LIVE REVIEW: Pupil Slicer, Coilguns, God Alone, The Hug & Pint, Glasgow, 16/04/2024
Photo Credit: Gobinder Jhitta
The Hug & Pint sits on Great Western Road in the west end of Glasgow and is a very intimate venue with a capacity of just over 100. It is therefore ideal for gigs like tonight’s Pupil Slicer with Glasgow’s metalhead hardcore turning up in their droves. The gig was originally scheduled for Stereo but we weren’t complaining as the Hug & Pint was packed to the rafters for this show generating a very unique atmosphere in the basement. Pupil Slicer promised to play their 2023 album Blossom in full tonight alongside two support acts.
The room was just about at capacity as Irish band God Alone took to the stage, the rockers from Cork providing half an hour of mayhem, their music can be considered math rock/dance punk, the connection between vocalist/guitarist Jake O’Driscoll and bass player/backing vocalist Cian Mullane was extraordinary with the singer coming in and out of the crowd a good few times and using the full stage to thrash it out with Mullane. Two ten-minute epic tracks ended the set, first up being Kung Fu Treachery which changed from post metal to electronic/dance music in a heartbeat, the synth player helping creating great intensity on the stage between all five band members. The set ended with Madting, the crowd showing their appreciation afterwards. We would like to see God Alone play a headline set in the near future as they have an incredible range of music playing abilities. 9/10
Swiss outfit Coliguns are a four-piece band punk and rock band led by vocalist Louis Jucker who provided some interesting stage antics, stretching out on the stage and meditating before the delayed set began. Coilguns formed in 2011 and have three albums and four EPs to their name and are signed to guitarist Jona Nido’s record label Hummus Records. Vocalist Jucker described latest release Venetian Blinds as Swiss hardcore, this one went down well with the fans in the room as they showed their appreciation after each song. Highlights of the set for us were You & I In The Gap and Stranding Shelters. 8/10
Pupil Slicer were noticed by the metalcore scene during their storming set at the Download Festival in 2023 and the band have been building a fanbase since then. Due to the sound problems during the Coilguns set Pupil Slicer didn’t appear on stage until 9.55pm but it was well worth the wait as they began a forty-five minute set filled with electrifying metal and post-modern punk vibes. After the short synth intro of Glaring Dark Of Night, the first note of Momentary Actuality set the room ablaze with intensity and didn’t let go until Blossom, the last track of the night, the title track from the Blossom album. The new bass player showed a wide range of skills on the fretboard of his five-string bass and we could feel the basslines pumping through our chests throughout the set, coinciding with thrashing drums from Josh Andrews keeping the bpm at a high intensity. Vocalist/guitarist Kate Davies was outstanding from the word go tonight with her stage presence and raw vocals keeping the fans eyes glued to the stage.
Creating The Devil In Our Image was played to perfection, quickly followed by the eight-minute epic that is The Song At Creation’s End, an absolutely mesmerising piece of music that had everyone in the room standing in a trance like state. That’s the thing, sometimes you don’t need the mosh pits to prove how much people are enjoying a gig, which was the case tonight. Loads of head nodding was the theme of the night with only the final track of the set Wounds Upon My Skin, from the 2021 Mirrors album seeing the pits open. Language Of The Stars was another highlight of the night as Kate moved easily from screaming the lyrics to a softer approach. For a band out on their first ever headline tour Pupil Slicer have been outstanding, the tour ends in Dublin’s Workman’s Club on 26th April but we are sure to be seeing this band play in bigger venues on the next tour. 9/10
Written by: Alan Brown
