“You are in the presence of Metal royalty!” exclaimed All That Remains’ Phil Labonte, on Tuesday, August 6, 2024 in Denver, Colorado when referring to Metal icons Megadeth. Put aside any of the infamous rumors about Dave Mustaine, or the confirmed crazy tales of a youthful guitar wielding madman, or even whether or not you are a fan of his band; after 41 years, countless albums, and endless touring, Megadeth is without a doubt Metal Royalty.
While a Megadeth tour itself is something to look forward to this summer, add to that the bone-crushing sound of Mudvayne and the live return of All That Remains, and you have easily one of the most anticipated tours of the entire year. From the old school Metal patch adorned vests, to dyed hair, and goth make up there was no shortage of fellow alternative culture as far as the eye could see. However, even more telling was the huge numbers of fans one would never suspect as fans, and of course even whole families that came together for this evening. While both Mudvayne and All That Remains have definitely attracted fans outside of the ‘Metal’ scenes, Megadeth was one of the few bands these days who can say helped pave that road for others.
Bringing crowds together with different backgrounds but a common purpose of listening to some brutal Metal and kicking some ass has been something All That Remains has done since 1998. This night was going to be no exception, “These are security guards, they are here to keep you safe.” Labonte reminded the crowd before also letting them know “your job is to keep them busy.” If that doesn’t get your mosh pit aspirations going, their set kicking off with “Now Let Them Tremble” from 2010’s For We Are Many release, will be sure to work for your adrenaline spike for the evening. While you are fully charged and jolted like Uma Thurman in 1994’s Pulp Fiction (if you are confused by this reference, stop reading, go watch the movie, and then finish… we can wait), All That Remains offered a second dose with “Chiron” from 2008’s bludgeoning Overcome.
In all, the ferocity of Jason Richardson and Mike Martin on guitars was perfectly punctuated by Anthony Barone’s punishing drums and Matt Deis on bass. It wasn’t all older tracks though; this year saw the band release their first single in some time called “Divine” which has fans itching for the upcoming new album. Only experience sweeter than hearing the new track when it came out, was hearing its intensity live. As Labonte and company closed out with a staple track from the Overcome album, “Two Weeks,” fans rabid and ready to go for that little band from Peoria your mother is mortified of… Mudvayne.
Since Mudavyne’s return just after the whole lockdown madness, their music has not only resurged but the fans have been more than ‘happy?’ to reciprocate the appreciation of the release to the band. Every time the band has stopped through Denver, their shows have gotten bigger with every appearance. With the intro from the infamous 2000 debut album L.D.50, “Monolith,” started the pits began to form and the fans’ screams filled the whole arena, they knew what time it was. As the first pounding bass and drum lines of Ryan Martinie and Matthew McDonough signaling the track “Dig,” the approval was deafening and the pits were unleashed.
Simply put, it has been a fury of tours for the Nu Metal Titan since their return, and behind the scenes new material has been worked on, but before fans can get too inpatient one has to remember the chant singer Chad Gray lead fans on “all work and no play make me a dull boy,” cueing the unmistakable riffage of 2008’s “Dull Boy” from the album The New Game. The band gave the crowd a moment to catch their breath as the phone lights went up, and the band slowed things down momentarily with their melodic track “World So Cold.” Just like that previously mentioned adrenaline shot, Mudvayne closed out with a fan-favorite “Happy?,” and fans were ready to give one more push for ‘Metal royalty,’ Megadeth.
In 2022, when Megadeth released their sixteenth album The Sick, The Dying…And the Dead, it was not just an album that fans loved, it was also one of the band’s most successful. Hearing the title-track of the album kick off Megadeth’s set for the evening really brought the point home – you just don’t mess with the best. Even with a new guitarist, Teemu Mantysaari, there was not a single beat or note missed. An explosion of lights coupled with the thunderous drums of Dirk Verbeuren and crushing bass of James Lomenzo, Megadeth always puts on a clinic and what separated them from everyone over a period of four decades.
Even more telling was how well recent material compliments fan favorites like “Hanger 18” from 1990’s Rust in Peace. This set truly was truly unrelenting and a testament to the band’s history with tracks like “Skin O’ My Teeth,” or even “Mechanix” from their debut album Killing is My Business…And Business is Good. As the band closed out with the guitar laden classic “Holy Wars…The Punishment Due,” fans let out last bits of energy before carrying their sweat drenched selves off to their homes.
With so many dates ahead, this is not a tour you will want to miss. Bring the filth and bring the fury… because the mosh pits go all night.
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