Malevolence/ No Zodiac/ Revulsion/ Murder Circuit at Fuel, Cardiff - live review

They’ve only rocked up from down the road, but MURDER CIRCUIT [6] could easily hail from 1990s New York, such is their bravado and hardcore antagonism. The testosterone-charged atmosphere, heat and cramped confines are fuelled by the hostility of Scottish bruisers REVULSION [7], who manage to finish their set despite a fracas on the floor. Though they and NO ZODIAC’s [4] death metal-infused beatdowns are hardly reinventing the wheel, the former’s sheer belligerence makes them a monstrous proposition, while the Arizonians’ monotonous chug is mostly bluster with little bite. While MALEVOLENCE [8] have the familiar calls to action and full-blown aggression, what sets them apart is the craft and metallic nous needed to make the crowd lose their shit. Josh Baines and Konan Hall’s twin-thrash leads and sludgy riffs that epitomise new opus Self Supremacy stand tall, while Charlie Thorpe’s drumming is ferociously on point. Condemned To Misery is still devastatingly catchy and Serpents Chokehold swings with effortless abandon, while even brand new numbers Trial By Fire and Slave To Satisfaction are received with joyous enthusiasm. The Sheffield sluggers have been away for too long, but the appetite from both fans and band is still clearly there in abundance.