It's Hard Rock Hell 3 Eve and I should really be at home getting myself prepared, but the lure of seeing my favourite new band playing live a few miles from my house is just too much of must attend to miss out on.

Since I first received Outcry Collective's essential 'Articles' album a few months ago it's been on a non-stop loop in my stereo, a bit like a very brutal Groundhog Day musical moment.

This 'Triple Threat' revolving bill tour that has snaked its way across the UK for most of November and early December also boasted Blakfish and Gay For Johnny Depp in line up, so quite why the Barfly is almost empty when I get there is beyond me? X Factor apathy hitting the hardcore scene, or is the flavour of the month getting harder to swallow and easier to spit out for our disaffected youth?Who knows?

When the four sexy lads that make up Blakfish literally leap into action and set about dealing us some killer technical prog punk or Death Pop as they like to call it, you can't help but think your watching 4 or 5 bands rolled up in eight legs giving you even more value for your recession pound.  Blakfish really are a mixed bag of mayhem and the frantic delivery of tracks like 'Your Hair's Straight But Your Boyfriend Ain't' certainly doesn't escape my attention but then neither does the Mickey Pierce moustache the drummer is sporting.... Noice. If you can imagine a band that sits somewhere between a more commercial Primus or less sombre Tool but with hardcore interludes then you certainly won't be too far away from what Blakfish sound like, shameless musical self-indulgence delivered with a ruthless edge. Check 'em out.

Outcry Collective on the other hand are about as direct as you can be musically, you will either like it or you can fuck off, and that's certainly my type of band. Whether it's the whirlwind of sound that is 'Out Of My System' or the bass driven heart attack that is 'A Great Day For The Crows', the Outcry Collective always have one finger hovering over the button marked 'destroy'.

Singer Steve Sitkowski prowls the stage like a much better looking Henry Lee Lucas, ready to hunt you down, and when he takes his mic stand into the crowd for a few tracks you can smell the fear on the people's breath a mile off.

Outcry Collective, throughout their thirty odd minute set, are as compelling as when you first discovered your best kept secret of a band. They do remind me of when I first saw The Bronx and they do look like Gluecifer, but there is that uniqueness I mentioned in my recent album review that sets them aside from mere contenders, and when 'Moonlight' unfurls its blackness you can't help but get the old goosebumps that great music gives you.

With one eye on the clock, and after a quick chat with Mr Sitkowski it was time for me to take an early bath with the daunting task of the trip up to Prestatyn the next morning and no pants packed. But I didn't leave before I had time to find out that Outcry Collective are touring the UK extensively with The Computers in March 2010

Certainly ones to watch out for in 2010.