8th of June, 2026

Metal Is Good And Stuff was invited to check out a triple bill of heavy metal’s most forward thinking music…

London’s Camden town has a long and storied cultural history. From its industrialised roots with local shipping, becoming a communal hub for the bohemian and the artistic, to the trend setting fashion shops that rivaled London’s Soho and West End, Camden has been a beacon for those who wish to stand out and stand apart from the herd.

Musically, Camden has a much broader appeal. With so many pubs, bars and dedicated venues hosting live music in all its forms, this little corner of London affords no space to be precious about your chosen genre. The international star will have to rub shoulders with the up-and-comers, such is the unique nature of the area.
It is no surprise then, that one of metal’s most experimental bands are playing here, in The Underworld.

VOIVOD have been at the forefront of pushing the artistic boundaries of thrash for four decades so far and, apart from their own share of triumphs and tragedies, remain as one of the only originators of avant-garde metal still around.
Of course, with the quartet from Jonquière, in Quebec having such a disdain for tropes, the lineup for tonight reflects that philosophy. This stretch of the tour is a joint headline affair with Cleveland chaosmongers MIDNIGHT, with the tech thrash outfit CRYPTOSIS from the Netherlands adding support.
And it is with the latter act that the evening is launched.

It’s a shameful thing when one is having a chat with the drummer and guitarist/vocalist of CRYPTOSIS, praising their band that I’d discovered when I noticed the album art from their 2021 debut, Bionic Swarm, and remembered I’m already a fan…

It’s a moment not as awkward as you’d think as the guys were chill and gracious, and the polar opposite of their set.
Speaking of which, starting the evening with FACELESS MATTER shares more in common with blackened thrash, giving the air an urgent vibrancy that continues throughout the whole show.
The trio were tight and in the zone as they piled into REIGN OF INFINITE as they stretched their progressive wings. With a clear and concise mix, it is a rare moment of a first band having such a quality sound.
It was a pleasure to hear and see as much of the set consisted of highlights from their second album, CELESTIAL DEATH, Leaving DEATH TECHNOLOGY and TRANSCENDENCE, from the 2021 debut BIONIC SWARM as the finishing blows.
Epic, grandiose and dazzling. The night was proving to be a well thought and exciting one indeed.

Coming from Cleveland, Ohio in the USA, MIDNIGHT was becoming quite the buzzword around Camden. The one man project that is ATHENAR had his touring band sans a guitarist, but that didn’t seem to matter one bit. Straight off the bat, the blackened speedsters were a whirling dervish of evil intent and slick presence.

The masked and hooded men of mischief blasted through a hardboiled set to celebrate fifteen years since the release of the album SATANIC ROYALTY, including the bangers YOU CAN’T STOP STEEL, BLACK DAMNATION, RIP THIS HELL, and others.
Of course, there was room for more maintained tracks. EVIL LIKE A KNIFE and FUCKING SPEED AND DARKNESS went down like the pit grenades that they are. Bodies and limbs were being thrown with the same abandon that MIDNIGHT was showing onstage. It was a miracle I could get a few passable shots of the set, such was the joyous energy being put forward.

As anarchic as MIDNIGHT were, they played a galvanised set and left just enough in the audience’s tank for the main event.

Many a band can fall under the wayside. It can be by hubris, lack of support, or you could be too advanced for the current musical climate.
VOIVOD have proudly maintained the latter philosophy, coming from the genesis of the avant garde that is now embraced from all corners of the extreme music spectrum.

This tour is off the back of the release of their live album SYMPHONIQUE, recorded last year with The Québec Symphony Orchestra but, more poignantly, it also falls on the fortieth anniversary of their second album, RRRÖÖÖAAARRR, and the twentieth of the eleventh album KATORZ.

The expectant air was palpable until AWAY took his place behind his drumkit, where it turned full ballistic with enthusiasm as ROCKY and CHEWY joined him on the stage with their bass and guitar respectively.

As EXPERIMENT ushered proceedings, it was SNAKE who completed the circle with a grin wider than the poverty gap and an aura of pure joy.
From this point on, through OBSOLETE BEINGS and KÖRGULL THE EXTERMINATOR and beyond, not one part of the stage was unpaced. SNAKE would, between lyrics delivered with accuracy, fist bump, pose for pics and generally adopt the crowd as a fifth member.

Among such chaos, AWAY was the calm conducting the storm.
NANOMAN, TORNADO and INTO THE HYPERCUBE couldn’t diminish the exuberant display unfolding in front of AWAY. Looking over the kit like a proud parent witnessing the maelstrom being unleashed.

Could anything at all marr such a polished performance? Not WAR AND PAIN, for sure.
Not even when SNAKE introduced “the last song we ever wrote.” This prompted CHEWY to chew AWAY’s ear before he declared “the FIRST song VOIVOD ever wrote,” before the blackened thrash glory of CONDEMNED TO THE GALLOWS.

There seemed to be only one thing to do after this set. Some ‘normality’ was needed before chuck out time was called.
In the eyes of VOIVOD, that would be their spellbinding cover of Pink Floyd’s ASTRONOMY DOMINE. It’s as normal as you can hope for.
But that still wasn’t enough. Full closure came with the song VOIVOD, and that alone was enough to tip the scales straight back to crazy town again.

The night was a complete triumph for all three bands, even if on paper the lineup had a convoluted connection, they complimented each other with each own’s take on bending the metal ‘rules’.

It was a night for the ages, and one that I need to thank The Noise Cartel (via UK Thrashers) for letting me cover it. I am in your debt.
Check out their website Here.