We are at La Belle Angele in Edinburgh tonight for Kings of Thrash, featuring ex-Megadeth David Ellefson and Jeff Young. But first up, all the way from Texas, is heavy metal trio Hellgrimm, with Erica Missey on drums and lead vocals, Jerry Conner on guitar, and Johnnie Kay on bass. The band opens with the upbeat, AC/DC-infused “Jack of All Blades,” followed by “Speed Demon,” a faster track featuring impressive guitar work from Jerry and pounding drums from Erica—one of my favourites. We also get the doom-infused “Til Death Do Us Party” and “Sin After Sin.” Johnnie shines on bass, even flipping between left- and right-handed playing. If you enjoy traditional metal with a hint of doom, they’re worth catching live—a great start to the night.
Next up is the atmospheric power metal band Andry. Self-described as “the missing link between Ronnie James Dio and Christina Aguilera,” Athens-born Andry Lagiou was the runner-up on The Voice of Greece in 2017. This is my first time hearing them. Andry opens with “Do or Do Not” from their new album *Skies*, a fierce track driven by heavy guitars and drums, with Andry’s powerful vocals setting an intense tone. She returns to the stage in a horned headpiece, wielding a whip for “Mistress of the Night,” a track with strong Dio influences. It’s my favourite of their set, with stunning guitar work from Mickey Lyxx, who is on fire tonight. They follow with the ballad “My Love,” where Fab Jablonski’s intense keyboard work complements Andry’s voice, though the vocals could have been louder in the mix. The set ends with a cover of Deep Purple’s “Burn.” Andry has a commanding voice, backed by a stellar band: Mickey Lyxx on guitar, Hans in ’t Zandt on drums, Marko Vladilo on bass, and Fab Jablonski on keyboards. Fans of late-era Rainbow and powerful vocal-driven metal will enjoy this band live.
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Now for the main event: Kings of Thrash, featuring David Ellefson on bass, Jeff Young on guitar, Chaz Leon on lead vocals and guitar, and Fred Aching on drums. They start strong with two tracks from 1988’s So Far, So Good… So What?: an instrumental “Into the Lungs of Hell,” followed by a thrilling version of “Mary Jane.” Jeff’s guitar work is outstanding, and Chaz nails both the vocals and Mustaine’s guitar parts. David’s enjoyment is evident, grinning as he delivers on bass—a fantastic opening.
The band moves into “Train of Consequences,” with killer riffs from both guitars and bass, driven by Fred’s powerful drumming, while Chaz delivers another strong vocal performance. “Victory” follows, packed with references to classic Megadeth songs, then “The Killing Road,” and “502,” where Fred pounds his kit to bits and Jeff solos with incredible skill. A drum solo from Fred leads into “In My Darkest Hour,” a crowd favourite that marches along with great energy.
They take us back with “Good Morning/Black Friday,” starting gently before exploding with speed, as the crowd sings along. A medley from Rust in Peace segues into “Rattlehead,” with Fred drumming like a whirlwind and Jeff keeping up with intense riffs. A few tracks from Killing Is My Business follow: “Last Rites” and “The Skull Beneath the Skin,” delivering pure riffing excellence, one of my favourites of the night. They also perform “These Boots,” a rarely-played Megadeth track—technically interesting but never a personal favourite.
The band takes a short break and returns for an encore, starting with a tribute cover linked to each tour country. Tonight, in Scotland, it’s AC/DC’s “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap,” honouring the Angus brothers and Bon Scott—a solid rendition. They close with the iconic “Peace Sells,” as those familiar bass lines kick in. The crowd sings along, the band is on fire, and everyone is clearly enjoying themselves. Chaz nails the vocals and guitar, Fred’s drumming is off the hook, and David and Jeff are just outstanding. This was one of the gigs of the year. Sadly, there were no large tour shirts for sale, but hopefully, they’ll be available on the website once the tour wraps up.
UPDATE! Shirts are available from the band’s website right now.
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Photos by Gary Cooper Gig Photography
