It’s a tough call, opening for a band with as much buzz as Hands Off Gretel, but Dublin’s Scathed don’t let that phase them at all. The five-piece metallers launch into a relatively short set of epic, grinding hard rock. Not many songs, but their musical dexterity and massive, coiling arrangements make this a compelling performance. You can’t help feel that the relatively small stage is hampering their exuberance, but there’s huge energy on that stage and in the room. Dark, soulful metal with moments of great beauty. Two observations, however: a complex set up like this needs careful attention to the mix; and for a band with such depth and passion, maybe the ‘business students in a band’ look didn’t do them many favours. Plenty of content, m...
