Electro-industrial powerhouse KMFDM played The Tunnels in Bristol on Sunday 20th November as the final date of their European tour, and boy did they finish the tour in style.

27 years down the line, sole founding member Sasha Konietzko and his current band of trusty recruits showed know sign of stopping anyway soon as the quintet ploughed through an hour and a half of bombastic dual guitar metal-infused numbers, most of which came across more throbbing and visceral in real life than on record, with riff after crunchy riff, pummelling jackhammer drumming and throbbing bass beats, infectious synths and pulsing electronics beats as well as some truly cheesy, as well as humorous and ironic vocals.

It's the first time I've been to the Tunnels, and it's a great little club; friendly staff, an intimate feel and a small stage with surprisingly good acoustics too, and it's the sort of place that suits the likes of KMFDM and their black leather and latex clad followers.  A KMFDM show is no frills, no messing; straight to the point and all killer no filler.  The first three numbers of the night's set: Krank, Amnesia and Come on- Go off, were taken from the current (and 17th studio) album ***? before the band indulged us with a selection of material  from their career post-1990 including the title tracks from albums Hau Ruck, Attak, Tohuvabohu and WW3 as well as an anthemic and well received Drug Against War which saw plenty of people singing along. 

Throughout the whole unit was dynamic, polished and professional: Sascha, wearing his trademark wayfarer Ray bans as well as an army cap, military fatigues and mountain biking body armour commanded centre stage throughout.  He said very little between songs, but he didn't need to - the songs spoke for themselves.  Lucia Cifarelli meanwhile, in between pushing buttons, twisting knobs and tweaking and fiddling, stalked and prowled the confines of the small stage with feline grace (despite her mighty boots), leaning into the front rows of the audience and grinning wickedly. Her sultry and sassy vocals at odds with Sacha's throaty and rough, gruff delivery.  There was no live bassist so guitarists Steve White and Jules Hodgson meanwhile are positioned at stage right and stage left, disciplined and regimented handling their instruments with precision while drummer Andy Selway relentlessly pounded away at his kit behind them.  

The enigmatic William Wilson from Legion Within joined the band on stage for Spectre and again for the encore, before the band finished with the immense and intense Godlike before disappearing into the night leaving the audience well satisfied.