I knew it was going to be cosy tonight. The Six Six club in Cambridge is very small, housing by my reckoning not much more than 100 spectators including the bar space. Realising this, I booked a ticket early. It sold out very quickly. An evening of modern metalcore lay in prospect.

First on the bill this evening was Eschalon. The only thing I knew about this band beforehand was it is the project of UK TechFest organiser Simon Garrod who plays in the band. Not too many others would have known this either as the band’s existence was only announced last month, and this was their first ever gig. Six guys packed the stage, including two vocalists. Bubbles blew. The mosh pit got going. Without delay. The band injected loads of energy with their brutal hardcore. It got a bit murky with an incongruous lounge style interlude with the band looking on. Once we got going again, one of the vocalists looked to be enjoying himself too much for this level of brutality but hey, this was their first show. I didn’t like the emo stuff which crept in and it got even messier when the band became seven at one point. For me the band was trying to do too much. On the other hand, I loved the bass line and the drum and the 25 minutes of overall power and energy which tangibly enthused the crowd. Above all it was the deep groove that kept me going and while the band will tighten up their act next time, I’m sure, they can regard this first outing as a success.

Pulse played at UK TechFest this year but not on a day when I was there, so this was my first experience of them. It was clear to see from the off that they knew how to control their angry outbursts of energy. Strong on technical grooves, the lads happily milked every hard-hitting beat and in doing so banged down metaphorical doors. Samples surrounded the songs but like the occasional clean chorus, it all fitted in well.

This was proof if needed that technical metalcore doesn’t have to be uncontrolled chaos or simplistic. There was even a mysticism about “Worthless”, but let’s not carried away. This was rockingly brutal. Everyone was in this together. The vocalist led the crowd, the bassist jumped into the pit and paraded an impressive high kick, while the drummer pumped resoundingly and mercilessly. The band looked tired but visibly enjoying it and succeeded in spreading their enthusiasm.

Pulse know how to work a crowd, and duly and voluntarily heads were banged to this djenty slamming brutality. Pulse pulsed, and most enjoyable it was. This was a slick and professional performance.

The reason I signed up to come tonight was the headliners Vexed. I saw them at UK TechFest earlier this year and was impressed with their overflowing dark and heavy grooves, and as a result bought their latest album “Negative Energy”, which I like very much. The set started with the pumping beat of “Anti-Fetish”. Singer Megan belied the innocence of her pigtails, roaring at us and urging on the crowd as the murderous beats spewed out. On the flanks her henchmen looked menacing. The guitarist looked about 15. The bass guitar growled and could have stripped paint off walls. Cymbals hissed. The crowd bopped. The power was magnificent. Megan punched the air. Give the woman a throat sweet. She didn’t need it. She was well in control. From somewhere emerged an impressive clean vocal. The henchmen dug deeper grooves, graves even.

A little electro groove passed through the air, bringing momentary calm. But the volcano was always going to erupt again and it did. The crowd erupted too as Megan chanted mystically with her versatile voice before venting her spleen upon us again. We heard a mix of drum and bass, and cosmic sounds. The next song began. Frenzied people in Cambridge moved and grooved to the dark, thumping beat. That could be the headline. I’d hate to think what would happen if I put the crockery in the wrong cupboard and it wasn’t to Megan’s liking. This is not a woman, nor is it a band, to be messed with. The Six Six Bar is a small venue, and the immense sound bounced off the walls. On “Trauma Euphoria” we saw another side – the chorus echoed with feeling. This was another kind of power. But the groove never stopped. There was a guitar solo from the young lad. “Cross My Heart (Hope to Die)” followed. A sinister alert rang out. There were as ever oceans of growly attitude. Along with all the overt aggression, mobility and melody were in abundance.

And of course boundless energy. As “There’s No Place Like Home” began its journey of destruction, I noticed that the woman in the catering booth near to where I standing, when I wasn’t myself being buffeted by moshing bodies that is, was twisting and punching the air in simulated anger. I guess people would have to wait for their chips. Megan led the writhing and punching as usual. Drums popped, cymbals crashed. We moved to “Default” and the final act of forward-driving pungency. The henchmen played a delightfully twisty rhythm. Megan screamed and roared, and proved why pigtails are useful for headbanging. The song stopped for a fleeting break – no time to lose – and we back at it. The crowd absorbed the groove and moved heads and bodies in line with the electrifying beats. The moshing, led by the vocalist of Pulse, was vigorous. The set finished in a frenzy. And that was it apart from the obligatory band photo with the crowd. Immediately a dark techno beat started. It was party time on stage with all this evening’s participants. Seamlessly the show transitioned into the after party. A conga started in the room. I followed it towards the door and left into the night.

The tour, of which this concert was part, is called Negative Energy after the album by Vexed of the same name. What I saw here on this fun and friendly evening was unremittingly dynamic energy. The Six Six Bar was a happy place tonight.

Review: Andrew Doherty

Photographs by Hannah Young (Pulse) and Joe Guppy (Vexed)