LIVE REVIEW: Brutality Will Prevail @ Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff

As we trundle towards the end of the year, looking back should result in a lot of smiling thanks to the incredible array of gigs and tours we’ve been fortunate enough to enjoy. It’s been a cracking year, no less for hardcore and heavy music in general, and now as we approach the end of the year there are still a few bands kicking up a fuss right into the festive season. With new albums from MASS WORSHIP, GUILT TRIP, and BRUTALITY WILL PREVAIL, tonight sees the latter mentioned hardcore legends return to Wales for a hometown show, and they have some truly solid back up with them for the ensuing scrap.

Due to the unfortunate situation surrounding the unreliability of automotive transport, we arrive to venue after ASIDHARA had finished their explosive set, so MASS WORSHIP was our first band of the evening. And despite only having a debut album under their name, the band have been making waves taller than their behemoth vocalist during their short life span. With international backing from record labels, the Swedish metal band are currently on the market to establish themselves amongst fresh audiences. And this is exactly the way to go about it.

MASS WORSHIP aren’t just loud, they cacophonous. The bass is so heavy you feel it in your guts, and the rhythmic battering that comes from the cavernous drums gives the entire set a primal energy. The riffs layered on top are mean, and low tuned, and they spew out of the stage with enough malice to shake the room to its core. Considering the band remain static whilst playing their set, the aural assault that bellows forth from the stage is enough to keep the entire crowd firmly fixated on the stage. There are flavours of CONJURER alongside nods to MESHUGGAH, and considering this band are fresh as daisies, it’s exciting to think of what else MASS WORSHIP are capable of.

Rating: 8/10

GUILT TRIP have been working solidly to carve out a well-known name for themselves amongst the British hardcore scene. Having played with MALEVOLENCE and also dropped a monster of an album with River of Lies, it’s a shame that the band feel somewhat off kilter tonight. Yes, the riffs still rip like a noughties Beyblade and the breakdowns come in hard as you like, but there feels to be a disconnect and just a lack of connection between them and the overall crowd. Where MASS WORSHIP were able to astound with their sound, GUILT TRIP sound messy and saturated in comparison. The fact that the band have such a good selection of songs in the bag is what is able to drive this set forward, and whilst not a bad set, there is a sense of being left wanting after their 25 minutes.

Rating: 6/10

If you’re a British hardcore fan and aren’t aware of the legacy of BRUTALITY WILL PREVAIL, then you need to check yourself. The Welsh born and bred band have been going for over a decade, and their influence is noticeable and far reaching. Having released one of the best album of their career in Misery Sequence this year, there is a genuine sense of anticipation when they walk on stage, as intimidating as ever. Vocalist Louis Gauthier beckons everyone to step forward before erupting into Misery Sequence and subsequently offering a masterclass of hardcore performance.

Following on with The Path and Deny The Truth, the momentum is kept up and refuses to relent for the remainder of their set. The new songs sound huge, and the energy the band has is endless, with all the members making full use of the stage, and Louis taking it a step further by crowd surfing round the entire venue during a closing Trapped Doors, Moving Walls. For as long as BRUTALITY WILL PREVAIL have been a band, they have never once felt stale, or like they were treading water. They now feel even more invigorated and focussed and shows like this should garner more attention than they currently do.

Rating: 9/10

Check out our photo gallery of the action in Cardiff from Serena Hill Photography here: