Hello Bastards x The Ferret =

SMOTE

PRIMITIVE KNOT

+ MORE TO COME

19th October 2025

The Ferret, Preston

SMOTE:

‘Clyppan’ is an Old English verb meaning “to embrace” or “to clasp.” It also referred to an ancient ritual in which people gathered in a circle, singing together around a sacred shrine. It’s a fitting title for the latest release from Newcastle’s Smote – a visceral document of the band’s electrifying live set, captured within the walls of London’s Bear Bites Horse recording studio.

Following the release of their acclaimed 2024 album ‘A Grand Stream’, Smote embarked on an intensive tour schedule, refining their live performance along the way into something transcendental – a full-spectrum psychic voyage. Anyone who caught them at Supernormal, Supersonic, or this year’s Roadburn Festival can attest: Smote are an unforgettable sonic presence, a near religious experience.

Recognising the urgency and potency of the band’s current live form, Rocket Recordings encouraged Smote’s founder and sonic architect Dan Foggin to document their live set in the studio. It was a sound too powerful to be left undocumented – it was something that needed to be clasped for future generations. 

On January 22, 2025 – the day before their thunderous performance at London’s ICA alongside labelmates Teeth Of The Sea – the four members of Smote entered Bear Bites Horse studio. With producer Wayne Adams at the controls, they laid down a live set brimming with raw, elemental power.

What emerged is ‘Clyppan’ – four drone-and-repetition driven incantations, distilled from the primal essence of Smote’s sound. These tracks channel something ancient and urgent, summoning spirits and revelations in their wake. It’s music as ritual, as invocation – pure aural sorcery.

So gather together. Form a circle. Join hands. And embrace the ecstatic, untamed energy of Smote in their most untethered and primal form.

Video:

https://youtu.be/k2AkgVH_l9Y

PRIMITIVE KNOT:

Songs for an age of weaponised mirrors which endlessly reflect our inner darkness. An age where we are free to own our hate and, in turn, to be pwned by a higher hate. We will never be fooled again. Because our actions will bring about our destruction.

“Never has a steady drift into existential nihilism felt so very satisfying.” - Louder Than War

TICKETS: skiddle.com/e/41127844

All ages welcome (under 18s must be accompanied by a responsible adult).
Accessible ground floor venue & facilities.
Dog-friendly venue.