C*ntroaches, Guttersnipe and BBBBBBB at Cafe Oto

In October, London’s Cafe Oto hosted a pair of intense live performances spotlighting the raw energy and experimental edges of hardcore and related genres. These events, held nine days apart, featured Berlin’s formidable power trio C*ntroaches followed by a high-impact lineup pairing the Leeds-based duo Guttersnipe with the Japanese digital hardcore act BBBBBBB.

C*ntroaches, fresh from touring Europe alongside noise pioneers Wolf Eyes, took the stage on October 15 to deliver a relentless 25-minute set. The Berlin group’s sound was defined by a crushing rhythm section, with drummer Claire Panthère providing a relentless foundation beneath David Hantelius’s aggressive bass and Martina Schöne-Radunski’s searing, Hendrix-inspired guitar work. Schöne-Radunski’s vocal delivery ranged from wailing to guttural screams, intensifying the trio’s uncompromising sonic assault. The performance was marked by a seamless transition between tracks and a commanding stage presence that maintained control amid the chaos.

This Berlin act was discovered by ukjazznews.com through a shared EP titled Split, which juxtaposes Guttersnipe’s side A at 33 rpm with C*ntroaches’ side B at 45 rpm. That connection foreshadowed the next Cafe Oto event on October 24, where Guttersnipe opened the evening’s program.

Guttersnipe, the collaboration of drummer Tipola Confusa and guitarist Uroceros Gigas, has spent over a decade crafting a unique musical dialect. Their live displays mask complex compositional structures beneath apparent spontaneity, merging thrashing percussion with metallic guitar textures and emotionally charged vocals. Their October performance featured moments of quiet experimentalism, including a silent, quasi-improvised segment from their album Extinction Burst, before erupting into a climactic, high-volume finale.

Following Guttersnipe, the Japanese duo BBBBBBB brought an entirely different brand of energy to Cafe Oto. Originating from Nagoya and Okazaki, BBBBBBB’s Victory Hardcore performance fuses digital hardcore, industrial noise, gabber, trap, and other electronic styles. Onstage, performers G.R.D.V and Marao engaged the audience with frenetic vocals and dynamic dance, while the band’s unseen member, Saionji, provided complex backing tracks. Their show escalated into an intense mosh pit, with Marao even being carried above the crowd, underscoring the fervent connection between band and fans.

This lineup demonstrated the vibrancy of underground hardcore scenes across continents, revealing how artists from disparate geographies are pushing boundaries. C*ntroaches offered an example of European noise power trio intensity, while Guttersnipe’s intricate, layered approach showcased the UK’s experimental hardcore scene. BBBBBBB’s digital hardcore spectacle brought a modern fusion of electronic and noise elements, highlighting Japan’s contribution to these evolving genres.

The choice of Cafe Oto as the venue was significant given its reputation for hosting avant-garde and experimental music. The space’s intimate setting amplified the immersive and often confrontational nature of these performances, allowing audiences to experience the full force of the artists’ visions.

These shows not only reflected the artists' dedication to their craft but also illustrated hardcore music’s capacity to continually reinvent and challenge listeners. The contrast between the raw live instrumentation of C*ntroaches and Guttersnipe and the computerized aggression of BBBBBBB provided a comprehensive snapshot of contemporary hardcore’s diversity.

While full details on the bands’ upcoming projects remain limited, these performances reaffirmed their positions within the global underground music landscape. For enthusiasts of noise, hardcore, and experimental music, these October nights at Cafe Oto were a vivid reminder of the genre’s enduring power and innovation.