EXHORDER THE BLEEDING/ BLASPHEMER

UNDERWORLD, LONDON

Recently resurrected Yorkshire death metallers Blasphemer bring weighty, old-school thump and a confident delivery, while local lads the BLEEDING are thrashier and more modern, but not quite as hefty. They’re powerful enough, though. Returning after a quarter of a century, New Orleans’ exhorder are pretty much the originators of groove metal, although they’ve played such claims down. Mixing a love of Dark Angel and Agnostic Front with the background sound of NOLA, they were always ferocious but soulful. Having returned with a slightly updated sound on Mourn The Southern Skies, they play London for the first time. Having played here with Floodgate, Alabama Thunderpussy and Trouble, Kyle Thomas is clearly chuffed to be bringing his childhood band here, and for more than a few old thrashers the feeling is mutual. Age hasn’t dimmed the fire, nor has Kyle’s stunning voice suffered the ravages many of his contemporaries have. Kyle and original guitarist Vinnie Labella are joined by a new rhythm section and ex-superjoint Ritual/anselmo guitarist Marzi Montezeri, and they make a razor-sharp, super-tight unit for classics such as Desecrator and Slaughter In The Vatican. Vicious and well worth the wait. ALASTAIR RIDDELL