Shouldn’t really need to emphasise the compulsory attendance of this show; the Lesson No. 1 kitemark of quality is proudly emblazoned hereon and, as you might have come to expect, it’s headlined by a genius U.S. outfit of raging metal brilliance. Seattle’s BLACK BREATH, for it is they, combine breakneck thrash, furious hardcore, jaw-droppingly ace, technical soloing and a bit of black metal throat-clearing for good measure. It’s often easy to recommend this stuff purely on the basis of Lesson No. 1’s perfectly-pitched descriptions and the pedigree of the bands, but seriously, check this lot out; if you remotely enjoy any of the above genres you’ll have a total boner for Black Breath. If you’re merely curious, it’s genuinely, weirdly accessible enough to grab you and hurl you across the room. The album Heavy Breathing is totally brilliant and you should buy it. There.
Naturally the supports are tight as all fuck too; pummelling metalcore-as-it-should-be-done locals SHAPED BY FATE, soon to drop a follow up to nasty, hulking debut The Unbeliever – think Converge, Dillinger, usual suspects when I’m previewing this stuff – and Swansea-bred hardcore stalwarts 33, presently touring with Gallows and offering up 80s NYC-inspired thrash and tasty crowd interaction.
Heads up – this one’s an EARLY show, 7.30 – 11.00, with James Blake’s much-salivated-over Cardiff debut directly following it. If I’ve recovered from an operation on the broken wrist some twat recently inflicted on me, I’m doing both. Why don’t you?
(awesome poster below by BVRSERK. awesome image above from the remarkable metal/baking crossover blog METALCAKES)
THURSDAY 25 NOVEMBER
LESSON NO.1 PRESENT:
BLACK BREATH (Southern Lord, USA)
…http://www.blackbreath.com/
http://www.myspace.com/blackbreath
Incredibly raging bulldozer metal godliness from Seattle, featuring (ex) members of SHOOK ONES, GO IT ALONE, BLUE MONDAY and other bands they don’t sound like. On their two releases to date – 2008’s ‘Razor To Oblivion’ EP, re-released last year by Southern Lord, and 2010’s Kurt Ballou-produced debut album ‘Heavy Breathing’ – they mash up old skool Swedish death metal, crossover thrash, Japanese hardcore, crust and a bunch of other ish. Dirty and hairy but also impeccably focused. If you like metal, don’t even think about missing this.
SHAPED BY FATE
http://www.myspace.com/shapedbyfate
Rare-ish hometown show for Cardiffian gentlemen who have spent much of 2010 writing and recording their second full-length album. Pretty sure it’s going to bang. They take influence from nasty hardcore, nastier metal and helpfully enough nasty metalcore (the sort that is good and doesn’t have dayglo merchandise) and their shows tend to be mad lively. You may already know all that.
33
http://www.myspace.com/33aregods
Also making a fairly rare South Wales appearance, 33 started in Swansea and are now also based in Brecon and London. They feature current and ex-members of a bunch of bands, notably CAPTAIN INSANO, IRONCLAD, SAVE YOUR BREATH and DUKES OF NOTHING (Tony Sylvester, their newest member, used to be in them. Anyone see DoN with Scissorfight in Swansea? That was great). They play fast and uncompromising hardcore nodding to the early 80s New York and Michigan scenes, among others. Respec’ knuckles for having only one 30-second song on their Myspace, imo.
ALL HAPPENING AT: Buffalo, Windsor Place, Cardiff
7.30pm doors
£6 adv from here: http://www.wegottickets.com/event/96654
