Chicago metal heavyweights Born of Osiris have been a defining force in modern progressive metal for nearly two decades. Since forming in the mid-2000s, the band have built a reputation for blending crushing heaviness with technical precision and electronic flourishes, all while navigating several lineup changes along the way. Despite those shifts, their identity has remained solid, forward-thinking, intense, and unmistakably their own.
Tucked beneath Camden High Street, The Underworld is one of London’s most storied grassroots venues. For decades, it has played host to rising heavy bands, cult favourites and genre-defining acts alike, earning its reputation as a rite of passage for artists and fans within the alternative scene. Its low ceiling, cramped floor and sweat-soaked walls create an atmosphere that strips performances back to their rawest form. Loud, physical and inescapably intimate.
On 18 January, following a late venue change, Born of Osiris brought that legacy crashing into the Underworld’s tight confines. Any concerns about the move quickly disappeared once the band hit the stage. The room was packed to capacity, the air already thick with anticipation, and within moments the floor was in motion.
Circle pits opened almost immediately, bodies colliding as the crowd responded instinctively to the band’s precision-heavy riffs and seismic drops. In a venue this small, every breakdown felt heavier, every rhythmic shift more urgent.
What stood out most was how effortlessly the band commanded the room. Despite the technical complexity of their sound, nothing felt distant or clinical. Instead, the performance felt raw and physical, amplified by the close proximity between band and audience. The Underworld’s close quarters only intensified that connection, turning the set into a shared release between band and crowd.
By the final moments, the room was visibly exhausted but fully locked in. What began as an unexpected venue change ended up feeling like a rare gift. A chance to see Born of Osiris in a space that thrives on chaos and closeness. It was heavy, relentless, and deeply satisfying, exactly the kind of night The Underworld was built for.
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Words and Photography by Amy Showell
Broken Static Magazine 
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