Ready to break: What happened at Spitting Glass' Download debut

The ascendancy of Sleep Token and PRESIDENT has taught us that mystery is magnetic. Give away nothing, and the fans want to know everything. A year on from the inaugural PRESIDENT rally that was destined to become one of the festival’s biggest talking points, Download have repeated the trick by slapping a band on the poster that at the time of announcement had no music out whatsoever.

That band is Spitting Glass, a transatlantic group fronted by Fit For An Autopsy’s Joe Bad with longtime players in British heavy music. This, however, isn't a total rinse and repeat situation when they have a level of history those previous groups don't – at least on a name and face basis. They also are capable of a kind of cartilage-tearing heaviness that PRESIDENT simply do not have.

Courting a crowd that by far and away surpasses the average Sunday at 11am turnout, Spitting Glass receive a hero's applause. The pit yawns open at the snap of a finger, those on the outside are quickly left eating dust as limbs slice the air and the hardcore kids get dancing. They leave a sledgehammer's impact in their brief 20 minutes, with thundering drums and skullcrushing riff work, and although they haven't exactly invented any new ways to make chug-chug noises, it punches bloody hard. Crucially, it compels people to move, which is already a hefty task in what is one of arguably the most challenging festival slots a band can play.

There’s still a haze of mystery around them that isn't disturbed much, apart from one vague political moment from Joe: “We got some crazy fucking people who get involved in shit they don't need to be involved with.” The other takeaway is just how easy it is to get pits moving when the mosh call is your own band name, in this instance it's closer 1HP's: 'I’m fucking… SPITTING GLASS!'

While they have only played enough shows so far to count on one hand, Spitting Glass already have it nailed down. Expect to see them on a bigger stage next time.

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