Slayer with Lamb of God and Behemoth – Repentless World Tour 2017
Providence Medical Center Amphitheater || Bonner Springs, MO || 1 August 2017
The Big 4 of thrash are resilient if nothing else. All four bands have seen lineup changes, bad album reviews, yet they continue to soldier on. Of the Big 4, only Slayer has suffered not only the exit of original drummer Dave Lombardo, but also the death of guitarist Jeff Hanneman. When two of your founding members are no longer with you, bands generally have two options, fight or flight. Where most bands would call it quits, Slayer fights. Replacing two legends of thrash would not be an easy task, but Tom Araya and Kerry King couldn’t have made a better decision than adding Gary Holt, Exodus guitar legend and Paul Bostaph also formerly of Exodus and Testament. 
The first album featuring the new Slayer lineup was the brutal, Repentless. Touring in support of Repentless, Slayer rolled into Providence Medical Center Amphitheatre on an unusually cool August night. Bringing metal heavyweights Lamb Of God and Behemoth on tour as support was a stroke of genius, as the fervor built as the night went on.
Polish Black Metal stalwarts, Behemoth, opened the show with their trademark sounds, odes to the glory of Lucifer and some great theatrics replete with fake blood ala Gene Simmons and King Diamond. Opening their set with “Ora Pro Nobis Lucifer” and featuring “Alas, Lord Is Upon Me” and “Conquer All” Behemoth had those in attendance bleeding for more.
Check out all of the Behemoth photos here!
Lamb Of God frontman Randy Blythe had the raucous crowd eating out of his hand. No worse for wear after some of Randy’s legal troubles, Lamb Of God dished out the kind of music they’re known for……punishing, technical metal. The set featured the classics “Ruin” and “Redneck” as well as the blistering “Engage The Fear Machine” and “Still Echoes”. Lamb Of God kicked my ass, as I’d never seen them before.
Check out all of the Lamb of God photos here!
When the lights went down for Slayer, the cacophonous roar from the crowd upped the decibel level 100-fold, and when the Slayer boys’ silhouettes shown against the curtain, it was on. The stage show was replete with an amazing pyro show, and a backdrop featuring the artwork from their latest release, Repentless.
Opening their set with the title track from Repentless, Tom and crew had the crowd in a frenzy, and the night was a journey thru the heaviest catalog offered by the Big 4. Featuring thrash classics such as “Hate Worldwide”, “Seasons In The Abyss”, “Mandatory Suicide”, “Angel Of The Death” and “Raining Blood”. But what had the crowd screaming, especially us long time SLAYER fans, were the addition of “You Against You”, “Dead Skin Mask”, “Chemical Warfare” and the title track of Slayer’s second release, Hell Awaits. For young and old Slayer fans alike, this show was everything we could’ve asked for and more. Tom, Kerry, Gary and Paul have a chemistry unlike most bands, and the outcome is the continuation of what the heaviest member of the BIG 4 has to offer… BRUTALITY.
Check out all of the Slayer photos here!
