Within the baking depths of Camden there lay a sold out shoe box shaped room of minuscule proportions on the Monday night that was the 5th July. Within this room a throng of music lovers were subjected to a night of musical delights provided by the doom laden riff masters that are The Sword. Accompanying this palatable ear-fest are none other than Gentleman's Pistols, currently home to (the practically holy by metal standards) Bill Steer of Carcass.  

To the mild confusion of the uninitiated, and the immense pleasure of those who were not, two men in vests, sporting suspiciously ABBA-like coiffures, and a long-haired Bill Steer emerge from the crowd and clamber onto the stage in order to begin a set which transports the audience through a delectable array of rock tunes laced with delicate, yet incredibly strong, riffs which are beautifully accented by Bill Steer's powerful solos (a far cry from his performance in 'that' Red Dwarf episode).  Gentleman's Pistols are a true delight and provide a performance enjoyed as much by the band as the audience. 

8/10.

Hailing from the Texan depths of Austin, The Sword simply cannot be confined to one genre.  Sounding like a slice of Black Sabbath dusted with Sleep and layered with epic slabs of rolling drums not unlike those of Mastodon, the band provide a varied and colourful set, playing such numbers as 'How Heavy This Axe' along with previously unheard tracks from forthcoming album 'Warp Riders'-to be released 24th August- which were received with pleasure and much in the way of appreciative headbanging by the Barfly.

8/10.

It is clear bands are drawn to such a venue, not for shameless self promotion, but for intimacy and passionate celebration of music between the fans and the bands. Both bands and venue are certainly worthy of attention from those who love music.

Nina Saeidi.