By: Michael Drukarsh
Toronto, Canada - If you’ve been following my articles here at LoudTO (and if you haven’t, you should), you’ll know my musical interests pretty much halted somewhere back in the early 90s. I admit, when I was given the opportunity to shoot thrash metal legends Exodus at The Phoenix Concert Theatre in Toronto, I needed to look up two of the three opening acts. All three acts had their starts in the 2000’s and I’ll be honest when I say I had not heard of the first two bands, Dead Heat and Candy, at all.
Kicking off the night was Dead Heat, a California based hardcore/thrash band that did a great job getting the crowd warmed up for what was to come. A circle pit opened up in the middle of the floors section and a few enthusiastic headbangers moshed their way around to the short but powerful set including Endless Torment and Eyes of the Real off their 2023 EP Endless Torment.
Next up, Candy. With members coming from across the US (now based out of Viginia), it’s no wonder this hardcore/experimental band who got their start in 2016 brings a very eclectic sound to their act. Infusing hardcore with proto-metalcore, electronica and thrash, the double bass and blast beats from the kit combined with the chugging bass lay down the foundation for some very heavy music. Musically, this band is talented and the vocals definitely riled up the crowd with songs "eXistenZ" , "Dehumanize Me", and "Lust for Destruction" causing massive headbanging and hair thrashing.
Havok, the oldest of the opening bands, got their start in 2004. Taking the crowd back to the more traditional 80s thrash sound, Havok’s unleashed brutality brought a lot more bodies to the pit. Front man Dave Sanchez, the only original member from the early days of Havok, broke out new singles "Death is an Illusion" and the title track from the recently released EP New Eyes, after explaining to the audience that, like all of us during COVID, Havok were locked in a cage and couldn’t wait to break free again! The assault continued with a set that included "Prepare for the Attack", "Covering Fire", and "From Cradle to the Grave" as crowd surfing and thrashing from the frenzied audience grew in intensity.
By the time headliners and true thrash metal pioneers Exodus took to the stage, the ever growing crowd of metal heads were so wound up that the pit was full and lead singer Steve “Zetro” Souza had to remind participants that if you are in the pit, be kind to each other, lift someone up if they fall and move them to the side if they are injured. A shout out to the security at the front stage was also given as they guided the enthusiastic crowd surfers safely to the floor. In complete dichotomy to his statement of safety, Exodus annihilated the audience with pure 80s thrash. Once again “Zetro” addressed the crowd stating that the set will comprise mostly of “old shit” with the exception of a few more recent tunes.
Standing tall beside “Zetro” was thrash metal god Gary Holt. The main songwriter and most senior member of the band ripped his way through classics such as "Bonded by Blood", "Metal Command" as well as the more recent "The Beatings Will Continue (Until Morale Improves)". Along with drummer Tom Hunting, Lee Altus on guitar and Jack Gibson on bass, Exodus assaulted the audience with speed and aggression that kept the crowd whipped into a frenzy right to the closing number, "Strike of the Beast", a track once again off their 1985 release Bonded by Blood.
Concert Photo Gallery
Show Date: November 19, 2024
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