Broken Hands @ The Cockpit 3, Leeds 2/11/12

Formed in 2010 this Kent troupe have broken free of their humble beginnings. Thomas Ford, Jamie Darby and brothers Callum and Dale Norton began their escapade playing in an Old Men's club in their home town Canterbury, until 2011 when former Girl Like You singer Edwyn Collins made the band his first signing on his newly formed label, Analogue Enhanced Digital. Still without a band name, Broken Hands was decided to commemorate 'Chief Broken Hands' from an old Robert Wagner Western. And now,  two years on the group are in full flight on a UK tour, thrusting their fervid screams and deafening grunge guitars on any willing audience.

Cockpit 3, Leeds is an awkwardly intimate venue. Shaped like a 1940s bomb shelter and with a capacity of 100 people it possesses a strangely encapsulated feel and slotted secretively into a corner of this little room is a stage, elevated only a foot above crowd level. Clad in a mixture of denim and Kurt Cobain style fringes, Broken Hands make their entrance. Despite sticking  a hi-hat on with duct tape due to an escaping screw, the group make quite an impression as front man Dale Norton stares piercingly into the crowd.

But no one should be fooled by their teenage indie aesthetics, as guitarist Darby unleashes a Black Keys style distorted riff and Norton psyches himself up to release a crazed Ozzy Ozbourne induced screech into this quivering venue, they aren't here to be forgotten.

Songs like 'Sorrow' flatter Norton's genuinely skilful vocals, which transform effortlessly from low growling phrases to high shrieking blasts. Norton gently murmurs, "Lord knows that, I'll live without you", exhorting his dark side until a climatic wailing finish to an expressively deep track. And Norton has mastered the art of ferocious wailing.

Vocalist Norton really does own the show. As he becomes submerged in shuddering bass lines he lets his on stage persona wreak havoc, falling to his knees with glazed eyes rolling back into their sockets. Almost re-enacting scenes from The Exorcist, he leaps back onto his feet and smiles charmingly into the audience, "Dance like this girl here, everybody", he exclaims, like nothing alarming just happened. Evidently thriving from 1960s psychedelic inspirations, the grunge rock band throw themselves into more classics like 'What You've Taken' and 'Wildfire' where drummer Callum Norton provides intricate harmonies to compliment his brother's vocals, adding more depth and skill to their impressive set.

Although at times you feel singer Norton may be running the show and the band are following, Darby gets his say with infectious roaring guitar solos and bassist Ford completes the line up with thunderous bass sections. The group certainly work flawlessly together, with drummer Callum Norton guiding the band through hazardous numbers. Dale Norton shows his gentle side when addressing the crowd but soon visits his dark side kick again, to finish the set with a haunting cackle which leaves the crowd in wonder but with slithers of unease.