Ono Palindromes + Claw of Panther + Buffalo @ New Cross Inn, London

After a bit of an absence, club night Chamber seems to have re-located to New Cross. As the modest crowd gathers for Buffalo, the local band greet the onlookers and whip into a disjointed set of clattering drums and crunching guitars. As the boy-girl duo crash through their songs reference points are hard to pin point, using an array of effects pedals and pre-programmed arrangements, the sound is complex and messy at the same time; but this only adds to the charm. With At The Drive In rhythms and vocals that flit from casually spoken to short bursts of shouting, these are going to be a pair to keep an eye on. Noise rock gets intimate.

Now then: Lowestoft’s Claw of Panther clearly know how to make a noise. Tattooed up they wield their crashing guitars with menace, the frontman belts out caterwauls as their 4-minute bursts of hardcore-punk-meets-garage-rock ricochet around the room. Nods of approvals follow the barrage as the bar staff whoop and someone walks past the stage simulating some threatening air guitar thrashing. Stand out songs ‘Send The Dogs’ and ‘These Dancing Days’ hint at Glassjaw, the Stooges and Ghost of a Thousand. The ear bleeding racket drags you backwards through a storm only to fling you out in the rain, dirty and bruised.

Exeter’s Ono Palindromes have already made a few waves over at Artrocker recently and, taking to the stage, they announce that they intend to play some “rock music”; which they do with vigour. ‘Black Lungs’ and ‘Glue’ are all whip-lashing frenetic beats that show no hesitation in grabbing you by the nuts and squeezing. Their brand of grunge is taking a heavier turn if the new songs are anything to go by which, quite frankly, is a good thing.