Live Review: Heriot – UK Tour 2023 – The Black Heart, London

Heriot is a band who are quickly becoming a major force in the extreme metal scene as they have attracted crowds from a variety of genres in the alternative music realm. From touring with heavy-minded bands such as Zeal & Ardor and Lamb of God to playing alongside more mellow acts such as Boston Manor, Heriot has broke free from the norm of their more Blackened sound so it’s no surprise the hype for this tour was at an all-time high. Here’s what went down at the band’s sold-out stay at Camden’s Black Heart

Opening the evening in a powerful way was Complete Snake. A brutally heavy band that quickly grabbed the attention of everyone in the venue with chugging riffs and gnarly gutturals. As the band’s set went on, the crowd seemed to get more involved whether it was headbanging or starting to get a bit of a bounce on. The unrelenting heaviness was a perfect fit for Camden’s Black Heart and the band left the stage to a massively positive reception.

Grief Ritual were up next and the room was near capacity already! The heaviness level didn’t get any lower and the first pits of the night started to open during this action-packed set. The band themselves were full of energy as they orchestrated their newfound crowd in a chaotic march towards the headliner and with the amount of charisma oozing from the stage, it’s safe to say Everyone in attendance was loosened up and nimble. Breakdowns and blast beats had the entire premises vibrating and Grief Ritual made sure to leave their mark on the infamous venue.

As the lights faded to red, Heriot would take to the stage, Bassist and vocalist Jake Packer armed with a battle axe raised to the sky, It was clear Heriot were taking no prisoners here! Their sound echoed around The Black Heart as their harrowing aura sent the crowd into a frenzy! Non-stop moshing, hair flying around rigorously and a demonic esc choir reciting each and every song back to the band was something quite unlike anything I’d experienced in this venue before.

It can be hard to captivate the entire room in The Black Heart however, from wall to wall, all you could see was joy and passion. Not a single soul was standing idle during this set and this was only helped by the unprecedented levels of energy the band themselves gave off. Despite mastering their image of doom and gloom, their performances are simply some of the best in the Extreme metal scene right now. Everything from Julian Gage’s death stares from behind the drum kit to Debbie Gough’s eccentric yet powerful movements that at times seem inhumane, Heriot knows how to leave a lasting impression!

As a whole, Heriot proved that they very much deserve all the attention they have been receiving recently. Their stage performance belongs on a much bigger stage and their ability to create such a fresh and vibrant sound in a genre filled to the brim with a lot of similar-sounding artists is truly impressive. Keep these guys on your radar because it’s only a matter of time before they blow up!