After enduring two Metallica-loving support bands ('Load' era as well I might add) I was slowly beginning to lose the will to live in what has got to be one of the coldest venues in the world! Mid January and, to be quite honest, it was warmer outside in the ice cold wind and frost, but all was not lost because any minute now The Guns are going to offer me some audio CPR. 

In fairness even the hot spotlights all switched on at the same time didn't offer any warmth and when The Guns finally took to the stage even frontman Alex Wiltshire was struggling with how damn cold it was.  Tearing the metal throng a new one with the incendiary 'On Like Donkey Kong' this all too brief glimpse into the twisted minds of The Guns was evidence enough of the guys' musical power and songwriting abilities even under such trying circumstances. 

There was no time for fucking about tonight and as a result frontman Alex kept his banter to a minimum and instead threw himself around the stage in a Bear Grylls style survival mode to try and warm up. There was only time for six songs and it took three of those for the audience to realise they were in the presence of something very special but, after a brief attempt at some crowd participation during 'Treacle & Pie', people started to get it. 'Answers' and 'Missing Girls' were both beaten out before the briefest of sets was brought to a dramatic conclusion with the excellent 'Gordons & Lemonade'. Gutted their set was over I decided to finish my Cup a Soup and head for the exit as I'd seen what I needed to see and even though it was only six songs the night wasn't going to get any better. 

Roll on the next time The Guns are in the vicinity I'll see you down the front! They certainly fucked the demon outta me before I shot through, and with that tasty thought fresh in your minds I'll hand you over to David Whistance who picks up the story for tonight's headliners, Revoker.

Tonight was originally intended as a quiet post-Christmas blowout with mates for yours truly whilst taking in some fine Welsh metal, however on entering the venue after perhaps a few too many sherbets I quickly bumped into Uber Rock's resident Jack, Dom Daley who had his fill of metal for the evening and was more than willing to hand me the (metal) baton for the remainder of the evening. So suddenly I'm working...Okay...right I'm up for a challenge.

Thankfully the final band of the night just happens to be one of my favourite metal bands in recent years, Rhymney's finest Revoker. And if there is one band guaranteed to dispense those January blues then it's these guys. Having witnessed the band in the same venue a little over a year ago it was great to see far more people in attendance, and in a Swansea music venue that suffers from the city's poor local transport arrangements this is an achievement in itself.

So after touring 2011 with a diverse range of acts such as old school metal vibers Holy Grail, industrial grind merchants The Defiled and ending the year with a bang supporting tween favourites The Blackout, I guess it kind of proves that Revoker has what it takes to win over pretty much any crowd, and looking at the wide range of ages in attendance here tonight displays the band's winning formula and also why they featured so strongly in the 2011 Uber Rock writers poll.

Opening tonight's proceedings with 'Born To Be An Outlaw' the band display a confidence that has been built on through that past year of constant touring, with tonight's show being the start of the band's very first headline tour, in preparation for the much anticipated main support on Chimaira's spring tour.  Showing no signs of the usual musical gremlins that usually blight opening nights the band plough through songs from their debut album and songs such as my personal fave 'Hate Inside' and 'Thief' have never sounded stronger.

Lead vocalist Jamie Mathias has certainly developed into a confident, self assured frontman, albeit without any of the arrogance usually associated with such a role, and listening to Revoker in full flow leaves me feeling quite perplexed at the treatment of the band from certain metal magazines who seem happy to bypass the brutal, infectious metal on offer in favour of what I can only describe as 'boy bands with guitars'. Thankfully Uber Rock would rather let the music do the talking, and hence the reason they have supported Revoker from their grass roots back up the A470.

A cover of AC/DC's 'TNT' brings rock fans young and old together, yet it's their debut single 'Stay Down' that (r)evokes the biggest cheer of the evening along with the Scuzz TV favourite 'The Great Pretender' before ending tonight's proceedings as they began with album closer 'Born To Be An Outlaw'

With the release of 'Revenge For The Ruthless' happening in Japan sometime later this month, let's hope that world domination beckons for these home grown metallers, after all I can't think of anybody more worthy to fly the musical flag for the United Kingdom right now. 

I urge you to check out Revoker's forthcoming live dates before they break big, see you at the front!!!!  

To buy your copy of 'Revenge For The Ruthless' on CD - 'Click Here'