There’s something satisfying about a two bands bill, as long as both bands step-up to the task. If you only take one thing from this review, then it’s that both these bands are a fantastic treat live and you’d be a fool not to catch them next chance you get. Got that? Still here though? Then let me continue…

First up are The New Death Cult. The Norwegian four-piece stride on stage with purpose, each sporting a bandit mask resplendent with a skeleton grin and fluro paint across their foreheads. It’s a striking look that is soon matched with their flung guitars and dynamic posing. These guys rock…hard. A quick look online has people likening them to bands including QOTSA and Biffy Clyro, but they remind me of a multitude of other bands including Refused, Lower than Atlantis, Funeral for a Friend and The Hives. But it’s Thrice I keep on coming back to – with intricate arpeggio guitar work and swelling, anthemic choruses. Most of all there’s an awesome groove and swagger to their work, and the infectious enthusiasm they put into every last drum hit and guitar strum leaves the crowd buzzing.

A Monday night gig in February is likely a hard sell for many, but by the time Wheel take to the stage, in their trademark hooded attire, The Deaf Institute is nicely busy. Finnish-based prog metal outfit Wheel are undoubtedly heavily influenced by Karnivool and Tool (simply give ‘Up the Chain’ a listen), but for me they bring so much more to the party than all the other pretenders. Minimalist verses start with intricate bass lines and delicious clean vocals that flit and dance over syncopated drums, in time building through interweaving guitar-work and open chords, before finally giving way to choruses delivering rasping yet soaring vocals, rumbling bass and angular guitars. On record they are superb, but live they are sublime. They are seemingly able to demonstrate much clearer contrast in their dynamics live, with those uncluttered build-ups even more starkly juxtaposed with triumphantly heavy choruses.

Wheel have recently had a change of personnel on bass and lead guitar, but you'd never notice and if anything the new additions add a more excitingly dynamic element to the stage performance. There's more than a hint of Scott Weiland, and tonnes of Maynard James Keenan, to James Lascelles' vocals (listen to the end of ‘Lacking’ and the barnstorming for proof) and this magnifies an element of their sound that potentially sets them apart – there are distinct influences of grunge and post-rock alongside the jagged riffs and expansive Gojira-esque segments. Give their outstanding album “Moving Backwards” a listen, and then make sure you follow them on every platform possible, because following this first UK headline tour you’re going to want to make sure you don’t miss their next visit.