(US) βοΈ Band(s)
Cirith Ungol| π Social | π |
|---|---|
| π Date | Thu 25 Apr 1985 |
| β² Time | 19:00:00 |
| π Slogan | Kings of the Dead |
| Present | Goldenvoice / The Masters of Black Metal @ Arlington Theatre |
| π£ Active | cancel_band |
| ποΈ Venue | The Arlington Theatre, USA |
| π Address | The Arlington Theatre (Metropolitan Theatres), 1317 State Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 β |
| Google Maps | |
- π Copy short link
- ποΈ The Arlington Theatre, USA
- π Back to Venues
- π Back to Gig
- « Opening for Loudness @ Arlington Theatre, Santa Barbara | La Casa de la Raza »
- π Ciriths Google Maps
- β οΈ Add, Edit or Remove your item
- πΊοΈ Old Cirith Ungol Webpit
- π The Masters of Black Metal @ Arlington Theatre (DuckDuckGo search or Google search or WP search or FB)
Featured acts: Venom (“from England / Last California Appearance!”), Slayer (“from L.A.”), Cirith Ungol (“Kings of the Dead”). This concert never happened, only the posters.
Would you be interested in purchasing a 4K UHD release of The Masters of Black Metal featuring Combat Tour Live: The Ultimate Revenge 1 & 2? This edition would also include:
- Complete setlists for all bands from the gig. (Combat Records, Golden Voice, or similar labels had to exclude most of the setlists on the original VHS/Beta due to limited space.)
- Venomβs actual setlist from this gig, instead of the two songs taken from a 1984 live performance in the original release.
- Deleted footage, including press conferences with Cirith Ungol, Oz, possibly Agnostic Front, and other Masters of Black Metal bands.
- Five additional soundtracks from Ultimate Revenge 2 (not previously included in the video).
- Potentially unreleased or deleted footage from Combat Tour Live: The Ultimate Revenge 3.
- Lots of old ads with pictures and videos they have used previously. Or the included book.
- Bonus scenes.
Would this be something you’d be interested in?
The Masters of Black Metal
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Venom – Slayer – Exodus
Wed 03 April 1985
played on Combat Tour Live video
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Slayer – Venom – Oz
Fri 19 April 1985
Oz has cancelled
no “The Masters of Black Metal”
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Slayer – Venom – Oz
Fri 19 April 1985
Oz has cancelled
no “The Masters of Black Metal”
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Slayer – Venom – Oz
Fri 19 April 1985
Oz has cancelled
no “The Masters of Black Metal”
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Slayer – Venom – Oz
Fri 19 April 1985
Oz has cancelled
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Venom – Slayer – Exodus
Fri 19 April 1985
played
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Slayer – Venom – Exodus
Fri 19 April 1985
played
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Slayer β Venom β Exodus
Fri 19 April 1985
played
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Slayer – Venom – Exodus
Fri 19 April 1985
played
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- Escape #4, p08b, review Thomas Becker + live ads with the slogan “The Masters of Black Metal“
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Slayer – Venom – Cirith Ungol
Thu 25 April 1985
cancelled
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Slayer – Venom – Cirith Ungol
Thu 25 April 1985
cancelled
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Slayer – Venom – Cirith Ungol
Thu 25 April 1985
cancelled
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Slayer – Venom
Thu 25 April 1985
cancelled
“AVAILABLE AT TICKET MASTER TICKET CENTERS INCLUDING JAILHOUSE RECORDS IN VENTURA,Β
LEOPOLD RECORDS, MORNING GLORY MUSIC, ALL TRI-COUNTY OUTLETS AND THE ARLINGTONΒ
THEATRE BOX OFFICE. TO CHARGE BY PHONE CALL (805)583-8700. FOR INFORMATIONΒ
CALL (805)963-4408.
Tickets also available at Rock Pile Records in Goleta.”
As you may know, Cirith Ungol canceled their appearance at the event. The “Masters of Black Metal” tour featured Venom and Slayer, and was scheduled for April 3rd, 19th, and 25th, 1985. Each date included different supporting acts β such as Oz, Exodus, or Cirith Ungol β depending on the location.
Do any additional posters, flyers, or promotional materials exist related to the “Masters of Black Metal” shows?
Combat Tour Live: The Ultimate Revenge (1985)
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- ads
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- The Story of Abaddon and Venom – Deluxe Box Set (2025) sold out
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- The VHS cover of Ultimate Revenge on Venom is the same as Live At Hammersmith 1984 and also included Countess Bathory
Slayer, Venom (World Possession tour) and Exodus (Bonded by Blood tour) were officially recorded on Wed 3rd April 1985 at Studio 54 in New York, and released on Combat Tour Live: The Ultimate Revenge on video. The included on trackΒ is the back side of the VHS, not the youtube.
On setlist.fm there were also included the band Fates Warning, Tokyo Blade and Trouble on the same date and scene, therefore supposedly included also. Agnostic Front appears to have participated in a press conference during the Combat Tour Live, but not as part of the Masters of Black Metal lineup. Supposed it was released Live At CBGB on Fri 21 Aug 1988, two days before the Ultimate Revenge 2.
| Introduction (included on track 1) | ||
| Crowd Scenes (included on track 2) | ||
| Slayer | Exodus | Venom |
|---|---|---|
| Hell AwaitsΒ (included on track 12) | Exodus (included on track 8) | Too Loud (For the Crowd) |
| Necrophiliac | Deliver Us to Evil | Black Metal |
| Captor of Sin | A Lesson in Violence | Die Hard |
| Black Magic | And Then There Were None | Nightmare |
| Die by the SwordΒ (included on track 4) | Metal Command (included on track 7) | Countess Bathory |
| At Dawn They Sleep | Piranha (included on track 3) | The Seven Gates of Hell |
| Praise of Death | guitar solo by Gary HoltΒ (included on track 4 b – unlisted on VHS) | bass solo by Cronos |
| I Am The AntichristΒ (included on track 11) Note: VHS back cover is “I Am …”. | Strike of the BeastΒ (included on track 9) | Powerdrive |
| Chemical WarfareΒ (included on track 13) | – | Disco Song / In Nomine Satanas |
| Slayer Interview (included on track 10) | – | Welcome to Hell |
| – | – | Buried Alive |
| – | – | Don’t Burn the Witch |
| – | – | Warhead |
| – | – | guitar solo by Dave Irwin |
| – | – | Poison |
| – | – | Leave Me in Hell |
| – | – | Bloodlust (Encore 1) |
| – | – | Schizo (Encore 2) |
| – | – | Too Loud (For the Crowd) (Encore 3) |
| – | – | Venom Interview Part 1 (included on track 6) |
| – | – | Venom Interview Part 2 (included on track 14) |
| – | – | Witching Hour (included on track 5) Note: previously released on EP, 1982 |
| – | – | Countess BathoryΒ (included on track 15) Note: previously released on Hammersmith Odeon, 1984 |
| Credits (included on track 16 a – unlisted on VHS) | ||
| Combat Visual Catalogue (included on track 16 b) Visual cataloge was Venom – Possessed (1985), Exodus – Bounded by Blood (1985), Slayer – Hell Awaits (1985), Talas – High Speed On Ice (1984), Talas – Sink Your Teeth Into That (1982), Tokyo Blade – Tokyo Blade (1983), Tokyo Blade – Night of the Blade (1984), TKO – In Your Face (1984), Megadeth – Killing Is My Business… and Business Is Good! (1985), Abattoir – Vicious Attack (1985), Savatage – The Dungeons Are Calling (1984), Oz – Fire in the Brain (1983) – (the hand on the cover is that of Quorthon), Oz – III Warning (1984), The Rods – Let Them Eat Metal (1984), The Rods – Live (1983), Trouble – The Skull (1985) and Impaler – Rise of the Mutants (1985) | ||
Note: the teal (bluegreen) song included on Combat Tour Live. The video tracklist is a slightly different track list on some of them, but the complete track list:
- 00:00 – Introduction with film cover Saturday Night Fever (1977) 00:45
- 00:45 – Crowd Scenes 01:18 (02:03 totally of track 1 and 2)
- 02:09 – Exodus – Piranha 04:26 from Bonded by Blood (1985)
- 06:30 – Gary Holt Guitar Solo (Exodus)
- 07:35 – Slayer – Die By The Sword 03:47 from Show No Mercy (1983)
- 11:23 – Venom – Witching Hour (promo video from the 1982 Live EP) 03:51 from Welcome to Hell (1981) / live video
- 15:13 – Venom Interview Part 1 02:27
- 17:42 – Exodus – Metal Command 04:21 from Bonded by Blood (1985)
- 22:12 – Exodus – Exodus 04:28 from Bonded by Blood (1985)
- 26:40 – Exodus – Strike Of The Beast 04:41 from Bonded by Blood (1985)
- 31:13 – Slayer Interview 02:01
- 33:15 – Slayer – The Antichrist 03:02 from Show No Mercy (1983)
- 36:17 – Slayer – Hell Awaits 05:27 from Hell Awaits (1985)
- 41:45 – Slayer – Chemical Warfare 06:30 from Haunting the Chapel (1984)
- 48:16 – Venom Interview Part 2 05:22
- 53:37 – Venom – Countess Bathory (promo video filmed at Hammersmith Odeon, London, UK. in 1 Jun 1984 from the video The 7th Date of Hell) from Black Metal (1981) 03:35
- 57:13 – Slayer – Evil Has No Boundries from Show No Mercy (1983) – CreditsΒ 03:33
- 58:20 – Combat Visual Catalogue / Records Advertisement 02:00
“When you think of Studio 54, you think of the music loud, the beat heavy, the dancing frenetic. You do NOT think of VENOM, EXODUS or SLAYER, Dukes of Heavy Metal darkness all. But all the above were descriptions of those three bands on the magical evening of April 3, 1985 when Studio 54 changed its disco gloss into Heavy Metal sweat in the Ultimate Revenge. This is the story of that fateful night, from the crowds outside to the band’s inside thoughts, from the energy and frantic pace on stage to agitated madness of the crowd in audience. VENOM – from England and one of the biggest selling independent bands in the world…. EXODUS, leaders of the San Francisco speed metal scene and L.A.’s legendary SLAYER, a band that always lives up to its name when it comes to its audiences. All three together on this 60 minute epic of metal!”
During the actual show, Venom drafted guitarists Dave Irwin (Fist) and Les Cheetham (Avenger) to fill in for Jeffrey “Mantas” Dunn, who remained in the UK sick with chickenpox. Conrad Thomas “Cronos” Lant in an interview. front side / back side on the cover. Deciber Magazine: That Tour Was Awesome: Ultimate Revenge Tour, Venom/Slayer/Exodus (1985).
Combat Tour Live: Ultimate Revenge 2 (1989)
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- ads1
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- ads2
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- ads3
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- VHS front
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- VHS back
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- LP front
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- LP back
Follow-Up: The next installment featured Forbidden (Forbidden Evil tour), Faith or Fear, Death (Leprosy tour), Dark Angel, and Raven, and was titled Ultimate Revenge 2 (cover) or Combat Tour II Live 1988 β The Ultimate Revenge (video). It was recorded at Philadelphia’s Trocadero Theater, Pennsylvania, USA, on Sunday, October 23, 1988. The release includes 20 live music videos (video track [number]), with accompanying audio tracks listed on the right side as “(track [number])”.
| Introduction (included on video 1 a – unlisted on VHS) | ||||
| Forbidden | Faith or Fear | Death | Dark Angel | Raven |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Off the Edge | Punishment Area (included on video track 5, soundtrack 5) | Left to Die (included on video track 9, soundtrack 6) | The Death of Innocence (with “Harbinger of Doom” intro) (included on video track 13) | Behemoth |
| Feel No Pain (included on video track 1 b) | What Would You Expect (included on video track 6) | Leprosy | The Burning of Sodom (included on video track 14) | Die for Allah |
| As Good as Dead (included on video track 2, soundtrack 1) | C.D.S.(included on video track 7) | Open Casket (included on soundtrack 7) | Death Is Certain (Life Is Not) (included on video track 15) | Lambs to the Slaughter |
| Through Eyes of Glass (included on video track 3) | Time Bomb (included on video track 8, soundtrack 4) | Zombie Ritual | Merciless Death (included on soundtrack 8) | Lay Down the Law (included on video track 17) |
| Chalice Of Blood (included on video track 4, soundtrack 2) | Lack Of Motivation (on soundtrack 3, probably scenes also) | Pull the Plug (included on video track 10) | The Promise of Agony | Into the Jaws of Death (included on video track 18, soundtrack 10) |
| – | – | Forgotten Past (included on video track 11) | No One Answers (included on video track 16) | Speed of the Reflex |
| – | – | Denial of Life (included on video track 12) | Perish in Flames (included on soundtrack) | Mind Over Metal |
| – | – | Primitive Ways | Darkness Descends (included on soundtrack) | You Got a Screw Loose (included on video track 19) |
| – | – | Choke on It (included on soundtrack) | – | Faster Than the Speed of Light |
| – | – | – | – | Gimme a Break (included on video track 20 a, soundtrack 11) |
| – | – | – | – | drum solo by Joe Hasselvander |
| – | – | – | – | Break the Chain |
| Credits (included on video 20 b – unlisted on VHS) | ||||
Note: the teal (bluegreen) songΒ included onΒ Combat Tour Live 2.Β
- 00:00:00 – Forbidden β Feel No Pain 5:10 from Forbidden Evil (1988) / live video
- 00:05:12 – Forbidden β As Good As Dead 4:51 from Forbidden Evil (1988) (track 01)
- 00:09:17 – Forbidden β Through Eyes Of Glass 5:45 from Forbidden Evil (1988) / live video
- 00:15:20 – Forbidden β Chalice Of Blood 4:47 from Forbidden Evil (1988) (track 02) / live video
- 00:20:08 – Faith Or Fear β Punishment Area 5:23 from Punishment Area (1989) (track 05)
- 00:25:25 – Faith Or Fear β What Would You Expect 3:48Β from Punishment Area (1989)
- 00:29:05 – Faith Or Fear β CDS 3:45 from Punishment Area (1989)
- 00:32:49 – Faith Or Fear β Time Bomb 5:25 fromΒ Punishment Area (1989) (track 04)
- 00:38:05 – Death β Left To Die 4:30 from Leprosy (1988)
- 00:42:42 – Death β Pull The Plug 4:37 from Leprosy (1988)
- 00:47:08 – Death β Forgotten Past 4:32Β from Leprosy (1988)
- 00:51:50 – Death β Denial Of Life 3:43 from Scream Bloody Gore (1987)
- 00:55:20 – Dark Angel β The Death Of Innocence 6:06 from Leave Scars (1989)
- 01:01:30 – Dark Angel β The Burning Of Sodom 3:02 from Darkness Descends (1986)
- 01:04:45 – Dark Angel β Death Is Certain (Life Is Not) 3:43 from Darkness Descends (1986)
- 01:08:24 – Dark Angel β No One Answers 7:18 from Leave Scars (1989)
- 01:15:48 – Raven β Lay Down The Law 4:32 from Nothing Exceeds like Excess (1988) / music video / live video
- 01:20:30 – Raven β Into The Jaws Of Death 5:38 from Nothing Exceeds like Excess (1988) (track 10) / live video
- 01:26:05 – Raven β You Got A Screw Loose 4:58 from Nothing Exceeds like Excess (1988) / live video
- 01:31:01 – Raven β Gimme A Break 4:12 from Nothing Exceeds like Excess (1988) (track 11) / live video
“SOUNDTRACK FROM ULTIMATE REVENGE 2 INCLUDING 5 SONGS NOT ON VIDEO 2002-1-2-4:”
- Faith Or Fear β Lack Of Motivation 3:26 from Punishment Area (1989) (track 03)
- Death β Open Casket 4:49Β from Leprosy (1988) (track 06)
- Death β Choke On It 5:57 from Leprosy (1988) (track 07)
- Dark Angel β Merciless Death 3:44 from Darkness Descends (1986) (soundtrack 08)
- Dark Angel β Perish In Flames / Darkness Descends 8:31 from Darkness Descends (1986) (soundtrack 09)
In October 23, 1988, five of COMBAT RECORDS’ premier outfits played host to a sizeable crowd of thrashing maniacs at Philadelphia’s Trocadero theatre.The occasion? The taping of the sequel to the classic ULTIMATE REVENGE Video.
Like its predecessor, which featured VENOM SLAYER, and EXODUS, ULTIMATE REVENGE 2 boasts a lineup of exceptional bands, all on the brink of something undeniably huge: Rookies of the year FORBIDDEN, new signees FAITH OR FEAR, thrash gods DEATH, a first glimpse of the new, improved DARK ANGEL and recently reincarnated legends RAVEN. Truly the ULTIMATE roster for the ULTIMATE video: ULTIMATE REVENGE 2. This is the soundtrack of that performance, including five songs not on the video.
COMBAT
1989 RELATIVITY RECORDS, INC. MADE IN THE U.S.A.
Revolvermag: COMBAT ‘ULTIMATE REVENGE 2’: 5 Things you didn’t know about classic thrash show
Slayer, Exodus, Venom and Death are one of the famous bands. Possibly Dark Angel also. Contrary to Cirith Ungol, Oz, Forbidden and Faith Or Fear are more or less unknown bands. Possibly Raven also.
Except Cirith Ungol, what could you choose on The Masters of Black Metal gig and Ultimate Revenges 1+2 on video? Most probably you choose either Slayer, Exodus, Venom or Death.
Fun Facts with satanism, fantasy, and a canceled gig
The Masters of Black Metal concert on Thursday, April 25, 1985, featured a lineup known for heavy associations with satanic themes:
- Venom β Known for satanic lyrics and imagery ✔️
- Slayer β Frequently explored themes of hell, death, and blasphemy ✔️
- Cirith Ungol β Focused on epic fantasy, sword & sorcery themes, and even a song about a Ferrari ❌
Cirith Ungolβs lyrical themes clearly differed from the other bands on the bill. This may have contributed to their removal from the event.
Notably, Cirith Ungol also once opened for Stryper, a band known for its Christian metal message β showing the band’s diverse range of associations in the metal scene.
Fun facts on metal genres over the years:
Metal genres or classifications is very different now than in the 1980’s:
- Venom: “Our music is Power Metal, Venom Metal, Black Metal, not Heavy Metal cos that’s for the chicks“. Kerrang! Nov 1982 and “The Return of True Power Metal” and “Barbaric Black Metal” on At War with Satan ads in 1984.
- Slayer: “From The Heaviest Band In the World Comes The Ultimate Power Metal Album” (Metal Blade Records ad header on Hell Awaits), “Very Heavy“ (Creem Magazine 5/84) and “A Sure Must For All Hardcore Fans” (Metallic Overkill fanzine). And “Speed Metals Finest Album” for Reign in Blood poster.
- Exodus: “leaders of the San Francisco speed metal scene” (backside of Combat Tour Live: The Ultimate Revenge)
Note: We all know that Slayer is well famous and they formed in 1981 in CA, US. But there are at least two Slayer as well. The other band was Slayer in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, England, formed in 1980. Changed name to DragonSlayer in 1983. See The Yearβs Best Fantasy Stories: 2 on DAW Books from Aug 1976, inspired the album cover of Slayer/DragonSlayer (compilation 2008, re-released from 1980βs). And The Slayer movie (Oct 1982) who first named fanzine Slayer Mag, the credits on King of the Dead and One Foot in Hell had mentioned Jon “Metalion” Kristiansen and fanzine Live Wire, right before Slayer Mag.
Curiosity with heaven & hell and Elric:
the French artist Philippe Druillet who draw on the very first comic version of Elric. The comic “Approaching Centauri” on battle between heaven and hell on the magazine Heavy Metal β The adult illustrated fantasy magazine vol. I, no. 4, Jul 1977, which has script of Philippe Druillet and art by Jean “MΕbius” Giraud. The Slayer album Hell Awaits has borrowed of them.
Credits:
- Golden Voice Est. 1981
- Arlington Theatre
- Anton LaVey of Church of Satan
- eBay
- Amazon
- CU@FB (Slayer)
- CU@FB
