This was a blockbusting evening of Thrash Metal from the legendary Xentrix at The Devil’s Dog Digbeth in Birmingham on their thirty fifth Anniversary Tour of Britain.
Xentrix – Tortured Demon – Elyrean
The Devil’s Dog Digbeth, Birmingham – 1 February 2024
Words And Photography: Andy Shaw
Xentrix
The boys from Xentrix have been on the venue all evening, chatting to followers and actually are a number of the nicest individuals you would want to meet. But as soon as they get on stage, the magic occurs.
Touring as a part of their thirty fifth Anniversary celebrations, we have been lucky to have one among their stops in Birmingham, and we didn’t realise fairly how fortunate we have been. The first half of the present was Xentrix enjoying the entire of their 1989 debut album, Shattered Existence, an actual seminal album within the British Thrash Metal scene.
Xentrix smashed straight into No Compromise, Balance Of Power, and Crimes. Frontman Jay Walsh was in imperious kind, his voice was impeccable and guitar enjoying was good.
Their type of Thrash Metal had the gang leaping, and watching males of a sure age do a little bit of moshing was good.
They ran by way of the remainder of the album, with the gang becoming a member of in with the refrain to Dark Enemy and Bad Blood. Guitarist Kristian Havard was enjoying by way of the ache of a damaged wrist, however this didn’t cease him from bringing his A-game.
After ending Shattered Existence, it was straight into two songs from their latest album, Seven Words in Behind The Walls Of Treachery and Reckless With A Smile. The powerhouse behind the band are Chris Shires, bass and drummer Dennis ‘The Menace’ Gasser.
They shone, particularly throughout For Whose Advantage? and The Alter Of Nothing. Next was the good Everybody Loves You When You’re Dead from Seven Words ending with Questions.
It was a shocking efficiency from a legendary band, and lengthy could they proceed.
Tortured Demon
Next up have been Tortured Demon, a Thrash Metal Band with some Metalcore thrown in for good measure. Hailing from Oldham, this was their first time enjoying in Birmingham and the gang have been loving each minute of their time on stage.
Their set was primarily made up of songs from their latest album, Rise Of The Lifeless, opening with the title observe after which Virtual Death. Brothers Joe and Jacob Parkinson are on the coronary heart of the proceedings, with Jacob being a very dynamic vocalist and guitar participant.
Two extra new songs adopted, Conflict Of Interest and Disfavour, then a pair from their first album, The Invasion and In Desperation’s Grip.
This was an electrical efficiency, and the gang have been actually into what was happening on stage. Finishing with Global Threat, then A Knee To The Face Of Corruption, this was an excellent set.
Elyrean
First up have been native boys from Wolverhampton, Elyrean, who, as all the time, gave an awesome efficiency. They are building an enormous repute as a strong Technical Thrash Metal band.
Frontman Will Edwards is rising in confidence together with his vocals and stage presence. Running by way of tracks akin to Perpetually Entombed, Omniscient One and Lungs Of Venus, they have been in full circulate with Daryl Payne on the drums, completely smashing it.
The Devil’s Dog crowd beloved them, and it was good to see an area band doing rather well. They completed with Blackened The Sun, then Where The Shadows Dwell and the evening was effectively and really up and working.
