Spineshank, Ambassador Theatre, Dublin, 10^th September, 2001

For a band that most people in the audience had never heard of, Dry Kill Logic, formerly known as Hinge, didn't let that stop them from tearing the living shit out of the Ambassador. The pit was a flailing mass of bodies from the outset. Tracks from the band's album, "The darker side of nonsense", become even more extreme and angry live. 'The strength I call my own', 'Weight' and 'Nightmare' were all stormed through, before saving the best for last in the form of a thundering 'Assfault'.

Frontman Cliff Rigano stomped around the stage and bellowed like a wounded gorilla, at times resembling Disturbed's David Drainman. Plait/dread-headed bassist Dave Kowatch spent the entire set either urging the crowd on from the edge of the stage, or rolling around on the floor. A brief interview with him afterwards revealed that the band are looking forward to coming back to Dublin in early November with a support slot on the Fear Factory tour.

Spineshank are another one of those bands that, despite being popular in the States, find it hard to pull in a crowd over this side of the Atlantic. The less than half full theatre didn't faze them however, and after kicking off with 'Asthmatic' they played a set that didn't let up until Dry Kill Logic invaded the stage during final track 'The height of callousness'. Definitely a suitable way to finish the Spineshank/Dry Kill Logic tour.

Spineshank may not have the greatest mix of songs ever, I mean they're all pretty much fast, heavy as fuck, industrial-fuelled rock songs, but in a live set they work well. It's at times like these that you really can appreciate the dynamics at work. The crowd may have been sparse, but the pit lapped up songs like 'Play God', '[Can't be] Fixed', 'Shinebox' and 'Seamless'.

If tonight's show is anything to go by Spineshank should be back but maybe next time they'll chose a venue they can fill or perhaps even get the crowd they deserve.

When asked about the bands plans for the future, guitarist Souren "Mike" Sarkisyan revealed that they intend to write some new material over the next few weeks before heading into the studio with GGGareth before the New Year.

Ken McGrath