To round off a four-date UK tour, Canadian sludge fiends, Dopethrone, roll into Camden this evening to spark blunts and riotous pits at The Underworld. Wizard Fight get things off to an explosive start, with high octane riffs and bellowing vocals. The Hastings trio are quickly becoming a support slot favourite within London, so they will doubtless have a headline slot on the cards in the near future.
The Underworld is starting to feel pretty rammed by the time Limb take to the stage. The crunch of the guitars lends an old school rock ‘n’ roll vibe to their hardcore heaviness, as vocalist, Rob Hoey, prowls the stage taking full command with a foreboding presence. Particularly impressive is the band’s skilfully sabotaged execution of Johnny Cash’s ‘Down By The Banks’.
GURT have accompanied Dopethrone on all four nights of the UK tour and tonight sees them wind down back on home turf. Hyperactive as ever, the band make full use of the stage and their energetic attitude is infectious, getting the entire audience moving. Newer songs such as ‘Owlmageddon’ pack a real punch, adding a bold and aggressive edge to an already suitably heavy evening.
Trio, Dopethrone, are the perfect headliner; packing the perfect blend of savage riffs with barked vocals and plenty of stage banter. Despite the brutal sludge vibes, there’s an air of good-times emitted from the stage that erupts the crowd into a constantly moving sea of bodies. They play with resolute passion and conviction, yet don’t take themselves too seriously; at one point inviting GURT back on stage to seemingly just stumble around while they play. An especially heavy play through of ‘Dark Foil’ is rounded off by a shriek of the South Park reference ‘TIMMY!’ from vocalist/guitarist Vincent Houde, before he dismisses the curfew entirely and plays until well past everyone’s bed times. Excellent show; it’s difficult to leave without a smile on your face.
Review by Angela Davey
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