It’s April in Cardiff and the spring has yet to reveal itself in the Welsh Capitol. Luckily, tonight’s show fits perfectly with the grim, dreary weather outside.
London’s Scrap Brain are first on tonight’s bill and attack the audience with their dissonant brand of noise-punk. Since releasing their first demo in 2016, the band has gained a reputation as one of London’s finest bands and tonight they show Cardiff exactly why that is. Launching through a headrush of songs taken in large from their new / debut EP, the gloriously named ‘Unhappy Hardcore’, the band are completely captivating from the get go. Camille Rearden’s lyrics bite into the atmosphere in the room and set us off perfectly for the evening.
SCRAP BRAIN
Originally from Brazil, but currently based in Barcelona, Mentira are next to grace the stage tonight and deliver a beautiful set of ice-cold synthesised cold-wave / fuck-wave. Their set is a masterclass in minimal, stripped-down keyboards, drum machines, noise and bass, gorgeously fused together to create songs of real craft and elegance. Laura Del Vecchio (Formerly of RAKTA/ currently of CHROMA) and Pedro Keppler (formerly of GATTOPARDO) are hypnotic in their performance tonight. Their new 7” was just released through the Dê O Fora!/Nada Nada Discos labels and is well worth your time.
MENTIRA
CUNTROACHES are the main event this evening and tonight they are on blistering form. Hailing from Berlin and bathed in red light and louder than hell itself, they are demonic and demented in their deliverance of their uncompromising, sickening noise. Drenching the audience (literally) in bags of trash – their sound is as utterly compelling, disturbing, eyebrow-raising and violent as their name suggests. This is chaos of the highest, most brutal order and is a viscous assault on the senses. You can hear a range of influence in this awe-inspiring performance; from noise / black metal to industrial, hardcore and noise-punk this is a set of such fierce hatred and rage it must truly be witnessed live to be believed and leaves all in attendance stunned at their collective power. They have a demo and an EP available through their bandcamp.
CUNTROACHES
It may be early in 2018, but this show is easily a contender for best of the year already and is another absolute pearler brought to us by The Joy Collective, Ross Jones and Lesson NO.1.
