3 Inches Of Blood -Goatwhore-Angelus Apatrida-Havok

A move of venue at the eleventh hour from the Rescue Rooms to the Stealth Club in the same complex, due to a blown P.A system the night before by some over enthusiastic dub Step D.J did nothing to dampen the night. In fact it just got a whole more intense and the vibe of the event was enhanced because of it.

Havok look young, very young, however this does not distract from their ability to play like seasoned veterans. Their brand of in your face thrash attack tactics work perfectly for the assembled die hard's wanting a night of pure metal. David Sanchez at the helm is so much like a young Rob Flynn it's scary, trading mega solo's and rupturing the crowd into a mini pit it's a quality start to a deafening evening. With a very interested Andy Sneap watching from the sidelines Havok seems to have won over many new fans.

Spain's Angelus Apatrida are good,very good and leave off exactly where Havok left off without a dip in quality. Mashing up their Exodus meets Testament assault they also rip the place apart and continue with the thrash frenzy that the evening so promised. Frontman Guillermo Izquierdo is reminisant of a young Mustaine, complete with curly locks and snarling vocals its good to see this young band carrying the thrash message to the hordes. It's loud it's thrashy and I love it, again with youth on their side they certainly have a long thrash filled career ahead of them.

Goatwhore on the other hand are almost old veterans at this compared to the other bands so far. Louis Benjamin Falgoust II, is spitting venom antagonizing the crowd to go apeshit in the pit. This is a metal show which threatens to cause injury for all who enter, its brutality is sublime and the Nottingham masses realize this is no walk in the park. With their hardcore/metal/punkish attitude and delivery this is harking back to a time of good old metal gigs from the 80's with a real commoradary between the bands. The circle pit sporadically springs into life and their 40 minute set comes to a shuddering crescendo leaving everyone outside catching their breath.

3 Inches Of Blood have just released one of the year's first stunning albums with Long Live Heavy Metal and there is no doubt they wear their hearts on their classic metal denim sleeves. Ripping into Metal Woman this is a statement of intent which soon carries on when they follow it with Deadly Sinners. Cam Pipes is on fire and his bollock ripping vocals penetrate all hardened metal souls present in the room. Bearing the classic metal torch high and proud they bridge the gap of classic metal and thrash perfectly, with Byron Stroud offering some fat rumbling bass to proceedings, 3IOB are making the place go fist pumping crazy. Song after song are churned out to the assembled faithful who are only too glad to mix it up in the pit and acknowledge the thundering chants of Cam Pipes to join him in his metal chariot to vanquish the tortured souls of Valhalla. Tonight was a textbook lesson in DIY metal touring, all the bands helping each other on the merch stand and pummeling the truly metal faithful back to 1989, awesome stuff!