If ever there were a band that defined its sub-genre perfectly, it must be Crowbar. The New Orleans sludge metal heavyweights practically invented the style, and in more than 30 years very few have come close to them in terms of sheer intensity. The Globe is almost uncomfortably packed tonight, in anticipation of seeing the NOLA riff masters, but first of all there’s the little matter of Cardiff’s Made Of Teeth to deal with.

No slouches themselves when it comes to pummelling an audience, the last few years has seen Made Of Teeth slowly progressing their way to the top of the UK’s extreme metal ladder, and it’s good to see them get their stab at a bigger audience. It’s a credit to them, too, that the room quickly jumps to around 80% full as they hit the stage. MOT barrel through an energetic 45-minute set culled mainly from latest album Sociopathogen, with all members sharing vocal duties. Their brand of hardcore-inspired noise metal goes down well with an audience who may largely have not been exposed to Made Of Teeth before; I’m sure that will change now.

That extra 20% have now converged on the Globe and the place is now absolutely heaving as NOLA legend Kirk Windstein takes to the stage with his Crowbar cohorts. As they launch into Self Inflicted, Windstein himself seems taken aback by the enthusiastic Tuesday night audience – but Crowbar’s live energy really has to be experienced. Guttural guitars, slowly lurch over throbbing basslines backed by powerhouse drumming and Kirks voice just soars above it all with some excellent assistance from an on-form sound guy and whilst they have a new album in last year’s outstanding Zero And Below to promote, the rest of the set is one Crowbar classic after another.

Existence Is Punishment, All I Have, I Gave and Planets Collide all see a gradual increase in moshpit activity, with Like Broken Glass bringing things to a crushing crescendo. Or does it? Windstein and co re-emerge to a more than willing crowd to deliver one last hammer blow with their crushing rendition of Led Zeppelin’s No Quarter.

That place where beauty and devastating heaviness collide is where you’ll find Crowbar, and there was an energy in the crowd tonight that the quartet were able to channel through their instruments and blast back out. They’ll tell you that there are none heavier. It’s hard to disagree.

Crowbar + Made Of Teeth, The Globe, Cardiff, Tue 28 Mar

words CHRIS ANDREWS