Even at 7pm there was a healthy crowd loitering in the unsalubrious alleyway by this decrepit old venue. It seemed like people were out early and wanted to make sure they saw all three bands. It could not have been as packed as it was last time we caught Winterfylleth at Damnation but it was going to be a squeeze and we wondered how the sound system here was going to cope with the maelstrom of noise they create. There had been rumours that normal bass player Nick was laid up ill with something nasty but they had somehow managed to get someone called Ian (proudly sporting one of their shirts) to learn the set within 24 hours and save the day. I was most impressed with drummer Simon’s tache and he later said that it was not even for Movember. It gave the band that English gentrified look before it vanished along with him behind the kit. The set is one we have witnessed plenty throughout the year and it always impresses, even tonight when things were not quite as smooth as they could have been. Put short there were gremlins sound wise, a disappearing bassist during one song and the might that we normally get although evident was slightly hampered. Still that did not stop the band good naturedly giving it their all through numbers such as the triumphant ‘Defending The Realm’ forged with bravado and steel giving the head-banging crowd  just what they needed.  Back on full strength in town on January the 19th I think Chris said.

So Code, well they had not blown me away last time but I was intrigued to catch them again and give them another chance and typically this time around they had me eating my words after a few numbers. Funnily enough new singer Wacian asked who had seen the band back when they had Kvhost in them and you could almost hear a pin drop, not many then. The singer strode on with dusting on his shoulders making me wonder if the roof had partly fallen down (it’s on the way) and the band stood motionless for the creepy intro music before exploding into action. They were off in a bombastic blur of motion, the bearded singer and equally forested facially Syhr headbanging like mad along with the powerful cleave of the music. They have a lot of new material that we have yet to hear which makes it a bit difficult naming songs but one we certainly knew was ‘Smother The Crone.’ The band seemed more confident this time and the clean vocals a lot more harmonic, sound problems had seemingly vanished and things were nice and clear. They also seemed to have both more energy and atmosphere now. The old nuances and the olde Victoriana vibe seeped into the newer material which with the venue and surroundings outside looking like Jack The Rippers stomping ground was perfect. We were told the album will be out next year, the word Lazarus was certainly mentioned in one dramatic new number and indeed the band are risen from the dead. As for ‘Possession Is The Medicine’ whoa I don’t remember it being that fast (quick check, hmmm maybe) but they battered it out and gave it a full thrash work over which really was excellent. I could say it gave the next band a run for their money but that would have been silly considering who it was. ‘Brass Dogs’ was again an excellent way to finish!

Yes Anaal Nathrakh were back at full strength with Mick Kenny playing with them but nobody was going to upstage Dave Hunt who yet again proved what an excellent, wry and amusing frontman he is. Having missed the thrakh due to clashes at Bloodstock and having heard they put on a fantastic display I was keen to see this and was not alone. Obviously new album Vanitas had impressed a fair few too and I have never seen this venue so packed (the two people, earlier one serving behind the bar had not either). The second the band exploded into things the audience did too, it was obviously the moment many had been waiting for and if you had been caught off guard you would have found things up close and personal with the nearest wall or the floor. On the coldest night of the year the heat suddenly took on a fire like intensity and as the drums exploded and the riffs flew out at stupendous velocity it all really was a complete assault of the senses. After a breather we were told in no uncertain terms that we were able to tear things up if we wanted and that stage diving was not only allowed but was encouraged. Naturally things got even sillier! As for photos well you try! The camera was held over my head and I managed to get a few shots in at least we were fairly near the communal toilets at the front which was the perfect cue for a song like ‘Between Piss And Shit We Are Born’. Was I glad I had the foresight to have a couple of cans of beer in my pocket although keeping them in shape during this was another task.

The clean vocals which are so stirring on recent albums sounded magnificent here too and came across like a light amidst the carnage of numbers In The Constellation Of The Black Widow. Older songs like The Final Absolution simply went for the throat causing massive pile ups. Some poor girl got caught out and found themselves stranded on stage at the end of a song and had to suffer Dave calling her a mushroom! “You made your bed you have to lie in it” no choice but to dive. Some smart ass asked for a fast one which had Dave grinning all the more but it was all very good humoured and there appeared to be no real casualties in the crowd. The songs came thick and fast literally in a blur, I guess there was a 10.30 curfew and they were going to fit as much as possible into the 50 mins or so they had. They included in some order or other ‘Do Not Speak’ ‘The Lucifer Effect’ and a final of ‘And Fire And Fucking Pigs’ Falling after into the cold night air from this was welcome and there was no denying that Anaal Nathrakh put on one of the most intense shows you could witness (would love to see them head out on the road with Napalm Death sometime).

Review and photos © Pete Woods