Having travelled all the way from Belgium, tonight’s openers Pestifer haven’t come to take prisoners and they hit the ground running to deliver a potent brand of death metal. Other band’s kit means that they are pushed towards the front of the stage, but they make every inch count with vocalist Jérôme Bernard being particularly animated. Despite having a bunch of songs that rock along at a similar pace, they never veer into geneticism with each track being delivered like a punch to the abdomen. At just thirty minutes, their set is far to short, but true to the old adage, it certainly leaves us yearning for more.

Proving that death metal is a truly global affair, Intrepid are a quintet from Estonia who dish out a no-hold-barred set full of explosive, soon-to-be-classic death metal anthems. Vocalist Raiko Rajalaane has an impressive set of pipes that fills the whole venue and with dreadlocks flying delivers a spirited performance. The twin guitar attack goes straight for the throat whilst the rhythm section deftly switches rhythms to keep things fresh. Their set is energetic, and it’s an effervescence that is highly contagious and their efforts are rewarded with the first pit of the night, which is perhaps the best affirmation a band can get.

Having released five studio albums, all of which come highly rated, Hideous Divinity are no strangers to the crowd packed into the cavernous Underworld and their appearance is rewarded with the biggest cheer of the night (thus far). While we’ve been treated to two strong opening bands, Hideous Divinity take the insanity to a whole new level. This Italian quartet create a sound that’s far bigger than their constituent parts, it’s a musical maelstrom, make no mistake, and it goes straight for the throat; it offers no quarter, but then again, good death metal never should. They’ve a lyrical bent that veers towards the cerebral and, by avoiding the usual tropes, elevate themselves from the pack. Hard and heavy, Hideous Divinity prove themselves divine.

Self-described purveyors of “Ithyphallic Metal”, South Carolina death metallers Nile have been excavating the deep mines of ancient Egyptian mythology for over three decade now. With latest album The Underworld Awaits Us All (reviewed here) garnering some fantastic reviews, the band are on something of a highpoint, as evidenced by tonight’s capacity crowd at The Underworld which, incidentally, sold out in double quick time. Nile certainly know how to build tension and keep the crowd waiting until the optimum moment before appearing, and when the do it is with the highly explosive ‘Sacrifice Unto Sebek’. It’s an explosion of sound that immediately gets the follicles flying and turns the crowd packed onto the floor into a writhing, seething mass. Excavating their deep discography, Nile deliver a set that’s culled from seven of their ten albums and does a good job of pleasing the faithful. With a three-pronged vocal attack, a Nile set is something of a dizzying affair that attacks the crowd from all angles whilst the powerful drumming of George Kollias beats the audience into submission. Punishing songs such as ‘Kafir!’ and ‘Lashed To The Slave Stick’ ensure Nile can do no wrong and with the electrifying solos of founding member Karl Sanders attacking our eardrums, things get pretty hectic, pretty quick. There’s no fancy backdrops and musical interludes to detract from the songs and this has the added bonus of placing the songs centre stage and when the songs are this good, that’s exactly where they should be. ‘Black Seeds Of Vengeance’ brings the show to a cataclysmic conclusion and ensures that this is one gig that’ll live long in the memory.

Nile Set List:

1. Sacrifice Unto Sebek
2. Defining The Gates Of Ishtar
3. To Strike With Secret Fang
4. Kafir!
5. Call To Destruction
6. Vile Nilotic Rites
7. Stelae Of Vultures
8. In The Name Of Amun
9. Lashed To The Slave Stick
10. Sarcophagus
11. Long Shadows Of Dread
12. Chapter For Not Being Hung Upside Down On A Stake In The Underworld And Made To Eat Feces By The Four Apes
13. Annihilation Of The Wicked
14. Black Seeds Of Vengeance

Intrepid Set List:

1. Blood Means Nothing
2. Mesmerism
3. Succubian Rites
4. I Am The Vile
5. Opiated Consumption
6. Overthrone

Pestifer Set List:

1. Ominous Wanderers
2. Subterranean
3. Grey Hosts
4. Defeat Of The Nemesis
5. Draconian Daemon