Live Review: Gwar, Amon Amarth, Satyricon, The Black Dahlia Murder

The first of three members of Metal Blade's roster appearing, The Black Dahlia Murder delivered in typically brutal fashion. Their Carcass-Morbid Angel hybrid, spearheaded by Trevor Strnad's animalistic shrieks and bowel-loosening growls, underlined a ruthlessly taut, brief showing from the US mob.

Satyricon were somewhat flat by comparison. A completely different setlist to their festival appearance was the Norwegian sextet's deft nod to corpse-painted diehards, and rain tumbling down outside seemed apt. Black metal tour-de-force Mother North was a welcome reminder of their powers, helped by a crystal-clear mix. Although far less grim and frostbitten nowadays, the atmospheric, albeit mundane hard rock off their recent material lacked a certain vitality.

Amon Amarth's collective bellies were so full of fire they could have spat lava at any moment. Akin to Iron Maiden on steroids – if the Brit legends voraciously studied Vikings – their twin-guitar assault and skolling, walking beard Johan Hegg's commanding presence throughout Twilight Of The Thunder God was pulverising. A truncated 45-minute allotment was ideal, due to the Swedes' distinct lack of variety. “It doesn't matter if you don't know the lyrics – it's death metal, no one will know the difference,” the frontman grunted prior to The Pursuit Of Vikings, well lubricated punters loudly testing his theory.

Oddly enough considering the controversy and newfound role model status, the sold-out room thinned fractionally for Gwar. Perhaps some were burnt out by numerous sideshows, or many had simply got their fill at Soundwave. Irrespective, the aeons-old space aliens seemed even more enormous on a non-festival stage, promptly displaying zero remorse by again decapitating Tony Abbott and showing the Queen similar disrespect alongside Metal Metal Land, Hail, Genocide! and covering Billy Ocean. Well-honed, satirical crowd-pleasers, their thrash/heavy metal being oft-repetitive mattered little to those who wore fake blood like a badge of honour. What other way to conclude Soundwave week?