Artist: METZ
Support Act: Psychic Graveyard
Venue:  O2 Academy, Leicester, UK
Date: April 1, 2022
Rating: 8.0/10

It’s been a disruptive couple of years hasn’t it? Originally scheduled for September last year, the Canadian noiseniks METZ were forced to push back their first UK gigs since 2019 in support of 2020’s ‘Atlas Vending’ to April this year (we all know why – it’s not worth saying), with their first port of call being Leicester’s O2 Academy. With a penchant for eardrum troubling sonics, it’s no surprise the trio’s choice of support act, Psychic Graveyard, are bestowed with their very own acerbic assault to the senses. Theirs is a sound that blurs the lines between post-punk, hardcore and electronica. Suffice to say, the Rhode Island collective set the scene perfectly for METZ to shake the foundations of Leicester’s modest venue.

It seems the unfortunate and unavoidable delay hadn’t escaped METZ as they wasted no time in getting the Leicester crowd acquainted with the new material from ‘Atlas Vending’. Powering into ‘Pulse’, ‘Blind Youth Industrial Park’ and ‘The Mirror’, the record’s first three tracks, it was immediately evident these new cuts take on a nosier, more visceral edge in the live arena. Whether it’s Hayden Menzies’ pummelling stick-work, the throbbing bass at the hands of Chris Slorach or Alex Edkins sneered vocals and serrated guitar lacerations, it was quite remarkable how an already visceral collection of recorded material can sound even more uncompromising with the band unleashing it before your very eyes (or is that ears?). This was amplified (pardon the loose pun) by the three members on stage pouring every ounce of sweat and sinew into their hour long set. When not hurtling through their more recent output, the Ontario troop by and large dipped into a decent chunk of discography, with only 2017’s ‘Strange Peace’ not being presented. Whether that’s one-off single ‘Dirty Shirt’ from 2012 or this year’s split release with Adulkt Life, the slightly funky and more expansive ‘Demolition Row’ with its shoulder shuffling drum machine patterns and liberal dollops of fuzz. With the threesome playing a career spanning collection of songs it shows how their sound can take on different guises, from ‘Framed by the Comet’s Tail’s elongated jam to the aptly titled ‘Headache’. Even though METZ are renowned for creating a wonderful racket, it’s not just noise for the sake of it. Although the relentless barrage at the hands of ‘The Swimmer’ and ‘Get Off’ really helps emphasise the outfit’s lust for all things brutal and delightfully punishing. Capping off a lean yet muscular set was ‘Atlas Vending’s album closer ’A Boat to Drown In’. For those already familiar with the track’s extended outro, you’ll know it’s the ideal endpoint to the band’s live show and acts as a great juxtaposition to the shorter, sharper jolts of angular fury.

That’s one way to blow off the cobwebs from nearly 2 years of not seeing live music; a blistering METZ show and one that was most definitely worth the wait.

Word and thoughts by Adam Williams

Photography by Naomi Abbs-Williams