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The "Metal Masters Tour"
Written By: Gary Crouthamel
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The "Metal Masters Tour"
JUDAS PRIEST - KK Downing & Glenn Tipton
The "Metal Masters Tour"
JUDAS PRIEST - KK & Rob H
The "Metal Masters Tour"
JUDAS PRIEST - Scott Travis
The "Metal Masters Tour"
JUDAS PRIEST - Ian Hill
The "Metal Masters Tour"
JUDAS PRIEST - Rob Halford
The "Metal Masters Tour"
JUDAS PRIEST - KK Downing
The "Metal Masters Tour"
HEAVEN n HELL - Ronni James Dio
The "Metal Masters Tour"
HEAVEN n HELL - Geezer Butler
The "Metal Masters Tour"
HEAVEN n HELL - Tony Iommi
The "Metal Masters Tour"
HEAVEN n HELL -Vinny Appice
The "Metal Masters Tour"
TESTAMENT - Chuck Billy
The "Metal Masters Tour"
TESTAMENT - Eric Peterson
The "Metal Masters Tour"
TESTAMENT - Alex Skolnick
The "Metal Masters Tour"
TESTAMENT - Greg Christian
The "Metal Masters Tour"
TESTAMENT - Paul Bostaph
The "Metal Masters Tour"
featuring Judas Priest
Heaven and Hell • Testament

Susquehanna Bank Center
Camden, N.J.  •  August 6, 2008

        The Metal Masters Tour rolled through the Susquehanna Bank Center, a bill that boasted four titans of heavy metal: Testament, Motorhead, Heaven and Hell, and Judas Priest. And since most of us photographers were not permitted to shoot Motorhead, I have no photos and so they get no review either.
        Up first, Testament hit the stage to a fairly empty Amphitheatre at the soooo un-metal hour of 5:30. Their short set had some old favorites, but new material from the latest release, "The Formation Of Damnation," really impressed the crowd. Also impressive was lead guitarist Alex Skolnick (who I thought was amazing) running through such hits as "Over The Wall", "Henchman Ride", "D.N.R., "Three Days In Darkness", and closing with "Disciples Of The Watch". The whole band looked like they were having a blast onstage and flipping the horns at times.
        Up next, Heaven and Hell with Ronnie James Dio on vocals, Tony Iommi on guitar, Geezer Butler on bass and Vinnie Appice on drums, had very cool stage props including two giant gnarled trees with huge gargoyles perched in them spewing smoke through their mouths. Even though Ronnie James Dio looks like the Crypt Keeper these days, he can still sing his lil' ass off from the opening of "E5150", "Mob Rules" and "Children Of The Sea". Then, just as "Ear In The Wall" ended, Vinnie ripped into a drum solo without delay. "Time Machine" and "Falling off the Edge of the World" led into a Tony Iommi guitar solo and then into "Die Young."  They ended with "Heaven and Hell." It was an extended version that went on for a good 15 minutes which, I suppose, served as their encore.
        The headliners, Judas Priest, was up next, with Rob Halford on vocals, Glenn Tipton and K.K. Downing on guitars, Ian Hill on bass and Scott Travis on drums. Priest's stage set was huge with the drum riser easily ten feet high and catwalks leading from there to each side of the stage to other platforms. The backdrop was a big, spooky, eyeless banner of Nostradamus with glowing red eyes, the 16th century prophet about whom the band just made a double concept album. The band started off with "Prophecy" from the new album. Singer Rob Halford was on one of the side risers wearing a gold cloak and singing through swirls of colored smoke. After the opener, he entered the stage by walking out from under the drum riser, ditching the cloak for his usual spikes and black leather. Then he flexed that high octave vocal range through "Metal Gods", "Eat Me Alive", "Between The Hammer And The Anvil" and "Devil's Child".  Then the familiar chant "Breaking the what" was screamed out by Rob signaling the band’s best known song, "Breaking The Law" which led into "Hell Patrol" and the awesome "Dissident Aggressor". Through every number, Judas Priest sounded like polished pros. K.K. Downing’s and Glenn Tipton's guitar work couldn't have been better or more crisp, and Halford never missed a note. They slowed things down with "Angel", which was okay since this led into "The Hellion/Electric Eye", "Rock Hard, Ride Free" and "Painkiller."
        The encore was typical Judas Priest. Rob rode out onstage on the Harley, sat on top of it and sang "Hell Bent For Leather". The set concluded with "The Green Manalishi" and "You’ve Got Another Thing Coming;" and all five band members walked to the front of the stage to take a well deserved bow with the full-house crowd standing, cheering and, of course, pumping their fists in the air.
– Gary Crouthamel, concert photo journalist
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