The co-headline tour of KILLSWITCH ENGAGE and TRIVIUM has been a dream gig for fans of both bands for years and this tour has finally hit English shores taking MISS MAY I and BATTLECROSS along with them. Short but sweet; the 6 date tour is a hit with fans with most dates selling out rapidly with all bands on the line up being popular. If you love Metal then this show is the gig of 2014.
 

First on the stage was Detroit Thrashers BATTLECROSS and despite various sound technical difficulties they still manage to pull off a Thrashtastic show. Guitarists Tony Asta and Hiran Deraniyagala perform some face melting solo's accompanied by ex-THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER drummer Shannon Lucas who manages to keep the blast beats in check. But their vocalist Kyle Gunther is simply meant for the stage, projecting his loud growls whilst prancing all around the stage proving that Thrash Metal is all about having fun. Though BATTLECROSS had an extremely short set and were barely advertised on the line up they were truly loved by dedicated fans and new ones, bringing their Detroit sound to the UK.
 

MISS MAY I was next on stage and the crowd are going wild for them as soon as their introduction music begins. Levi Benton is also a natural stage performer, constantly jumping all around the stage screaming vocals to songs such as ''Hey Mister'' and ''Relentless Chaos'' which instantly got mosh pits going within the crowds but it's a good thing Ryan Neff was around on backing vocals otherwise Benton would of easily ran out of breath. BJ Stead and Justin Aufdemkampf pulled off typically Metalcore riffs but it's exactly what the dedicated MISS MAY I fans wanted even though their set was short with only 6 songs. Their performance wasn't as best as usual but still impressive saying they had such a short time to impress a sold out venue.

Setlist

1. Relentless Chaos
2. Masses of a Dying Breed
3. Our Kings
4. Gone
5. Day by Day
6. Hey Mister
 

First of the headline bands was highly anticipated TRIVIUM who have brought along a huge snow scape set. Having only an hour set it's extremely short time for a band with such a varied discography but the band manage to pull it together playing songs from albums old and new such as ''Shogun'', ''In Waves'', ''Pull Harder On The Strings Of Your Martyr'' and ''Strife''. Lead singer and rhythm guitarist Matt Heafy shows off his wide vocal range whilst changing from various albums and shows his caring side when a audience member passes out in the first song but Corey Beaulieu steals the show with his rip roaring Heavy Metal solo's which easily make Heafy envious. TRIVIUM's set consists of an overuse of theatrical smoke, fake snow and amazing guitar solos with the added dose of audience singing along to every lyric with Hardcore fans nearly breaking ribs at the barrier.

Setlist:

1. Brave This Storm
2. Like Light to the Flies
3. No Way to Heal
4. Strife
5. Shattering the Skies Above
6. Through Blood and Dirt and Bone
7. A Gunshot to the Head of Trepidation
8. Down from the Sky
9. Shogun / Capsizing the Sea
10. In Waves
11. Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr
 

But the real highlight of the night is 2^nd head liner KILLSWITCH ENGAGE back with their original vocalist Jesse Leach. The setlist mostly consists of older songs which the fans go mental for with classics like '' The Arms Of Sorrow'', ''This Fire'' and ''My Curse'' but joining them up to new tracks such as ''Always'' from the new album. Jesse Leach is a performer and can sing his own original songs with KILLSWITCH ENGAGE and the ones ex-vocalist Howard Jones created without receiving criticism as he sings them perfectly. Adam Dutkiewicz puts on an entirely different performance of his own running in every corner of the stage whilst playing lead guitar though he seemed to have a bandaged up knee. KILLSWITCH ENGAGE's performance was simple but extremely effective with no stage effects but only good old fashioned Heavy Metal.
 

Overall the co-headline show was perfect even if there were a few medical emergencies and hick ups but TRIVIUM, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, BATTLECROSS and MISS MAY I made a perfect tour though the genres were mixed. Quite a clear message of diversifying Metal tours ain't it? Acknowledge this tour and if there are dates left, be sure that you have your ticket in.