Twas’ the night before the first of the two Easter Bank holidays and for only the second time in their history, Wisconsin death metal legends Jungle Rot rolled into Cardiff with their own brand of old school death metal. It was warm, it was violent, and it was bloody good too.
Opening the evening were local outfit Voidcaller (6). The band have been together for a couple of years and are slowly securing gigs and making a reputation for themselves. Last reviewed in these pages at The Green Rooms in Trefforest at the Halloween Bash 2018, where their death/hardcore blend impressed Matt, Voidcaller pulled a solid 25 minutes, with tracks from their recently released EP (available on Bandcamp) and new songs given a workout which warmed the early crowd up nicely. Vocalist George is the focal point, his guttural roars totally contrasting with his between song patter and his domination of the front of the soon to be raging pit. Snarling and spitting his way through the set, he was ably supported by some crushing riffage, the inevitable punishing drumming and by the time the final track, which was a thrashy number, the pit had exploded with an enthusiasm rarely seen at the venue in recent times. Plenty of potential and another name on the South Wales scene worth watching.
If you talk about the South Wales scene, then in terms of death metal Sodomised Cadaver (8) are fast becoming an institution. Regular but not too frequent appearances in South Wales are always guaranteed to draw a decent turn out, and with the band now down to a three-piece following the recent departure of Ollie Jones, they are as tighter than ever. There is always an air of chaos when Ryan, Gavin and Charlie hit the stage, but they know their death metal and tonight they killed it again. 30 minutes of total brutality, Gavin still beating on the drums like they had done dirty things to his good lady, Charlie fingering his bass with a worrying degree of depravity and Ryan demonstrating once more that his fret work can stand alongside the best. Sharing the vocal duties is working well, and tracks such as Vile Intercourse, Raped By Ebola and set closer Cannibal Butcher are all now firm favourites for an appreciative home crowd. With European dates as well as some prominent UK appearances (such as Incineration Fest in May) in the diary, the only thing that could improve for the Sodos would be some new material.
Completing their first decade as a unit, Italian thrashers Ultra Violence (8) delivered their third album Operation Misdirection last year and it was a decent affair too. The Turin outfit took little time in stoking the heat and a rabid crowd who were intent on thrashing to the death needed little encouragement to circle, slam and mosh throughout the Italian’s 40-minute set. With tracks from Operation Misdirection forming a healthy part of the set, it was noticeable that the band slowly relaxed and as they did, so their direct classic thrash sound improved. Diminutive vocalist Loris Castiglia often disappeared due to the raging inferno in front of him, but his old school style vocals were thankfully high in the mix. After a shaky start, his guitars and those of Andrea Vacchiotti started to cut through and by the end there were peeling guitar breaks cutting through. There is little new about Ultra Violence, but good thrash is good thrash and it was a privilege to catch these fiery Italians at such a small venue.
If you want old school death metal, then you won’t go far wrong with Jungle Rot (9). An hour of pummelling intensity, depraved brutality and a set crammed full of death metal classics. The band (along with Ultra Violence) have been slogging their way through numerous European cities, with a schedule as punishing as their music. Jungle Rot had already eased through Slovenia, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Germany and Belgium since the beginning of the month before hitting the UK for four dates, which culminated in this rare Cardiff gig. Full marks to Fuel for obtaining this gig, because it was fucking fantastic. Despite their gruelling schedule, Jungle Rot were blistering in their intensity. Front and centre, the legend that is Dave Matrise commanded the stage, applauding the rabid pile of human contortionists in front of him who gave everything during the set.
Matrise has a superb death metal delivery, genuinely old school in style and delivery. Alongside him, Geoff Bub and James Genenz nailed everything with touring drummer Spenser Syphers battering the kit into its last breaths. Combining tracks from 2018’s fine Jungle Rot such as Pumped Full Of Lead with older beasts, including a fine Eat Fuck Kill and a demonic Psychotic Cremation, this was a masterclass. By the time the band concluded their set with Circle Of Death/Jungle Rot, the crowd surfers and pit beasts were spent. With the walls dripping, and ears bleeding, Jungle Rot had done their job.
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