After the wild boat shenanigans of our last EP party, we were back on dry land in the ever welcoming surroundings of the Bloomsbury Bowling Lanes for our latest EP launch. Gathering together 4 more of the finest new bands England has to offer, this EP launch was distinguished by three things 1) The bands were all real young (we felt ancient..), 2) They were proper loud and 3) They all smashed it.

Clockwork Era came first, a scabrous mix of Alec Empire bile, and Minor Threat style pop eyed hardcore. They’ve added a new bass player and he fits like a treat adding a sinuous brittle funk back bone to the sheets of metal lic guitar. The set finishes with front man Chris howling on the floor amidst the audience—high drama for a wet Tuesday…

Drop Out Venus have picked up a big ‘ones to watch’ tag in recent months—mostly for their startling bedsit ballad Love in Vein- which they don’t bother playing tonight. One of the lads from Dirty Bingo Records, watching alongside me, tells me this is the 5^th time he’s seen them and they’ve never played the same set twice- a band in constant motion. Built around the team of siblings Chris and IvaMoscovich, Chris supplying shredded Johnny Marr riffs and Iva the starry, untouchable stage presence they have a lot to offer, and tonights grunge flicked set only hints at what they’re capable of.

Novella are probably the biggest draw of the night- the hype from their sold out vinyl releases ensures a crowd of the curious and the converted push toward the stage when the band step on. Recent release Don’t Believe Ayn Rand is a highlight, a gossamer of woozy, shining guitar, deapan vocal delivery and heart warming feedback. They close their set with it and the fans nod sincere, satisfied approval.

SupaJam favourites Old Forest are they final act to take to the Bowling Alley’s stage. They are probably the youngest of all the bands on- barely out of school and already wielding granite heavy songs. Lead singer Tom communicates from behind a mini loud hailer, singing through it, and talking to the audience through it between tracks. It’s constant crappy distortion shouldn’t work- but it does, and it’s as though the titular Iron Man from the Black Sabbath classic has decided to front a band. Which is pretty much one of our dreams coming true.

And so we finish, ears well and truly trashed once more. Thanks to all the bands for delivering blinders, special thanks to Dirty Bingo for playing the hits between the acts, adn thanks to you lot for coming down…