I don't know what posessed In Mitra Medusa Inri to give themselves a name that's so difficult to remember, spell, or pronounce (what is a Mitra, anyway? The new entry-level hatchback from Toyota?), but maybe it trips of the tongue more easily if, like the band, you're German. There are three of them - an immensely tall guitarist, an impeccably attired singer, and a keyboard player who, out of all them, is the only one to look like she's enjoying the on-stage experience. The other two seem to be taking things very, very seriously indeed. Perhaps they're taking their cue from the music, which is essentially downbeat, mid-tempo goth; not retro in any way, but definitely...goth. Paradoxically, even in the goth scene, there are very few bands whose music can best be described by the single word 'goth', but In Mitra Medusa Inri suit the word right down to the ground.

The singer has a rich, deep, voice which nevertheless wobbles slightly when he attempts a sustained note - the music, sparse and somewhat slo-mo, doesn't allow anywhere to hide. They're a technically good band; the guitar and the keyboard parts work well together. Sometimes the effect is atmospheric, sometimes anthemic - but I get the impression they're not firing on all cylinders. I keep waiting for them to cut loose and really go for it, but they never do...and I'm left wondering if they're having an off day, or whether they Just Don't Do That. Eventually, I decide to make a tactful withdrawal to the bar and get myself some food, so I miss the final few songs of the set. Maybe, in my absence, they put the pedal to the metal and slammed into a hell-for-leather version of Motorhead's 'Ace Of Spades' - but somehow, I doubt it.