With their much anticipated third album 'Five Serpents Teeth' finally hitting the shops this week, Evile headed down to London tonight for what promised to be a very special album launch show, and although it was not quite a sell-out, there was a healthy enough turnout to join in the hot and thrashy celebrations.

You don't see a band like Stuka Squadron every day. Dressed as vampire German fighter pilots, and with tongues firmly in cheeks, they rip through their brand of Maiden inspired World War Two themed power metal with total enthusiasm. They're a whole heap of fun, immensely enjoyable, and despite the lighthearted element at their core, they do also posses some seriously good tunes.

Main support tonight came from Yorkshire's Sworn Amongst, who are gearing up for a European tour supporting Irish thrash heroes Gama Bomb next month, as well as preparing for the release of a brand new EP 'Evolution'. Sworn Amongst certainly impress tonight and go down a treat with the assembled throng of thrashers down the front. They're tight, powerful and deliver a solid set of traditional thrash metal, with growly voiced frontman Liam Liddell seeming very assured at the helm. The crowd definitely warmed to them during the course of the set, with some moshing breaking out at the end to the very impressive 'The Rules Of Engagement'. A job well done tonight, and they should go down a storm with Gama Bomb.

Tonight, though, was really all about Evile and those 'Five Serpent's Teeth'. I had the pleasure of reviewing the album recently and it's a fine effort, easily Evile's best to date. With this being the album launch gig, it's not too surprising to see the setlist leaning heavily on the new material, and it's the album's superb title track itself that kicks things off tonight. Although it's only been out for a few days, all the new material goes down a storm and the Evile heads here tonight certainly seem very familiar with it already, prompting Matt Drake to ask "who's downloaded it illegally then? It's good when it's free!" It's a light hearted question, and I'm sure all those that answered "yes" will be buying legitimate copies very soon, especially on the strength of the show tonight and the myriad of special editions and coloured vinyl options on offer from Earache.

Next up is Mike Alexander's 'Killer From The Deep', which turns things up several notches, and instigates some serious moshing at the front. In fact it's nice to see that aside from the new album material, as most of the remainder of the set tonight is taken from the debut 'Enter The Grave' album, so it's a good mixture of new and old - a bit like the audience which sees the younger new generation of thrashers banging their heads alongside a healthy contingent of older first generation thrashers who've seen it all before.

'Eternal Empire' is one of the most impressive selections from the new album on offer tonight, as is the current single 'Cult', whilst 'We Who Are About To Die' and the inevitable 'Thrasher' are a couple of choice first album cuts. 'Descent Into Madness' is one of the more intense and pure thrash moments from the new album, and sounds even more intense in a live setting. Title track 'Infected Nation' is the only track to feature from the band's second album, before another up-tempo new one in the shape of 'Long Live The New Flesh' rounds the set off in fine style.

The encore is a bit of a welcome surprise as the band reprise a truly intense 'Armoured Assault', the mosh-tastic first album thrasher that sadly doesn't see the light of day too often these days. If the moshers down the front were feeling a little drained of energy after that, and who could blame them, salvation was at hand on the way out as some special edition 'serpent venom' Evile energy drink was handed out to one and all - a nice touch and a very clever little promotional gimmick.

I've seen Evile a fair few times over the past couple of years, and such is the strength of the new material that I have to say this was probably the best I've seen them. A full UK tour follows next month, so wherever you are in the UK you'll get a chance to sink your serpent's teeth into one of the leading lights of the new thrash breed as they embark on the third chapter of their bid for world domination.