Tue 26 Apr – North American Tour

There was a time when Accept were washed up and done. Heavy metal fell out of vogue in the 90s, and the bands that pioneered the movement from the previous decade all suffered. In Accept's case, it meant poorly-received albums and the band splitting up thrice. But the band's 2010 Blood of the Nations marked an incredible return to the front lines, and on a frenzied night at El Corazon, it was Seattle's turn to feel the pandemic.

The slow and sinister intro to "Shades of Death" set the stage for a blast…

Tue 26 Apr – North American Tour

Having been very impressed with the latest albums from both Accept and Sabaton, I was hugely looking forward to seeing them live for the first time. While Accept are enjoying the second wind brought by Blood of the Nations, Sabaton are reveling in their first taste of North American touring, thanks to Coat of Arms. Aided by three good opening acts and a full, raucous crowd at El Corazon, the legends and the new guard went balls to the wall in Seattle.

Support was provided by local bands Skelator, Zero Down and Sword…

Wed 20 Apr – Amon Amarth

Norse legends tell of Surtur, the supernatural giant who wields a flaming sword and will cover the Earth in fire when the time of Ragnarök comes. Seattle got a preview, as Sweden's Amon Amarth brought their eighth studio album, Surtur Rising, and a set full of classics, to the Showbox at the Market on April 20th. Yes, it was 4/20, but inside, there was only alcohol, sweat and Viking metal delivered by the finest in the nine worlds.

Led by the mighty - in every sense of the word - Johan Hegg, the band…

The echoes and haze had barely cleared from Testament's set when the house lights dimmed, and the stage was illuminated in a swath of blood red lights. Over the strains of Black Sabbath's perilous self-titled masterpiece (and looked upon by Vic Rattlehead in a bunker somewhere in Area 51), a voice announced the imposition of martial law, the revocation of civil rights, and a command to "shut up" and do as we were told. Very X-Files, very Megadeth.





The last time I saw Megadeth was when the band was promoting United Abominations, back in 2007. Then, their set started with…

Slayer's latest album, World Painted Blood, starts not with a blast of guitars and drums, but an eerie Native American chant, under which Dave Lombardo softly taps a rhythm. A sinister guitar lick gives way to a Slayer chug before too long, but it's an innocuous way to open a Slayer album. The California quartet use this to their advantage, both on disc and opening their set. A huge white sheet, covering the stage from rafters to floor, glowed red, like the splatters of blood on Janet Leigh's shower curtain. A roar greeted the projection of the Slayer logo on…

Seattle was to be the venue of the opening show of the historic American Carnage tour, featuring three of the original bands of the American thrash metal movement: Testament, Megadeth and Slayer. I say "historic" because despite the legendary status of these bands, American Carnage was the first time they would play the United States together, having previously trekked across Europe in 1991. A year after the initial announcement of American Carnage, and nine months after that first show was canceled, I found myself in the mile-long line to get into Seattle's WaMu Theater.




When the lights dimmed for Testament,…

I've seen Paul O'Neill's Trans-Siberian Orchestra ever year since 2003, when I was a fresh-faced cherub who had a dim idea that these guys played Christmas carols with electric guitars. Eight years is a long time, and despite having only released two additional albums in that time, TSO have never failed to impress in their live shows, performing every year and expanding their touring schedules beyond the Christmas season (and indeed, beyond the United States).

First things first, though, and Seattle was one of the cities that made do with a Christmas show before Thanksgiving. All things considered, not a…

Tue 22 Jun – Iron Maiden, Dream Theater

When a band like Iron Maiden comes to your town, it's a good enough reason to cancel all incoming and outgoing flights. It's just that monumental. It's just that epic. Seattle got a taste of that madness when the sextet brought "The Final Frontier World Tour" to the White River Amphitheater in June, promoting the band's 15th studio album among songs that spanned their impressive 30-year career.

For a show of this magnitude, the band got things right by using Gustav Holst's thundering "Mars, the Bringer of War" as the opening music.…

For the first time since 2004, this year's Trans-Siberian Orchestra show promised something new - and I mean REALLY new. I mean, sure, Paul O'Neill always promises something new with every TSO tour, whether it’s new lasers, new pyro, new musicians, new singers, or hell, just new merchandise at the concession stands. But this year was special - for the first time since 2004, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra were touring in support of a new album. That meant REAL new music, as opposed to the "previews" that were played every year since 2005.

And of course, new merchandise at the concession…

Mon 1 Dec – Metallica, Lamb of God, The Sword

The World Magnetic Tour came to Seattle, Washington on the first day of December in 2008, as thrash metal pioneers Metallica, supporting their newest album Death Magnetic, brought Lamb of God and The Sword to the Emerald City to break some eardrums and kick coffee-drinkin' ass.

Right on cue, The Sword started the show, promoting their latest album Gods of the Earth. I generally have a low opinion of opening bands, but The Sword were very impressive - good stage presence and musically solid. Not being familiar with…