Barely weeks after ACID REIGN reign released their fourth album, DAY OF THE WEEK (see my review for that HERE), the British thrash quintet are in the midst of a supporting tour of Ireland and the UK.

The night that I see them is in the English capital of London, and one that I’ve been waiting for in just a fanatical state as when waiting for the album.

First things first, though. An apology needs to be given to NEURONSPOILER, the opener for this evening’s entertainment. I am one who constantly battles with good time keeping, and one that I regrettably lose… a lot.

The London act are carving a path of 80s flavoured heavy metal for a while and doing a good job of it.
Their latest album, THE HOUSE ALWAYS WINS, was released in February and, by all accounts, the set played here was a solid affair and one that I hope I will be able to catch in the near future.

A band I did manage to see was ENQUIRE WITHIN. They also have a new album out (titled DOOMSDAY PROFIT. See the review HERE) and have enjoyed sharing the UK stint of this tour with the headliners thus far with more to come.

The London five piece made for the perfect between the three acts. With a blend of classic and modern metal, there’s room for plenty of thrash oomph to whet the appetite.

From the moment they started playing SCORCHED EARTH, the mood was further secured.

With DOOMSDAY PROFIT getting the lion’s share of airtime, older tracks like FINAL SEAL and SANCTUM still had their rightful place in an ENQUIRE WITHIN set.
The band were on point and firing full clips of high octane energy, but it must be said that singer JACOB WALLER gave an inspired performance. Lately, JACOB has recorded his personal journey to lose weight and get fit, and it has paid dividends. His energy levels here were through the roof and, despite losing 5 kilos so far, his voice has a weight and impact not heard from him before.

To add to the already supply of pleasant surprises, after SEEDS OF DESTRUCTION, a wholly destructive rendition of Slayer’s Raining Blood left the crowd gasping for air but panting for more.

ACID REIGN are one of a very small number of British bands from my youth that still manage to instill the same joy hearing and seeing them to this day four decades later.

It is, however, a two edged blade. Seeing your favourite bands play in a more personal setting like Camden Underworld or The Fighting Cocks in South West London is a thrill, but a part of me feels they should be playing the much larger venues as their now legacy peers for three or four times the entry price.

ACID REIGN deserves that, yet at the cost of losing a connection or kinship between audience and artist. I’m sure H, Pete, Matt, Darren and Jon would grab that slice of big time, but also maybe wrestle with the sacrifice asked.

It is from disillusion and dissolution to a rebuilt rebirth that the slog through the underground continues.
With THE WHO OF YOU, the set and new album opener that ACID REIGN lay their manifesto to mosh. Making it plainly clear that no platform is important, what matters is they put it out hard and have fun doing it.

The majority of the set is largely made up of tracks from DAZE OF THE WEEK, which is understandable, and considering the reinvention still ongoing, the early classics still require their moments to shine still. GODDESS and HUMANOIA nestled between the new album’s title track and each song garners equal appreciation and applause.

With only THE NEW LOW representing 2019s THE AGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT, room needed to be made for two more AC classics in the form of LIFE IN FORMS and the closer, MOTHERLY LOVE. All this going on while the band darted about, getting plenty of steps in.
Don’t think that I’d forgotten the covers, for some extra party flavour. The Crumbsuckers JUST SIT THERE and the timeless AC cover of HANGING ON THE TELEPHONE were sharp shots of crossover heaven.

By the end of it, the Underworld was filled with very happy, albeit sweaty, people. ACID REIGN have proven that they are more than a resurgence of an old band. Like a classic car with fresh paint and upgraded parts, anyone can appreciate the lineage, but it’s not until you witness it in action that you realise the craft gone into making it a true beast.

Persistence and dedication is paying off. ACID REIGN is here for good and better things lie ahead. And, as the ACID REIGN bassist PETE DEE told me during a chance encounter a few days later , things will get a lot heavier…

Well, gosh!

There’s still plenty of gigs left to catch ACID REIGN. With the second leg of the tour looming, check these dates and get caught in the REIGN.