Tonight, The Black Heart plays host to the celebration of half a decade of one of the most consistently brilliant underground labels in the UK. Employed To Serve’s Justine Jones and Sammy Urwin have spent those years scouring the globe for its finest new talent, and the breadth and brilliance of this evening’s bill is irrefutable proof of just how great their Church Road Records imprint is.
Due to a stacked bill it’s an early start, which means many can’t actually make it in for Candescent A.D – apologies to them – but BURNER kick the rest of the night off in sublime style. The London four-piece nail their hardcore/death metal mash-up, with waves of big bouncing grooves and boisterous two-step punch coalescing expertly. They also happen to have a guitar tone sharper than the molars of a shark with private dental care, and sound a lot like much-loved, crusty Belgian hardcore legends Rise And Fall.