Hey Colossus | The Art of Burning Water | Diet Pills | At A Crawl - The Grosvenor, London, 16 April 2010

I arrive as At A Crawl are finishing their set. I don't hear enough to really pass comment.

Next up are Diet Pills. They seem to take an eternity to start. Various members of the band busy themselves doing nothing. Old school hardcore, grind. Bass, drums and vocals. The singer stalks about, swinging his arms around wildly, screaming into the microphone. Most of the audience look on disinterestedly.

I admire the commitment to his performance. I wonder how much is genuine and how much is affectation. I think about whether I should be considering this. How much of this matters.

Before they started Reign In Blood played over the PA. Not everyone can be Dave Lombardo, but this band's sound doesn't take off. The drummer needs to have more fireworks.

I saw The Art of Burning Water about 4/5 years ago supporting Knut. I can't really remember much about them. They've a meaty guitar and bass sound which slaloms from sludge crawl to screamo noise. They have a female bassist. I start to think about Jo Bench.

I'm underwhelmed by the bands so far. I wonder if I made a mistake in coming. If maybe I'm getting a little worn out by noise rock. Then Hey Colossus begin their set. The drummer has real attack, the rhythms are a brutal, pulverising, jack hammer, machine press. The guitar cuts through the industrial pounding with the piercing shrill of a circular saw through sheet metal. My faith is confirmed. I am a believer again.