Originally formed in Wakefield in 1998, Iron Void had a rebirth in 2008, and since then it has very much been full steam ahead, with the band releasing a series of well received albums culminating in 2023’s IV. If it’s true you can judge a band by the t-shirts they sport, then those worn by Iron Void (Monster Magnet, Motörhead, Sabbath) suggest we’re in for a treat. Peddling a rather nice line in doom metal, Iron Void are operating as a trio tonight and if you want to know just how heavy three people can get, look no further than opening salvo ‘Spell Of Ruin’. Like a triangle with all points connecting and feeding off the other, Iron Void form a tight unit and that turns ‘Spell Of Ruin’ (and, indeed, their whole set) into a bowel-loosening, earth-shaking affair. There’s little time wasted on between song banter, Iron Void preferring to put their songs centre stage, and when the songs are this good, that’s exactly where they should be. It means that their brief set is over far too soon, but one thing’s for sure, Iron Void have made more than a few friends tonight.

As one of the first bands to germinate the American doom metal scene, The Obsessed are quite rightly regarded as pioneers. And while they might not have reaped the same rewards as those who followed and streamlined the genre for mass consumption, the band have something that riches can’t buy; namely integrity and that shines through as soon as the band hit the stage and launch straight into ‘To Protect and to Serve’. On a tour that celebrates their 1994 album The Church Within opus, the band begin by playing that album in full. However, they take a few liberties with the running order and shuffle a few of the tracks around, and while you won’t find the songs acting in new, strange ways, in concert it makes perfect sense and ensures that the set flows smoothly. And it does flow; the band are bang on point from the very first note and playing like each riff could be their last; there’s a sense of urgency that would put many a younger band to shame with ‘Streamlined’ and ‘Blind Lightning’ following in quick succession and landing like hammer blows to the skull. Vocalist and guitarist Scott “Wino” Weinrich proves himself in fine fettle and rises above the maelstrom to deliver a nice throaty rasp, but it would be unfair to single out one band member, because it’s as a unified whole that they work best and ensure that ‘Climate of Despair’ sounds as if has been dredged from the very depths of hades. It’s testament not only to The Obsessed of yore, but also to the four musicians on stage tonight that the songs comprising The Church Within sound as vital today as they did when first unleashed 31 years ago, with each track increasing the rowdy behaviour from those in front of the stage.

‘Mourning’ brings The Church Within segment to a crushing conclusion as The Obsessed tighten the screws by dropping tunings as the set progresses. It means that when a choice selection of cuts from their discography follows (including ‘Sacred’ and ‘Brother Blue Steel’) the band have a taste for blood and that makes two encores (which concludes with a cover of Spirit Caravans ‘Lost Sun Dance’) the ultimate in musical brutality.

Iron Void Set List:

1. Spell Of Ruin
2. The Answer Unknown
3. Living On The Earth
4. Final Resting Place
5. The Devil’s Daughter

The Obsessed Set List:

1. To Protect and to Serve
2. Streamlined
3. Blind Lightning
4. Neatz Brigade
5. A World Apart
6. Streetside
7. Decimation
8. Field of Hours
9. Skybone
10. Touch of Everything
11. Climate of Despair
12. Mourning
13. Hiding Mask
14. Sacred
15. Brother Blue Steel
16. Stoned Back to the Bomb Age
17. Lost Sun Dance