Three major legends of Bay Area thrash metal are shaking the ground of festival stages in Europe during summer season 2026: METAL CHURCH, DEATH ANGEL and TESTAMENT. A package that makes the heart of each thrash metal jump, especially if you were young in the 1980s. Besides their gigs on the large festival stages, they keep the tradition of running club shows. Sweaty, dirty and with the classic 80s atmosphere. Luckily we were able to take the chance and check out one of these special occasions. A pure flashback to the times when thrash was invented.

Cologne’s Essigfabrik was packed to the very last spot on this pretty hot summer day in Germany, and nobody was disappointed. The evening was opened by METAL CHURCH, followed by DEATH ANGEL and headliner TESTAMENT. All bands just were full of adrenaline and joy to play, you weren’t able to see a difference between headliner and “support act”.  The sweat was not only dripping on stage but from the crowd as well.