Live Review Metz showcase new album tracks at frenzied London gig 3rd March 2015

The sprawling width of London’s 100 Club is full. As Metz take to the battered stage following a jubilant and pointed set from Yung, the room tightens just a little. The mic-check gets a cheer, the drum fill incites a cry of joy - when the Toronto three-piece launch into ‘Dirty Shirt’, chaos erupts.

Two bubbling pits of physicality emerge from the off, separated by a sizeable barrier in the centre of the room, and the frantic energy in both doesn’t waver throughout. Metz run through both well-loved material from their self-titled debut and unheard cuts from their upcoming second LP, but the crowd doesn’t need familiarity to react, Metz are the constant fuse. To start with the band are hurried but glisten. For the likes of ‘Knife In The Water’ and ‘Get Off’, the vocal cries sit atop their jagged noise rock with precision and comfort surveying the full-bodied effect, but as the set goes on they become at ease with the room and play with the crowd a little more.

For new tracks ‘Wait In Line’ and ‘Acetate’, they tease the climb and tug at the crash, adding anticipation to their powerfully frenetic performance. The volume progresses along with their set as with every passing song Metz add another brick to their daunting wall of noise, resulting in a grand, leering presence with melody etched into it. The bigger the target, the harder the bodies fling themselves into it and quickly crowd-surfers bridge the two pools with celebratory ease. It’s a reaction that’s echoed on stage as Metz play harder and snarl louder.

“Let’s make this count,” the band demand before set closer, ‘Wet Blanket’ and as the screams of “You’ll never be the same,” bound around the ever-shrinking space, artist and audience are united in their separation.