Get your metal pump on
The Killthrax Tour: Anthrax, Killswitch Engage, The Devil Wears Prada, and Code Orange at The Ritz Raleigh
Photos by: Luke Jamroz Photo
Music journalism gold is when you get a chance to talk about such BIG acts like this line-up. Though it can cause a bit of anxiety; how can you talk about the same band in a different way as tens of thousands of other journalists before you? You go with your gut, and that tells me – I wanted metal tonight. Metal I received all thanks to tour sponsor SiriusXM.
The opening slot belonged to Pittsburgh-hardcore mavens Code Orange (Roadrunner Records), who played an unusually early set time of 6:30pm! Unfortunately, this time frame meant we were just a tiny bit late to the party. Lucky for some, they will be on tour this summer with System of a Down in Europe.
Playing on their latest release Transit Blues, The Devil Wears Prada (Rise Records) played a set to showcase their 10 plus years in the industry. 
Having caught their show several times over this decade, I can let you in on one enormous secret – it’s brutal. The moshpits erupt whenever they start the music. 
The other factoid rare with this band is they play an eclectic blend spread out far enough over all the albums you don’t feel you have to sit through a new song you can’t get down too.
Co-headliners Killswitch Engage (Roadrunner Records) were back at it again with lead vocalist Jesse Leach, who returned four years ago after a decade-long absence. He fascinated the crowd with dem’ pipes and stamina! 
Where was I all these years through these member switches? I was somewhere rocking the hell out to Devildriver and Dio and most namely alter egos of the band’s different vocalist, guitarist, and beyond. 
I just wanted to hear the music, bang my head, and share with other music lovers.. A highlight to their performance was the cover of Dio’s “Holy Diver.” 
It’s not hard to grasp why these Boston boys are often described as one of most metal bands biggest influences for the past 20 years. Their latest album Incarnate can be snatched up here.
What is synonymous with metal beyond Metallica and Slayer? Anthrax. The co-headliners led with such iconic slayers like guitarist Scott Ian (most notably) diving straight into their hits.
With the return of lead vocalist Joey Belladonna, they celebrated on this tour the 30th anniversary of the critically acclaimed release Among the Living by performing the self-titled song, as well as the tune “Caught in a Mosh.”
In lieu of their newest album, For All Kings, the group played select songs “Breathing Lightning” and “Evil Twin.” This brought a fiery moshpit of long hair and sweaty crowd surfers trying to make their way to the stage to high five their idols.
Anthrax recently put out an expanded edition of their latest album For All King’s to the chagrin of Kansas’, drummer and founding member, Phil Ehart. They covered one of Kansas’ most recognizable songs “Carry on Wayward Son.”
If you’re in NY and itching for an Anthrax fix while they are overseas or on the other side of the states, you can drink the “Wardance” (named after the Among the Living track “Indians”) pale ale from Butternuts Beer and Ale Brewery. Celebrating their 35 years in the business.
We’ve seen some of these acts over the years in the Carolinas closing a beloved venue, as well as overseas melting faces in the UK. Heck many moons ago, we sat down and interviewed TDWP on a hot and sweaty day during Vans Warped Tour. Always a good time, always worth the experience. This show was one for the books; it’s not everyday you see these behemoths co-headlining a tour. Catch it while you can!
See full gallery of the Killthrax tour.
Catch this tour:
APRIL
13 — House of Blues, Orlando, FL *#
15 — Texas Independence Festival, Austin, TX **#
16 — Boggus Ford Events Center, Pharr, TX **#
17 — House of Blues, Houston, TX *#
18 — House of Blues, Dallas, TX **#
20 — The Marquee, Phoenix, AZ *#
22 — The Wiltern, Los Angeles, CA **#
23 — The Fillmore, San Francisco, CA **#
25 — Showbox SoDo, Seattle, WA *#
26 — Roseland Theatre, Portland, OR **#
28 — Fillmore Auditorium, Denver, CO *#
29 — Sokol Auditorium, Omaha, NE **#
30 — Midland Theatre, Kansas City, MO *#
MAY
1 — The Pageant, St. Louis, MO **#
3 — Danforth Music Hall, Toronto, ON, CANADA **#
5 — Paramount Theatre, Huntington, NY **#
6 — Upstate Concert Hall, Clifton Park, NY *#
7 — House of Blues, Boston, MA *#
* — KsE closes
** — Anthrax closes
&— Featuring Jasta
# Featuring Code Orange
http://anthrax.com/
http://www.killswitchengage.com
http://www.tdwpband.com/
http://codeorangetoth.com/
www.roadrunnerrecords.com/
www.riserecords.com/