Annihilator supported by Harlot and Archer @ Hard Club – Portugal

After spending ages without visiting, this is the second time that the Canadian thrashers pass through Portugal in nearly a year, only this time they were not playing an open air festival, but instead delivering their sound in a more intimate setting in the Hard Club venue in Oporto. Before we got to see the headliners, it was time for the opening bands to prove their worth. Archer hail from California, a power trio that plays a very energetic mixture of hard rock/heavy metal with shades of thrash, and that thoroughly rocked the first half hour. Dylan Rosenberg (good vocals and excellent guitar work) along with Dave de Silva (bass) and Keyhan Moini (drums) introduced us to their latest record “Culling The Weak”, with powerful renditions of “World of One” and “Day That Never Came”. The highlight of their gig, however, was a cover of Megadeth’s “Tornado of Souls” where Dylan covered Marty Friedman’s solos almost to perfection. It was a good starting effort that left the crowd wanting a little more aggression.

Up next were Harlott, an Australian act that owes their sound to the German thrash movement of the late ‘80s (think mostly Kreator), and although their sound was indeed brutal, aggressive, fast and tight, they aren’t really all that innovative in anything. To the ones that enjoy purely revivalist acts, Harlott were amazing, but to those that search for a bit of creativity in their favourite bands, these guys sounded kind of flat. Still, nothing stopped them from providing the soundtrack for a couple of fun mosh pits that prepared the crowd for the band that everyone truly wanted to see.

Annihilator opened up with the sounds of “Rock You Like a Hurricane”, and after catching people off-guard with that delightful echo from the ‘80s, they promptly started at full throttle with “King Of The Kill”, followed by a trio of tracks from their new record “Suicide Society”. “Snap”, “Creepin’ Again” and the title track served their purpose of promoting the new album, and afterwards it was time for the usual amazing parade of classics such as “Set The World On Fire”, Never Neverland”, “Brain Dance” and “Phantasmagoria”. There were even some unexpected surprises on the setlist, particularly with “City of Ice” and “Second to None”. As the show went on, Jeff got increasingly comfortable with the crowd and we got the usual back and forth banter, along with a country rendition of “Chicken & Corn” followed by the original version of the same track. The show closed with the cult hits “Alice In Hell” and the vicious “Human Insecticide”, and although Jeff’s voice can no longer do all he wants to, he can still bring it every night.

Even if there was the occasional sound problem, it was another one of those gigs where everyone got to spend another night enjoying one of thrash metal’s best and most fun acts of all time. If they ever return I have no doubt they will fill the Hard Club Venue once again.

Setlist:

King of the Kill
Snap
Suicide Society
Creepin’ Again
No Way Out
Set the World on Fire
W.T.Y.D.
Never, Neverland
Tricks and Traps
Bliss
Second to None
Maximum Satan Intro
Refresh the Demon
Drum Solo
Ultraparanoia
Brain Dance
Phantasmagoria
Chicken and Corn
Kraf Dinner / 21 / Reduced to Ash
Alison Hell

Encore:
Human Insecticide