Review by Nadira Cee | Photos by Fernando Bonanfont
Cancer Bats embarked on The Spark That Moves UK tour spreading hardcore punk carnage all over the UK with another sold out show. 9th February 2019 saw the final show arrive at the live music venue 100 Club in the heart of London. With Underside and Bleed from Within in tow, be prepared for an unforgettable night of music that embodies danger, power, and seething aggression!
Tonight’s opener Underside brought metal all the way from Nepal with monstrous fat beats and a cavorting masked demon. The band played to a decently filled room and offered full force riffs in a short and punchy performance that gripped the crowd immediately. Bursts of interaction had the crowd screaming, and the song “Sky Burial” excited moshers. For those engaged in the music appreciated the set and vocalist Avishek Kc’s death metal vocal range went down a treat. It’s safe to say the crowd loved these guys. They blasted their way through the energetic set and certainly warmed up the crowd as they ended with “Animals.”
Next to hit the stage was Glaswegian metalcore quintet Bleed from Within who relentlessly ploughed through their set. The barrage of groove infused riffs by Craig Gowans and Steven Jones together with Scott Kennedy’s heavy growls gripped the audience. However, the crowd was divided simply because of the rowdy pit action that fluctuated as Kennedy called for a swirling circle pit. The hit “Afterlife” was undoubtedly a fan favourite as it turned into one of many mass sing-a-longs of the night. The high energy performance went down immensely as Kennedy decided to stage dive which caused chaos, destruction, and excitement!
After the energy unleashed during Bleed from Within, momentum was high for headliners Cancer Bats to hit us with some hardcore punk metalcore. They entered the stage each assuming their positions and as fans recognised Liam Cormier with his special birthday balloon they erupted with excitement. The band launched straight into “Sleep This Away.” Three songs in, the pit was brutal as the birthday mayhem continued. Their stage presence was destructive as they powered through the set. Fans were delighted to hear set staples “Butterscoth” and “Hail Destroyer” and some fans were invited on stage to take on vocal duties while others invaded it. The crowd went berserk during “Sabotage” (Beastie Boys cover) and that’s when I retired to the side stage.
Frontman Cormier was on top form with an onslaught of energy right through to the very end. He showed immense affection for the crowd and felt honoured to celebrate his birthday in London. He addressed their drummer as “The Belgian Beast” and commended him for learning the entire set list in a short time. Fans were treated to a seamless mash-up of special guest appearances during the set as drummer Ali Richardson (Bleed from Within) and guitarist Bikash Bhujel (Underside) contributed to the performance.
Overall, this truly was an unforgettable evening of moshing and brutal pit action all in the name of metal. Support provided by Underside displayed unequivocal musical talent made for a fantastic warm-up band tonight. These guys are back in the UK for Download later this year, so don’t miss them! Bleed from Within delivered a blend of intense energy and fast-paced hard-hitting metal with a memorable set. Cancer Bats put on a blinder of a show and I’m sure there will be some bruised bodies after the show. The Spark That Moves tour continues across Europe in March, so catch them in a city near you.
Review by Nadira Cee | Photos by Fernando Bonanfont
Cancer Bats
Bleed From Within
Underside
