WHAT HERIOT DELIVERED ON FRIDAY NIGHT WASN’T JUST A PERFORMANCE, BUT A STATEMENT. IT WAS THE SOUND OF A BAND NO LONGER ON THE RISE, BUT THAT OF A BAND ESTABLISHING THEIR OWN BRUTAL, BEAUTIFUL CORNER OF THE HEAVY MUSIC WORLD.

Words & Photos by Josephine Best | April 18, 2025

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Last Friday night, Heriot descended upon the iconic Camden Underworld with a ferocity that rattled the venue’s foundations and left the crowd reeling in the best way. For those lucky enough to snag a ticket to the sold-out show – if you ask me – this was no ordinary show, but a full-bodied sonic purge. The set felt like a cathartic ritual, and a moment of triumph for Heriot.

The Underworld, known for its sweat-drenched walls and low dripping ceilings, was packed out long before Heriot hit the stage. Suitably warmed up by support acts False Reality and Grove Street, by the time the house lights dimmed for the final time and the first eerie samples bled from the speakers, the crowd had already begun to shift in excitement for what was about to unfold.

As the band emerged from the shadows, they wasted no time easing in. Opening with a heavy hitter ‘Sentenced To The Blade’, the tone was set, letting everyone in attendance know the night would be one of relentless chaos. Debbie Gough’s vocals cut through the room like blade – utterly fierce, primal, and seething with intent. Jake Packer countered with guttural roars, the two vocalists trading off in a hellish harmony that added layers of menace to each track.

Their set leaned heavily into material from their debut album, Devoured by the Mouth of Hell, a record that marked a turning point in Heriot’s ascent. Songs like ‘Siege Lord’ and ‘Near Vision’ hit especially hard, exploding with heavy riffs and thunderous double kicks on the drums sending the pit into a frenzy, limbs flailed, bodies collided, and the venue felt like it might finally live up to its name.

The chemistry on stage was undeniable. Gough and Packer commanded attention with every movement, but equally vital were guitarist Erhan Alman’s angular, industrial-tinged riffs and Julian Gage’s mechanical precision behind the drums with his ability to shift between slow, lumbering rhythms and blistering blast beats giving the set a level of unpredictability that kept the crowd on edge.

Closing with “At The Fortress Gate” a newer track that encapsulates Heriot’s evolution and uncompromising sound. As the final notes echoed into silence, the crowd immediately erupted into cheers. No encore. No frills. Just a final, defiant bow from a band that knows exactly who the fuck they are.

What Heriot delivered on Friday night wasn’t just a performance, but a statement. It was the sound of a band no longer on the rise, but that of a band establishing their own brutal, beautiful corner of the heavy music world. In a scene often oversaturated, Heriot stands apart. They’re not trying to recreate anything but trying to destroy, rebuild, and leave something unrecognisable in its place.

What separates Heriot from their peers in the heavy music scene isn’t just brute force — it’s how they harness that brutality into something immersive. There’s a haunting ambience throughout their music that beautifully translates into their live set. Their use of dissonance, feedback, and eerie interludes feels deliberate and cinematic like the band are summoning some malevolent energy into the room.

Camden Underworld has hosted thousands of shows over the years, but this one will linger. For the fans soaked in sweat and adrenaline, it was a moment of unity through the chaos. And for Heriot, it felt like a warning shot – a glimpse of the devastation they’re prepared to unleash on a much bigger stage, one we cannot wait to see them take on.