Bands – Testament, Overkill, Destruction
Venue – Saint Andrew’s Hall
Location – Detroit, MI
Concert Date – March 24th, 2026
Words & Photos – Porous
I remember being 13 years old and hearing thrash metal for the first time. It was the mid-90s, and while genres like punk and grunge had helped somewhat ease whatever stress a sheltered anxious kid in 7th grade like me felt, it was the unwavering madness and speed of thrash that channeled that nervous energy into something more visceral and exciting. Metallica was the obvious gateway band for me, but I was also introduced to Testament at this time. So getting to witness their Thrash of the Titans tour in Detroit this past Tuesday at Saint Andrews Hall with Destruction and Overkill was not only nostalgic, but also one hell of a great time!
DESTRUCTION
This truly is a cruel world, as I missed most of Destruction’s set. I was delayed for multiple reasons, but now I know to show up even earlier! However, I did catch the last few songs and got to take a couple photos from the balcony. These guys looked fucking incredible, and I’m bummed I couldn’t snap more. But what was cooler than their stage presence and backdrops were how Destruction sounded. Even though they were the opener, the venue was already packed for these German thrash metal legends. The crowd was going absolutely feral and the energy in that place was dangerously infectious. Don’t be like me… show up exactly when doors open so you can experience Destruction on this tour through April 10th!
OVERKILL
Long-time readers will know my tastes in metal lean more tech death, black, and doom. As much as I love complex time signatures, dissonance, and crushing misanthropy, it’s crucial to mix it up once in a while with some impressively tight, fast, bang-your-fucking-head true thrash metal. Like OVERKILL!! All the guys in this band are at the top of their game, and gave the crowd their money’s worth. Especially their vocalist, Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth. The dude seriously has one of the best voices in all of thrash. It’s like the perfect mix of clean and gritty. A couple of my favorites they performed were “Rotten To The Core” and “The Surgeon”. Although the crowd reacted like every single song they played was the greatest thing ever! Overkill are on this tour until mid-April. Go see them!
TESTAMENT
I seriously can’t get over how perfect Testament sounded the other night. This band’s been at it for over four decades and it’s obvious they just keep getting better and better. But before they stepped foot on that stage in Detroit the other night, the venue went dark, and we all joined in by reciting a prayer. That prayer was Motörhead’s “Ace of Spades”. And when it ended, Testament strutted out and erupted with “Into the Pit”!
Dude… Getting to stand a few feet away from both Eric and Alex as they shred away, watching their fingers flying all over their fretboards… just absolutely mesmerizing. Two of the best guitar players around, so effortlessly playing these wicked riffs and solos, but also looking cool as hell doing it. And giving the backbone and brutality to these songs were Steve and Chris (on bass and drums). These guys are all absurdly talented on their instruments and it’s no wonder the four of them sound so incredibly heavy live.
The fifth member of Testament is Chuck Billy and he really seems like one of the coolest frontmen ever. That dude only stopped smiling to growl something sinister into the mic. And my god, his growls and cleans were both spot-on. In between songs he’d enthusiastically engage with the crowd and shared a somber story about why they’d rather not play Harpos ever again! But Billy’s voice is honestly one of the best and most versatile in all of metal. And that was especially evident when Testament played “Infanticide A.I.” and “WWIII”, two tracks that have been on repeat in my brain since that night.
Testament, Overkill, and Destruction will be on this U.S. Thrash of the Titans tour until April 10th. Visit ThrashOfTheTitansTour.com to snag your tickets!
Follow @porousphoto on Instagram to see more photos from the show.
Biography: Porous has been possessed by heavy music for the vast majority of his life. For a good chunk of it, that love was exorcised by playing metal, punk, and hardcore with other musicians. Nowadays Porous writes/records music mostly on his own, but engages with the community by supporting/encouraging other artists, and one of those ways is through writing! In early 2025 he joined MoshPitNation to contribute album/show reviews, concert photography, and hopefully an infectious love for metal, punk, and hardcore. For more photography, visit his digital portfolio.
