Back in the early eighties is when the now infamous Onslaught were brought in to existence by guitarist Nige Rockett, bassist Paul Hill & vocalist Jase Pope however it wasn’t until 2007 now joined by Sy Keeler on vocals when the band delivered us the album “Killing Peace” (which was as much like being kicked in the testicles by mixed martial artist compared to their earlier material) that we heard what we now consider the Onslaught that we know and love today and on that note we fast forward to the 23rd of September 2011, the location the Relentless Garage on Holloway Road, London.I arrive at Highbury and Islington to find fellow Planetmosh.com photojournalist Ant May lurking outside the pub door, a quick drink in the pub and it’s off to the Garage for Onslaught’s headline performance. Although the venue was busy I was a little surprised that it wasn’t jammed to the rafters I do however feel that this is more to do with the state of our economy than anything to do with the band. The band kick off proceedings with the title track of that now notorious 2007 album and delivered it hard and fast into the baying and head banging audience who reciprocated the band with a rapturous cheer, the band proceed on with tracks from every album from their back catalogue (though some tracks from earlier in their career have “evolved” somewhat), we were treated to (in no particular order) Power from hell’s “Angels of Death” and “Let there be death” and “Flame of the Antichrist” from 1986’s The Force however my personal favourites came in the form of “Code Black” from this years new album and “Burn” from 2007’s Killing peace and of course not forgetting the show closer of Damnation / Onslaught (Power from Hell).For a band that stared their career over two decades ago they have not lost an ounce of credibility or charisma and tonight’s performance is an example of why they belong at the forefront of the UK thrash scene no cancel that the entire world’s thrash scene!
Full setlist: Killing peace, Born for war, Let there be death, The sound of violence, Angels of death, Planting seeds of hate, Metal forces, Code black, Shellshock, Flame of the Antichrist, Burn, Demoniac, Damnation / Onslaught (Power from Hell)
Performance: 8.5/10
Photo Credit: Ant May Onslaught Slideshow