yob-1-320x49528 dates down and just three more to go; tonight is the 29th date of Yob and Black Cobra’s European tour and it sees them filling up the Scala to near capacity. Necro Deathmort open the show to a sparse turnout. Scaling back their usual display of thumping electronics, the duo’s set is a spine chilling wall of feedback, much more in keeping with the theme of the headline act. Sparse riffs intensify the sinister atmosphere that envelopes the soundscape they create over the course of 30 minutes.

Black Cobra launch into unadulterated thrash bludgeonry, the two-piece create a torrent of adrenaline. Bursting with energy, they are not short of speed or aggression and are consistent from song to song. However, their thrash sensibilities make it difficult to discern one song from the next, and they give an air of a poor man’s Slayer. A thoroughly enjoyable set for those that want to get stuck in in the pit, but a total miss for those just there to enjoy the quantum mystic vibes of Yob.

With an average song length of 15 minutes, it would be difficult for most bands to display the full power of their back catalogue. However, for Yob this isn’t an issue and the trio play through a broad span of their discography, opening with the crushing riffs of ‘Ball of Molten Lead’ before packing in the scorchingly loud ‘Breathing from the Shallows’ and emotionally wrought ‘Marrow’. After an hour has passed, Mike Scheidt stops to say “we can either stop now, or play on for half an hour when we have to stop”. Of course the response is an uproarious “yes” from the crowd, to which Scheidt laughs “okay, so that’s two more songs”. The remaining 30 minutes are powerful, rumbling tumult, leading into ‘Burning the Altar’. They culminate in an outbreak of tremulous war drums and an arresting haze of distorted guitar to finish off an impeccable set.

Review by Angela Davey