Betrayed, Suffering, Diehard, Thirty

Hatebreed, Crowbar, Epsilon

„30th Anniversary Over Europe“ Tour 2024, Arena Wien – Große Halle, Austria 20240617

It takes a mighty-fine lineup for an adequate post Nova Rock hangover cure, as the tour package labels it themselves. The festival just finished on Sunday and it is Monday. Two photographers, Andreas Graf and Stefan E.J. Kuback wear their new Body Count shirt from the weekend. More outfits read Xibalba, Ignea, Converge, Biohazard, Bleed From Within, Dying Wish, Madball and Nasty. 

This already gives a hint of which direction this will go. First, (Melo-)Deathers Epsilon are the ones top open like for Soulfly after two years of absence. In their twenty-year band history, it is their premiere on the stage of the big hall of the Arena. They have new material and classics like „Foxy Knoxy“ with them and score with their guitarwork in riffing and presence like Obituary. 

During the break, agreements are made with securities about the later stage diving. Crowbar played their last shows in town at Viper Room and with Sepultura at the very place before. The likable band around Kirk Windstein, whose wife always sells their merchandise, has the audience on their side from the beginning and the pit opens up. He tells that they been here already thirty years ago and people have to be loud as he doesn’t ‚hear that well‘. And they are when he points at them, due to the slamming (‚Motörhead beat’) drums, dual guitars and the tremendous voice. 

Apropos thirty years, it is Hatebreed celebrating their anniversary with this tour including festivals like Betiz Fest, Rock im Park and Copenhell. Jamey Jasta, who is in Kingdom of Sorrow with Windstein, praises their fans and asks which album to play next. He wants them to loose their voices and not to shower before school or work tomorrow after „Destroy Everything“. As they opened for likes of Slayer, they speed up in the last third, peaking in „I Will Be Heard“ from „Triple X“. 

Finally they claim to visit Nova Rock again. And at Arena, the next Hardcore action will be in July with Suicidal Tendencies.