Live Review: Heaven Shall Burn - XOYO, Birmingham
23rd February 2026
Support: The Black Dahlia Murder, Frozen Soul
Words & Photos: Tim Finch
German titans Heaven Shall Burn brought righteous fury to XOYO in Birmingham on a damp Monday night, turning the intimate Digbeth venue into a pressure cooker of blastbeats and circle pits.
Opening the night were Texan death metal wrecking crew Frozen Soul, who wasted no time living up to their name. ‘Encased in Ice’ and ‘Chaos Will Reign’ landed like concrete slabs, thick tones grinding through the low blue lights and thick stage fog. There’s something unapologetically old-school about Frozen Soul’s approach with no frills, no gimmicks just caveman riffs and pit-summoning grooves delivered with surgical heaviness.
‘Morbid Effigy’ and ‘Absolute Zero’ kept the momentum punishingly steady, while ‘No Place of Warmth’ and ‘Arsenal of War” leaned into that Bolt Thrower-esq stomp that feels tailor-made for live destruction and on point in the Throwers home town. By the time they closed with ‘Invoke War’ and ‘Crypt of Ice’ the early crowd had fully thawed into a mass of swinging limbs. It was a no-nonsense, riff-driven opener that set a high bar for the evenings events.
Next up were melodic death metal stalwarts The Black Dahlia Murder. ‘What a Horrible Night to Have a Curse’ immediately ignited the floor, its machine-gun riffing and breakneck pace whipping the crowd into a frenzy. The dual guitar leads of ‘Kings of the Nightworld’ powered above relentless drumming and a vicious bass line.
‘Aftermath’ and ‘A Vulgar Picture’ showcased their ability to balance savagery with melody, while ‘Mammoth’s Hand’ and ‘Cursed Creator’ delivered pure whiplash frenzy. A moment for vocalist Brian Eschbach to mix up the set list brought an air of hilarity to the otherwise vicious set, his mistake quickly and humorously corrected by drummer Alan Cassidy’s calls from the back of the stage.
Closing with ‘Nightbringers’, ‘Everything Went Black’ and the anthemic ‘Utopia Black’ they turned XOYO into a swirling vortex of hair and horns. It was a masterclass in modern melodic death metal and a chance to warm the room left icy from Frozen Souls previous terror.
As we await the headliners, Hall & Oates classic ‘You Make My Dreams’ is plying over the PA, and a wave of voices sing out in time. Who knew death metal fans were admirers of this classic outfit?
When Heaven Shall Burn stormed on with ‘War Is the Father of All’ the shift in intensity was immediate. The volume was raised and the intensity rose a gear or two. ‘Voice of the Voiceless’ and ‘My Revocation of Compliance’” were delivered with clenched-fist urgency, Marcus Bischoff commanding the stage appearing sporidcally as the strobes lit him and shadowed him in equal measure.
‘Godiva’ and ‘Counterweight’” hit with weight, longtime fans roaring every lyric back at the stage, whilst others pitted with glee. ‘Armia’ and ‘Confounder’ kept the pace relentless, , the band’s chemistry was undeniable visibly feeding off the crowd’s energy.
‘Thoughts and Prayers’ landed with pointed relevance, its title alone drawing knowing cheers before the breakdown detonated. It’s in these moments that Heaven Shall Burn truly excel, channeling anger and frustration into something communal and explosive.
Closing with ‘The Weapon They Fear’ the band left nothing in reserve. The final notes rang out over a sea of raised fists, sweat-soaked smiles and exhausted bodies. In a venue the size of XOYO, the experience felt intensely personal and what a special night it was.
Photo Credits: Tim Finch Photography
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