Warcrab return to The Junction...

with two new nameless songs

Fresh back from a headlining gig in Nottingham and still looking full of energy and vitality “Plymouth’s own” Death, Doom, Sludge Metallers Warcrab headlined tonight’s event at The Junction, Plymouth, they are hugely popular here, in their home town and you can always guarantee a full venue when they play.

Their solid reputation built over the last fourteen years as a band that would step in at the last minute and open a gig whenever asked, always ready to unleash their crushing brutality and it’s paid off, these days, globally renown since their signing to the Indian label of International repute Transcending Obscurity.

You’ll find them headlining and shaking venues to their very foundations with their heavy as hell, crawling, crushing delivery and tonight was no exception, the pit was frantic, bodies and shoes were flying and everyone enjoying the moment.

Most of their set came from their most recent release, 2023’s The Howling Silence; opening with Titans of War, Sourlands Under a Rancid Sun, As the Mourners Turn Away, Orbital Graveyard, Sword of Mars, and the final piece Howling Silence along with Swords plus Halo of Flies from 2019’s Damned in Endless Night.

The crowd was also wowed with two new pieces that were so new, vocalist Martin explained to me before their set, did not yet have official titles, which can mean only one thing, a new Warcrab album must be somewhere on the horizon, I certainly hope so.

Satanic Doom Duo are back...

and anointing the front row

The evening saw another welcome return as support from Satanic Doom Duo from Stourbridge, West Midlands.

Tumanduumband who always deliver an engaging audio-visual set, heavily entrenched in dark ritualism, the stage adorned with eerie skeletons with bits of desiccated flesh still attached (ok I know it’s only tissue and PVA glue etc. but it looks great).

The two members dressed in black monk like robes and the anointing of the faithful (everyone on the front row – they know the routine) with fake blood (although as an old school Black Metal fan I miss the stench of real pig blood but health and safety being what it is, it best to be cautious I guess) then closing the ritual with the holding up of the inverted cross and skull, it all adds to the psychodrama, this again being something that has huge appeal to me and many of the people enjoying the performance.

I’m always hugely impressed with how, despite being predominantly instrumental they still hold your attention, but the lyrical content is replaced with continued psychodrama within the set and an utterly crushing and engaging drum and bass centred sound.

It was another set of longer pieces and as a result only four extensive pieces, opening with Alive in Death from their 2025 release Hail Satan, Triumph Awaits and three tracks from their 2023 release Throne of Grief: title track Throne of Grief, Dread Lord and closing on Black Ritual of the 25th Moon.