‘The best live band in Britain!’ S

INCE they began touring in 2008 it’s safe to say Pulled Apart by Horses have garnered somewhat of a reputation for their frenetic live shows.

The Leeds four-piece’s furious, riveting brand of rock and roll has never failed to incite chaos among fans and has often come at the expense of the band’s own health and safety.

This reputation is what has created a palpable sense of excitement around The Parish as they prepared for their highly-anticipated sold-out return to Huddersfield off the back of their mighty fourth album The Haze.

Their latest tour has seen them take on some of the country’s finest small venues from The Welly Club in Hull to The Hub all the way down south in Plymouth.

It may seem bizarre that a band of Pulled Apart by Horses’ ilk would play in such an intimate setting as The Parish, but it’s a glowing testament to their dedication towards grassroots music and their DIY sensibilities, despite their popularity over the years.

The compact space only serves to heighten their intensity and the band hardly allow room to breathe throughout a thrilling 12-song set.

They kick off proceedings with the title track from their latest effort, a stomping slice of rough ‘n’ ready garage rock that perfectly sets the tone for what’s to come.

The inevitable mosh pit then breaks out during Flash Lads which only grows as the night progresses thanks to the bruising V.E.N.O.M and the unhinged Meat Balloon with frontman Tom Hudson barking and howling throughout as if his life depended on it.

Their music may have shifted towards a more melodic direction with their last two records, but the reckless abandon that they made their name with is still very much intact here which they balance with a playful, unabashed sense of humour.

The last two songs undoubtedly receive the biggest reactions and by this point the night has descended into a supreme state of frenzy.

High Five, Swan Dive, Nose Dive is a rollercoaster of constantly changing tempos and urgent riffs which prompts a stage dive from a buoyant, sweatdrenched reveller, while I Punched a Lion in the Throat closes the set with a clattering, raging crescendo.

The music industry is heavily reliant on hyperbole and exaggeration, but believe me when I say this: Pulled Apart by Horses weren’t given the ‘best live band in Britain’ tag for nothing.