Desolated: Live at The Lughole
Southampton’s Desolated are an enjoyable prospect; always formidable in the live environment, and increasingly so on record as ably showcased on their latest full-length The End. They are a band who, like their MLVLTD brethren Malevolence, never appear prepared to suffer fools gladly, all the while remaining dedicated to their brand of riff and beatdown-heavy hardcore that ignites chaos on the dancefloor, and sets heads banging and drinks spilling across the rest of the room.
Sheffield’s wonderfully-ramshackle and modestly-sized The Lughole was the setting for their album launch show (albeit a couple of months since the album’s actual release), and as the opening riff of Death By My Side. came tearing from the front of the room, and the first punter went flying across the floor with beer cascading helplessly from his plastic cup, no one in attendance was under any illusions about what was in store for the evening.
Frontman Andy stalked the front of the stage, goading the crowd into increasing levels of violence, and whilst some edged their way towards the relative safety of the back of the venue, others did not need to be told twice. As choice cuts from their latest album, such as title track The End. and an absolutely ferocious rendition of The Beginning., as well as heavily pit tested favourites like Strung Up., brought crushing slabs of sludge, bounce and menacing beatdowns to the proceedings, the dance floor towards the front of the room became a chaotic mess. One punter stumbled out with a black eye, another had clearly taken a hefty blow to the nose, but the aural punishment just kept on coming. It has to be said that whilst it’s always great to see people enjoy themselves at a show, watching older, larger members of an audience happily clatter smaller, younger fans with zero concern can be a frustrating experience.
Returning to the music, Andy’s yells of "who wants it?". whilst dangling the microphone over the crowd resulted in the expected scrum for attention as people clambered over one another to demonstrate their vocal talents. This all added to what was a relentless performance that came to a fearsome conclusion with End Of The Line., a track whose lyric "only the strong survive". felt rather apt amongst the ensuing bedlam.
Whilst Desolated will not be garnering accolades for invention or technicality any time soon, their destructive live shows and the ease with which they create an atmosphere of true uncertainty and menace makes them a joy to watch.