There’s always a particular kind of buzz around metal shows. An eager anticipation, a major dopamine hit which gets the adrenaline pumping. But it’s even more so when the gig itself is small and intimate with intense extreme metal bands. The Queen Margaret Union is a university union bar in the centre of Glasgow, Scotland yet, despite its student status, the night’s show attracted fans of all different ages and backgrounds.
The first band to open the night was Heriot, an up and coming industrial metalcore band from the UK with elements of sludge. A relatively short set with just 8 tracks in total comprising of a solid mix of tracks from their 2024 debut album Devoured by the Mouth of Hell and their earlier EP Profound Morality. A stand-out band opening this extensive tour line-up considering they consist of sludgier riffs and grooves compared to the other bands. Despite a few technical difficulties with their sound, particularly with drowned out vocals on their closing tracks “Mourn” and “Demure,” Heriot proved to be a solid young opening act for a monster line-up.
Next up was melodic death metal/metalcore veterans Darkest Hour. The band’s stage presence was nothing short of dark, energetic and downright brutal. With catchy hooks, blistering drums and a commanding attitude, the band threw out track after track, mixing fan favourites such as “With A Thousand Words To Say But One” with new material from their 2024 album Perpetual Terminal.
The sound was ferociously powerful whilst maintaining a clear and precise execution. The bass in particular however reverberated throughout the entire venue, striking you straight in the chest with the force of a thousand raging bulls. The vocals were devastatingly brutal with an impassioned fury, capturing every member of the crowd who sang back in unison. The only real criticism that can be said for this performance is that it wasn’t long enough. Considering the band have 10 albums over a 24 year period, they only had time to perform 6 tracks altogether.
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At first glance during these first two sets, you would be forgiven for thinking the venue was completely packed out. The crowd however suddenly doubled in size with the anticipation of the arrival of the first co-headliners of the night. Sylosis have firmly cemented themselves as one of the UK’s most underrated extreme metal bands despite their solid 24 year tenure. Incorporating elements of death metal, thrash metal, melodic metalcore and the occasional progressive moment, Sylosis completely obliterated everyone within the vicinity.
Their sound was incredibly deafening and the crowd were feral. The entire central floor erupted into a mosh pit with bodies flying everywhere, pulsating with a fevered energy, not one person was standing still. Throwing out ferocious tracks such as “A Sign of Things to Come,” “Servitude,” “Conclusion of an Age” and “Calcified,” Sylosis’ energy was muscular which reflected back on the crowd.
Now of course, this is an extreme metal/metalcore show in Glasgow, Scotland so it stands to reason that there would be a surprise appearance from none other than Bleed From Within’s vocalist Scott Kennedy during the track “The Path.” Kennedy added an extra layer of chaos to the show, throwing himself around the stage like an unhinged lunatic as he belted out the lyrics in the distinctive, rage-fueled guttural way only he can achieve.
Closing the night was the final headliner and quite possibly the best band of the night. American deathcore titans Fit For An Autopsy took to the stage with absolutely no intention of offering any kind of reprieve whatsoever. Demonically dominant in nature, the band unleashed a fury unlike anything that has ever been witnessed before.
Commanding the crowd like mere puppets on a string, the band delivered with a solid setlist including “A Higher Level of Hate,” “Hellions,” “Far From Heaven,” “Hostage” and “Black Mammoth.” The biggest mosh pit of the night erupts in full force, engulfing any unsuspecting bystander in its wake whilst spitting out bodies left, right and centre either by crowd surfing or just sheer violent force.
Despite how furious Fit For An Autopsy’s tracks are, the band themselves are technically precise and perfectionists, executing every intricate detail with ease. The occasional addition of clean vocals make their appearance however despite the slight change in pace, the atmosphere still looms with a dark and fiery onslaught of crushing riffs and ridiculous blastbeats. Fit For An Autopsy have a certain presence which hooks you in and completely annihilates you at the same time and despite the fact they were on stage for a solid hour, they could have easily doubled that time.
It’s safe to say that the combination of Heriot, Darkest Hour, Sylosis and Fit For An Autopsy is any extreme metal fan’s lineup fantasy. Each band holding their own with their own unique sound whilst perfectly complimenting one another at the same time to create a mammoth bill. Laying waste to a small, university student union on a blustery Scottish winter evening, each and every fan left utterly destroyed with a ringing in their ears and a smile on their faces.
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Photos by Skull Lens Photography
