A View From The Back Of The Room: Employed To Serve (Matt Bladen)

Employed To Serve, Celestial Sanctuary & Burner, Clwb Ifor Bach, 24.04.25

Three bands redefining the British metal scene on one tour? Count me in. This was the start of a busy few days in Cardiff for gigs, this heavy Thursday shifting into our second M2TM Quarter final and then all day of NoizzeFest. However this show was less and aperitif more a main course.

Heading upstairs at Clwb Ifor Bach, we got in just in time for London's chaotic hardcore troupe Burner (8) to begin the night. Angry, politically motivated noise that sews together influences from death metal, black metal and bruising hardcore, they've been compared to Converge and Darkest Hour in terms of their approach but Burner's sound is a hotchpotch that leads to ear piercing noise.

With the between song introductions done by their bassist as their singer was on "vocal rest" I did find it a little ironic and amusing that said vocalist did then scream, roar, growl and grunt his way through 30 minutes. Seriously though I hope he recovers quickly (this was the penultimate show) as unless they told us I wouldn't have noticed, such is the extreme nature of Burners music.

A fine way to begin but then things got more disgusting, more putrid, blood soaked and vile as the Old School Death Metal chug of Celestial Sanctuary (8) began in earnest.

I'd seen this band before in this very venue with a couple of other death metal bands, here they seemed like the odd band our but to be honest Celestial Sanctuary have enough hardcore/punk blasts when they're not laying down steady, heavy, bone grinding grooves to satisfy the audience here for the headliner.

Backing their recently reissued Visions Of Stagnant Blood EP the band played one from here Puddles Of You Reflect The Filth Within but most of their short, punishing set came from 2023's Insatiable Thirst For Torment and caused much movement down the front as the pits started to form. I'd liken watching Celestial Sanctuary at the moment to what it was like seeing Cannibal Corpse or Obituary back in the early 90's, a band defining their legacy. However with Celestial Sanctuary they have the template already there to work too, twisting into their own horrifying formation.

Short of breath, we had been close to death but then it was time for audio euphoria as the headliners stepped up to the stage. One day before the release of their stunning Fallen Star album one of the flag bearers of the modern British metal scene stormed Clwb Ifor Bach with the massive Atonement from Fallen Star.

Starting as they mean to go on with metalcore-meet-melodeath-meet-trad metal sound that gives them a freedom to infuse their songs with thrash like pace, 'core' scene breakdowns and guitar complexity in the meaty anthemic riffs and solos. A few times throughout the show I found myself saying "oof that riff" and making a stank face as Employed To Serve (9) know how to right songs that will knock you out.

From a vocalist perspective too the union between Justine and Sammy is brilliant, sharing harsh and clean vocals, counterbalancing them when needed for one of the most unique vocals sounds I've seen from a band, it was mesmerising, and made you want to move. Move Cardiff did ETS craving through their show with four from Fallen Star, four from previous record Conquering and then a few from Eternal Forward Motion, they focussed on their most recent material which is their strongest to-date.

These last three records have seen the band evolve their sound, emerging from the UK scene by incorporating the styles of the American metalcore/thrash sounds of the 2000's the influences of Machine Head/Lamb Of God very strong as is the Gothenburg-scene melodeath. They stand on their own though with that British grit that encouraged enjoyment and movement.

Justine constantly calling for pits and a massive wall of death, they are a band all about being inclusive so everyone comes and has a good time, pacing the set so there's atmospheric moments to calm down before you start going wild again. An hour flew by in a middle of killer riffs and bodies, the more introspective but cathartic duo of I Spend My Days (Wishing Them Away) and Party's Over, adding a notion of bittersweet to the show.

We wanted more, the band were happy to give more, but next time, keep things this good in small doses, promising to return to Wales, I'm sure we'll all be ravenous for more Employed To Serve on the next go around.