Live Review: Raging Speedhorn w/Heriot & Earthtone9 at The Dome, London!

The last time we saw Corby Northamptonshire’s Raging Speedhorn live was at their 20th Anniversary show at Camden Electric Ballroom, a night we will never forget as for one night only the classic line up played their debut album. Since then… As they say in Singapore “Same Same Different” as a new line up have a classy new album in “Hard To Kill” and the world is a great place once more. Tonight sees them joined by a resurgent Earthtone9 and Heriot for a show in the capital that like Vincent we would have given our ear to see. Fortunately we don’t have to.

Heriot [8/10] open the show with a nauseating, ear piercing feedback soaked set of churning riffage and caustic abrasions, splitting vocal duties between lead guitarist Debbie Gough who we know from her time in Dead Hands and bassist Jake Packer. Stylistically they’re a Noise Metal infused Hardcore band but those genre tags are as loose fitting as they come as they rip through the set that includes the impressive “Cleansed Existence” while remaining all smiles during a power cut that costs us all a song. Like a cup of Skull Crusher coffee, they’re a wake up call to what the future holds and have new material out in January.

After that bright start to a filling venue on a Friday night, old favourites Earthtone9 [8/10] have to step up to the plate to leave a lasting impression and that’s exactly what they do. Karl Middleton has gradually turned his vocal stylings away from those harsh tones of 1998 but remains a focal point with intelligent lyrics and a soulful approach while the riffs remain as bold as they ever have been. Cuts like “Star Damage For Beginners” and “Tat Twam Asi” maybe more than twenty years old but they remain classics and get the sing-a-long they deserve while Simon Hutchby’s drum sound is so huge it acts as the framework that everything hangs upon.

Raging Speedhorn [8/10] are in a party mood tonight, they’ve had a few pre-show beers and are ready to make it an occasion not to forget, so after a few classics including “Motorhead” and the huge sounding “Hard To Kill” the sound is cut as the band form a line and do a conga across the stage which is hilarious. That’s followed by the usual banter as the riff beasts play out a flawless set despite Frank Regan splitting his pants, with his partner in crime Daniel Cook sounding far better tonight than he did for the lockdown live stream the band did with Hotel Radio at Camden Underworld. “Doom Machine” is electric with each track a non stop headbang fest so by the time “Brutality” hits the party is in full swing. However they too suffer technical issues with the soundboard lowering the volumes of the microphones and not being able to turn them up again. The band continue as if nothing has happened for the remaining hand full of songs before “Heartbreaker” closes the set, getting its first airing in something like 20 years…