MULTI-sheeted metallers N.U.K.E. support Sal in Blackwood Miners' Institute next week. A four-piece band sitting pretty on a rich vein of post-nu metal rock, they play with devastating precision and winning passion.

A deft rhythm section of Lee Crocker (drums) and Jason 'Jay' James (bass and vocals) manages enough double clicks and speedy pops to impress, especially on Sleep on it Now.

Riff machine: Rob Norris (guitar and vocals) and Jamie 'Thumper' Hanford have an ear for the catchy and the reactions of fighter pilot to put them into practice. The vocals vary from nu-metal mock tunes to Napalm Death-descended growls and yelps.

And there are occasional forays into more off the wall musicalisms, such as on Wizardora.

But perhaps the band's greatest strength is obvious unity and arrangements. Just because a guitarist has a good riff and a bassist some tidy changes, doesn't mean they'll sound decent.

N.U.K.E have been playing in their current form for a year but their story starts in 1998 under the moniker The Scapegoats.

Norris was the band's singer from the start and he is the only member from that band left. In 1999 The Scapegoats were joined by Jay on bass and Matthew Evans on guitar; they played their own material with Guns n' Roses, Greenday and Rage Against the Machine influences.

Come 2001 and Evans and drummer Chris had quit and been replaced by Lee Crooker (drums) and Anthony Perry (guitar).

The sound got harder with Mojo, Deftones, Pantera, Tool, Boy Sets Fire, RATM and Smashing Pumpkins influences coming to the fore.

November that year saw Perry jump ship and from then until February 2002 they were a three-piece.

Thumper joined as guitarist and techy and the band played their first gig with him alongside respected hardcore band Fog Donkey in Llantwit Major.

With the line-up settled they've been gigging together ever since and have recorded two demos which are worth getting your hands on.

The first was recorded at Strongbox Studios and the second at Le Mons in Newport. Demo three is just around the corner, they say.

Gigs in South Wales (including TJ's) have been followed with performances further afield in Birmingham, Derby and Nottingham.

They began this year with a length interview featured in Total Rock and have supported Mclusky, Martini Henry Rifles, Midasuno and Flailing Wall.

Now, in the throws of organising tours of Southern England, the North, Scotland and hopefully Europe, they play Blackwood Miners' Institute tonight underneath Sal. Doors open 7.15pm, tickets are £4, dial 01495 227206 or surf to www.nukehq.com for more information.