Source: Bravewords.com

October 31st is definitely a metal holiday and what better way to celebrate than two titans of thrash, New Jersey’s own OVERKILL and Teutonic terror, KREATOR. The Trocadero is a haunt that’s hosted its share of tricks and treats over the years, ghastly tales include OVER KILL’s sprinkler rain-canceled show and speaking of raining, that riotous SLAYER mirror smashing/seat destroying night, which nearly expelled metal concerts from the venue, permanently. No such scary antics in 2013, just a double dose of old school pummeling!

As on the just issued Dying Alive DVD, KREATOR kicked off with ‘Phantom Antichrist’ and ‘From Flood Into Fire’. The always expressive Mille Petrozza proudly announcing “The Kreator has returned!” The stage was clear of any monitors and the scrims on the side of the stage depicted a pile of skulls. When not bathed in red (which was the evening’s predominate hue), headlights glaring into the eyes of the audience. ‘Endless Pain’ and ‘Pleasure to Kill’ saw the band silhouetted in blue, until an attack of rapid-fire strobes. ‘Hordes Of Chaos’ and ‘Enemy Of God’ follow. A friendly circle pit swayed throughout. With both fists thrust overhead, Petrozza screamed the intro to ‘Phobia’. ‘Violent Revolution’ gave way to ‘United In Hate’, which began “acoustic,” under yellow lights. Most figured planting the ‘Flag Of Hate’ was the evening’s end, but ‘Tormentor’ actually closed things out. Vicious show!

Only the second night of the tour, but the changeover was extensive, as OVER KILL changed lights and, more importantly, had to connect and check the stagefront wedges/monitors. Either side of drummer Ron Lipnicki were nine guitar cabinets, stacked 3×3. ‘Deny The Cross’ is a spirited opener, frontman Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth contorting his body at obtuse angles, as bassist DD Verni chugs around the stage. ‘Hammerhead’ is a welcome return to the set. Speaking of old school, the green lit ‘Rotten To The Core’ is punctuated by a blitz of strobes. ‘Hello From The Gutter’ begins in red, with spotlights sweep back n forth across the stage, like guard towers from some prison movie. Most of the band stood motionless, in yellow, as Blitz raced offstage. By ‘Ironbound’, guitarist Derek Tailer was shirtless. For ‘Necroshine, the stage turned the trademark OVER KILL green (although evening’s commemorative T-shirt, where a grimacing, winged pumpkin replaced the requisite bat, was all done in orange!), accompanied by blazing strobes. When not singing, Ellsworth is hunched over the mic, center stage. Blue lights and strobes augment their signature tune, a perfect soundtrack for Halloween: “Riding the wind on a stormy night, comes a mother’s son to take your life…” The proper set concludes with ‘Elimination’. For the encore, it’s ‘The Green And Black’, a whole new meaning on this costume-wearing day. If you don’t know how an OVER KILL concert ends by now, ‘Fuck You’. This well-worn cover song is a call and response ritual, although Blitz affectionately flips the bird throughout the show (especially to us photographers, see photo gallery). Watch for an interview with Blitz, to be posted soon.

When this co-headlining tour package comes around, make sure you check it out!

More photos from Philadelphia can be seen here.