Old school thrashers Overkill headlined the second stage. Here is a band that has been steadily releasing albums ever since the emergence back in the mid 1980's. They have been on quite a roll over the past couple of years, with a new album, constant touring, and a new concert DVD of their own. Their slot on Gigantour certainly did not hurt matters. Their two songs here, pure old style thrash, still sound perfectly at home alongside the youngsters that opened before them. This is a band that should be seen live, these tracks are proof of their ability to throw down anytime, anywhere.

The main stage starts with Arch Enemy, a female fronted death metal act represented by a pair of songs. I am relatively new to them, but that will not stop me from being impressed by their sheer heaviness and ability flat out tear it up on stage. The songs here are the same two as on the DVD, and the sound great. The aggression nearly bleeds through the speakers as their sound an scarcely be contained.

Slowing things down, if only momentarily, is Opeth with "Window Pane," which is different from what appears on the DVD. This band is flat out amazing, and I seriously need to dig into their music some more. This song is beautiful in its mellow flow and the technical skills on display. It does not quite fit in with the rest of the bands, and may not have been the best choice for this compilation, in terms of continuity, but it really is a fantastic song. You cannot deny its beauty.

Lamb of God rounds out the opening acts, and are represented by three songs on the CD, up one from the DVD. The middle song, "Red Neck," is added on this disk, in between "Vigil" and "Now You've Got Something to Die For." These guys truly rip it up. There are definite technical skills, but that is not what they are about. Lamb of God is about getting in your face and stirring up some adrenaline. Their performance is spot on and guaranteed to get some head banging started wherever you happen to be.

Megadeth rounds out the CD with a trio of cuts, beginning with one from their 1990 album Rust in Peace called "Take No Prisoners." This is a great old school track from one of the greatest metal albums ever unleashed upon an unsuspecting public. The performance is pure old school thrash; it feels fresh and nowhere near being eighteen years old! That is followed up with "The Scorpion" from the 2004 release The System Has Failed. This song is not quite as thrashy and plays up other elements of Megadeth's sound. It is a strong song and its performance is excellent. The final song is from their latest release, United Abominations, and features Dave Mustaine in full political mode. The song goes by the name "Washington is Next" and is flat out strong. Megadeth is a band that has always been on the scene, but the past few years have seen them come back stronger than ever. There is no better evidenced than through their live performance, perfectly captured here.