It does feel somewhat surreal having a titanic thrash gig in Chester on a Tuesday night. There’s no escaping that fact. But the three bands on tonight’s bill have travelled from overseas and Chester isn’t a place to disappoint such commitment! The Live Rooms has a queue before opening and a healthy crowd from the off. I say healthy as in numbers, because it’s a gloriously motley crew of battle jackets, thrash t-shirts and punk hoodies on display for the mighty Vio-lence, Exhorder, and Kuazar.

First up we have Kuazar who are a three-piece trad-thrash-metal band from Paraguay, South America. They reliably tell the crowd that they’re the first Paraguayan metal band to tour Europe and the UK, but to be fair they look totally at home on a UK stage in front of a UK crowd. Their sound is clearly heavily influenced by early Metallica and Megadeth, with a guitar tone to match those classic thrash roots in particular. Actually, the vocals and overall delivery are very reminiscent of Machine Head, giving them a jagged and aggressive edge.

They confront the topic of male suicide with the assembled punters, and to good reaction, before ploughing into the track ‘Silence’, which showcases their musical abilities with a strong Gojira vibe - especially evident in the vocal delivery, sweeping guitars and snappy drumming. It allows Kuazar to prove they are no one-trick pony with their sound, featuring well-placed spaces within their compositions, allowing the sound in turn to breathe while also adding depth in a light and shade way. There are some technical hiccups towards the end, but it doesn’t stop the band leaving the stage at the end of their set with beaming smiles both on the stage and in the crowd.

Next, we have the seminal Exhorder. Now these guys are often credited with having created the groove-oriented thrash metal sound, popularized as we all know by Pantera, and they don’t disappoint. They deliver a full-on old school thrash performance, characterized by fast tempos and relentless snare-driven whipcrack drumming rhythms. The band are true veterans of the scene and their sound obviously strongly echoes the early days, offering no respite as their set is a nonstop onslaught of thrashy brilliance.

They perform a mix of old classics and newer material, keeping that high level of intensity throughout. I’ve got to mention their drummer, who stands out with a wild, almost Tasmanian devil-like energy, spinning his sticks and thrashing around like a possessed demon. As the set progresses, the band introduce some more midtempo and expansive songs, offering an interesting dynamic contrast. Closing track ‘Desecrator’ is a fitting finale with some fantastic lead guitar work and closes the show on a powerfully memorable note.

And so to our headliners Vio-Lence – absolute thrash legends in the scene having helped define and refine what many refer to as the Bay Area sound. Having formed back in 1985, and disappearing between 1993 and 2019, this tour is in honour of the 35th anniversary of album “Oppressing The Masses”. That being said we’re treated to a set including songs from the band's back catalogue as well. Frontman Sean Killian is the only Vio-lence member from their most recent EP’s recording lineup (2022’s “Let The World Burn”) is more than ably accompanied currently by Ira Black and Claudeous Creamer on guitars, bassist Jeff Salgado and drummer Nick Souza.

While the vocals start off a bit too loud in the mix, it isn’t such an issue as not only are they a key element of the performance, they’re also violently (no pun intended) excellent - raw and true to the hardcore style. The set included some groovy sections as well, and you can see where younger bands like Grove Street have got their influences from, and it’s once again that raw, unaffected guitar tone that dazzles. Both guitarists contributed great lead work throughout the performance. Killian is uncontrollably energetic, commanding the stage and passionately delivering his lyrics and thoughts to the crowd. The set featured frequent changes in pace and several instrumental-only segments, keeping the dynamic interesting and fresh throughout. The guitars were full of dive-bombs, adding to the chaotic intensity. As always, they close with their signature track, ‘World Within a World’.