Live Review : Satan + Reaper @ The Bread Shed, Manchester on September 4th 2024

Rather than a case of "Wish you were here!", this evening is brought to you by "Why the hell weren't you here?”. You see Satan are simply astounding and it is an absolute travesty that not more of Manchester's metal fraternity are gathered in the cavernous confines of The Bread Shed to witness it. They manage to be astounding not in a rose-tinted spectacles nostalgia way, where you forgive the ravages of time in the light of being able to see living legends in the flesh. Instead, they are astounding in a “bloody hell they have really still got it, haven’t they?” style. They prove beyond doubt why they are the NWOBHM act that connoisseurs speak about in hushed tones and why they are considered to be, at least, the forefathers if not the instigators of thrash.

Talking about thrash, the honour of opening to an almost empty room is bestowed upon longstanding Liverpudlian thrash meisters Reaper. Drafted in as a last-minute replacement for the "unavailable on health grounds" Seven Sisters, they hit the stage running and just accelerate. They blatantly ignore the vast swathes of empty space in front of them, and instead they produce a highly energetic and highly enjoyable dose of technical thrash. The tag progressive is thrown about like confetti, but actually it fits them very well with their constantly developing direction.

There is a lot more to their music than just speed and precision. Beneath the soaring riffs there are layers of really interesting sonic ideas. Daniel Moran’s vocals switch instantaneously from screeching screams to rather sumptuous melodic raptures. There is a diversity and variance within their version of thrash that manages to capture and hold the interest of the listener. A mainstay of Liverpool's once again ascending metal scene, they make a good impression and the hope would be that they cross the Rubicon again (via the M62) in the not too distant future.

It is easy for the uninitiated to state that the legacy of NWOBHM does not resonate much further than Iron Maiden, Def Leppard and Saxon. They of course would be wrong. Scratch below the surface and you will find a plethora of acts that have influenced heavy metal's direction and sound. Satan is a case in point. They were doing what we now know as thrash long before James, Lars and co decided to play Judas Priest riffs at double speed. There have been plenty of missteps, name changes and personnel changes along the way but what we are presented with this evening is a band very much comfortable in their own skin. The fact that the turnout is pretty piss poor for an act of their magnitude and heritage doesn't seem to deter them and we are gifted with a sumptuous hour and three-quarter performance that cements every piece of hyper boil ever written about Satan.

When we get returning acts of a certain age, there tends to be a “Trigger’s broom” feel about it. Yes, there are original members but in the main, they are filled out with younger more vibrant replacements subbing in the vacant slots. Not Satan, this is the absolute same lineup that recorded the rather legendary “Court in the Act”. We are not witnessing a cobbled-together facsimile of greatness; these are the same individuals who graced the boards in the early 80’s. And most importantly, Jesus, they have still got it. Steve Ramsey is one of the forgotten Svengalis of modern British metal, both as the mainstay with Satan through its various incarnations but also as the mastermind behind Skyclad, the instigator of modern folk metal as we know it. His guitar work this evening is absolutely divine. The soloing on ‘Burning Portrait’, tossed out early in the set, is frankly astonishing. It soars in wonder but also resonates with emotional depth.

The other thing that is astonishing is the strength of Brian Ross's vocals. Usually in this game the voice is the first thing to go, but not with Brian. This evening his vocal prowess is simply extraordinary. He is still got the range and the sheer scale that he exhibited back in the day with both Satan and Blitzkrieg. He hits the high notes with no bother but also manages to reverberate with intensity and passion. There are gobsmacked cries of no when he reveals to the crowd that he is now in fact 70. Even at his age he manages to retain a playful, juvenile persona. He regularly goads the audience into making more noise and drops one-liners like some alternative version of a northern end of the pier comedian.

The most pertinent thing about this evening is how much the band enjoy playing together and playing for the fan boys and girls upfront, who obviously hold them in very high esteem. Russ Tippins and Graeme English regularly interact with each other, trading grins and in-jokes. There is a comfortable camaraderie at play, that is only possible when you have worked together for as long as these guys have. The fact that they still get joy from making music together is both exemplary and extraordinary. 

The majority of the set comes from the five albums that they recorded post their 2011 reconciliation (including three songs from the forthcoming “Songs in Crimson”). They are greeted well by the throng upfront, but the atmosphere ratchets up when Brian channels the vibes of his beloved Doctor Who and we time travel back to the aforementioned “Court in the Act” (the only album Brian recorded with the band during their initial heyday). ‘Break Free’ and ‘Alone in the Dock’ are both superb and show in no uncertain terms how forward-thinking they were as a band. The latter closes the main set and even though we are low in number the audience managed to steely and evocatively demand an encore. The chants of Satan echo around the room and the band have no other option than to return (they also haven't done ‘Kiss of Death’ yet but that's by the by).

Brian makes time to trade high-fives with the diehards upfront and even to visit your esteemed correspondent in his seated accessible viewpoint. Satan may have never reached the heights that they deserved but there is still an indomitable bond between band and fans. Of those who have made it this evening, there is a really interesting mix between those of us who were there first-time round and those not born then but keen to check out what all the fuss is about.  Russ Tippins superbly apes the beginning notes of ‘Purple Haze’ but then we are straight into ‘Kiss of Death’, a potent slice of proto-thrash that has haunted metal compilations for the last 42 years. There may not be many of us, but we sing along with gusto and with pride.

It cannot be understated how good Satan are this evening. The sound is crystal clear, and the performance is a wonderfully edifying mix of professionalism and improvisational playfulness. When Brian states that they are about to head back up to Newcastle for tomorrow evening's show at the Cluny it is obvious that a good chunk of the assembled throng will be joining them. And that's what is so beautiful about this evening. Satan may not mean that much to the average mainstream metal fan, but to the people in this room, they mean the world. And ying to that Yang it is obvious that to Brian, Steve and co, still to be doing this 45 years later also means the world to them. Who needs packed rooms and ominous stadiums, tonight was metal at its most beautiful and communal best.

Check the “In The Flesh” page for more photos!
Satan + Reaper