes, I also would love to help you out with vocals for your project. Just send me a message with a demo and lyrics and a plan if you have them at ‘contact.’ “

Go ahead. ATM will make it easier for you here.

The only downside of the group’s performance came via something not within its control.

An unfortunate occurrence at many Fitzgerald’s gigs is artists telling their fans they can barely see them, only hear them. (Grind said so as well in the middle of ATM’s Facebook Live clip of that band below).

Burning Witches’ performance may have been one of the first in which that scenario unfolded at the end of the set when the band simply requested to take a photo with the crowd. Guldemond asked twice to have the lights shined upon the patrons, but each inquiry was to no avail. As a result, no keepsake was taken for the group’s initial foray into the Alamo City, and it never should have come to that. But once again, ATM obliged regarding the ladies’ final bow in the photo gallery.

Byfist provided direct support with the usual hard-hitting crew of power vocalist Raul Garcia, lead guitarist Manny Santos, rhythm guitarist Nacho Vara, bassist Stony Grantham and drummer Scott Palmer.

Byfist has basically been playing the same set since 2020’s release of In the End, but it’s an entertaining show each time. Their 1989 EP Adrenaline was produced by the late Metal Church vocalist “Reverend” David Wayne, whose band Reverend included Vara until Wayne passed in 2005. Watch ATM’s Facebook Live footage of opening tracks “Left to Die” and “Universal Metal” and below on “Guaranteed Death” and “Mary Celeste.”

Why yes, that is an ATM photo under the “Born of Shredders” section of the band’s site.

Militia, on the other hand, doesn’t come around to San Antonio that often despite hailing from the nearby live music capital. Vocalist Mike Soliz, guitarist Tony Smith, band founder and bassist Robert Willingham and drummer Chip Alexander formed the impetus of the hard-hitting group in the mid-’80s, which recently added guitarist Phillip Patterson.

Although they were inactive for many years, Soliz made an appearance in 2018 at Fitzgerald’s when the South Texas Legion brotherhood of metal that included mainstays such as Jason McMaster, James Rivera, Bobby and Ron Jarzombek, Art Villareal, Pete Perez and others united on the same stage for a memorable evening of Q&A, storytelling and rocking everyone’s hearts out. (ATM coverage here).

On this night, Militia delivered the goods on seven tracks including ATM’s Facebook Live footage of “Search for Steel” and “And the Gods Made War” plus below on “The Judas Dream” and “Salem Square.”

Soliz at one point apologized to the crowd for his voice being hoarse. But, seriously, the man’s pipes were in incredible form, and this opinion wasn’t the only one who felt that way as fans assured him they couldn’t even tell. That was further evidenced by the fact he screamed more than the other three vocalists on the bill combined — and nailed it every time.

However, the guitars were super loud, often drowning out Soliz’s chops unless you were at the barrier — but thankfully not resulting in anything near the Perry Farrell/Dave Navarro episode that occurred recently at a Jane’s Addiction concert over a similar situation.

Militia will shortly be marking a momentous occasion in the group’s history, as Nov. 30 marks the 40th anniversary of the famous “Slayer vs. Slayer” show at The Villa Fontana that included Militia as a support act for the Los Angeles Big 4 outfit and S.A. Slayer in 1984.

The trio of Grind began the Fitztivities (as the bar likes to often say) at 8 p.m. with a 30-minute set that delighted and made one wonder why the band doesn’t perform here more often. Guitarist Bob Perez may hold the key to that, as he spends the bulk of his musical time with Vara in Seance, while bassist Rudy Munoz may just need some nudging from his circle of friends to convince him there’s perhaps more of a demand to hear the band live than the band itself may think.

Judge for yourself below on “Who Do You Think You Are” and via ATM’s footage of “Pain” and “Surreal.”

Hopefully this initial viewing of Burning Witches in South Texas will serve as a warmup act. By the time the next album arrives, it wouldn’t be a stretch to have them perform with the likes of an Armored Saint, or even on Helloween’s 2026 North American 40th anniversary tour at a place such as Boeing Center at Tech Port or the Aztec Theatre.

So, local promoters, get on it. Let the witches set our world on fire once again. And give them a proper Kodak moment to remember.

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Titanic klash of thrash turns Aztec Theatre into hell on earth

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Titanic klash of thrash turns Aztec Theatre into hell on earth

Fans entering the Aztec Theatre on Saturday night may have expected a heavy metal concert. What they got was so much more: a conglomeration of historical celebration, hell unfolding into not one but two walls of death, and one of the genre’s most inspiring examples of living life to the fullest all wrapped up in a clash for the ages.

The Klash of the Titans tour featuring Testament, Kreator and Possessed delivered on more fronts than simply reinvigorating memories of the 1990-91 Clash of the Titans trek that tore through North America behind Slayer, Anthrax, Megadeth and a then-novice Alice In Chains.

Testament’s 1-hour, 7-minute closing co-headlining set brought its first two albums, 1987’s The Legacy and 1988’s The New Order, back to life — something the Bay Area thrashers originally did during the inaugural 70000 Tons of Metal cruise in 2011, which Alamo True Metal also witnessed up close.

This time, Testament may have become the first band in history to tour in support of the remastering of classic albums. And this time, the mainstays of those two records in vocalist Chuck Billy and guitarists Alex Skolnick and Eric Peterson chose not to play them in sequence or in entirety but to mix the best songs from each into a melting pot of mosh pit inducing fury.

Along with bassist Steve DiGiorgio, who began the set with a five-string instrument and ended it with a unique three-string version and new drummer Chris Dovas, Testament allowed itself to recreate deep cuts such as “A Day of Reckoning” and “Do or Die” and mix them with all-time favorites “Over the Wall,” “The New Order” and “Trial By Fire.”

Much like the cancer-surviving Billy dedicated “Do or Die,” the first song he ever worked on upon joining the group as it was transitioning between calling itself Legacy and Testament, to a friend of his restricken with a disease, ATM would like to produce this article especially for those in and around the author’s former stomping grounds of St. Petersburg, Florida, and all along the Florida Gulf Coast still persevering through the aftermath of Hurricane Milton. That includes personal friends unable to watch this tour three days before the San Antonio stop at Jannus Landing in St. Pete due to that visit’s cancellation. Hopefully through this piece of work and its art, they will feel as if they were at the Aztec as well, and they can get a taste of Testament’s set through ATM’s Facebook Live footage of “The Preacher” and “The Haunting” (no professional video was allowed).

Testament ended its performance eight minutes earlier than the venue’s official set times, which would’ve been ample time to include the first album’s “Curse of the Legions of Death” and second album’s Aerosmith cover “Nobody’s Fault.”

Nevertheless, watching the Aztec’s patrons overcome a dearth of available room to mosh their hearts out thanks to the venue’s multi-layered levels of general admission space in close proximity to one another by body surfing on “A Day of Reckoning” and letting it all hang out on closer “Into the Pit” was a sight to behold.

And here’s something to put the albums’ longevity into perspective for ya: The Legacy and The New Order are 11 and 12 years older, respectively, than the drummer who performed them on this night.

The confined space, however, did nothing to stop Kreator frontman Mille Petrozza from performing with the same intensity as if he was in front of 80,000 maniacs at his home nation’s annual Wacken Open Air festival.

Making their second appearance at the Aztec in 17 months after supporting Death Angel here May 23, 2023, Kreator made it clear that hell was about to morph into the laps of those who dared to allow the band to take them on the journey.

Six stage-prop corpses hung from the rafters while three inflatable demons towered over Petrozza, guitarist Sami Yli-Sirnio, former Dragonforce bassist Frederic Leclercq and drummer Jurgen Reil. Petrozza bellowed all of his lyrics with bombastic fury as Kreator (and Testament and Possessed, for that matter) played roughly 80 percent of their respective sets in a flurry of bright blood red lighting.

Petrozza demanded two walls of death (see 65-photo gallery), but even more menacing and horns-inducing was his desire to know “Is there something following you” during the riff mastery of “Phobia.”

The hellacious tone continued throughout the co-headlining performances of “666,” “Phantom Antichrist” and “Enemy of God.” Watch ATM Facebook Live footage of “Hail to the Hordes,” 1989 classic “Betrayer” and “Satan is Real” and view the setlist in the photo gallery, as Kreator was arguably one of the clearest-sounding bands in Aztec history. Everything about the band’s set was crisp, hard-hitting and memorable.

Petrozza and Possessed vocalist Jeff Becerra first met when the Berlin Wall in the former’s country still existed. Now in 2024, they’re touring together, and the latter has served simultaneously as arguably one of the founding fathers of death metal while exhibiting his own brand of perseverance through personal tragedy.

As most vocalists tend to do in concert, Becerra asked the Aztec’s visitors who was seeing his band live for the first time. While many raised their horns and voices in approval — with many of them likely not familiar with Becerra’s story — the singer carried on musically as can be viewed via ATM’s footage of “The Exorcist” and “Demon.”

But to say he’s carried on in life would be the ultimate understatement.

Becerra was shot during a 1989 robbery while buying cigarettes and is paralyzed from the chest down. For 3 1/2 years, he was on a waiting list just to try out a pair of robotic legs before finally receiving the chance three decades later to walk for the first time in 2019.

Chew on that for a few minutes.

That year, Possessed released its third and most recent album Revelations of Oblivion, the follow-up to 1985’s Seven Churches and 1986’s Beyond the Gates. Becerra continues to make music, sing for the masses, headbang and will likely forever be known as the one who invented death metal.

Oh, by the way, Becerra also has had nine eye surgeries for cataracts.

Saturday night wasn’t simply a klash of the titans. It was an occasion to unleash pent-up emotions in remembrance of someone those in attendance may have lost recently. It served as a reminder those on stage have had their lives disrupted in horrible ways too but have worked immensely hard every day to come out on top and continue to do what they were put on this earth to do. And it was simply another chance to enjoy classic thrash and death metal at its finest.

Whatever your reason for attending, there’s no denying that Testament, Kreator and Possessed could not have provided a more ideal soundtrack and antidote to each and every fan’s own personal hell.

May the metal titans continue to heal us all as only they know how.

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Udo's 'nightmare' of albums a dilemma fans have come to Accept

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Udo's 'nightmare' of albums a dilemma fans have come to Accept

When a stocky diminutive German with an unmistakably raspy metallic voice debuted in 1979, he likely couldn’t have imagined having 27 studio albums under his belt by the time 2024 rolled around.

Most vocalists would see that as a blessing. And, in reality, Udo Dirkschneider most likely does. But when it comes to selecting songs to play live these days, the original voice of Accept views it as something else.

“There’s too many albums,” the 72-year-old Dirkschneider told his fans last Saturday night at Fitzgerald’s. “It’s a nightmare, really.”

Udo’s dilemma is his followers’ gain. Especially on this night.

That’s because eight years after declaring he would no longer perform tracks from his Accept days, the original voice of that seminal band mixed in a trio of those classics as part of a 90-minute, 16-song set touring in support of 2023 album Touchdown.

And this latest visit, supported by New Jersey thrashers Midnite Hellion, Christian outfit KillDevil Theory from El Paso and local veterans S.A. Territories, came with a bonus: original Accept bassist Peter Baltes left his longtime band to reunite with Dirkschneider’s solo group, which includes the singer’s son Sven Dirkschneider on drums with Andrey Smirnov and Fabian Dee Dammers handling dual guitar duties.

Patrons at Fitzgerald’s could also feel fortunate to witness Udo and company on a couple of other levels: a) this visit was originally scheduled for last November at Rolling Oaks Mall’s Events Center, only to have visa and travel issues disrupt those plans. b) shortly after Saturday’s gig, the bands had to cancel the El Paso stop in KillDevil Theory’s hometown due to a promoter snafu, according to Dirkschneider’s social media pages.

So a sizable audience at Fitzgerald’s took in Dirkschneider taking the stage to new track “Isolation Man” followed by 1989 tune “Break the Rules” (ATM Facebook Live footage of both here). Udo would go on to play Accept track “Midnight Mover” and four Touchdown tunes in all before ending the night with a pair of 1987 classics from personal favorite Animal House — which Dirkschneider told Alamo True Metal in 2015 was supposed to be the next Accept studio album that turned into his first solo record after his departure — and putting the cherry on top with a pair of his best-known Accept offerings (ATM footage of all four songs below; setlist in 46-photo gallery).

On paper, having a thrash trio and a Christian band provide direct support wouldn’t appear to be a good fit on a Dirkschneider-led bill. But who doesn't appreciate an eclectic show?

Midnite Hellion’s second album Kingdom Immortal dropped two years ago, but the group was finally able to bring the tunes to the Alamo City, and it didn’t disappoint.

Founded by drummer Drew Rizzo and fronted by singer/bassist Rich Kubik (who sports a resemblance to Corey Taylor and the late Grim Reaper vocalist Steve Grimmett), Midnite Hellion brought the heaviness to the Fitz. The eight-song album was recorded in a six-day span, a tempo representative of the group’s hard-hitting sound, with producer Alex Perialas, who has worked with Overkill, Testament and Joe Bonamassa among others. Perialas is also known for having recorded S.O.D.’s Speak English Or Die in two days and mixing it on the third day while Anthrax was recording Spreading the Disease.

Check out ATM’s Facebook Live footage of “Phantomland” and “Cross the Line.” The former was inspired by Tom Petty’s “Refugee” and “thematically inspired by the original Nosferatu,” according to a press release.

KillDevil Theory didn’t hit the Fitzgerald’s audience over the head with Christian messages. In fact, the C word wasn’t mentioned at all. But the band, fronted by singer/keyboardist Deanna Crane with her husband Curtis Crane on guitar, her brother-in-law Phil Evans on bass and the intense Johnny Torres on drums did deliver some uplifting Rock N’ Roll that was both melodic and heavy. That was most exemplified on “As I Kneel,” which was highlighted by Curtis Crane’s guitar solo (watch here).

KillDevil Theory has three albums under its wings, with the latest being 2021’s Second Coming, highlighted by “Die Another Day.”

The Cranes’ formation of the band, and its sparking of Christian overtones, came about as a result of their daughter being born prematurely which resulted in the couple living with her in the hospital for her first nine months. They discovered Christ in the process, and the band is happy to report that their daughter is now doing well at age 15.

Not to be outdone was longtime local favorites S.A. Territories. Led as always by guitarist / vocalist Orrie V., the quartet took the stage at an early 7:15 p.m. (heck, Udo rocked from 10-11:30 p.m., one of the rare times a Saturday night gig at Fitzgerald’s didn’t end the following morning) and delighted the locals with a slew of tracks including “Promises”, “The Conquerors” and “Eternity,” the latter able to be seen here).

Orrie and his crew are true metal representatives of the San Antonio scene, and one of the things that makes them a joy to watch is that their style, while still being heavy at heart, can fit on virtually any bill supporting any type of national artist.

When Orrie isn’t on stage with his main act, he’s also singing nowadays in Iron Maiden tribute Seventh Son and has an ode to Frank Marino and Mahogany Rush as well.

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Heavy funkateer Jason Kane throws down for hometown with all that live album Jive

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Heavy funkateer Jason Kane throws down for hometown with all that live album Jive

The scheduled band at Jandro’s Garden Patio took to the stage Friday night on the St. Mary’s Strip and had a very simple message for its audience:

“We’re Jason Kane & The Jive — and you’re being recorded.”

For the next hour and 10 minutes, a flurry of heavy funkateer fury blitzed Jandro’s (pronounced HAHN-dro’s) with one rockin’ tune after another. No further spoken words. No song-title introductions. Just in-your-face Rock N’ Roll from one of the Alamo City’s veteran musical acts.

It’s only fitting Jason Kane & The Jive is a trio because if good things come in threes, well, 2024 continues to be a banner year for the group and its namesake.

First, The Jive toured Spain in February and March, a huge deal that should’ve gained more recognition around these parts given that it’s not every day a local band undertakes a significant jaunt overseas. The trek encompassed 18 shows in 20 days covering 19 cities. Three of them sold out.

“It was fucking great, man. It was one of the best experiences,” Kane told Alamo True Metal moments before hitting the stage Friday. “They fucking still love Rock N’ Roll over there. Had us playing on the radio. It was just us. We had no other band we were touring with, and the word was really spreading really fast.”

Second came the gathering at Jandro’s, with Friday marking the second of back-to-back nights in which the band was recording Jason Kane & The Jive: Live at Jandro’s. The album is expected to feature eight tracks covering not only the group’s three full-length records (2017’s self-titled debut, 2018’s Hellacious Boogie and 2020’s Soggy Noggin) but also a pair from its forthcoming studio CD (see 30-photo gallery for the expected track listing).

The third is that upcoming album, with Kane revealing it will be called Find Out For Yourself.

“There’s eight songs on it, and man, we’ve been working on it for like two years now,” Kane said. “Just dying to get it out, but I’m trying to have it follow up the correct tour. So next year, we’ll be touring the fourth (studio album) and this (live) album for Portugal, Spain, France, and then hopefully do a whole U.S. tour when we come back, and go back out there and kind of bookend the year with Europe. I’m shooting for a November/December (release).”

Kane, 28, is a native of Berwyn, Illinois, who moved to San Antonio in 2005. His blend of blues, funk and loud Zeppelin-ish pure Rock N’ Roll harkens back to the era of bellbottoms that makes one wonder if he was born in the wrong era. Kane has been tearing up the local scene for nearly a decade, long before his songs were officially released in album form while also frequently returning to Chicago, even staging a live residency in the Windy City.

“When I did the residency at Reggie’s, one of the opening bands, I was a big fan of his band The Last Vegas,” Kane said of guitarist Adam Arling spearheading The Jive’s trek overseas. “We hit it off, and I was just fan girlin’ over my buddy Adam. And he was like, “You guys ever think about going to Europe?” And I was like, ‘No.’ It wasn’t even in my mind yet or like a thought. And he was like, ‘I wanna connect you with my people out there, and then I’ll let you take it from there.’ He came through.

“The weirder thing is that when we got there, our driver, he used to drive my dad’s band Master,” Kane said. “Chicago death metal was still full circle in Spain, and I was like, ‘What the fuck?’ “

The Arling-Kane connection was not the first time The Last Vegas had a tie-in with a San Antonio act. In 2008, The Heroine made it to the finals of Guitar Center’s contest to see who would open for Motley Crue on the inaugural Cruefest, beating out thousands of entrants and receiving the chance to impress Motley Crue members at The Whisky A Go-Go, only to fall short to the contest’s winner: The Last Vegas.

Kane has had a revolving door on bass and drums the past few years. The latest incarnation of The Jive features two more new players.

James Powell, who goes by J Pow Pow, not only unveiled a bass with different colored strings, but an infectious sense of humor when describing to ATM how he joined the band, resulting in this exchange:

POWELL: “Did you just call me by my legal name? What the hell is going on right here? I’ve gotta get away from this guy!”

ATM: “That means I know you without knowing you.”

POWELL: “Hey, I don’t want you knowing me without knowing me! I had that happen one time. But I like you a little bit.”

Then Powell got serious. Sort of.

“So I saw him on the side of the road one time,” Powell said of meeting Kane. “Naw, for real! He was begging for change with a guitar. And I was like, ‘Who is this guy?’

“But actually, when I first moved to Texas, Jandro’s was having Thursday open jams. And I would come, and I would play, and a couple people was like, ‘Have you met Jason Kane?’ Like, they was really talking about him. I was like, ‘No. I have not. I just moved here.’ And then one Thursday, we ended up jamming together, and we just kind of stayed in contact over the years. I followed his band, he would follow my band, showing a lot of love. We played a gig together, but he doesn’t remember that. Just being friends over the years. And then last year, he hit me up. He was like, ‘Hey man, I need a very sexy, beautiful, dark-skinned, chocolate bass player.’ And I was like, ‘I think I can fit that bill.’ So Jandro’s has really been a connection place for me, because this is where I met him.”

Tommy Bryant, aka Tommy Paycheck, rounds out the trio on drums out of Austin.

“His drummer at the time wasn’t able to go,” Bryant said of his involvement with The Jive. “We had a mutual friend, and (Jason) was like, ‘Do you know anybody who can play these songs and leave next month to go to Spain?’ And then he sent him my contact. I went and watched them play and thought it was incredible. I worked for myself and was able to carve away some time. Did some rehearsals with them, played some shows, and then we went over there, and the rest is history. They’ve been my brothers ever since. We made it through Spain together.”

All of which led to Friday. Taking the stage at 11:22 p.m., the all-white leather jacket and pants clad Kane, shirtless J Pow Pow and small-kit bangin’ Tommy Paycheck kicked things off with 2018 tune “Gypsy Kiss,” jump starting an 18-song performance plus bass jam and drum solo that ended at 12:32 a.m.

Tossing in a cover of UFO’s “Doctor Doctor,” The Jive had Jandro’s jammin’ all night. Watch them in action below on ATM footage of “Chica Boom” and “Titty Boi Rabbit,” the latter a funkabilly tune that, as J Pow Pow demonstrates, makes you want to run in place while slappin’ da bass.

“Last night was like tweaking and kind of feeling out the waters,” Kane said of Thursday’s first night of live-album recording at Jandro’s. “And tonight, we’re doing the full Spain set. Non-stop, just gonna keep going as soon as we start. Yesterday, I tried to chop it up and do all this shit, and I fucked it up.”

Making the live recording come alive was Studio E and owner Brant Sankey.

“I love working with Brant,” Kane said. “His approach to recording is not like most people’s. He just captures what the band sounds like instead of trying to change them, you know, and get all processed. He captures the raw live sound. We’re a dirty live band.”

Fans will be able to judge for themselves in the coming weeks when the live album drops on vinyl and all major streaming platforms before Find Out For Yourself sees the light of day. The two releases will give local metalheads and rockers more opportunities to support one of their own in greater numbers than in years past.

After all, San Antonio — you wouldn’t want Spain to outdraw you for one of your own musical artists, would you?

“I think it’s just the States in general,” Kane said of the difficulty of San Antonio bands breaking through in their own city. “Right now, with the live shows, in Europe, they’re still crazy about it. But I still consider Texas my home. I’ve been here longer even though I still say I’m from Chicago. But I’m more Texan now. Texas gave us the start. It’s definitely different, man. I’ve noticed here in San Antonio, they want a lot of cover bands. Which is no offense against covering musicians. It’s hard. But for original Rock N’ Roll, it’s harder.”

Now that The Jive has even more countries on its radar for the remainder of this year, it’s all about giving the general public more material to get their boogie on.

“I feel like this album is going to capture what everything pre-recorded should sound like and how it should be done, you know, with attitude,” Kane said. “With these guys playing — J Pow on bass and Tommy on drums — it’s going to bring a new life.”

Powell had a premonition on that too: “I thought I was playing triangle tonight.”

“No,” Kane said. “That was yesterday.”

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Saxon treat 'favorites' to hell, fire, heep & heavy metal thunder

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Saxon treat 'favorites' to hell, fire, heep & heavy metal thunder

When a band storied enough to be part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement has played in a city for nearly 45 years, the venues tend to come and go. But the heavy metal thunder remains. In Saxon’s case, that thunderous music just keeps getting better.

On a co-headlining North American trek with fellow NWOBHM friends Uriah Heep, Saxon added another Alamo City concert residence to its San Antonio history by performing at the Tobin Center for the first time this past Thursday night. The “Hell, Fire & Chaos” tour celebrated Saxon’s latest album Hell, Fire & Damnation in conjunction with Uriah Heep’s 25th and newest studio effort Chaos & Colour.

A sold-out four-story crowd of approximately 1,800 relished a Saxon performance that lasted from 9:40-11:12 p.m. following Uriah Heep’s rockin’ set that went from 7:49-9:14 p.m.

After opening with the obligatory title track to Saxon’s new album, vocalist Biff Byford had the fans eating out of his spread-out hands when he quipped, “You know you’re our favorites, right?” The standard company line of many a vocalist playing any city isn’t a load of bullocks as far as Byford is concerned.

Saxon received its first taste of American radio airplay in 1979-80 here thanks to the late legendary disc jockey Joe Anthony. “The Godfather” is the reason Byford, Judas Priest’s Rob Halford and several others mention Anthony by name every time their band plays San Antonio. On this night, Byford dedicated the classic title track to 1980’s Wheels of Steel to Anthony.

“We’ve been playing San Antonio since 1980,” Byford acknowledged to thunderous applause. “We’ve played the (HemisFair) Arena. We’ve played Sunken Gardens. We’ve played everywhere! We even played in a sandwich bar,” he recalled, referencing Saxon’s impromptu gig at Sam’s Burger Joint Music Hall on Sept. 2, 2015, when they were supposed to support Motorhead at the Aztec Theatre, only for that show to be called off due to Lemmy Kilmister’s illness — something Byford discussed exclusively with yours truly in 2017 (watch here).

Saxon and Uriah Heep helped the Tobin Center mark its 10th year, which is also how long ago Byford’s prog metal masterpiece as part of The Scintilla Project, entitled The Hybrid, was released, which Byford also discussed in the aforementioned interview link.

This particular night also made Saxon history in another way. It was the first San Antonio gig as a member of the band for lead and rhythm guitarist Brian Tatler, who was brought in after last year’s surprising departure of original guitarist Paul Quinn.

Tatler, of course, is known for his current stature in Diamond Head — the group made even more popular thanks to Metallica’s covers of their tracks “Am I Evil” and “It’s Electric” — which comes full circle given that Metallica’s second concert was opening for Saxon. Byford also flew from Helsinki, Finland, to San Francisco to perform “Motorcycle Man” at Metallica’s 30th anniversary bash in 2011 (yes, that too was discussed in the interview above).

Tatler had little trouble integrating with Byford, fellow guitarist Doug Scarratt, bassist Tim “Nibbs” Carter and the “Bucc-ee’s Tour” T-shirt wearing and Austin resident drummer Nigel Glockler as evidenced below on Alamo True Metal’s footage of seven Saxon tracks including new tunes “There’s Something In Roswell” and “Madame Guillotine” plus oldies “Heavy Metal Thunder,” “Dallas 1 p.m.,” “Crusader” and “747 (Strangers in the Night).”

With so many classics from which to choose while touring in support of a new album, that means Saxon felt the need to omit a couple of its more recent bangers such as the title track to 2013’s Sacrifice and “Age of Steam” from 2022’s Carpe Diem.

But when it comes to the Alamo City in particular, all of that goes by the wayside as it pertains to arguably metal’s most recognizable anthem that does not mention “rock” or “metal” in the title: “Denim and Leather, brought us all together,” which you can also watch below.

Not to be outdone was Uriah Heep, which, unlike Saxon, doesn’t exactly come around to San Antonio every other year.

The group’s lone remaining original member, guitarist Mick Box, is joined these days by vocalist Bernie Shaw, who’s been fronting the group since 1986 — in other words, almost an original himself.

And while Uriah Heep’s debut album came out a year before yours truly was born, they, like Saxon, aren’t hanging their hats on the past. Uriah Heep’s 2023 effort Chaos & Colour spawned three new tracks at the Tobin that are worth checking out — two of them can be seen below in “Hurricane” and “Hail the Sunrise,” which flanked ‘70’s era’s “Sweet Lorraine” and “Free ‘n’ Easy.”

Shaw demonstrated he’s the ideal complement to Box’s playing in both vocal skills and sound as well as stage presence and commanding the Tobin audience. Along with bassist Dave Rimmer, drummer Russell Gilbrook and new touring keyboardist Adam Wakeman — the son of legendary Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman and who also played keys on Ozzy Osbourne’s 2008 Black Rain tour — Box and Shaw also shone on “Gypsy,” and “Stealin’.” The latter was once covered by local rock and blues guitar/vocal thoroughbred Jason Kane of Jason Kane & The Jive.

Uriah Heep’s performance may have been a tad too long for some given rumblings that could be heard by these ears around the Tobin from fans eager to see Saxon. But that sentiment evaporated when UH prepared to unveil its final encore with Shaw declaring, “We didn’t come all this way not to play ‘Easy Livin’!” Similar to the Metallica/Diamond Head relationship with “Am I Evil,” the 1972 Heep hit gained more notoriety to a new generation when W.A.S.P. covered it on its 1986 release Inside the Electric Circus.

But once again, it was Saxon’s hand-in-hand relationship with San Antonio that was the story. Saxon eclipsed the scheduled 11 p.m. end time by 12 minutes, treating the Tobin to a trio of encores.

Byford gave the crowd a chance to show applause for possible extras Saxon would play, warning the Tobin that the eventual first encore, “The Eagle Has Landed,” is a seven-minute song as if to say the show might run long or that playing that song would negate the possibility of hearing other expected ones.

But of course, all rules are tossed out when Saxon invades San Antonio. It doesn’t matter if it’s at a burger joint or on the night of tornadic conditions during a show with Armored Saint at the Vibes Event Center.

So Saxon found room for two more, performing its cover of San Antonio native Christopher Cross’ “Ride Like the Wind” before ending with “Princess of the Night.” The latter was once a funny topic of discussion on an episode of “That Metal Show” when host Eddie Trunk poked fun at Lady Gaga claiming she was a Saxon fan, only to have Byford chime in with, “Well, she knows the words to ‘Princess of the Night.’ “

Whether Lady Gaga is a “Northern Lady” or not, she still might have a long way to go, however, before matching the Alamo City’s dedication to Saxon. After all, the heavy metal capital will always take pride in being home to heavy metal thunder.

SAXON SETLIST: The Prophecy/Hell, Fire & Damnation; Motorcycle Man; This Town Rocks; Power & The Glory; There’s Something In Roswell; Heavy Metal Thunder; Madame Guillotine; Dallas 1 p.m.; Strong Arm of the Law; 1066; Crusader; 747 (Strangers in the Night); Denim & Leather; Wheels of Steel (dedicated to Joe Anthony). ENCORES: The Eagle Has Landed; Ride Like the Wind (Christopher Cross cover); Princess of the Night

URIAH HEEP SETLIST: Save Me Tonight; Grazed By Heaven; Rainbow Demon; Stealin’; Hurricane; Sweet Lorraine; Hail the Sunrise; Free ‘n’ Easy; Gypsy; Look At Yourself; July Morning; Sunrise. ENCORE: Easy Livin’

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