Hearing about this show by chance and managing to book at the last minute after struggling with the ticket website, it was something of a miracle when I finally entered the venue. The NQ Live (the rebranded Moho Live) is a small, underground venue with stairs in the middle of the room and a bar at the side – excellent for intimate gigs. Obviously, the bar is handy too, cheap alcohol being on hand for those awkward moments between bands!

The openers Fallujah were new to me, playing deathcore from San Francisco with an atmospheric slant. They took a while to get the crowd interested, a small group wandering over to check them out that barely grew over the course of their set, which didn’t lack for noise or effort. It’ll take a while before they grow into their style though, I think, the melodic sections and the heavier sections coming over well but not really gelling. A name to come back to, perhaps, as the band seem skilled at it and doubtless have

Havok, on the other hand, are a name well worth investigating. As the thrashers on the bill they may have seemed out of place at first, but as their heavy performance proved they can hang out with the death metal boys and do a great job. Vocalist David, (something like a metal Russell Brand), was on fire, spitting out the lyrics as the band provided the riffs. Easily firing up the crowd, Havok thrashed joyfully and well, and their forthcoming new album will be on my list to listen to. An excellent opening act, but a band that could have had twice as long on stage...

Colorado’s favourite hydrogrinders Cephalic Carnage were on fine form this evening, beginning with a half-minute grind track about masturbation and rarely letting up from then on. Frontman Lenzig was the most talkative of the evening, praising Mancunians for their willingness to have fun and leading shouts of 'London sucks!' The band got in the hits, including Raped by an Orb and Kill for Weed with merch girl Sammy on guest vocals. Endless Cycle of Violence raised the roof, as did the closing Black Metal Sabbath which saw the band donning corpsepaint masks and even a horse's head – all in all, a stellar performance.

At last, Suffocation took the stage, and it became apparent just why the New York legends are the headliners. Perhaps notable more for what they left behind than they brought, the band were sadly without frontman Frank Mullen this evening, being unable to make the tour. John Gallagher of Dying Fetus filled in and did a damn fine job, but there's no doubt that many missed the infamous hand-wriggling frontman. The band did a solid job without him, the likes of Liege of Inveracity and As Grace Descends being ate up by the crowd, forming circle pits and wall of deaths on command. An excellent end to a great evening.