Like so many things musical throughout history, the British invented heavy metal, only to see it kidnapped and done better elsewhere. The current state of the UK metal and hardcore scene is by no way parlous, but too many bands are too in thrall to the sound of nu-America.

Earthtone 9, fresh from their appearance at the doomed Lost Weekend, are currently being touted as one of the UK’s brightest metal hopes. The lead singer’s beard gives us hope at least - none of yer poncy goatee stylings, this is a proper beard. And his way with a hellbastard screaming vocal line is comfortingly unsettling. The thing about Earthtone 9 is that as well as the requisite dose of noise, they’ve got songs too. Sorry, song, singular. Because that’s where they let all that expectation down. Time and time again they do the ogre-ish grind-core bit intertwined with pockets of semi-epic melody that all seem to have been nicked from Faith No More. The truth is, and we’re not being parochially patriotic here, JOR would eat this lot for breakfast.

Somewhat more interesting are support band Vacant Stare. Going for the deck and guitars twin-barrelled assault, they tend to come across as another step down the Rage Against the Machine ladder, a little too generic, but capable of keeping the audience on their toes, particularly with the scratched-to-fuck closing number. Familiar they might be at times but their conviction and willingness to do something other than coat everything in noise makes a change. “Inducing Crime, Disorder and Fear’ runs the tag line on their stickers. They’re hardly the first band to bastardise the police slogan and doubtless won’t be the last, but if they can develop their more inventive side, Vacant Stare might start to garner some of the attention that Earthtone 9 are currently enjoying.

John Leeson