Live Review: Bornof Osiris - The Underworld, London
18th January 2025
Support: Within Destruction, Aversions Crown and Larcenia Roe
Words & Photos: Tom Atkin
Time to dust off the cobwebs for the first show of the year, and what a start it is. Descending on the Camden Underworld is certainly a good test to get us back into the swing of things after a month off. A stacked four band line up and a last minute venue change, this was originally going to be Islington Assembly Hall but was moved to the Underworld.
Opening the evening is Larcenia Roe, bringing their taste of deathcore over from North Carolina. Starting the set with instructions on how to correctly brush your teeth is an interesting one, especially as they go into an absolutely brutal onslaught for the next thirty minutes. A glorious mix of crazy pig squeals and riffs that effortlessly change between gloriously fast and technical into slow and heavy breakdowns. As a support band they are spot on, already there is massive amounts of two stepping and a wall of death. It was their first time in the UK and they are certainly making and impact.
Next up are the Aussie progressive alien deathcore band Aversions Crown. To note, I am not sure where the alien aspect comes in to it, then again the last time I heard that in a genre label it was Henge... so there's that.
However, the missing aliens aside this is more my kind of deathcore. Breakdowns that you can feel through your chest chugging harder than a cross Australian supply train. Alex Teyen being the newest member of the band seems at home ,even though he is from Yorkshire, his growls fit in perfectly with the soundtrack that's provided by the rest of the band. The lead/rhythm mix is absolutely spot on, with Alex’s deep snarls over the top the stuff that makes grown men tear up.
Filling up the final spot before the main event is Slovenian deathcore visitors Within Destruction. However with some of their recent work dipping into further genres we're am not sure what to expect!
Starting with a background audio that wouldn't go amiss on k-pop demon hunters, there is definitely some anime inspiration bleeding into their current sound. Taking elements from their Deathcore past and then their experimentation into the new metal sound, of which you can definitely hear some Korn influence, then mixing it all up, they can have fun with this combination. It's surprising how many influences you can hear from different genres, and none of it feels out of place. It doesn't feel like a forced mix, the accuracy of playing stays consistent throughout every song, every tempo change. It's all completely dialled in.
For the first time tonight they bring the tempo down a bit as well, only a small amount mind you. Their riffs are every bit as technical as the bands that played before them, just in a different more upbeat style, throwing in some incredible breakdowns for good measure.
Headliners Born Of Osiris open up with 'Bow Down' from their first EP back in 2007, which sets the tone straight away. Heavy riffs and throaty vocals, it was the start of an onslaught that just did not stop. Songs picked from across their back catalogue, a massive sixteen in total. Not once did it let up, the complex riffs being nailed all the way through songs both new and old, showing that whilst their music has evolved over the years, they have not forgotten their roots.
Every song off their 2025 album sounds incredible live 'Elevate', 'Inverno' and 'In Desolation' being personal highlights, they just seem to work perfectly in the live environment. With 'Elevate' proceeding 'Follow The Signs' from their 2011 release it shows that their music is still the same at its core, you would be forgiven for thinking they came from the same album cycle.
One bonus of tonights venue change is the unique atmosphere in the Underworld, it's close, intimate, loud and absolutely brutal. The crowd are loving it with sweat pretty much dripping from the ceiling.
Dipping in to much of their previous albums, 'Angel or Alien' and 'A Mind Short Circuiting' brought even more heavy hooks but also the synth that adds an extra layer to their signature sound. Hearing 'Machine' in the way it was meant to be delivered was really the icing on the cake for the evening. It being the last song on the set and absolute perfection.
Photo Credit: Tom Atkin
