with THE SLAUGHTERING, GRAVELESS & CARIAD

Camden, London
11th July, 2026.

Let’s hear it for the summer months. It seems that gigs come at you from every direction, when the truth of the matter is, you just want to go out more. Therefore, you find more going out things to do.

This night was written in stone, however, and not through any nepotism or shared interest. You see, this night’s entertainment was brought to us by the promotional arm of UK Death Dealers, who also contribute to the UK Thrashers’ website.

This wasn’t the sway for my attendance, though. The real reason was that this showcase of underground death metal and deathcore was the birthday of a member of two of the bands playing. It just happened to be the birthday of one person.

Dan Evans is the vocalist for the headliners SYMBYOTE, and also one of the guitarists for THE SLAUGHTERING. He is also a key member of the London Metal Coalition, so he works hard on, off, behind and around his metal passion.

But, enough of that for now. There was some extreme music to be had at this Camden Town pub called The Dev.

I’ll say it right now. CARIAD was flipping brilliant. The female duo from London play it dark, brutal and utterly deplorable.
Having only heard of them by name, it was with no small amount of macabre delight to hear this brand of industrialised, old school infected death metal.

No mucking about, no quarter given and definitely no punches pulled, CARIAD gave heads down sonnets of slaughter to loosen any bowel.
Best of all, the pair aired a new track, titled ACID BATH which was, for me, the real deal sealer. A monolithic, monorhythmic delve into godflesh levels of despicable filth.
CARIAD are a unrelenting force that almost borders on slam metal, and I am all about it.
Check their EP, COMMUNAL SUICIDE on Bandcamp and prepare to suffer.

As it happens, there were two bands that were new to me playing. The second being GRAVELESS.
Theirs is the type of dark, suffocating brutality that can only be birthed in the black country of Birmingham and its surrounding Midlands area.

Coming down to London for this is a feat of itself, and that the guys had to make it back on the same night is testament to their stock in trade.
I cannot say this enough. You have to appreciate and respect a band that puts real hustle in spreading their art further afield.
Wasting no time at all, GRAVELESS laid the crowd to waste with their hardcore infused brutal death metal.

GATEWAY TO THE ABYSS and BACK FOR BLOOD were the shock troopers of the set. They were immediate, intimidating and impressively enjoyable.
The real stamp of authority was their final track, PRESERVED DECAY. Boy oh boy, that track has a real ‘face in a wood chipper’ dynamic that will leave a mark…

It had been almost a year that I’d last seen THE SLAUGHTERING play, and it was worth the wait.
As we already know, the birthday boy, Dan, was seen in the thick of it, enjoying the wares offered by the previous acts. It is painfully obvious that metal runs hot in those veins.

Having seen him wield the mic with SYMBYOTE a few times already, it is a galvanising treat to see him armed with a pretty slick Dean guitar around his neck, chucking chugs and riffing like mad.
It is with THE SLAUGHTERING, though that death metal has more than just brutality to offer, even if there is plenty given, this is a band that offer visual surprises. Vocalist Andi has a thunderous voice that belies her frame while bassist Vienna is a true paradox, with a look and playing style more at home in a 1960s commune while her backline is solid and seismic.

It was nice to see the band with their new members also. Drummer Rob and guitarist Ricardo fitted in brilliantly and held up the thrum with ease.

It was just another reminder of THE SLAUGHTERING’s presence and not to leave it so long before another go at it again.

Like I said earlier, there was a main reason for going into London, and SYMBYOTE did absolutely bugger all to ruin that.

With Dan now holding down mic duties, it is in this role that is most familiar to many. His presence suits the up-front and in your face music from an equally competent crew.

The twin guitars of Danni and Borys are slick, sick and hit the eardrums like a taser on the temples. It helps to have this level of aptitude, considering the varied styles being utilised. Especially when the rhythmic backbone is unshatteringly profound when supplied with bass and drums from Scarthee and Harry respectively. Many a band has fallen trying to be a jack of all trades, yet SYMBYOTE have made this their strongest link.

The adoption of many a sonic angle has put SYMBYOTE in a unique and envious position.
Tracks like SOMA and SUFFER YOUR FATE ambush the senses with extreme prejudice while maintaining a coherent thread of approachable clarity is a rare gift but one that is done here time and time again.

Such a set was played with gusto and, even when all songs were aired, after the closer DISEMBOWELMENT, the call for one more was honoured with a second helping of TOO LATE.

It was all a bit tricky to sum up, really. If I’m to be perfectly honest. Especially after a shot of SYMBYOTE blend, weapon grade chilli vodka.

Doing this writing thing for shits and giggles has plenty of perks. Every time I turned around, there were people in and adjacent to the London underground scene, and all of them were here for the birthday bash and the caustic ballet being wrought on the stage by all.

And herein lies one very basic fact. Any one of you can enjoy the embracement of your local bands as they witness your attendance, and they will spot you. You can sip a drink and chat utter bollocks to the shredder, or tub thumper, screamer or fat string plucker of the best band in your area. Even the promoters and staff of the venue… It is all part of the music underground that, just by being there, makes you just as intrinsically connected to the metal underground as those bustin’ nuts and boobs creating it.
By being seen IS the scene.
You don’t even have to anxiously think of clever words to write afterwards.
Hell, don’t even write. It’s boots on the ground, filling spaces and being counted that counts.

Metal survives and thrives by the will of the foot soldiers who turn up, throw horns, rock out and keep it alive in all its beautiful, brutal forms.