A little over a month ago, as Summer faded out into Autumn I took a trip down to London, for a night of heavy metal. With Cirith Ungol headlining bringing the (frost and) fire, temperatures were set rise in Camden town! Upon my arrival, the line into The Underworld was already wrapping around the block and by the time the first band was on stage, the venue was heaving with fans of death, doom, black and epic metal and an abundance of heavy metal lifers showing the broad appeal of the bands on tonight.
Like the ancient spider that exists within their name sake’s lair, for most of their career Cirith Ungol have been a band lurking in the shadows, known only to those who seek the treasures of the underground hidden through time. My own introduction to them would most likely have started by seeing a picture of Gaz Jennings (Cathedral) wearing a t-shirt, or them being name checked by Lee Dorrian in an interview in the 90s and then eventually finding King of the Dead in a 2nd hand music shop. But since the advent of streaming services and their re-emergence in 2015/16 they have surfaced from that dark lair and released two acclaimed albums in 2020 and 2023 and regularly feature high up the bill at Euro metal fests. However, despite their resurgence and 53 years of existence, they have only ever played the UK once before, back in 2018. So tonight will see Cirith Ungol grace these UK shores for the second and sadly their final time!
At the same time as announcing the release of their latest album Dark Parade back in October 2023, the band announced that their upcoming live shows in 2024 will be their last. Dates were released into early 2024 and as soon as their London date was announced, I knew what I had to do, this was a gig I certainly could not miss. Camden Underworld, I was finally there – after waiting months, no years, decades even, it was finally time see them in the flesh.
You never lost hope, you never have strayed,
Arise now my children, arise from the grave,
We lead not the weak, they won’t answer the call
As chaos descends, false metal will fall…
Joining the legions and supporting Cirith Ungol tonight are fellow Californian’s Night Demon and Heavy Sentence from Manchester. Having seen Heavy Sentence for the first time earlier this year at the fantastic Balls of Steel, I was looking forward to a repeat performance of their gritty no-nonsense metal to start the night off! For those familiar with the Underworld will know it’s slightly unusual set up for a venue of this size, offering the chance to get right down the front or stand back at the sides and have a great view.
Heavy Sentence
Heavy Sentence smashed onto the Underworld stage, decked in shades, denim and leather and probably a belly full of whiskey and beer by this early stage of the night. With such a fantastic debut album and collection of singles and EPs the shorter set time would mean that a few songs would be missed out. We were treated to some new stuff and some really old stuff and plenty of fist pumping metal in between. Opening up with Age of Fire, by the time Cold Reigns had started, the first of a wave of crowd surfers had begun.
Fan favourite Medusa was next, with a beer soaked shout along to the chorus, before new song Hallucination was blasted out. Although new, this is the second time I’ve heard it, an absolutely awesome track with blistering main riff. Warriors of Madness followed and then my personal favourite Heavy Sentence (I could listen to that main riff on an endless repeat it is that good!) before the relatively old song Protector was blasted out prompting more head banging, more crowd surfing and probably a lot of split bill.
The final song saw Gaz Howells (vocals) dive into the crowd and perform the final song mobbed by the rabid crowd. Awesome gig and they certainly showed how excited they were to be playing with Cirith Ungol!
Heavy Sentence are set to headline Duffy’s Bar in Leicester on Saturday 9th November
Night Demon
From the raw heavy metal fury of Heavy Sentence, the stage descending into darkness, with an intro track reminiscent of an 80s John Carpenter horror film Night Demon took to the stage through the green light and smoke and ripped straight into Outsider and then with no slacking Screams in the Night and Escape from Beyond. Night Demon certainly bring a more polished sound to traditional metal and make the most of the space they have on stage. Interacting with the packed crowd through the early part of the set.
As they take a relatively small step to the side, darkness descends, more smoke, more green light and the bass intro to Beyond the Grave starts up. Now this is a song I love from the Outsider album, but live this is an absolute monster. Following this the band step up another notch delivering the last four songs with no room for half measures. The Chalice, with arrival of their mascot come demon and then final song Night Demon brings their set to a close with furious cheering. Despite packing a lot into their set and giving maximum effort, two thirds of Night Demon had to do it all over again…!
Night Demon are set to return the UK and Europe with Queensryche in early 2025, on their Origins Tour.
Cirith Ungol
Darkness once again descends onto the Underworld’s stage and as the intro tape of Tocca in D (what else!) plays, Cirith Ungol hit the stage, albeit still unfortunately without Greg Lindstrom. They go straight into Atom Smasher followed by I’m Alive and then new song Sailor on the Seas of Fate.
The sound is incredible and compared to the relatively unique production qualities of their early albums, the older songs sound incredibly heavy and alive in this intimate setting. All four members of the band are on top form, Tim Baker’s unique vocal style and the distinctive drumming of Robert Garven ensure that classic Cirith Ungol sound is present.
Blood and Iron follows next and then with Frost and Fire and Black Machine the Underworld responds in such fine voice to this 1-2 of absolute classics! The crowd don’t stop and sing along to everything and by this point the fact that I will never hear these songs played live again hits me and I’m incredibly grateful that I could get to the show.
A tasteful drum solo and then Forever Black, takes us into Master of the Pit. The venue is by this point ridiculous hot, Master of the Pit builds up constantly through the song into an eruption of epic riffing and solo at the end. There isn’t much time left and there’s still some absolute epics that haven’t been played, but they find time for King of the Dead and Down Below.
King of the Dead is transformed from the album version, slower and heavier live, thickening the air in Underworld like a swamp filled with undead of London town. The band take a deserved short break and re-enter the fray for one final time in London. What else could they finish on now other than Join the Legion? Everyone in the venue has put their all into enjoying the show and left nothing in reserve and by the the look on the band’s faces neither have they. The euphoric grins and adulations all around say it all.
An epic night of metal, whilst it is sad that the opportunity to see Cirith Ungol live will never happen again, I am content knowing that bands like Night Demon and Heavy Sentence are carrying the flame of true heavy metal!
The Nwothm 
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