We’re no strangers to Casket Feeder here at the Midlands Rocks, and it’s always a treat when they appear on a concert poster. Having formed in 2016, this Milton Keynes crew have an undeniable pedigree and the length of time they’ve spent together has resulted in a tight unit that delivers a blistering sound. They arrive like the proverbial warhead and proceed to lay the venue to waste, and by the time we reach third track ‘Sentence To Death’, they’re in top gear. There’s very little fluff between songs, rather they’re fired off in quick succession and that makes them all the more visceral. Over half the set is culled from their latest long player, Servants Of Violence, but that’s such a great album, it’s no real hardship. However, there’s still room for some old favourites (such as stand alone single ‘Wormwood’), yet it’s ‘Vulture Culture’ that caps an impressive set and marks them as future headliners.
When I was a young thrasher and involved in the tape trading scene, the quality of the cassettes that originated from South America was mind blowing. Every week I’d receive demos from bands like Vulcano, Ratos de Porão, Dorsal Atlântica, and Sarcófago, all of which evidenced a rich and diverse scene. However, it was never afforded the attention other global scenes were garnered, even after Sepultura broke through to the mainstream. However, that’s not necessarily a bad thing as a whole raft of bands developed an original sound away from the spotlight’s glare, and without commercial considerations or other distractions. Venezuela’s Cultura Tres are very much made in that spirit, and since 2006 they’ve ploughed their own furrow creating a unique sound that incorporates sludge, thrash, and even elements of psychedelic and progressive rock.
On the penultimate night of their UK tour, Cultura Tres make a welcome appearance at The Craufurd Arms, and a fair sized crowd have braved the inclement weather to welcome them. Despite having an illustrious past, Cultura Tres remain focused on the future, and if proof were needed then it’s their set list which is predominantly pulled from their latest album, Camino de Brujos. ‘The World And Its Lies’ is the opening shot, and it’s a steamroller heading our way. Like a lion’s roar coupled with a tribal beat, it immediately makes its presence felt with a chest-thumping, earth-quaking sound. The band’s hardcore influence is very much in evidence here (think Discharge), and when coupled with the crushing force of metal, makes for an arresting experience.
There is a pliable nature to Cultura Tres’ sound which allows them to play both fast and slow, yet deliver a set that flows smoothly. When they combine the two (such as on ‘Proxy War’) they hit exceptionally hard and it doesn’t take long for a pit to erupt, but with music this raucous, what did you expect? It takes a brave band to cover a song as influential as ‘Black Sabbath’, yet Cultura Tres deliver a supremely rendition that finds them imparting their own personality on the song whilst retaining the shape of the original, and it’s a move that only adheres them to the crowd further. That it sits so well with their own ‘The Smell Of Death’ speaks volumes about the quality of their own material. And it’s another track from the new record which closes the show, this time ‘Signs’ which sends everyone home with ringing ears, and eagerly awaiting the band’s return.
Cultura Tres Set List:
- The World And Its Lies
- Time Is Up
- The Land
- Proxy War
- 19 Horas
- Day One
- Zombies
- Black Sabbath
- The Smell Of Death
- Signs
