Starting proceedings tonight are Trigger The Bloodshed and Burning Skies, both flying the flag for British metal-based noise and mosh-pit related injuries. Trigger The Bloodshed, fresh form their stint on the Gibson Stage at Download festival, kick things off with their particular brand of scathing Death Metal and whip the eager and rapidly swelling crowd in to a veritable frenzy. Following on their heels, Burning Skies turn the adrenaline-shot crowd in to a churning whirlpool of brutal head-banging and flailing limbs, all but shoving nasty grindcore songs from new offering, ‘Greed. Filth. Abuse. Corruption.’ in to their gurning faces.

Welsh troupe Anterior play a tight and energetic set which is, quite unfortunately, plagued by difficulties and mini-disasters. The outfit don’t appear to be well-known name among those gathered and the audience thins during the first song, which is hampered when guitarist Steve breaks his instrument. But soon the audience starts to flock back and nod their heads rhythmically. It’s not long before the crowd start begin to lap it up and, as is traditional when a metal-head likes what they’re hearing, the more boisterous audience members start throwing themselves in to the nearest people. Anterior are a very well-practised band when it comes to live shows and have honed their craft in to a finely-tuned performance. They belt out numbers form their album, ‘This Age Of Silence’ as if they’d be made to swallow fie if they didn’t. The band are pulled off the stage early, much to singer, Luke’s consternation and the displeasure of his fellow band mates is obvious. For a band who were, only a short while ago, supporting Children Of Bodom in venues four times the size of The Underworld, this was something of a disappointing night.

American Death Metal stalwarts Dying Fetus take the stage to a rapturous applause from a crowd so excited the smell of testosterone (as the crowd is at least 90 percent male) is overpowering. They pour over fifteen years of gnarled and nauseous metal experience in to their set, making the crowd near mindless with joy and the mosh-pit swiftly turns in to a bloodthirsty battle field, as if ‘Purification Through Violence’ is a tested and proven method of cleansing. In fact, Dying Fetus album names seem to be unanimous mosh-pit philosophy. ‘Killing On Adrenaline’ is exactly what the crowd appears to be doing - just very slowly. At least they are all having fun. And so too, are Dying Fetus, growling and thrashing out noisy anthem after noisy anthem. The night is theirs, the crowd conquered and swooning.


Reviewed by Annette Simmonds

Photography by Asif Salam