Metal, Hardcore, Indie, Rock
From the moment we arrived at the O2 Academy Islington, it was clear this was going to be a slightly different evening. Usually, as you approach the venue, there’s a massive queue snaking around the block, but walking straight in without a wait felt genuinely surreal. Maybe it’s just a British thing, but the lack of a line felt like a glitch in the matrix.
There is, after all, a specific kind of bravery required to attend a death metal show on a Monday night. Your bank account is usually screaming after a weekend of bad decisions, and your neck is likely already in a brace from Saturday’s pit. We call it “gig fatigue,” and you could practically smell it in the air.
But as the saying goes: sleep is for the weak, and riffs are for the legends. Despite the thin crowd and the empty wallets, we buckled up for a three-band assault that proved some things are worth the Tuesday morning hangover.
The night kicked off exactly on time, and while the venue wasn’t packed yet, Blood Red Throne didn’t let the empty floor space dampen the mood. These guys are essentially the “old reliable” of the Norwegian scene; they’ve been around since 1998, and while the lineup has shifted over their 12-album career, their commitment to pure, groovy death metal has never wavered.
They play with the kind of seasoned authority you only get after three decades in the trenches, yet they still bring the youthful fury of a band on their debut tour. The sound was absolutely pristine from the first note, bringing a massive, crunchy energy that was exactly what the room needed to wake up. They were clearly having a blast, looking like they were enjoying the set as much as the front row was.
The highlight of the set—and a clear sign of their “play like it’s a stadium” attitude—was when the bass player decided the stage was a bit too restrictive. He jumped right into the crowd for the final song, riffing in the face of the fans and making sure that even if it was a Monday, everyone in the building was now fully awake and ready for the carnage to follow.
Photo: Peterson Marti.
When Vader took the stage, it was a total masterclass in brutality from the undisputed godfathers of Polish extreme metal. While many of their contemporaries have faded or drastically changed their sound, Vader has maintained an elite level of intensity that feels as vital now as it did in the early 90s. And it’s clear when they play live. Their execution is just so sharp—it’s as raw as death metal gets, but delivered with the kind of total precision you only get from playing thousands of shows across every corner of the globe.
The sound was spot on; you could tell there was someone at the desk making a real deal out of the mix, ensuring every blast beat and buzz-saw riff had its own space. Opening with the classic chill of “Sothis” and “Fractal Light” set a high bar, and by the time they hit the iconic “Wings” and the relentless “Cold Demons,” the room was peaking.
The setlist was a relentless march through the highlights of their spectacular career—performance was top-tier, tight setlist check, moshpit check. They ended the night in iconic fashion, closing out with the “Imperial March” from Star Wars blasting through the venue as they took their final bows.
Photo: Peterson Marti.
It’s always a bit of a gamble when a tour hits on a Monday night, especially after a weekend packed with shows. You could feel that ‘gig fatigue’ in the air—budgets were tight after a busy Saturday and Sunday, and maybe some folks had their fill. Plus, let’s be real: these bands tour hard. If you’ve seen them several times over the last few years, the draw might not be as strong.
That said, it was a real shame to see the room thin out so significantly right after Vader’s set. It felt a bit unfair to the headliners, but for those of us who stayed, the energy was still there. Regardless of the attendance, the music spoke for itself—and Kataklysm made sure of that from the second they stepped out.
They are a band that has evolved quite a bit over their last few albums. If you spend any time reading comments or reviews, you’ll see people complaining that they’ve moved into a different ‘realm,’ but seeing it live settles the debate. The production is massive, the songs are incredibly well-structured, and the performance is just high-caliber output regardless of how you feel about their stylistic shifts.
Even with a smaller crowd, they played like it was a sold-out stadium. They came out swinging with ‘Soul Destroyer’ and ‘Goliath,’ proving that the newer material holds its own weight alongside staples like ‘Prevail.’ The middle of the set was a nostalgic trip with ‘In Shadows & Dust’ and the absolute neck-breaker ‘As I Slither,’ showing exactly why they are the kings of the ‘Northern Hyperblast.’ By the time they wrapped up with ‘The Black Sheep’ and ‘Elevate,‘ it was clear that those who stayed got exactly what they paid for.
Photo: Peterson Marti.
