A fully slam-focused package steamrolled into Newcastle to kick off the opening date of the UK/IE Vomitour. This brought together three of the biggest names in the sub-genre, all present on a bill that Party Cannon bassist Chris Ryan previously described as an “epoch of barbarity,” – a nod to the Internal Bleeding track.
Party Cannon – Internal Bleeding – Guttural Slug
The Grove, Newcastle – 22 April 2026
Words: Matty Hunter
Photography: thedailyddt at Vision Impact Photography
Co-headlining was the pairing of Party Cannon and Internal Bleeding, which reads like a statement of intent – modern slam colliding directly with its foundations, with formidable support from Guttural Slug.
The venue hosting the chaos was The Grove, a spot that is quickly becoming a reliable host for killer Metal shows. Having recently hosted the likes of Pestilence, Exhumed, and Gruesome, this opening night in Newcastle carried huge anticipation.
The bands were fresh, the crowd strapped in, and the stakes high. As the starting point of a 10-date run stretching across the UK and Ireland, this show was the ignition point of the tour.
Fans had even been half-jokingly recommended to wear a helmet, a nod to Party Cannon’s own tongue-in-cheek brutality. This was because, as the night quickly suggested, injuries were not just possible, they were inevitable.
Guttural Slug
Formed in Lyngby in 2012, Guttural Slug have built a strong reputation within the slam scene, cultivating a significant international underground following. Their 2013 breakout Megalodon still looms large, a release that not only defined their sound but cemented their importance within European slam.
With founding guitarist Mikkel Scott Sørensen at the core, the relatively new lineup remains tight, and on this run, the vocal duties were handled by deputising Luke Lockley.
Lockley, who is known for his work in Scotland for Desecrated Extinction, Dissolving Entity and Penny Coffin, slotted in seamlessly and brought a dominant presence to the stage.
The band took to the stage, turned away from the crowd, then burst straight into Suspended from a Single Strand Of Sanity, locking in the room instantly. Even at this early stage, the floor was already packed, with barely any gaps in sight.
What followed was an all-out slam assault, with ultra-downtuned riffs and trudging grooves forming the backbone, but it was the sharp injections of blast beats that gave the set its true bite.
Lasse Sylvester Kristensen’s drumming stood out as one of the most admirable elements of their sound – punishing and relentless.
Lockley’s vocal delivery up front matched the intensity, bellowing out gutturals with conviction.
Each song was met with a strong response, with the crowd locked in throughout. The set drew from cult classic Megalodon and Ulcers In The Flesh Of Thought, with tracks like Eye Of The Cyclops, Paranormal Evisceration and Psychosomatic Synchronisation landing with weight.
Lockley noted that the crowd would recognise Hacksaw Surgery, which drew one of the biggest reactions of the set for their most recognisable track.
It was towards the end of the set that the pit properly opened, and the energy stepped up another level. Several members of Party Cannon watched on from side-stage, visibly enjoying the set, which added to the sense of shared momentum.
By the time Guttural Slug had wrapped up at 8 pm, their set seemed to have flown by, and they left the room primed for the co-headliners.
The Danes were a crushing, efficient opener that delivered sheer impact and having only played the UK a handful of times before on festivals, this felt like a particularly notable set to witness.
I hope I get to catch the band live again soon.
Party Cannon
Party Cannon took the second slot on the bill, stepping in as the first co-headliner of the night, and immediately shifting the energy into something far more chaotic and unrestrained.
Formed in 2010 in Dunfermline, Scotland, Party Cannon have built a reputation for blending genuine slam brutality with humour and deliberately whimsical aesthetics. Their approach to a traditionally rigid genre has been instrumental in establishing “party slam.”
The lineup is anchored by founding bassist Chris ‘Clankenstein’ Ryan and guitarist Craig Robinson, alongside drummer Martin Gazur, bassist Mike McLaughlin, vocalist Daryl ‘Frogman’ Boyce, and the band’s mascot, Vominic Stonebones.
Before the set, I spoke to Clankenstein about the band’s early days. He told me their first-ever show took place in Newcastle in 2010 at the Northumberland Arms, and that he was glad to be back in the city. I also spoke with the rest of the band throughout the evening, and each member came across as humble, approachable, and genuinely funny.
Stonebones even handed me a signed N64-style booklet promoting the new EP, a small but memorable touch.
At 8:15 sharp, Party Cannon burst onto the stage to a rave intro, immediately sending beach balls and inflatables into the crowd. Within moments, the floor was in motion, and it became a warzone. From the outset, they made it clear they were here to party, and they delivered.
The stage production has taken a clear step up, with a large backing screen, upgraded visuals, and an expanded range of props, elevating the presentation. Having last seen them supporting Nekrogoblikon in September, they now feel even tighter, continuing to go from strength to strength and smashing every stage they step onto.
The set spanned their catalogue, with the new EP Subjected To A Partying performed in full alongside a wide selection of fan favourites and even a deep cut that had not been played live in over a decade.
Without much introduction, they powered straight into Weird, But Not Illegal. The pit opened instantly, and the chaos began.
Throughout the set, Stonebones appeared from the side of the stage armed with a rotating barrage of signs such as “Let’s party,” “Chug time,” and “show me your hammers” encouraging crowd participation.
At one point, the skull-masked mascot handed out fresh cups of beer to those at the front, before things escalated as more inflatables entered the fray, including a whale drifting across a sea of bodies into the pit.
Thirst Trap drew a strong response, with the crowd chanting the chorus back on Frogman’s command.
A major peak arrived with High Tariff Behaviour, dedicated by the band to Internal Bleeding and Guttural Slug. It triggered the most chaotic moment of the night, and with no barrier in place, fans flooded the stage before launching themselves back into the masses.
By the end of the track, Boyce called for a massive wall of death, splitting Team Clankenstein against Team Frogman. From that point on, the crowd surfers were constant, and countless bodies made their way onto the stage without warning.
Duct Taped To A Flag Pole proved a clear fan highlight, with Boyce acknowledging the strength of the reception from the crowd all night, a sentiment that was difficult to argue with.
For the final track, Human Slime, the band led their now-signature push-up pit, with dozens of fans dropping into synchronised push-ups mid-pit. It closed the set in fittingly chaotic fashion.
Crucially, despite the sheer scale of chaos unfolding, the band never lost control. Even as bodies surged on and off the stage, Party Cannon remained locked into an unrelenting stream of intricate slam, with the level of musicianship on display standing out throughout.
A mural on the wall to the right of the stage read, “Where’s north from here?” and by the end of the set, Party Cannon had given a clear answer: their homeland of Scotland.
By the end of their set, the room felt physically and mentally drained in the best conceivable way. Sore necks, laughter, and stunned expressions filled the space as the lights came up, underpinned by a shared sense of having witnessed something genuinely memorable and having their IQ lowered in the meantime.
If you have not seen Party Cannon live before, I would suggest you do, as it is a spectacle. You will struggle to find a crazier show.
Internal Bleeding
The final band of the evening, and second co-headliner, was Internal Bleeding, a pivotal force in New York’s Extreme Metal underground. Formed in 1991, they are widely regarded as one of the originators of both Brutal Death and Slam Death Metal, emerging alongside acts such as Suffocation and Pyrexia, pushing the boundaries and shaping the genre’s early identity.
The band have released seven full-length albums and continue to uphold a long-standing reputation for uncompromising brutality.
The current lineup features founding guitarist Chris Pervelis, joined by Kyle Eddy on drums and Ryan Giordano on bass. For this tour, Sherwood Webber of Skinless handles vocal duties, stepping in for Steve Worley, while Chris McCarthy is absent and replaced on guitar by Jeff Leifer of Crator.
As a huge Skinless fan, it was exciting to finally see him live, and his presence added immediate impact to the performance. Webber appeared on Internal Bleeding’s track Prophet Of Deceit last year, so the collaboration felt embedded rather than a mere fill-in.
This performance marked a rare UK return, their first since 2019, and their debut in Newcastle. Given how infrequently the band has toured here, there was clear appreciation that they are finally back.
From the outset, the sound was raw, direct, and unrelenting, setting the tone for a commanding performance from start to finish. The setlist pulled from across their catalogue, opening with Driven To Conquer and keeping a relentless pace through tracks like Crown Of Insignificance and Ruthless Inhumanity.
Deeper cuts, such as Patterns of Force 3: Aftermath, added weight before closing with Inhuman Suffering.
Webber was a commanding presence at the front. He delivered the vocals with power and clarity while keeping the crowd firmly in his grasp. Notably, he was wearing a Cryptopsy shirt, and this was a pleasant surprise, as readers will know they are my favourite Death Metal band.
There was strong mutual respect on stage. Webber praised Pervelis for founding the band, while drummer Kyle Eddy wore a Skinless shirt, reinforcing the shared respect within the scene. Members of Party Cannon were also at the side of the stage, clearly enjoying the set.
The atmosphere built steadily throughout, with Ryan Giordano and Webber visibly enjoying themselves. At one point, Pervelis stepped down into the pit and strummed the intricate riffs with ease, facing the crowd, with fans circling around him as he was right in the middle of the action.
The final moments had the crowd fully locked in despite the late hour – horns raised, the floor shaking, and voices loud. The chant of “inhuman suffering” rang out as Webber led the chorus, closing the set on a tightly delivered final burst of slam chaos.
After the show, both Pervelis and Webber came across as humble and approachable. Webber was particularly friendly, and when I asked about a potential UK run for Skinless, Webber kept his response guarded. But with a new record on the horizon, the possibility feels very real.
