Igorrr closed the first chapter of their European tour while promoting their new album “Amen”.

When the Empire Theatre in Shepherd’s Bush opened over a hundred years ago, I don’t think anyone could have imagined the scenes that would one day unfold within its beautifully crafted and intricate walls. Built to house mostly theatre and classical music performances, fast-forward to the 21st century, and it occasionally provides a space for a modern version of the spectacle, just with a slightly avant-garde take on metal and a moshpit-inducing heaviness that truly boils the crowd. That contrast between the space and the music simply works. What was the occasion? Igorrr arrived in the city of London, and with them two acts that matched their wild and creative set: Imperial Triumphant and Master Boot Record. The first part of the headliners’ European tour came to an end, during which they are promoting their brand-new album Amen, released on the 19th of September via Metal Blade Records. The second part is set to fly across mainland Europe next February, so if you missed it, it’s not too late to snatch a ticket.

Imperial Triumphant

Sitting on the third level of the venue, I felt a bit like a CCTV camera, simply observing the shenanigans on stage and the hungry for heavy music crowd below. The evening was opened by Imperial Triumphant, a New York City-based mishmash of black and death metal with sprinkles of jazz and plenty of experimental rizz. Their album Goldstar was the focal point of their set. Released back in March, it often appeared in recommendations from many of my friends on social media, and critics raved about it as well. The band draws inspiration from their city, which heavily seeps into their performance. Watching them on stage felt almost as if the intricate, decadent figures that grace the facades and rooftops of old buildings like the Empire State came alive and decided to play the filthiest metal on the planet, inspired by the brutal yet vibrant city and the scenes they’ve witnessed through the years, just looking down, like me that evening, at the people below. The Art Deco-like aesthetic was right up my street, as the roaring ’20s are somewhat parallel to our own 2020s: eerie, erratic, and in perfect accompaniment of their harrowing vocals. The band took us on a journey through their self-expression and commented on the current state of the world.

Master Boot Record

Where the opening act placed us in the gold and lavish yet greedy era of 1920s New York, Master Boot Record, or simply MBR, took a completely different turn. It became evident between the sets that we were about to experience more electronic aspects of metal; the intermission playlist, often personal to the artist, hinted at this with trance and techno blasting through the speakers. Once the tour team brought out a massive computer-like fixture, something that could have easily been taken straight out of an ’80s science lab, the anticipation for what was about to happen on stage grew even stronger. I went in blind for this act, as I often do at shows, doing no research and hoping the band would make the best introduction. Damn, this one was a wild ride.

This Italian project blends chiptune and symphonic metal with industrial elements, a wild combination. It’s as if Dracula played classical beats on a guitar in an RPG world. The backdrop displayed images of old video games, early computer hex codes, and retro tech, taking us all aback with a nostalgic blast from the past. Some of the younger people in the audience may have been seeing visuals like that for the first time in their lives. I always wonder how they perceive it. The clever and creative use of sounds and beeps coming from the computer, many captured live before our eyes, with a mic connected directly to the machine on stage, was simply mind-blowing. When floppy disks were thrown into the crowd during the set, it felt like the retro equivalent of guitar picks, bringing the audience even closer to this nostalgic, tech-driven set.

Igorrr

Coming down from the quirky, retro computer sounds, Igorrr set the scene by playing classical music just before their set. It gave us a moment to breathe, a little palate cleanser, before diving right back into the crazy show. We needed it, because this project has no musical boundaries. It goes places beyond mere mortal imagination, mixing countless sounds and genres together and somehow, it works.

This French project began with one man, Gautier Serre, but quickly broke free from the confines of the music studio and evolved into a fantastic live band that, on Wednesday night, went above and beyond to perform songs from both the new album and Igorrr’s now-classic material. The setlist was balanced mainly between two albums: the newly released Amen and Spirituality and Distortion. Around it, the artist built an otherworldly experience, beaming with epic choreography and an insane light show crafted by their lighting engineer.

I genuinely sat in my seat imagining the lighting tech conducting the display like a mad, maniacal orchestra conductor, every accent timed to perfection, highlighting the music without ever distracting from it. The vocals were stunning, ranging from the opera-style exclamations and breathy power of mezzo-soprano Marthe Alexandre to the guttural metal growls of JB Le Bail. What Gautier Serre delivers is nothing short of a spectacle a full embodiment of his compositions.

If anyone ever tells you that metalheads are just meatheads listening to heavy music while getting blackout drunk, you can argue that Igorrr is the literal equivalent of a classical concerto. To truly appreciate it, you need to grasp the complexity and layering of its often homemade sounds. Serre is a modern-day composer, unafraid to push sonic boundaries that will no doubt inspire generations of metal musicians to come. Of course, you still get the drunken crowd behaving like maniacs in the pit but this really only adds to the experience. Looking down from my sky seats, the standing section reminded me of a pile of band tees in a washing machine, spinning wildly through an intense cycle. I wanted nothing more than to dive right into those unruly waters.

Igorrr’s appeal grows out of years of listening to metal, it’s something you grow into, like that jacket your mum bought with sleeves slightly too long so it would last more than one season. For many, it’s just chaotic noise, but for those who love it, it’s pure, mind-blowing perfection. You just need to let yourself be free and flow with the music. We were thrilled to see Igorrr ignite such excitement and fill the venue to the brim. Maybe they could have performed alongside Gojira at the Olympics after all?