BELIEVE IN NOTHING, LEGENDS, EDINBURGH, DECEMBER 6 2025

Nearly the end of 2025 and we have this beast, from FUZZ BAT GIGS, in association with new kids TINNITUS. Not their usual kind of thing, but I'm not complaining. A couple of familiar names, and some absolute filth from Eastbourne.

This gig will prove to be... challenging. Exceptionally difficult lighting, intense and occasionally violent performances. All great stuff, to be sure, but... hard to document. Bear that in mind.

Line-up:

A.V.L: Depending on the night, this might be either a local sludge metal trio or a local noise/drone trio. Considering the rest of the line-up, this could go either way.  

Not unexpectedly, we get the sludge version. Incendiary, explosive sludge, to be fair, but sludge nonetheless.

I'd like to thank A.V.L's drummer for giving me a cassette of their new EP. Much appreciated.

VIDEO:   https://youtu.be/03n6svbE9FE   https://www.instagram.com/avlband/?hl=en

MRS FRIGHTHOUSE: Rising stars of the electro-industrial noise scene. Unsettling visuals, visceral noises, singing, screaming, and an accordion. Actually, the accordion doesn't make an appearance tonight. Still, they're like an apocalyptic industrial opera, playing out under harsh red lights.

VIDEO:    https://youtu.be/OoJeo1KLaPs   https://www.facebook.com/MrsFrighthouse

BELIEVE IN NOTHING: I've seen these Eastbourne lads described as 'as filthy as a coprophiliac's wank fantasy', and I find it hard to argue with that. I had no idea who they were, so I did the natural thing and checked them out on Bandcamp. Heard the album. Bought the album.

However, the album doesn't really prepare you for the actuality of the live performance. Intense and brutal and really quite disturbing. I'm never sure how much is 'performance' and how much is deadly serious - both in equal measure, I suspect. Also, I reckon that hammers are NOT meant to go in THERE.

VIDEO:   https://youtu.be/k-ano0wM6iA   https://www.instagram.com/believeinnothing_noise/?hl=en

CWFEN, LEGENDS, EDINBURGH, DECEMBER 5 2025

Rising stars of the occult doomgaze scene, back in Edinburgh. First of two LEGENDS gigs this weekend, and it's the biggest crowd I've seen in here for ages. 

Line-up:

THE RHUBARB: Oddly named psychedelic blues/doom combo. This is the third time I've seen The Rhubarb, but the first that could be considered a total success. First time, they were down a member, second time the bass player broke a string during their first song and had to muddle through the set with just three. Not ideal. Tonight they're on top form. Hefty as a very hefty thing, with a singer lady whose voice could be used to level tall buildings. And Hagrid on Guitar, apparently.

VIDEO:   https://youtu.be/qDSltXBHm1Y  https://www.facebook.com/TheRhubarbband

GOUT: My favourite Glasgow sludge band, on blistering form. They seen unusually cheerful tonight. even giving us a few words of 'banter', And we get what appears to be a NEW SONG. Which is nice. I was going to buy a patch from them, but they'd buggered off before I could get to their table.

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/mTIPl9RUj3c  https://www.instagram.com/__gout/?hl=en

CWFEN: Future 'Legends of Doomgaze' back in Edinburgh. During which they unveil a couple of NEW SONGS, one of which features in the video below. Which you should watch, because it's dead good. As was the rest of their set.

VIDEO:   https://youtu.be/q9mbKp2NXHs   https://www.facebook.com/Cwfenband

BURIAL, BANSHEE LABYRINTH, EDINBURGH, NOVEMBER 29 2025

 Another feast of Black Metal from those WULFHERE folks. There may be corpse paint.

Before we go on, I'd like to point out that I LIKE black metal. I just find it very silly and can't take it seriously. 

Line-up:  

DREICH: DSBM from Aberdeen. (DSBM is either Depressive Suicidal Black Metal or Diploma in School Business Management. I know which sounds more fun.) 'Dreich', buy the way, is a Scots word for 'dreary, miserable. gloomy and drab'. Not entirely inaccurate, but they are more entertaining than that would imply.

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/dknPudKbtiM   https://www.facebook.com/dreichscotland

MOURNING OF THE HERETIC: Black metal with hefty goth overtones from Northern Ireland, making their Scottish debut. A late replacement for ULLENWOOD, who had to pull out.

A little technical hitch with the drums spoils the dark/enigmatic effect they're aiming for right at the start, but they brush it off with a very un-black-metal cheerfulness that persists throughout their set. Great fun.

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/EhKO_EjS32o    https://www.facebook.com/Mourningoftheheretic

THY DYING LIGHT: To no-one's great surprise, more Black Metal. From Cumbria, it seems. I'm not sure if these lads are having a laugh or if they are dead serious. Everything about them suggests tongues firmly in cheeks: Corpse paint - check. Candles and skulls - check. BATHORY t-shirt - check. Inverted cross - check. Expressionless faces - check. It's all there, done with such a straight face that I genuinely can't tell. Well done, them. 

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/nKHufhEtft8  https://www.facebook.com/thydyinglightuk

BURIAL: A bit of trip-hop to end the evening. Just kidding. No-nonsense black metal from no-nonsense Manchester. Black metal without the corpse paint, but with LOTS of sweary words. Featuring, apparently, members of WOLFBASTARD, FOETAL JUICE, etc.

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/CxiUKfRrC1Y   https://www.facebook.com/burialtheband