LIVE REVIEW: Blood Youth @ The Black Heart, London

The UK alternative music scene is on absolute fire right now. With a bountiful crop of young talent pushing the conventions of what we know to be heavy in new and exciting directions, the health of our home scene is incredibly strong. BLOOD YOUTH are one such band. Since the release of their debut album Beyond Repair last year, the hardcore quartet have gone from strength to strength, and right before heading to Reading & Leeds Festival, things got intimate at The Black Heart in London to get appetites whet. We were there to catch the action.

Arriving at The Black Heart on an otherwise unassuming Monday evening, there’s evidently something afoot. Beers flow and as soon as doors open, the room fills at a ridiculous pace. MODERN ERROR open the night with a short but sweet set that sets mostly sets the tone.

Zak Pinchin, otherwise known for his video work fronts the four piece which is still in its infancy. Having self-released their first single Buried and Blue in September last year, the group have amassed a respectable 108,000 views on three further singles distributed on the Dreambound platform: Funeral Verse, Blackout Poetry and Cross Me Out.

For a band with only four singles it’s a proud feeling to see such a turnout for a group that are only just starting out. Whilst there’s no wild mosh or mic-grabs (there’s plenty of time for that later); MODERN ERROR make their first appearance at The Black Heart an impressive one. There’s serious potential here within a genre that’s overly saturated, unlike the band’s entirely blue aesthetic.

Rating: 7/10

A speedy change-over leaves us with only enough time to notice how busy the room has become. BLOOD YOUTH released their most recent single Starve on Sunday, it’s mean, it’s aggressive, it’s EVERYTHING BLOOD YOUTH have been moving towards in their previous LP Beyond Repair.

Crazy, heavy riffage accompanied by massive clean choruses is something that the band do really well, tonight is no exception as the set seems to go without a hitch. Crowd surfers (yes, in The Black Heart), mic-grabs, circle pits; this show has it all. Covering material from their first two EPs including crowd favourites 24/7 and Failure, BLOOD YOUTH progress through their back catalogue, slotting the new single straight in the middle of it all, eventually ending on lead single from the last album Reason To Stay with barely time to breathe.

After hearing Starve both on record and now live, it will be interesting to see/hear what other offerings the four-piece have in store for the next album. Vocalist Kaya Tarsus becomes engulfed by the crowd as he comes down from the stage, all in all, the band provide the perfect start to the week. Who says you can’t love Mondays?

Rating: 8/10

Check out our photo gallery from the night’s action in London from Rhys Haberfield Media here: