GIG REVIEW: The Chisel + Rifle + Unified Action @ The Cluny 2, Newcastle, Friday 2 February 2024
The Chisel are one of the brightest up and comers of the UK’s punk scene, wowing audiences with their brand of furious hardcore/oi!.
This gig was the second date of their What A Fucking Nightmare tour, promoting the forthcoming album of the same name, due out on 9 February on Pure Noise Records.
And they were on blistering form from the very first moments of the 40-minute set. But first things first; the support bands. Opening tonight’s show at The Cluny 2 were newish North East hardcore four-piece Unified Action.
I hadn’t seen them before, but was immediately taken with their social and politically-charged hardcore, which tore through the room like an out of control bushfire.
UA feature ex-members of Australian hardcore band Extortion and the UK’s own Tied Down, and they specialise in brief blasts of feral noise.
Vocalist Lins, guitarist Dan, bassist Max and drummer Pacey tore through a nine-song set which can’t have lasted more than 15 minutes.
Most of it came from their 2022 self-titled debut EP, and the rest from forthcoming follow-up This Is A War, which is already sold out.
They’re back on stage at Little Buildings in Newcastle on 10 February. If you’re a hardcore fan, you should catch them if you can, and hope their records get a repress.
Next up were another new band to me, London five-piece Rifle, who raised the bar even higher with their frenzied take on modern punk rock.
Their sound blends hardcore with oi, and in bespectacled vocalist Max they have a frontman who commands your attention while the band smash out the riffs.
Their 12-song set was a bit longer than Unified Action’s – largely because they don’t play quite as fast – but they have an urgent sound which I liked straight away.
I left with a copy of their debut EP Under Two Flags, whose five tracks all got an airing, and a quick look at Bandcamp reveals the rest of the set consisted of songs from a four-song demo cassette released in 2022.
There was also a turbo-charged cover of Fascist Cops by ’70s Belgian punk pioneers The Kids, plus three as-yet-unreleased songs. Be sure to check them out HERE and watch out for future releases, as Rifle are a cracking band.
Time for the main event, and London crew The Chisel took to the stage illuminated by some proper lighting, which was a relief after the all-red glow which made getting a decent picture of the two openers a right pain in the arse!
They kick off with Unlawful Execution, the opening track from their excellent 2021 debut album Retaliation, and it’s clear they’re well up for this, setting a blistering pace from the off.
Frontman Cal’s vocals are in your face and two guitars mean they pack a powerful punch, with a pummelling rhythm section giving them a really hefty sound.
Explosive energy is pouring off the stage, and the crowd respond. The floor quickly becomes a seething mass of moshing bodies, and the pace doesn’t relent, as one banger follows another.
Old favourites like Rat Running Scared and Not The Only One are mixed with cuts from Retaliation and some tasty appetisers for What A Fucking Nightmare.
New songs like Cry Your Eyes Out, So Do I, Bloodsucker and angry-anthem-in-the-making Fuck Em provide a tantalising glimpse of the new album, which sadly isn’t available tonight, and I can’t wait to hear it.
As we approach the end we’re treated to two of their best songs, Retaliation and Chisel Boys, though sadly there’s no sign of their cover of Elton John’s Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting, even though it’s on the setlist.
Neither hardcore nor oi, but a thrilling blend of the best elements of both, The Chisel are one of the UK punk scene’s finest bands right now. Check them out at their Bandcamp page HERE, then catch them live if you can. They’re on fire.
