Enslaved / Islington Assembly Hall / London

I was so ready for some ear bashing tonight. The journey south had been a nightmare from start to finish with cancelled trains and re-direction from Newark to Nottingham, trains then running late, and I knew before I got in to St Pancras that I wouldn’t make the opening set from Wayfarer ☹

A fast walk, check in and I can still hear music, and I was able to sneak in to catch the last song of the Wayfarer set. Bittersweet, as they sounded real good tonight with their style of western metal (check out the brilliant “American Gothic”). The bit I caught False Constellation was spot on, and dripping with atmosphere and energy.

Sorry lads, I missed your set, but I’ll certainly be catching you live some other time !

Setlist

The Thousand Tombs of Western Promise

Song played from tape

1934

Reaper on the Oilfields

To Enter My House Justified

False Constellation

Chance for the first drink for about 4 hours and I’m ready for Bristol’s own Svalbard, a post-hardcore band formed in 2011 by co-lead vocalists and guitarists Serena Cherry and Liam Phelan. The band have grown massively, particularly since joining Nuclear Blast in 2023, which saw the release of “Weight of the Mask”, (check it out – it’s phenomenal !)

They play their set like they’re headlining tonight, with confidence oozing with every note. Serena’s vocals are brilliantly accompanied by Liams, creating depth to their soundscape, their styles complimenting each others perfectly.

They open the set with Disparity and set their stall out right away, with powerful riffs and thunderous drum beats. Wilt Beneath the Weight is stunning and delivered with aplomb, a combative clincher to a tracktackling the dark reality of personal demons and the fight against them. But maybe, for me probably the highlight of the set is Click Bait a song about the misogynistic behaviour still displayed by some in the industry, and it is received with loud cheers from the crowd.

The sound is both crushingly brutal but somehow remains fragile and at times, vulnerable.

What is obvious, is how much Svalbard LOVE what they do, and the enthusiasm washes out embracing the whole crowd.

The set ends with the powerful and crushing riffs of Eternal Spirits. It’s perhaps the perfect end, and a demonstration of just how much Svalbard have grown in recent years. Watch out for them at a venue near you soon – one not to miss !

Setlist

Disparity

Open Wound

Faking It

To Wilt Beneath the Weight

Click Bait

Lights Out

Eternal Spirits

And so, its time for the reason we’re all here……. Norwegian extreme metal maestros Enslaved. Formed back in 1991 in Haugesund, the band are now based out of Bergen. They open the set with Kingdom from their latest 2024 album “Heimdal” before they launch straight into Homebound and it’s clear that they have lost none of their enthusiasm and energy over the last 33 years ! Their powerful style of progressive metal is exhilarating and the audience are already bouncing like maniacs.

Next is the strikingly beautiful, and melodic Forest Dweller that for a brief time slows the pace. And tonight we’re in for a real treat as Londoner, and internationally acclaimed composer and virtuoso cellist Jo Quail strides out to join the band for a rendition of Congelia. The crowd go wild, and her performance is simply incredible.

We go all the way back to 2003 and the “Below the Lights” album for the brilliant The Dead Stare which is delivered with power and the equally powerful Havenless which is like a rallying call, an anthem for the genre. For me Havenless is the highlight of the night as the crowd are shouting out the words, metal horns in the air as one. Its just incredible.

Time just flies by, and before you know it, its final number time, and we go right back to their 1992 album “Yggdrasill” for the classic Allfǫðr Oðinn.

With the travel issues, I’m really sad I didn’t get to see all that Wayfarer had to offer, but still, the night made up for the nightmare journey, and then some. Svalbard were on fire, and showing that they are headliners in their own right, and Enslaved, just captivated the audience as only they can.

Amazing lineup, and incredible night. One for the ages !

Setlist

Kingdom

Homebound

Forest Dweller

Sequence

Congelia (with Jo Quail)

Frost

Loke

The Dead Stare

Havenless

Heimdal