Live Review: My Disco, Alzabo, Self Harm, Sabre Tooth Tigers

Support for the evening was provided by a quite disparate line-up of local acts. Up first was Sabre Tooth Tigers, performing a set that moved from confessional blues to lo-fi folk-rock. This was an act that had members of the public confused about their inclusion on the bill, seeming very out of place with the acts that followed.

Four-piece black-metal act Self Harm took the stage next. If a band could personify compressed 15-year-old sexual aggression, these are the guys to do it. Cocks jutted out while playing blast beats and power chords, combined with guttural vocals. Sonically they would be more interesting if they left the Cookie Monster vocals off and went the instrumental route as it seemed to distract more than add to the sound.

Alzabo were the final support act playing a half hour of sludge-rock. It was all distortion and heavy, heavy drum hits in one single long song. An incredible sound from just two instruments that drew the audience into an almost meditative trance while being punched in the chest with each bass kick.

The stage plunged into darkness while a soundscape of feedback, white noise and drones softly played. A projector played an animation of My Disco's Severe cover, providing minimal lighting. Slowly the opening bass strums from Recede caused the animation to spasm and bounce until the drum kicked. What followed could nearest be described as the soundtrack to the apocalypse.

Any album can sound amazing on headphones, and Severe is easily one of the best albums of 2015, however experiencing it played in the flesh is another beast entirely. This is an album that when played live, you feel in your bones. You react almost instinctively to it. It is stark minimal aggression, bordering on violent yet controlled in a way that feels even more dangerous. Basically this was a set that was an incredible experience in every way shape and form. Those who missed it missed the best live show of 2015.