Pupil Slicer X LLNN: A Double Headliner at The Underworld

It’s the beginning of the end for 2025 and Winter has fully got its claws into everyone arriving in Camden for a Sunday night double headliner at The Underworld. To warm up the crowd, in every sense, Worn Out took to the stage. The four piece hardcore group from Cork, Ireland set the stage for what Sunday night had to offer with some high energy, high tempo, and yet subtly technical tracks which rightfully opened the first of many, many mosh pits of the evening. Towards the close of the set, drummer Evan Prendergast unfurled a Palestinian flag to huge cheers from the crowd; the tone of the evening was set in a way metal should always be – angry, loud, and anti-fascist.

Following Worn Out there was a short interval soundtracked by a delightfully eclectic playlist ranging from metal (as you’d expect) all the way to the main theme of Baldur’s Gate 3. It was whilst Chaka Khan’s ‘Ain’t Nobody’ played the crowd began audibly to gain volume in their impromptu singalong. Kate Davis, singer of the first of two headliners of the evening, joined in while setting up on-stage in one of those special moments you only get at these kinds of venues with these kinds of bands.

Pupil Slicer didn’t hold back. They came out swinging with ‘Sacrosanct’, a track from their latest record released only last month in November. The song showcased the mathcore elements of the band’s output excellently, with time-signatures flowing, superb riffs flying, and brutal vocals overlaying. Underpinning all this was the perfect rhythm which stood as a testament to drummer Josh Andrews and bassist Luke Booth’s talents. From there, the band continued to blast through a mix of their new and old tracks, never letting up the energy for a second. With a magnetic stage presence, Kate Davis entranced throughout with their impressive vocals; holding the attention of everyone in the room that wasn’t currently fighting for their lives in the pit.

To wrap up the sold-out evening came the second headliner: Copenhagen based LLNN. With a heavy hardcore sound the crowd opened up some of the widest pits The Underworld has ever seen and the energy didn’t dip one iota from there. This set had the energy of a band ready to make their mark on the UK scene. Having graced ArcTangent and selling out Downstairs at the Dome in 2024, this was their first full UK tour and I’m sure it won’t be the last. By the end of the set there was crowdsurfers, stage divers, and everything you’d expect from a band who not only know exactly how to play their instruments, but their audience too.