CHANGE for the better, or change for the worse? It’s a commonly-encountered issue, but as far as bands go, Norwegian-American outfit Combichrist really do divide opinion. The band, led by king of evil grin Andy LaPlegua, burst onto many people’s radar 10 or so years ago supporting global giants Rammstein – offering a rivetingly powerful and original synth and percussion-led sound. Several fine albums later, out went the keyboards and in came a whole load of guitarists. Suddenly the band went from pure aggrotech to well, very basic if more commercial, US-style metal.

Strong support came first from Rabia Sorda (fronted by the ghoulishly brilliant Erk Aicrag) followed by US industrial rockers Filter (good set of powerful music, with unnecessary Trump-bashing/political lectures, why do musicians do this? When I pay to eat at a restaurant, or get my car fixed, I don’t really need the chef or mechanic to tell me Gove is great or Corbyn is cool).

Then the main guys burst on stage with a host of newer songs like Skullcrusher, Slakt, Zombie Fistfight and Never Surrender, but the real fist-pumping from the crowd was reserved for CC classics Get Your Body Beat, F That S and best of all a chillingly finger-to-the-head-poking Blut Royale. Speaking to many fans at the show – a good number from Wales all delighted when the result of a certain football match came through – most agreed Combichrist do need to go back to what they were. The earlier days of innovative, edgy, confrontational music has given way to samey metal.