EYEHATEGOD / BILLYCLUB / TUSKAR | LIVE REVIEW
Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff, Thurs 17 Oct
You’d think it was poor gig etiquette to wear the T-shirt of the band you’re going to see. But Eyehategod fans are a loyal breed — and for the band’s rare gig in Wales, the occasion certainly calls for it. Along with Crowbar and Down, this legendary New Orleans group helped to define ‘sludge metal’ with their exceptional 1993 album Take As Needed For Pain. Their sound combines the bluesy, doom-laden heaviness of Black Sabbath with the ferocious hardcore punk of Black Flag.
Openers Tuskar, hailing from Guildford, have been described as ‘nuclear sludge’, whatever that means. Drummer and vocalist Tyler Hodges is a wild, animalistic presence, pounding the living daylights out of his kit as he lets out a feral roar. Guitarist Tom Dimmock, on the other hand, is quietly demonic, grinding out slow, savage riffs. Raw, visceral and exhilarating to watch, Tuskar are surely one of the most exciting live bands to emerge on the UK metal scene.
Second support act, Billyclub, are a relic of a bygone era of hardcore UK punk. Their music may well have caused riots and moshpits in their heyday, but the Cardiff audience were somewhat unmoved by the now white-bearded punks. Their short, sharp and shouty songs are tightly performed, but sound a little tired. “We’ve gotta get you warmed up,” growls the singer halfway through their set. Even by the end, the audience are only lukewarm.
With his shaggy hair and scowling face, Eyehategod frontman Mike Williams bears a passing resemblance to Michel Houellebecq, that great misanthrope of modern French literature. Sensing he’s amongst the Welsh, he builds some rapport: “My surname’s Williams, so… Is that cool?” We cheer in acceptance. Later on, however, he sticks his middle fingers up to us — his distrust of humanity knows no bounds.
Like all great metal bands, Eyehategod are best experienced in the flesh. From their sinister droning overture to the fierce riffs of fan favourite Sister Fucker (Part 1), their sonic intensity is irresistible. Williams, whose offstage past is haunted by heroin addiction, is a cathartic performer, his caustic bark complimenting his band’s deep, crushing grooves. To be deafened by Eyehategod – as I have been – is an honour. I think the expression is ‘heavy as fuck’.
words SAM PRYCE