Toronto’s Metz burst onto the international scene in exciting fashion in the last month or so, their self-titled debut full length released on Sub Pop is ball of loud, destructive energy that has received glowing reviews all over.
This is the Canadian trio’s first visit to Glasgow and those that have made the effort to venture down to The Art School basement on a cold Monday night are truly rewarded for their efforts.
First up are Glasgow based four-piece Great Cop who give a much more loud and aggressive performance than their EP, Faint Light, would let on.
On record these sound like a clean pop tinged punk band but tonight their late 80s/early 90s post hardcore influences are much clearer.
Great Cop are confident and energetic to boot, and I’m sure those few that are down early enough to see them will give them another shot in future as they progress both musically and on their growing list of rather impressive support slots.
Dundee’s Fat Goth follow things up for a now building crowd and the trio are by no means as terrible as their name may suggest.
Once you get past that drummer Mark Keiller looks constantly in pain and the two bad haircuts down front, it’s clear that these guys are a self-assured machine that will bombard you with sound whether you like it or not.
The majority of those here tonight lie on the former side of that as the trio’s muscular rock combined with guitarist Fraser Stewart’s vocal, which can drift from aggressive post punk shouts to a guttural snarl, has most captivated.
It’s music that’s not going to appeal to the masses but these guys have a sound that will win loyal fans and this show will certainly have cemented them a few more down in Scotland’s musical capital.
After all that Metz have to deliver and they certainly do, the trio are full on from the start producing one of those ultra powerful displays that has you gasping for breath just watching it.
For a three-piece Metz produce a huge sound, they really are as good as the hype suggests and those driven post punk tracks just come out more animated and explosive live.
Guitarist Alex Edkins gradually appears to lose his shit throughout the set, screeching into the mic, dripping with sweat and appearing to smash cymbals with his first as the set the set comes to a close on ear splittingly aggressive ‘Wet Blanket’.
Bassist Chris Slorach appears much more collected but the power behind the performance is still there even after an alleged all day drinking session with his cousin, catching up after 25 years apparently.
Metz have shared stages some of the elites in their genre in their reasonably short history but from tonight’s performance it’s easy to see them becoming the new front-runners.
The set is short, but that was to be expected from a band with just one half hour album behind them, however how they deliver the set is what will stick in everyone’s minds and have them eagerly coming along to see these guys the next time they’re on Scottish soil.
Photos: Simon Jones
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