Tonight is a good night for sonic violence, and here are three bands very well-placed to dish it out. Within such a brutal niche as tonight’s show, Nails are big fish, (and that’s before you factor in the draw of the mighty Rotten Sound, as well as opener Invunche). Rebellion is therefore as busy as you’d expect it to be, and space is at a premium. If this show isn’t sold out, then it’s pretty damn close to it.
Invunche
The evening starts with the blackened assault of Invunche. Boasting a strong stage presence, their brand of crust-infused black metal really hits the spot. It’s atmospheric, enriched with keyboards, shot through with melody, and it has teeth too. In the live environment the band drive their material home with potency.
Invunche may be the odd ones out on tonight’s bill, stylistically speaking, but it doesn’t matter – the crowd show up early to see them do their thing. They don’t disappoint; Invunche deliver a satisfyingly enjoyable performance that’s surprisingly immersive.
Rotten Sound
After Invunche, it’s now time for something more direct and destructive. Rotten Sound specialise in pure grindcore ferocity, and they unleash Hell.
As soon as they take to the stage they get to work demolishing everything in front of them. The energy bleeds off the stage in aggressive waves, infecting the audience with the simple, primal need to move, and move hard. Despite how packed it is, space is created to make room for the explosive pit action.
It’s an intense experience. It’s fast, furious, and over far too quickly. Rotten Sound set the standard for this sort of grind brutality, and their set is a powerful one.
Nails
After that, how much more does the crowd have in them? We’re about to find out. The grinding hardcore powerviolence of Nails is always a big draw, and by this point the venue is well and truly jammed with bodies.
Nails play a set pulled from all of their albums, (with most recent record Every Bridge Burning getting only one song aired), plus their latest 2-track EP, which gets a full airing. Regardless of what’s played though, the entire set is murderously good.
In answer to the question above – the crowd clearly have plenty left in the tank. It’s beyond busy, but that doesn’t prevent people from having a whale of a time. The stage divers increasingly flow freely.
Nails own the stage. It’s all riffs, blasts, rhythmic heaviness, and snarling attitude. It’s great fun it, it has to be said.
By the end of it, the audience’s hunger for distorted violence is satiated. Punishment dealt, Nails exit as champions. This has been an evening of top-tier devastation.
