It’s a relief walking into the coolness of the venue as it’s damn hot in the city tonight. We look for the best positions in the air conditioning and trip out to the red spotlights twirling around on the ground awaiting the first band of the night.

I have heard good things about Trivax who started off in Iran originally before guitarist, vocalist Shayan relocated to the more exotic Birmingham UK, perhaps due to it being the birthplace of certain musical legends and reformed into the trio marching onto stage. He and Syrian bassist Sully take the front lines as they boom out through the dry ice with a mid-paced angry sound. There is plenty of harmony about their craft as the sound gradually becomes more cohesive. The players twist and turn at the front of the stage whilst drums ruggedly beat at the back. Song announcements are coated with reverb and difficult to work out but that doesn’t stop the audience quickly reacting to the turmoil which is now being forged out at blizzard like pace.

It’s furious, vocals coarsely barking away and the demand for fists being pumped in the air being met with enthusiasm. The duo are at the centre of attention and clearly into things, back to back and duelling away. Recently signed to The Cult Never Dies, we get a brand new number from forthcoming album, bass chugs and things explode in well-coordinated fury. A segment of clean vocals gives diversity at one point and sounds particularly good. Time flies, they only have five songs, the last of which is diabolic and majestic in equal measures. “Satan has won” we are told, yep no denying it from this potent display.

To the uninitiated, the name Panzerfaust may well make you expect a hostile war-machine similar to Marduk or Endstille but although raw when they started back in 2005, they are a completely different proposition now. Recently releasing the third chapter of their Suns Of Perdition opus it is songs from these albums that make up the performance tonight and what an unforgettable show they put on.

The intro is both stirring and downright scary but nothing prepares for the magnificent sound that comes after as they unspool ‘The Day After Trinity.’ It’s down to guitarist Brock Van Dijk and bassist Thomas Gervais to take our attention at the front. The hooded behemoth that is Goliath has his pulpit behind the drumkit and harangues with vocals from behind it. To be fair there are plenty of vocals from Brock too and added to the slow crushing groove of the music it’s enough to take your breath away.

The drums pump and there’s an echo around the instrumentation that gives it a stadium like chanting that’s completely malicious and as I would find out the next day, deafening. Suddenly Goliath emerges to stand between the two at front, a grizzly beast littered with bones like a Hills Have Eyes renegade complete with mutant mask. Blink and you will miss it but this is something to be repeated at various stages, like a monster appearing in a horror film.

Tracks such as Stalingrad, Massengrab are immense, heaving sonic attacks but there are also moments of psychedelic hypnotism between the more chaotic parts. These are completely absorbed by us on songs such as the mesmerising Promethean Fire, slowly rolling out at first, building gradually and completely overwhelming. If anything, this is more akin to Secrets Of The Moon, The Ruins Of Beverast and Fields Of The Nephilim rather than the aforementioned artists.

Hands are raised to the sky by the overlord at the back and we are swept away in a mantra of madness. Sweat drips, heads explode during this trembling, majestic Gothic black chanter. For the 50 minutes or so they were on stage the Canadians had us completely in their grip, words cannot explain just how good this was but if you have seen them, I guess you understand. Goliath joins at the front and the trio bow, guitars and bass held behind head. Perhaps they knew too just how damn impressive they were tonight.

It’s going to take an exceptional band to top that and it is US based Uada who have that seemingly impossible task ahead of them. Expectation is met by the howling of wolves and a flavour of an old Western from the intro tape. This lot take the hooded side of things to extremes hiding and no doubt sweating behind their covered visages but they hit the ground running with ‘The Purging Fire.’ As if it’s not hot enough already. The band play in a blinding white light for the entirety of their set as though they intend to dazzle us like deer caught in headlights. There’s plenty of groove and a gunslinging bravado about the way they attack their guitars, vocalist Jake spits and barks his parts out. There’s a bit of a sound reminiscent of Havukruunu about them as they weave away but I quickly find that it’s all really quite overly repetitive.

I know others including writers of this site really rate the band but for me there is definitely a spark missing. Perhaps if they had been main support their duelling guitar, Americana blackness might have gone down a little better. They are unhinged and wild for sure and if there had been furniture around the joint could have turned into a barroom brawl at the last chance saloon. The songs blend into each other with the novelty quickly wearing off, they are fast, they are long, the musicianship is skilful but there’s nothing particularly memorable about this. There’s a bit of a doomy intro at one point but this is quickly swept into more fast tremolo plucking and barking vocals. Uada are not the first band I have stood in front of feeling slightly non-plussed with and I have to admit the fact they run out of time, songs, or intent for doing a full 70-minute set was not a particular disappointment.

Despite this, a solid and well attended midweek night, especially as many are no doubt straight off to Bloodstock the next day, the sun and heat following every step of the way.

Review and Photos Pete Woods