LIVE REVIEW: Celeste @ The Dome, London

The bands on tonight’s bill are arguably very different, from the genre-blending extremity of CONJURER to the post-black metal of CELESTE, but it captures two heavy bands who stand on the cusp of what could be their most important year. One with a recently released album and one yet to materialise, 2022 is very much theirs for the taking and they’re intent on proving that tonight. Thanks to doors opening a whole hour before CONJURER appear onstage – and with the bill just being the two bands – there’s already a sizeable crowd gathered by the time 8pm rolls around.

They produced arguably the finest extreme metal debut in years with 2018’s Mire and CONJURER spend their set reaffirming why they’re one of the UK’s most exciting bands. Teasing new material throughout the set ahead of their single release, they’re every bit as intense and commanding as ever. Choke whips the crowd into a frenzy though as impressive as the pits get, it’s not a patch on bassist Connor Marshall‘s incredible windmilling that could rival Corpsegrinder himself. The bass during Hollow reverberates through the floor in its sheer sonic heft while Dan‘s cavernous roar fills the room even without the mic. By the time they close with the bone-rattling Hadal and Connor enters the crowd and whips up the largest pit of the evening, it’s abundantly clear CONJURER should soon be eclipsing venues of this size and are only getting more intense live.

Rating: 10/10

They’ve an almost impossible task, to follow CONJURER‘s incendiary performance, but CELESTE show they’re up to the task. Taking to the stage flanked solely by white and red stage lighting and wearing their customary red headlamps, CELESTE spend their time putting on a clinic in post-black metal. Those red lamps are synonymous with their live show for good reason; the atmosphere created is indescribable, an intimate setting formed through them and the surrounding darkness. It’s a captivating effect, one that shows how well they understand the visual aspect of live shows, creating a setting entirely their own. It accentuates the emotional impact of songs from latest album Assassine(s), elevating them from their already impressive form on record to something almost transcendental. There’s zero crowd interaction at least verbally, preferring between-song ambience and feedback, allowing the songs free rein. Very few pits open until the closing minutes, as the crowd are so entranced by what’s transpiring before them. While the lighting and production may be minimal, it’s still a sight to behold and allows their music to truly transport those in attendance to celestial realms. It’s just a shame that the crowd thins noticeably in the scant minute before their encore. Regardless, it’s a captivating performance that allows their work to truly shine as bright as their lamps, even if it did come as something of a shock to the small number of people who bought tickets to see CELESTE the singer-songwriter, only to be greeted by French black metal with headlamps.

Rating: 9/10

Check out our photo gallery of the night’s action in London from Anne Pfalzgraf here: