Live Review: 200 Stab Wounds / Blood Gutter / Outlive @ Dust, Brighton, UK - 08/08/26
Words by: Ed / Photos by: Ben
It’s no secret that Brighton has become one of the most sought-after tour destinations for bands and fans alike over the last few years. The BN1 hardcore scene alone is a beacon on the maps of bands the world over. So when 200 Stab Wounds announced that they would be playing a headline show there, and especially when it was revealed that local beatdown boys Outlive and mosh metallers Blood Gutter were jumping on the bill as support, it became a must-attend event.
Arriving at Dust to a sea of battle vests, combat boots, and camo trousers raised eyebrows. Stab Wounds straddle the line between Bloodstock attendees and more mosh-oriented functions, and it was apparent that this was weighing heavily towards the former. To paraphrase Baxter of both Blood Gutter and Outlive, the “ultimate showdown between those with long hair that spinkick and those with long hair that don’t” was about to take place.
Outlive opened, taking to the stage and immediately setting the tone for those not in the know. A small but dedicated contingent had followed the memo and joined the rank and file, both the writer and the photographer for this piece included, and danced along to their rhythm. A pretty sizeable crowd stood in attendance; those that had decided to come early stood in a combination of patient curiosity and actual enjoyment. Whilst managing to remain clear of the dancers, the horseshoe was kept respectfully small, and if anyone seemed to dislike them, it wasn’t made obvious. Some of the more metal-hardened individuals even managed to take to the floor towards the end of the set and throw down a pretty competent two-step, which many may know is not exactly an easy feat in boots.
They play their own blend of beatdown hardcore, drawing heavily from NYHC. It’s reliable, it’s fun, they’re brilliant. Outlive aren’t exactly the BN1 darlings, but those that know and those that actually show up when they play never leave disappointed. Tonight was no different. They came, they delivered, they woke the venue up. As Brighton’s best Southampton Hardcore band, it was only fitting that the Not Without Punishment feature be delivered by two of the travelling attendees, the Not Without Punishment frontman himself being one of those to take to the mic. Outlive deserve your attention, and if you get the chance to see them, take it. In the right environment, they can bring forth a level of violence which only the strongest can survive, and with a new EP on the horizon, the dancefloor awaits.
Blood Gutter followed suit. Both they and Outlive share members, so it makes sense for them to both share the bill. Blood Gutter are much more in line with the 200 Stab Wounds crowd, playing riff-laden mosh metal which takes as much inspiration from Lamb of God as they do Prowler. The room ate them up. Opening with a self-described “ill-conceived Death cover”, all cards were well and truly out on the table. Not even the mid-set technical difficulties could spoil the occasion, and after making the most of the break to plug an upcoming charity gig (Daltons, Brighton, August 21st, be there), the riffs returned.
Packed from the lip of the stage to the merch area, Dust was well and truly alive. The battle of the mosh-style was not over, however, and a small number of the more hardcore-oriented folk managed to swing around in isolation. Nothing compared to the Outlive set, which was well and truly in their favour, but some all the same. Horns in the air, headbangers, the strange faux mosh that comes from people that kinda want to do it but haven’t really figured out how to make their limbs work. It was a sight to behold. Skankers and a few shoves took the trophy, and chants for more followed their sets’ conclusion. Delivering what this writer believed to be amongst the best Blood Gutter sets personally witnessed to date, it is safe to say that they really are that band. Support DIY hardcore, and tell your friends that you love them.
200 Stab Wounds took to the stage to see the night off putridly. As stated before, they straddle the line between hardcore and extreme metal, Bloodstock and Unitarian church halls. That being said, they need to play a DIY hardcore fest as soon as is feasibly possible. Standing front and centre in a Madball shirt, guitarist/vocalist Steve Buhl and his band of hairy men are clearly down for the core. The battle was lost to the push pitters this time around, and that was to be expected just by looking at the clientele, but the room was in their hands. Playing their own flavour of pit-focused death metal, they would be at home at the likes of a Last Breath, a DIE fest, an Unfest. They fill the same space as a band such as Dying Fetus, and chaos would ensue. People would get seriously hurt.
Alas, enough speculation. Their set was phenomenal. On record, Buhl favours a deeper, more teeth-clenching and guttural vocal style, but tonight he was more akin to a hardcore frontman. Fitting, given the previously mentioned Madball shirt and the band’s tendency to craft undeniable mosh parts. They played with a tightness often expected from death metal bands, yet rarely actually delivered. Whilst many rely on sheer volume and brutality to carry them, 200 Stab Wounds are the real deal. The songs are crushing, technically excellent, and performed with precision. It won’t be long until they escape basement venues and begin to headline more polished environments, so take advantage of the lack of a barrier while you can. Drummer Owen Pooley is a beast upon the tubs, and so incredibly flavoursome. The dual guitars thick and fast. A bass tone that could crush your car.
Standing at the back of the venue during their set allowed for some excellent spectating. The crowd was lapping it up like a drunkard on a dropped kebab. Screams for more, cheers, hands in the air. Push-pitting their smelly little lives away. The only downside to this view was a quite seriously reduced sound quality, a lot of the technical flair lost as it made its way to the back of the room. This was entirely due to the venue, however, and the band must not feel ashamed. Removing earplugs from time to time revealed the intricacies like lice under a rotting log, and returning them saw them disappear again. The set was still fantastic, but take into consideration the reality that you may need to weigh up the pros and cons of dodgy hearing if you ever find yourself towards the back end of Dust in Brighton.
Overall, this show was well worth the journey. 200 Stab Wounds are on their way to becoming one of the most technically gifted and all-around brilliant bands of their generation in the world of gore-infused death metal, and you should watch them at your nearest convenience. Outlive and Blood Gutter deserve far more respect and attention than they get, and you should take it upon yourself to ensure that you are not contributing to the outrage. Brighton’s music scene is one of the most vibrant in the country, and this was no exception. Three brilliant sets by three very different bands coming together on a magnificently mixed bill. A fantastic evening; I highly recommend you seek one out for yourself. And remember, tell your friends you love them.