Artists: Evile

Venue: Holmfirth Picturedrome

Review by: Andy Duckworth

DESPITE being fiercely proud of their Yorkshire heritage it has been over three and a half years since Huddersfield’s own thrash-metal superstars Evile have taken to the stage for a hometown show.

Speaking before the last of their album release shows for their highly acclaimed third album, Five Serpent’s Teeth, they seem somewhat apprehensive about living up to expectations.

Drummer, Ben Carter nervously points out: “If something’s gonna go wrong then it’ll happen at your home gig.”

Bringing with them a plethora of local support to Holmfirth’s historic Picturedrome, the crowds came out to show support for their local heroes, packing the building to capacity with rowdy, long-haired metal-heads.

First up, Speed Weasel play a crowd-pleasing set of predominantly covers; from Black Sabbath’s War Pigs to Purple Haze by Jimi Hendrix, whetting the audience’s appetite.

Next up Grieve smash the stage with an all-out assault of brutal groove-metal ferocity, the likes of which Pantera would have been proud to pull off.

Main support, The B*****d Son of Toranaga deliver a polished set of sludgy metal that sets the crowd up well for he main event.

Finally, Evile (pictured) take to the stage and show just why they have been credited with carrying the weight of the UK’s thrash revival upon their shoulders.

Kicking off the show with the title-track from their new album, Evile take to the stage to a deafening roar from the crowd, and from the outset the pace is terrifying.

Between blasting through favourites including the anthemic Thrasher and Infected Nations, the lads joke with fans and there is a palpable feeling of the band relishing being in the presence of those closest to them; to the extent that vocalist Matt Drake finds time to call attention to a friend in the audience who is raffling off a signed guitar to raise money for Help for Heroes.

Evile close the show with Armoured Assault and walk off to allow lead guitarist Ollie Drake’s fingers some time to cool down after the blistering fretwork that had been on display over the preceding hour.

As the steaming crowd filtered off into the night, I can guarantee that the thought that was playing on most of their minds was an urge to buy the new album and the firm hope that it doesn’t take another three years to get Evile back on home turf.