It’s testament to the enduring power of old-school death metal that the Underworld is already packed with a largely young crowdtalent for dense, precision-tooled utter fucking mayhem is undimmed. Drums clatter and splatter like a thousand heads fried up as popcorn kernels, and whether it’s raging older tracks like or those from bringing in a juddering, grindcore groove, they’re relentless to the point of overwhelming, getting an equally rabid response. By rights, should be afforded the same renaissance and recognition that Kreator have had of late. As much as they’ve epitomised their own scene, tonight proves not just how much scope there is yet to be excavated from it, but how much they embody the ever-ravenous, intrepid spirit of freedom of metal as a whole. The Poles are given a heroes’ welcome and, leaning heavily on their debut album, the likes of and have the authority of commandments thrown down. Lead breaks crackle like thunder in the night sky and it’s as sophisticated as death metal butchery gets.
