LIVE FROM THE PIT: Youth Code, King Yosef and Street Sects

A little way out of London’s bustling centre, at a venue called The Dome, a show of a most particular style was going on. The industrial trio of YOUTH CODE, KING YOSEF and STREET SECTS were collectively up to bat, with their intention being no more and no less than ensuring the full room could all come together and enjoy a night of intensity, of strobe lighting and abrasive squeals, of aggressive pulsating beats and melancholic groans, and most of all a night of fun.

Texan duo STREET SECTS were the openers on the night, and their high-energy industrial sound pushed the energy up immediately. Incorporating elements of ‘80s goth, as well as plenty of inspiration from industrial acts of the same time, the intensity was through the roof. Strobe lights and rapid-fire bass and drums were the order of the evening for them, and the crowd loved it - especially during big hit And I Grew Into Ribbons. As far as their supporting slot goes, they were a perfect fit both sonically and energetically, and set the tone perfectly for what was to come.

Next up was KING YOSEF - a solo act with a support band, TAYVES YOSEF PELLETIER combines the soundscapes of industrial music with hardcore’s raw intensity, and on top of all that even has splashes of influence from the realms of rap and hip-hop to boot. His set felt like it could easily have been a support slot for the mighty KNOCKED LOOSE, and the ferocity he performed with matched that of any act within hardcore. As he played the likes of Cut the Cord and VI Coactus, he held the entire audience within the palm of his hand whilst raining pure sonic fury upon us all.

Finally came the headline act, the unstoppable juggernaut of sound that is YOUTH CODE. The sheer menace with which their set unfolds is not to be understated - a band that must be experienced live to fully grasp the intent within their music, tracks new and old were received with equal delight from an adoring crowd; the decade-old For I Am Cursed went down with as much enjoyment as the recent No Consequence immediately afterwards. Each track came and went with gusto, and when KING YOSEF made his way onstage to perform a number of tracks from the joint-release A Skeleton Key In The Doors Of Depression, it marked the high-point in a night full of sensational performances.

With each act somehow bettering the one before, this tour package was one for the ages. The savage industrial intensity from all three was phenomenal, and the slight variations between each only served to highlight the brilliance of all three performances. A fantastic evening of pummelling noise, that will surely be tough to top all year.

Words: Jasmine Longhurst

Photos: Kristy Eighteen